Photo by Margie Christianson

About Renee

Renee grew up loving dogs, and especially golden retrievers, though it was not until adulthood that she was able to have her very own. Always fascinated by the human-animal bond, Renee went to school with plans to go into veterinary medicine. That changed as research caught her fancy, and she instead focused on a degree in molecular biology and has worked in veterinary/genetic research in some capacity ever since. Professionally, she currently works in regulatory compliance for an animal nutrition company, attends AAFCO and scientific meetings, and tries to stay up to date on canine health research.

The decision to breed dogs as a hobby was fueled by her passion for science and genetics. If the "poorly bred" goldens could live until 17, why were the "well bred" ones dying young from cancer? With every breeding, Renee studies pedigrees for years and does every health and genetic test offered in attempt to stack the odds in favor of the dogs. There is no guarantee, but at least she knows she has tried. 

Outside of working her day job and raising puppies, Renee competes with her dogs in a variety of sports and is a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She assists with teaching several local obedience classes and occasionally teaches competition classes. She especially enjoys helping new teams get started in canine sports. She is a member of the Star City Canine Training Club, President of the New River Valley Kennel Club, and a member of the Golden Retriever Club of America.