Malagold Golden Retrievers, LLC (Kalamazoo, Michigan)

I have owned a wonderful Golden from Connie for going on 12 years in August. You can see my boy as a puppy on Malagold’s site under Upcoming Litters. Scroll down and see a Justin the Croc Hunter. Since I got Justin as a puppy he became a therapy dog and has been doing therapy going on 11 years.
There are four other Malagold dogs that are members of West Michigan Therapy Dogs Inc. out of Grand Rapids.
I highly recommend Malagold Golden‘s due to their professionalism and their awesome blood lines coming out of this breeder.
At our local children’s hospital, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, the patients and staff absolutely love Justin as if he was born to bring smiles to the people he meets.though
Highly recommend Malagold Goldens!

I have owned Malagold dogs for many years and still have them in my pedigrees! I will always be grateful to them for selling me Flaggy years ago. How I loved that dog! This beautiful pup pictured, is a Flag granddaughter!

What wonderful dogs! We have two Goldens now from Malagold, and we have been so happy. Connie’s dogs are gorgeous and so well tempered. They love to adventure and keep up with us, but both dogs can also handle a few lazy days and don’t get destructive, which is nice. As long as we keep Goldens, we’ll be going to Malagold.

I purchased a puppy only to discover that the puppy was significantly deaf. I believe the detail that I find most disturbing was the fact that Malagold had, or claimed to have, no idea that this puppy had any issues. Had she done any of the temperament testing that had been promised, the hearing loss would have been obvious. Had she even spent any time playing with and paying close attention to the puppy, the hearing loss should have been obvious. It was also evident in the puppy’s behavior that he had been separated from his mom and littermates far too soon.

Malagold had a great reputation when I was looking for a breeder, but it appears that the quality of breeding behind that reputation died with Connie.

I was devastated to have to return the puppy, but as was known before I purchased the puppy, he was meant to be a working dog in a job that requires the dog to be able to hear and follow verbal instructions.

Response to your response: first of all, yes, I texted Melissa because that is how she had previously requested communication. She just as easily could have called me back in response, but chose not to.

No, I did not demand other solutions when Melissa stated to return the puppy and that she would refund my money. This was presented as the only option, therefore yes, I accepted that. BAER testing, nor anything else, was offered as alternate solutions and I was not ever asked what I wanted to do. I was told what you would do. I accepted the solution I was given, as much as I hated it.

You were not there when I returned the puppy, and you have never met me, only Melissa has, and you most certainly do not know what my emotional state was. Yes, I was, and still am, devastated. No, I did not make a scene about it with Melissa’s husband who was the only one there at the time.

As far as him hearing your voice, I find it hard to believe that he heard you as he was unable to hear the 4 different people’s voices I tried with him and only responded to other sounds or visual clues. But maybe your voice is at a tone he can hear. It’s possible. But again, you weren’t there, so it would have been Melissa’s husband in the scenario you are describing and male voices are significantly different than female voices, so that would be more believable.

Then we get to when he was separated from his mom and littermates. Melissa admitted, in writing, that he was separated from his mom and littermates at 5 weeks old. I’ll just go ahead and leave that for readers of reviews to decide if they believe that is ideal for producing well adjusted puppies.

And, finally, regardless of any other reviews you have received, I do have a right to review my experience with your kennel. And no, none of my friends have reviewed you. Melissa asked me if that other review was from me, to which I told her it was not. The fact that you have another review from someone else about a deaf puppy is not my concern. If I was creating a bashing campaign for you, there would be far more than 1 review but that isn’t something I would do. I have actually told my friends not to do that.

No, I never met Connie. I did, however, choose Malagold based on her 60 year reputation that from what I saw is no longer being upheld. I haven’t said anything negative about her… only about those she left behind to continue her legacy based on my experience.

If you want a puppy from Malagold, get it in writing. A week before I was to get a specific puppy, that she already told me was mine, and has a $500 deposit for 1 12 years, she called me a week before I was to get him and said she changed her mind and gave MY puppy to another man.

My dog was deaf and the breader says she “knew nothing about it!”