Golden Testimonials

I still am amazed on how we found our Wrigley. We recently lost an 8 year old Golden to cancer. Our family mourned many days as he was a member of our family. I shared one Saturday with our mail lady that Shadow was gone the next thing you know we have a voice mail on our message machine suggesting Iron Hill Retrievers. One of people around the block from us, on my mail lady’s route has a retired mother named Molly. Our mail lady raved about Molly and said that Chris (Iron Hill) had recent puppies and we should check them out. We were going to take time on deciding whether to get a new dog but thought what the heck let’s check the website. My husband called Chris and instantly knew that this was a great breeder. Sunday evening we were on our way to Maquoketa, Sunday night we were investing in our little bundle of joy. We were so impressed with the breeding, the grounds, and the beautiful dogs. Chris you do an unbelievable job and you truly should be commended. Within a few weeks we picked up Wrigley and within that week the little guy was bell trained. He has been a wonderful addition to our home. He is the most loving, curious, funny little ball of fur; we could have never picked out one better! When we take walks people stop, he prances down the street like he’s been around for years. He loves people, we’ve taken him to the groomers and he plays very well with the other dogs. I have told many about Iron Hill Retrievers and will continue to do so! Thank you Chris!

Tim and Julie of the "Quad Cities"

Chris - I wanted to take some time to let you know how thankful we are to have Zoe as the newest member of our family! After we lost our 6 year old Golden last March to cancer, we did not plan to get a puppy as we did not know how our 9 year old Golden would react since Ginger and Honey were inseparable. It wasn't until our family friend Ellen told us about you and we met your dog Molly that we knew it was time to talk about a puppy. When I called and talked to you about available puppies, that definitely made up my mind. You were so helpful and understanding and answered all of my questions. I loved getting the weekly updates when the puppies were born until we got to bring Zoe home. Since she has been with us (for 5 weeks now), Zoe has fit in perfectly with our family and our dog Ginger. She has such a wonderful personality and absolutely loves the kids (ages 9 and 12). She is very sweet and inquisitive and can already sit for a treat. It is easy to tell that she comes from an exceptional line of Golden Retrievers as she is very intelligent. She has an easy-going temperament and she behaves very well when we have company. She has been great for Ginger, and she has figured out how to play tug-of-war with her already! I also want to thank you for all of your advice and information both before and after we brought Zoe home. I consider you both a professional and exceptional breeder and also a friend as I have really enjoyed getting to know you through this process and know you take pride in making sure all of your dogs are placed with people who will love and take care of them the same way you would. You have made this transition very easy for our family and for Zoe and we appreciate it very much!

Thank you again!!!

The Estes Family (Scott, Laura, Faith, Bryant, Ginger and Zoe)

"Quad Cities "

Chris,

When I lost Murphy I was devastated. I thank my lucky stars that you were there with another puppy for me. Charlie has helped fill the gap in my life left by Murphy. Charlie is an amazing puppy. He is doing very well with potty training. At 10 weeks he already goes to the door to be let out. He is a very inquisitive puppy. I am still amazed when he sits and watches TV. He is a very loving puppy but also has his "wild" times. There are times when I just sit and watch him play with his toys. He has already learned to sit and we are working on the "shake command". He will do it at times but he gets too excited and then just wants his treat. He enjoys going to work with me and loves seeing the people who come there. He has the whole shop to explore and he has a great time doing it. Of course, being in a shop he gets really dirty. Good thing that he likes taking baths. I call him the dirt magnet. His vet says that he is a healthy puppy and I plan on taking him to puppy school so that he will get socialized with other puppies. To sum it all up, Charlie is just awesome and I can't imagine my life without him. I want to thank you for breeding such good puppies. Keep up the good work.

Jan

Berkley, who is just over three months now, has been the best addition to our family we could have ever asked for. Berkley did such a great job adapting to his new home even after all the unconditional attention Chris provided before we took him home. Each time we went to see Berkley or discuss his arrival with Chris, there was never a doubt in our minds that he was coming from an excellent breeder. We have never met another breeder that takes such pride in the dogs she breeds. Whether it be sending updated pictures weekly, recommending the best puppy products, or providing important health information in a neatly organized booklet, Chris was always on top of things when it came to what's best for her dogs. We have enjoyed every second spent with Berkley and he shows progress every day. He does an excellent job of interacting with anyone he meets; adults, kids, and other animals! We would be more than willing to refer anyone interested in a puppy from Iron Hill Retrievers!

Kim Warner

Brady

Our puppy from Iron Hill Retrievers is now 8 months old. I wanted to wait to write up a testimonial for Chris until I could provide insight to prospective new owners on what type of dog they would be getting. As a previous golden retriever owner I knew how cute and irresistible golden retriever puppies are, but they are only “little” for a short time. It is so important to know the temperament and disposition to expect when they are adults. We found out about Iron Hill Retrievers thru an ad in the Quad City Times early last summer. Our older golden was soon to be 12 years old and were looking to get a new pup so “Rusty” could teach him the ropes, and maybe put a little extra kick in Rusty’s step. When I talked to Chris on the phone I could tell she was a reputable breeder, really caring about the puppies and making sure they went to good homes. We put a down a deposit on a dark male and then anxiously waited for the litter to be born. Chris kept us informed of the pending due date and delivery, sent us photos of the adorable little puppies once they were born, and continued to keep us updated once we chose our special guy until we brought him home in late August 2010.

Brady has been a wonderful addition to our family of 5. My children are 18, 11, and 9 and have a great time with him and he with them. He has bonded well with our older golden and given him more energy. Both are outside dogs, enjoying a very large kennel. Brady absolutely loves the snow and playing fetch. The video is him retrieving a ball for my husband. You notice he does veer over to see me once he got the ball, but quickly returns to the one who originally threw the ball. It is never a tug of war with the ball or frisbee, Brady just drops the item at your feet, ready to go again and again. He is very agile in his movements and loves to run. We have woods on our property and often take him on walks, and because of our location we are able to do this without a leash with no worries of him running off. He always stays close by and if he does run ahead he always turns to see where we are and waits for us to catch up. I would not do this in a residential area or near a street – however, without those distractions he is completely fine not being on a leash. He also loves the water. We have a small creek and he has an absolute blast tromping thru it and retrieving his throw toys. I believe he would be a good hunting dog (we don’t hunt) because if his toy does get stuck in a tree he sits and looks at it, and if you don’t come help him out, he’ll come get you and show you where it is. He rarely barks, except if a stranger walks up the drive. Brady has a wonderful personality is very calm, the vet even commented on how clam he was at appointments at a young age. Not sure of his exact weight but guessing around 70 lbs, he was the biggest puppy of the litter. We also feed both dogs the Taste of Wild dog food Chris recommended and have been very satisfied with Brady’s growth and coat. He is a beautiful dog.

I highly recommend Iron Hill Retrievers; we couldn’t ask for a better addition to our family.

Lori Jansen, East Moline, IL.

Chris

We are absolutely in love with our golden retriever puppy, Dexter! He is a quick learner, sweet, very sociable and a cuddler...everything we wanted in our next pet! He has such a noble look to him; we can tell he comes from a great line of dogs. He completed puppy class with flying colors and gets along with our Husky quite well which is a testament to the love and care you showed him during his first 8 weeks. We are so glad we happened upon Iron Hill Retrievers. We would, without a doubt, recommend you to anyone who is looking for a beautiful and friendly, furry companion from a competent and knowledgeable breeder. Fabulous puppies!!!

With much thanks,

Erin and Troy

When we started looking for a golden retriever puppy, we knew we wanted a puppy that would be well socialized with people and other animals. We found Iron Hill Retrievers, which was located not too far from our area and went to check them out. We were impressed by how much care and attention is given to the puppies to ensure that they are well socialized. We were also impressed by how much knowledge they had regarding the different kinds of dog foods available and which foods provided the best nutrition. We are now proud owners of Sampson, who is currently four months old. He does great with people and is very friendly and gentle with everyone. He is also great with our kitten, and they love to play together. We get compliments all the time on how sweet he is and how beautiful his coat is. We couldn’t be happier with Sampson, and he is an excellent addition to our family. Thank you Chris for everything!

Zach and Sarah Redman

Davenport, IA

It has been 10 days since we picked up our newest member of the family, Luke. It has been a very long time since we have had a puppy and we had our reservations, but Luke made it very easy for us. Within a week he was basically potty trained, he walks on a leash perfectly, he started retrieving tennis balls the first night home, and in one evening we taught him to sit, shake and lay down. Luke is extremely gentle with our 3 and 4-year-old children, and he follows them around like a shadow. The Hackett family could not be happier. Thank you Chris for caring so much about what you do and bringing your beautiful puppies into families that will love them FOREVER!

The Hackett Family

Fulton, IL

Our pets are beloved members of our family. So when we began to search for a puppy, we wanted it to be healthy and well socialized to accept children, adults, and other dogs. We wanted to add a sister to join our 10½ yr old golden. We were impressed by the testing listed in the newspaper ad for Ironhill Retrievers. It was evident that time and care were part of the breeding process there. We visited the kennel and were delighted with the wonderful adult goldens who greeted us. We could hardly wait until “Honey” was old enough to come home with us. She is such a healthy, active, and curious little girl. Her nose is always busy, but she is learning her commands very quickly. She has already become an important part of our hearts and lives. Since it had been so long since we had a puppy, we were nervous parents all over again. Our questions were patiently answered, and we feel as if we gained friends as well as a beautiful puppy.

Tom and Linda Taylor

Rock Island, IL

Chris,

My sister and I wanted to let you know how very blessed we are to have sisters Haley and Lexie. They are the most loving and beautiful girls in the world. We definitely feel we have the best of the best! Our experience with dealing with you as a breeder has been a pleasure, you do such a great job!! You have done a wonderful job socializing the puppies, making sure they were vaccinated and giving them all of the love and attention they needed. Haley and Lexie just adore each other as we do them, it is a pleasure to have them as part of our family. Thank you again for such outstanding care and compassion and such a commitment to breeding wonderful dogs.

I have attached a picture of the two of them, Lexie is on the top, Haley on the bottom!

Melissa and Melanie

Quad Cities area

Bailey

Hi Chris, 

My experience getting Bailey was more than I could have ever asked for, from my first phone call to picking her up. All my questions that I needed to know and I learned so much more about my new addition. Bailey is amazing. She is just a little over 3 months and can already sit, shake, lay down, roll over and speak. She is pretty much poddy trained but she does have a few accidents. She is also very lovable. She loves to be close to you no matter what your doing, she likes to help clean up her accidents with you by laying on your back!. hehe. My yard is not fenced in and she knows to stay in the yard although she has tried to go visit our neighbors, you just tell her no Bailey and she comes right back to you!

- Cassie & Nate, Quad City area

Charlotte

Dear Chris,
We are the proud owners of one of your beautiful puppies, Charlotte, from Bill Miller. She has been a perfect addition to our family! She is a wonderful dog with a really sweet disposition. Friends and family are amazed at how well behaved she is. She accompanies us to many hockey, soccer, and baseball games that the kids are involved in and makes friends wherever she goes (both people and other dogs)! She is fantastic with small children.... she does so well with little hands and fingers, even when put right near her mouth and covered with cookie crumbs. Our children absolutely adore her. Last week, while I was getting ready to go out, I told the boys to let her relax in the crate for a few minutes. When I came out of the shower, I found my 6 and 7 year old boys cuddled in the crate with her! We look forward to Charlotte being an important part of our family for many, many years to come. We want to thank you for bringing this wonderful gift into our lives. You have been so helpful along the way and we truly appreciate it.

Lauren and Jens, Connecticut area

Simon

Getting Simon has been so trouble free it's almost unbelievable. Chris you have just done a wonderful job from the day we called about the add in the paper. You are always there when we have a question and always quick with a response. We were very impressed with the amount of attention the puppies were getting while under your care the first 8 weeks. We were also glad to see that they were always clean and in a well kept area. We have a hard time keeping him clean; I can't imagine how much work it is to keep 2 litters and 4 adults clean. From health, nutrition, grooming, and training you have always had helpful hints and tips to help us help him be the best dog he can be.
From the first night we brought him home we could tell he was going to work out just fine. He has always slept through the night with no problem. On his first visit to the vet, she was very impressed with Simon's coat, temper, and build (our vet also has two golden's). When Simon was about three months we enrolled him in obedience class. He did just great! There were about 20 or so dogs in his puppy class. At the end of the class he was one of only two puppies that completed all the drills the teacher had them do. We keep Simon on a wireless fence so he can play outside with our other dog when we are gone. Our neighbors are very impressed that he never barks and when neighborhood kids come up to see him he just sits down at their feet and smiles. Other than his fetish for tearing up paper into small pieces and he finds the kid's crayons to be tasty, he has not destroyed anything in our house. This is a far cry from our how our current old dog was when he was little. I could go on and on about all the ways he is smart and all the good times we have had with him so far. We really look forward to all the good times we are going to have in the future.
Congratulations Chris on the job you have done and I hope you and your golden's make many happy homes.

Sincerely, 

The Ragans, Muscatine