Frequently Asked Questions
Our Location & Setup
Where are you located?
We are located on a 16-acre farm in Newell, Iowa (Northwest Iowa, roughly an hour from Sioux City, and two hours from Des Moines & Omaha). We are conveniently situated about 2 hours away from two major international airports: Des Moines International Airport (DSM) and Eppley Airfield in Omaha (OMA).
Where are your puppies raised?
Our puppies are raised right alongside our family in our custom-renovated "Dog Den." Designed as a direct extension of our home, this specialized space is furnished with a couch, TV, kitchen, dining table, and sink. We sleep in the den with the puppies when they are very young and spend our days out there as they grow. This setup gives us dedicated zones for feeding, sleeping, crate/potty training, and our Puppy Culture socialization curriculum.
Where do your adult dogs live?
Our adult breeding dogs never live in kennels. Every adult dog in our program lives in a permanent home as a family pet - either in our home or with a carefully selected local Guardian Family, where they receive individual love, attention, and life with kids. They only visit our farm temporarily if they are being boarded in our den. We firmly believe dogs should be family companions first and foremost.
Puppy Socialization, Curriculum & Care
How do you raise and socialize your puppies?
We raise healthy, resilient puppies with calm temperaments by combining daily family handling with proven, science-based developmental programs:
Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS): Performed during early puppyhood to boost cardiovascular health, stress tolerance, and immune systems.
Puppy Culture Curriculum: Structured exposure to new sights, sounds, tactile surfaces, problem-solving, and positive social interactions.
Real-World Experience: Early exposure to household noises, potty/crate foundations, and visits to local nursing homes to brighten residents' days and broaden puppy socialization.
What food do you feed your dogs?
We feed our adult dogs and puppies Life's Abundance dog food (a quality protocol we have trusted since 2021). We highly recommend continuing this nutritional routine for your puppy's ongoing growth and health.
Adoption, Pricing & Selection Process
How do I go about reserving a puppy? What is your process?
Adopting a puppy from Front Porch Goldens follows a simple, transparent process:
Application: Fill out our prospective buyer questionnaire on our website.
Consultation: Send us an email or Facebook message so we can review your application and chat.
Reservation: Once approved, submit your deposit to lock in your waitlist spot.
What is the price of your puppies?
Our puppies range from $3000 to $3,750. Puppies can be reserved with a $500 deposit. Deposits are non-refundable but are fully transferable to future litters if life events come up.
How does your puppy selection process work? Can we pick our own puppy?
We hold a scheduled Puppy Selection Day around the 6-week mark. We work closely with you to match the right puppy to your lifestyle:
We evaluate puppies daily for temperament, personality, energy level, size, and coat coloring.
Based on your family questionnaire and our temperament observations, we guide you toward the best fits.
You may choose your puppy in person on our farm or remotely using detailed photos, video updates, and temperament evaluations.
Can we come to meet the puppies as they grow?
Yes! We welcome reserved families to visit and meet the puppies. Because the health and safety of unvaccinated puppies is our highest priority, visitors must wear clean clothes, remove their shoes at our door, and thoroughly wash their hands before handling the litter.
Updates, Community & Lifetime Support
How often will I get updates after reserving a puppy?
We keep our families closely connected throughout the entire 8 weeks! Once a litter is born, we add families to a dedicated Litter Facebook Page where we post weekly updates, photoshoots, videos, and milestone announcements.
What support will I receive after my puppy goes home?
Our relationship with our puppy buyers lasts a lifetime!
Direct Access: Our Facebook Messenger is always open for questions months or years down the road. If we don't know an answer, we consult our network of resources.
The FPG Family Group: You will be invited to our private Front Porch Goldens Family Facebook Group. This community allows you to connect with past buyers, ask for advice, share photos, and follow the lives of your puppy's littermates!
Health Testing, Registration & Transport
What health testing do you perform on your breeding dogs?
We hold our Golden Retrievers and Goldendoodles to health standards. All breeding parents undergo:
OFA & PennHIP Clearances: Hip and elbow joint evaluations.
Specialist Exams: Annual OFA Eye clearances (CAER) and OFA Cardiac exams.
Genetic DNA Testing: Full breed panels via Embark
Guarantees:
Lifetime Guarantee: Every puppy comes backed by a health guarantee and a Lifetime Take-Back Policy - we require that any dog bred by us be returned to us at any point in its life if a family can no longer keep them.
We have a 5 day health guarantee, and a 1 year health guarantee for each puppy. If you feed your puppy Life’s Abundance Food & Supplement, we extend your guarantee to two years of age.
Are your dogs registered?
All of our Golden Retrievers are AKC registered. Our Golden Retriever puppies go home with AKC Limited Registration (pet homes) unless full breeding rights are approved.
Do you offer full registration / breeding rights?
We occasionally sell full registration to approved, ethical small breeders. We require that any partner dog and the resulting puppy be fully health tested prior to breeding, and the dog must live as a pet in a family home. If you are willing to collaborate to better the breed, we welcome your inquiry.
Do you fly or ship puppies?
We do not ship puppies in cargo, as we feel it is unsafe and overly stressful for young puppies. However, we offer hand-delivery where your puppy travels safely inside the airplane cabin on our lap directly to your nearest airport