Review
Far from a simple pet owner’s guide to the breed, this handbook should be on the shelves of all serious dog people. –Dogs In Review
R. Ann Johnson, the noted founder of Gold-Rush Goldens, has published the definitive book on Golden Retrievers….Her book is an essential resource for anyone contemplating bringing a Golden into their home, as well as anyone who already shares their life with one….Both well written and informative, this book will be pulled off the shelf almost daily after you bring home your precious puppy….So easy to read and understand, Ms. Johnson leads us through the life of a Golden, from the selection of a breeder and a puppy, through the very early days when the pup comes to your home, to the middle stages and finally to the needs and care of the older puppy….Like so many homes that cannot images a life without a Golden, I can’t imagine a Golden home without The Golden Retriever Puppy Handbook, available through The Darwin Press. –Hampton Pet: A Magazine for Pets and their People
Congratulations on the publication of your book! What a massive undertaking it turned out to be, but what a scholarly and important reference for those puppy buyers who want more than an overview from the vet or breeder. –Nancy Talbott
About the Author
Ann acquired her first Golden in the 1960s as a companion for her aging German Shepherd. She has been intimately involved with Goldens ever since. Her Goldens (owned, bred, or sired) have produced more than 300 American champions and numerous Canadian champions. Most notable of all was her national record holder, Am. Can. Bda. Ch. Cummings Gold-Rush Charlie, OS, SDHF. Ann holds an A.B. in Biology from Douglass College and an M.S. in Zoology from Rutgers University, where she received a National Science Foundation trainee-ship grant and taught courses in Comparative Anatomy, Embryology, and Genetics. She has also taught courses at the college level in Developmental Biology and Principles of Biology, and at the high-school level in Advanced Placement Biology, Chemistry, and Earth Science. She is listed in Who s Who in Dogs (Howell 1998) as one of a small number of people [in the sport of purebred dogs] who has made a lasting and significant contribution. There is no substitute for the day-to-day knowledge gained over time on a topic as varied and demanding as that of breeding and raising Golden Retrievers. A book that builds on such knowledge should be, ideally, a compendium of one person s lifetime of experience. Ann Johnson is unusually qualified to write such a book about Golden Retriever puppies. She has been breeding them for the past 30 years with great success, and her Gold-Rush Goldens are known world-wide. Her knowledge of the breed has been transformed into dogs that have entered the pedigrees of many lines in the highly competitive world of the show ring. As a biologist with professional training, Ann has an insider s understanding of the scientific aspects of animal husbandry, which is especially useful when writing about the early development of the canine. While intended for the neophyte just getting started in Goldens, this book should also interest breeders and veterinarians alike.
