After many months of research and conversations/visits with multiple breeders, in and out of the state, we were fortunate to meet Kara of VanGoghldens. After a two hour conversation in which Kara’s passion for what she does shone through brightly, it was clear to both of us that this was a match! Kara is amazing! She holds herself and her breeding stock to the very highest standards when it comes to health and temperament. And the added bonus??? They are all gorgeous and conform to the breed standards. We love our pup more than words can say. She is the perfect fit for us. Bella is sweet, happy and very smart. She is loving, gentle and very tolerant of our young grandchildren. I am training her for therapy work. She catches on quickly, passed her Canine Good Citizen at an early age and will test for therapy certification in a couple of months (age 16 months). We feel such gratitude to Kara for all her hard work and dedication. The proof is in the pudding.
Laurie S.
I am the lucky recipient of a VanGoghlden puppy. Maybe I should say I won the lottery. I have owned two other Golden’s in my lifetime, without ever having a breeder take 100% investment in making sure pedigree, health, temperament, personality assessment and the time Kara spent with the babies; from the birth of our girl to our arms was beyond my expectations and it surely gave us 100% confidence in knowing exactly what we were wanting and received. Even as a new puppy parent , Kara reminded us that we are her “VanGoghlden” family for our sweet Winnie’s life. Now, I just need to work on talking my husband in to a sister for our perfect girl.
Kristin N.
Kara, at VanGoghlden Retrievers, gave us our heart back. After learning a hard lesson regarding the importance of finding a reputable breeder, we found Kara. From our first 2 hour conversation regarding the health, lineage, and temperaments of her dogs, to our drive from North Carolina to Michigan 5 months later, we knew that we would have the puppy we were looking for. Kara listened to our needs and desires regarding temperament, size, and “look” and picked the perfect fit for us. We love everything about our Very Sweet and Very Smart Scarlett!
Lynn M.
Almost six months ago I picked up Ollie after a number of discussions with Kara. She spent a lot of time thinking about the right fit for me. I could not be happier. I have owned 12 dogs including other Goldens- and they were all great dogs- but Ollie is pretty remarkable. I can tell he is going to be my best dog ever. The vet remarked on his excellent temperament. He is a very smart dog. He is incredibly mellow and affectionate inside but also energetic and playful outside. No separation anxiety- just bye. Great companion on long car trips. Other dogs love him. He is also a very good-looking dog. Last, Kara sent Ollie home with a great online library of articles. I am an experienced dog owner but I learned quite a few new things from this library. Ollie is an example of a dog that is bred with care. I highly recommend getting a dog from Kara.
Mary C.
Simply put: Frannie is everyone’s favorite dog – us, our families, strangers, new dog friends – everyone loves Fran for her sweet and social disposition. We can only take a mere slice of the credit for her personality, but Kara gets the overwhelming majority for raising and socializing such excellent pups since birth. Everyone comments on how even-tempered and (mostly!) well behaved she is, and I always want to say, “it’s not an accident!” The amount of socialization and work that Kara puts into making sure each and every one of her pups is the perfect dog is unbelievable. And, she’s an incredibly smart pup. Frannie is the light of our lives and we can’t believe we ever lived without her.
Taylor B.
Kara and her dogs are phenomenal. She runs a great breeding program and really takes the time to match the best dog to the family. We got a puppy in August of 2020 and we couldn’t be happier! Our Walter is the happiest and goofiest pup that we have ever had (he’s our 4th Golden). He fits in well with our 11 year Golden (Sam). He loves every living being including frogs (see pic). I would recommend VanGoghlden to anyone looking for their best friend.
Scott R.
We traveled about 4 hours from Ohio to Michigan back in October, 2018 to pick up our VanGoghlden pup Chance from Bernie and Abbey’s litter. Two of the big reasons we decided to bring a VanGoghlden pup into our lives were Kara’s commitment and dedication to the long term health prospects of the pups as well as her genuine care and concern for matching her pups with their forever families. Long term health was so important to us as we had unexpectedly lost our first golden Charlie just about a year earlier as he battled cancer. While no puppy could ever be another Charlie, Kara’s compassion for us and our story helped her recommend Chance as a match for our family. Chance has brought us much joy and healing when we needed it. He’s a mostly laid-back, gentle, caring, sweet boy. He has a goofy, happy-go-lucky personality. He has been a wonderful fit and addition to our family. Thank you so much Kara for bringing Chance to us!
Mike, Debbie and Adam W.
When I first talked to Kara about a puppy, she said that she had the perfect boy for us and she was sure right! We are a retired suburban couple that would appreciate a calm dog. He is so relaxed and good with the grandchildren. He is well loved in the neighborhood and gets along with all neighbor dogs. He goes to all family functions because everyone loves having him around. Kara sure knows her dogs. When he goes for walks, invariably someone will stop their car to comment on how beautiful he is!
Donna W.
We were married in 2016 and within our first year of marriage we decided to take the first step in starting our family together and purchase a dog. After many hours of research, we decided on another breeder outside of Kara. This breeder had great communication at the start, and we had a lot of confidence in her. Once we had sent in our deposit (which was not a small amount of money at the time), the good communication channels that once were there began to fade. We could not get responses, and if we did manage to get one, they were short winded. After many months, and failed promises, we decided to forfeit our deposit and move on. The realization was made that this individual never had our best interest in mind, or her dogs. This is the type of breeder that should not be allowed to own dogs, let alone breed them. After having such an unpleasant experience, this is when we found Kara VanDenBerg.
This was our second time going through the process of finding a golden retriever breeder. Once again, we spent hours upon hours researching the top breeders in Michigan. We had our guard up because of how awful of an experience we had the first time. After speaking with Kara on the phone, we had a sense of peace. She sympathized with us about our first experience, and welcomed us with open arms. Kara’s communication was excellent throughout the entire process, and her top goal was to make sure our dog was the best fit for our family. One really impressive statement that Kara made was that if there was not a good fit in a litter, we would not get a dog until the right one comes along. We would have to be patient. She has a very strict method for testing her pups before they are homed (this is backed by her animal psychology degree). This statement is a testament to how professional Kara’s breeding program is. She operates in the best interest of her dogs as well as their owners. Kara is not someone who is capitalizing on her breeding program. There is a deeper passion that drives her.
We also cannot say enough about the quality of dog that we received from Kara. The temperament is second to none. Our number one priority was having a family dog that would transition to life with children. Kara was able to deliver this to us and more.
Now, we have two children to go along with our beloved golden retriever. Our golden played a huge part in our marriage and ability to successfully raise our children. It is a big undertaking and responsibility. Rest assured, Kara will be there with you every step of the way. She has a big heart and will always be there to answer any questions that you may have.
Braden and Alexander Y.
We absolutely love our VanGoghlden puppy. Kara took a lot of time to get to know us, and it feels like she bred a puppy just for us. Our puppy has the best personality of any puppy we’ve ever seen. She does a wonderful job matching her dogs to their new owners. I can’t recommend VanGoghldens enough!!
Melanie B.
I got to know Kara the winter of 2018. My family was going through deep grief as my husband and I had just lost both of our fathers within the past 6 months and we knew we needed our own family therapy dog! I grew up with Golden Retrievers and reached out to a friend’s breeder. I needed to know I was in good hands and not taking on a dog with lots of problems. This is when Kara and I got to know each other. I interviewed Kara about her practices and the characteristics of her dogs, but Kara too took the time to interview me to confirm I was good enough to take one of her loved puppies! Our relationship did not end the day we took our dog home either. Kara has continued to be a resource for me regarding foods, grooming, tick medication and even advice on caring for our dog after he got into something in the yard. I truly believe a little piece of her heart goes with every one of her puppies!
Kara takes her job extremely serious and does everything to the highest standards! We have thought many times about getting another dog from Kara, and I would highly recommend her!
Corinn C.
We met Kara 7 years ago. We wanted another golden and the previous breeder we used retired. We had to meet her before she would consider selling us a puppy. She also required our vet info. She determines the best puppy fit for each individual/family. She also educates the new owners on the pedigree/ proper breeding, nutrition and general care/ training. She works with other breeders and vets going above and beyond on pre breeding testing and clearances. Her dogs come from champion bloodlines and have their own awards from show. If a dog can not be kept by their new owners she takes them back and/or re-homes them. Kara has a degree in Animal Behaviorism and speaks at seminars. She volunteers and works with service dogs. She has made a huge impact in the area with her dogs. Our family/ adult children currently own 6 of her dogs. They are the happiest and friendliest dogs. We constantly get compliments regarding them, including from the vet. She has invested her life into her dog program. She has a state of the art facility. She has taught us so much about our dogs.
Bryan and Dee S.
Dear Kara, I want to thank you for changing the trajectory of my life. For many years, I dreamed of having a Golden Retriever and being a part of a therapy team. It was a dream I saved for when I retired from being a Special Education Teacher. I researched Reputable Breeders for a long time. I was so fortunate to see a Facebook post from a former work colleague, who shared her beautiful Golden Retriever Bella, that she had gotten from you. We spent hours talking about what an amazing Breeder you are and how a VanGoghlden Dog is exceptional! I completed your detailed online form. I appreciated that you were so thorough in your screening. Kara you called me the next morning and we spent 2 hours talking on the phone. I was and have always been so impressed with your knowledge and expertise as an Animal Behavioralist. When you told me that you would ALWAYS be available to me as a resource, I knew that I had won the lottery. Because of your careful breeding protocols, we learned that your dogs would have the health certifications, genetic testing; and that all of your puppies come with copies of their parents health clearances. I will always be grateful for our Lily. I brought her home and she has been so special from the very start. As you know, Lily and I have completed our Therapy Team work. We are certified through Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Lily is intuitive and seems to understand her work. In a short time, she has touched many hearts. She’s visited a teenage girl with a Neurological condition where she is wheelchair bound and 100% dependent on her parents for care. Lily made her have the biggest smile. This in turn brought pure joy to her Mom. Lily has visited students at Western Michigan University during Mental Health week. As they sat beside Lily and pet her, they shared how their stress just went away. She regularly visits an Assisted Living Facility where the residents look forward to her visits. She reminds them of a time when they had dogs and puts a smile on their faces. The families of the residents have told me that Lily is an Angel that makes leaving their family a little bit easier.
On a personal level, I have become dear friends with Laurie S., Bella’s Mom. Our shared love of Therapy Work and our VanGoghlden Dogs, has formed a beautiful friendship for which I’m grateful. Lily is also a constant companion for my husband who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. She is a loving friend who brings him so much joy. Kara, I would never have believed that I could have a dog that I could love this much! She is a dog that will continue to touch hearts and change lives. I will always be grateful for your dedication and how you’ve devoted your life to breeding Goldens with Integrity. I hope that you will continue breeding dogs and matching them to their forever homes for years to come. A VanGoghlden Golden Retriever is a once in a lifetime dog and you are a once in a lifetime Breeder. With Much Love and Respect, Renee O.
