Interview with Nancy Kelly of Golden Pines Kennels Part 2

I hope you all got a chance to read about Nancy ’s background in the last issue of Everything Golden.  In this issue, Nancy and I explore her thoughts on breeding and the future of Goldens.  Again I want to thank Nancy for her time and energy in doing this interview.

PH:. What is it you look for in a dog/puppy when making your breeding and selection decisions?

  NK: I evaluate the sire and the dam, plus the pedigree. When I evaluate the puppy, I look for structure, balance and temperament.

PH: How much do pedigrees influence your breeding decisions or do you tend to breed type to type.

NK: The structure of the dogs, as well as the pedigrees, is a major influence.

PH: Are there things, such as clearances or temperament, that you are absolutely black & white about when considering breeding to a dog (or your bitch)? If so what are they?

  NK: Yes, I prefer the dog and/or bitch to have all the proper clearances, good temperament and ideally performance titles.\

2   If an ancestor of a dog that you are considering using had one of these * black & white* issues, would you breed to the dog anyway.  I think that would have to be answered on a case by case basis. For instance using clearances as an example depending on the generation some clearances were not done until the last decade. Heart, elbows & thyroid are newer required clearances than hips and eyeA.

PH: How do performance titles (other then field) factor into your breeding decisions?

  NK: I prefer to use dogs with performance titles including field titles such as WC or JH.

PH:  How do these titles relate to breed purpose in your mind?

 NK: The titles demonstrate the trainability and the versatility of the dog.  However, an important factor to consider for earning these titles is the owner has to have the time, capability, facilities and resources to train and attain these titles.

PH:  What do you think that the breeder who wants a Golden to “do it all” must consider when they begin their breeding programs?

NK: I cannot give a general answer to that question, I would need to speak to the individual and understand their criteria and their definition of “do it all”.

  PH: What are some of the biggest issues you see facing the breed today.

NK: The popularity of the breed generates indiscriminate breeding.  Structurally, the front-end assemblies and movement seem to be deteriorating.

PH: How had the breed changed over the years?

NK: In the fifties the Goldens had much less coat, heads varied a great deal, and size was quite variable. Each decade Goldens seem to go through fashion chances. For a decade they were heavier boned and larger near the top of the standard, then they were smaller, lighter boned more at lower end of the standard. Each decade they seem to get more coat.

  PH: What challenges do you think lay in the future of the Golden breed?

NK: Health issues, such as cancer and weaknesses in the immune system. Fortunately the Golden Retriever Foundation and the AKC Canine Health Foundation are working on trying to solve these problems.  Structurally I would like to see the front-end assemblies improved. Making improvements really depends on the breeders understanding of genetics, heredity, their eye for an dog, their available resources, facilities and their environment.

PH: What, in your opinion must the Golden Breeders do to meet these challenges of the future?

NK: For health issues stay current on the latest information and contribute to the studies for them. For improvement in structure try to get a better understanding of what goes into producing a better-structured dog. An excellent resource would be attending a lecture by Claudia Orlandi on the ABC’s of Dog Breeding (she has a book by that title that is easy to understand). Attend one of AKC Seminars that are being given across the country which include Ms. Orlandi’s lecture, Reproduction Information and other important information lectures for breeders. To develop improved ability to puppies and understand structure attend a Pat Hasting’s seminar on How to Evaluate Puppies and Review the Dog’s Structure.

PH: Do you think that some of the structural issues (such as front assemblies) within the breed can be “solved” by using frozen sperm of some of the great dogs of the past?


NK: No, the breeder needs to have an understanding of basic genetics and hereditary factors. The breeder must be able to accurately evaluate the animal they are breeding, understand their good points, understand the points that need to be improved and understand how it might be accomplished.

PH: Could you please name some of the dogs of the past that struck you as “great” and why they appealed to you?

  Ch. Misty Morn Sunset, CD,TD,WC

AM/CAN/BDA Ch. Cummings Gold-Rush Charlie

AM/CAN Ch. Golden Pine’s Courvoisier, AM/CAN CDX, WC, AM WCX

AM/CAN Ch. Rush Hill’s Haagen-Dazs, CDX,JH,AX,OAJ, WCX, VCX

Ch. Golden Pine Punkin Pi, CD

AM.CAN. Ch. Amberac’s Asterling Aruba, CD

  They were all excellent producers and made a lasting impression on the breed.

  PH: I know until your retirement, you worked for the airlines and thus traveled to many parts of the country to show and judge dogs.

NK: Clarification to this statement. I am not retired. I worked in the travel industry for 25 years (the airlines and travel agencies). Then in 1992 I changed vocations and I became an Executive Assistant, which I continue to do today.  I have had the opportunity to show and judge dogs in most states in the United States .

PH: What differences did you see in various regions of the country?

  NK: The quality varies and is influenced by a popular sire in the area. Currently I think you see the most consistent quality and type in the East and the Northwest.

PH: As a follow-up question: I would think that in the past, before fresh chilled and frozen semen, that the vast majority of Goldens in any one region would reflect the siring abilities of that local regions stud(s) du jour does this still hold true today.

  NK: Yes. But probably more for the convenience, and on average a natural breeding will produce more puppies.

PH: Are you seeing many more/fewer diverse styles of Goldens because of the easier access to studs around the country?

NK: Although there is access to frozen or chilled semen, the cost is very expensive in most parts of the country. There is the shipping of the semen, the specialized veterinarian service, the progesterone testing, the impregnation of the bitch and the stud fee.

PH: Is this easier access to studs du jour a good thing or a bad thing in your opinion? Why?

NK: I don’t agree it’s an easier access. It is an alternate access. You still see many diverse styles since different breeders have different concepts of the ideal Golden Retriever.  However, it does give the breeder an opportunity to use a deceased stud.

PH:  It seems to me that in the show scene today there are far fewer kids participating in Junior Showmanship. Since I believe you started in juniors, I would like to know your thoughts regarding juniors.

NK: I started in obedience and then got into juniors. I disagree, I see many more juniors competing in Junior Handling today. However, the majority of juniors in the Open classes compete with well-trained champions, which don’t adequately demonstrate their ability to handle the dog.

If you want to continue a career in handling or learning about dogs I think it is an invaluable experience to work for a professional handler. It is a grueling and exhausting experience but the wealth of knowledge you gain makes it worthwhile.


PH: Since this column is coming on the heels of the national, what kind of future do you see for nationals and regions?

  NK: Due to the popularity and versatility of our breed the nationals have gotten larger and extremely expensive to hold. It has become a monumental endeavor to finance, host, staff, and find locations for our nationals. It is becoming harder and harder to find a Golden club that has the ability to produce the national.  GRCA is aware of the problem and is trying to investigate alternate solutions.

The regional specialties are having the same problem. Originally the regional specialties came about because there were no independent specialties. Now with so many independent specialties perhaps they can be eliminated. However, it leaves the question of what happens to the Working Certificate and Working Certificate Excellent test, which are a required part of a regional event.

PH: In your opinion should GRCA have a hosting committee (GRCA members but not necessarily from one club) instead of a hosting Club?

NK: As stated above I think GRCA should look for alternate solutions rather than depending on a single host club. Nationals are extremely labor intensive due to having so many venues; they are costly requiring a huge budget, facilities are getting harder and harder to find depending on the region. I don’t have a solution. But I think other ideas need to be considered. GRCA is aware of this and I think they are looking at alternate ideas for handling the national.

I want to thank Nancy for taking the time to answer my questions.  I found her answers to be informative and thought provoking.  As always if any of my readers have any suggestions as to whom they would like to see interviewed, please be sure to drop me a line at: Patriciaherschman@webtv.net