Delivery to Sacramento CA Tuesday 7/28
Delivery to Longview WA Thursday 7/30
Whatsit
Details at a Glance
Price: $2,250
Expected Size: 60-70 lbs
Sex: Male
Born: May 31st
Ready to Go: July 27th
Limited AKC Registration
AKC Golden Retriever Puppy
Service Prospect • Confident • People-Focused • Ready to Work
The Puppy Who Wants to Be on Your Team.
Some puppies enjoy people.
Some puppies enjoy learning.
Gizmo genuinely seems to enjoy working with his person.
Even though we already knew each other, this was a new situation. He approached politely, taking a moment to understand what was being asked before fully committing.
Once he figured it out, everything changed.
His confidence came alive. He became playful, animated, and completely invested in working together. Throughout the evaluation, he repeatedly checked back in, looked for direction, and seemed happiest when we were solving problems as a team.
That combination of confidence, resilience, motivation, and natural human focus is exactly why I believe Gizmo has excellent potential for advanced training.
Whether his future includes service work, scent work, Rally, obedience, or simply becoming an exceptionally well-trained family companion, I think he's the kind of dog that genuinely enjoys having a purpose.
His temperament test can be viewed here
Personality & Temperament
Gizmo is the kind of puppy that naturally enjoys working alongside his people.
He's confident without being pushy, affectionate without being demanding, and highly motivated without becoming overwhelming. Throughout the evaluation he consistently looked for opportunities to engage, whether that meant playing with a toy, solving a new challenge, or simply interacting with me.
One thing I found especially interesting was his approach to new situations. Rather than rushing into everything immediately, he'd often take a brief moment to gather information before fully engaging. Once he understood what was happening, his confidence became obvious.
That thoughtful approach, combined with his natural resilience, makes him a puppy that's both enjoyable to train and easy to live with.
Much of that confidence begins long before families take their puppies home. Our puppies are raised through a structured early development curriculum designed to build resilience, curiosity, and healthy responses to new experiences. You can learn more about that process on our How We Raise Our Puppies page.
Working & Performance Potential
Gizmo possesses many of the qualities I look for in a working dog.
His confidence, resilience, motivation, and natural desire to work with people create an excellent foundation for advanced training. I think he'd be well suited for service work, scent work, Rally, obedience, and many other performance sports where teamwork is the foundation of success.
One trait I'd keep in mind is his Tenderheartedness.
Gizmo notices how people are feeling and naturally wants to help. That's a beautiful quality, but it also means I wouldn't want to place him in a role where he's expected to absorb another person's emotional struggles day after day. For that reason, I don't see him as my first choice for psychiatric service work, emotional support work, or full-time facility therapy work.
I do see tremendous potential for a dog that works with his person rather than carrying their emotional burden.
If you're specifically looking for a future working dog, I encourage you to read our Service Dog Prospects page, where I explain what I look for during temperament evaluations and why not every confident puppy is automatically a service prospect.
What I Loved
One quality that really stood out to me was Gizmo's resilience.
Throughout the evaluation there were moments that caused him to pause and think. I'd occasionally see a tongue flick or a quick body shake as he processed what had just happened. Then, almost immediately, he'd recover and continue working.
That's exactly what I want to see.
Confidence isn't about pretending nothing is ever surprising. It's about recovering, adapting, and continuing forward. Gizmo demonstrated that beautifully throughout his evaluation.
I also loved how naturally connected he is to people. He wasn't simply looking for affection. He genuinely wanted to work together, repeatedly checking back in and looking for opportunities to engage with me throughout the session.
His complete evaluation was conducted using the same temperament assessment process we use for every litter. If you're curious about how we evaluate puppies and what these traits actually mean, you can read more on our Temperament Testing page.
One Thing I'd Continue Building
If Gizmo were staying here, impulse control would become one of my first training priorities.
As his excitement increased, so did his mouthiness. There wasn't any frustration behind it. He simply became so enthusiastic that his self-control occasionally lagged behind his excitement.
This is exactly the kind of puppy that benefits from our "Don't Reward the Crazy" philosophy.
Reward calm behavior.
Pause the fun when excitement gets too high.
Teach him that thoughtful choices keep the game going.
Because Gizmo is highly motivated by both people and play, I think he'll learn those lessons quickly.
Living With Gizmo
Life with Gizmo is going to be interactive.
He's the kind of dog that wants to learn, train, explore, and participate in everyday life with his family. Whether you're heading out on an adventure, attending a training class, or simply working around the house, I think Gizmo will be happiest when he feels included.
He also has a nice balance between enthusiasm and self-control. He loves toys and enjoys interactive play, but he doesn't become frantic or difficult to redirect. His prey drive is strong, making toys an excellent training reward, while his moderate intensity helps keep him mentally available even when excitement builds.
Families with cats, chickens, rabbits, or other small animals should plan to intentionally channel those natural instincts through training and appropriate outlets from an early age.
Coat & Appearance
Gizmo is an AKC Golden Retriever from our Velma & Ransom "Whatchamacallit" litter.
Like his littermates, he'll mature into the beautiful feathered golden coat and athletic build that have made Golden Retrievers one of the world's most beloved family companions.
About This Pairing
Gizmo comes from our thoughtfully planned pairing between Velma and Ransom.
When planning this litter, we looked well beyond the parents themselves, studying generations of pedigree information, health testing, longevity, temperament, and structure. We also reviewed the projected pedigree and coefficient of inbreeding (COI) through K9Data to help make informed breeding decisions that benefit both this litter and the future of our breeding program.
If you'd like to explore the pedigree yourself, including generations of ancestry, documented health testing, and projected COI, you can view it here:
View the Velma × Ransom Pedigree, Health Testing & COI
This is Velma's retirement litter, making these puppies especially meaningful to our breeding program.
His Strengths
Outstanding human focus and partnership
Excellent confidence and recovery
Highly motivated and eager to learn
Strong play and toy drive
Naturally resilient
Comfortable with respectful handling
Environmentally stable
Excellent foundation for advanced training
Areas to Continue Building
Every puppy benefits from continued development.
For Gizmo, I'd focus on:
Building impulse control during exciting play.
Reinforcing calm decision-making before rewards.
Continuing socialization with new people, places, and environments.
Providing regular opportunities to train, learn, and work alongside his family.
Best Fit Home
I think Gizmo will thrive with a family that enjoys including their dog in everyday life.
He's the kind of puppy that wants to train, hike, explore, play, and learn with his people. Whether his future includes service work, dog sports, or simply becoming an exceptionally well-trained companion, I think he'll be happiest in a home that values teamwork and provides plenty of opportunities to use both his mind and his body.
Overall Temperament Summary
Gizmo is a confident, resilient puppy whose greatest strength is his desire to work with people.
He approaches new situations thoughtfully, recovers quickly when life surprises him, and naturally looks to his handler for guidance and partnership. He's affectionate without being needy, driven without becoming overwhelming, and eager to learn without losing his ability to relax.
With consistent structure, early impulse-control training, and plenty of opportunities to use his mind, I think Gizmo has the potential to become an exceptional working partner and an incredibly rewarding companion.
Ready to Meet Gizmo?
If you're looking for an AKC Golden Retriever with exceptional working potential, a love of teamwork, and the confidence to tackle life's adventures by your side, I'd love to introduce you to Gizmo.
Whether you're looking for a future service prospect, an active training partner, or simply an incredible family companion, Gizmo has the foundation to excel.
Live outside of Oregon?
You're in good company. Many of our puppies join families across the United States, and we've helped countless families safely bring their new puppy home. Whether you're planning to drive, fly, or use one of our trusted transportation options, we'll walk you through the process every step of the way.
