Designed with Care, Clarity & Connection
Our Adoption Path
Bringing home an Ivory & Pine Golden Retriever is a deeply meaningful experience. We believe the process should feel transparent, supportive, and exciting — never rushed or overwhelming.
Our Adoption Path is crafted with intention to ensure each puppy is matched with a family that truly understands their needs, temperament, and lifelong commitment.
Below, you’ll find a step-by-step look at what your journey with us will feel like from the moment you apply to the day you bring your puppy home (and beyond).
Step 1: Apply
The first step is sharing more about you. Your application gives us a window into your lifestyle, home environment, daily rhythms, and the qualities you’re hoping for in a puppy.
We encourage honesty and detail — the more we understand, the better we can guide you to the perfect match.
What we look for:
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Activity level
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Family dynamics & children
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Work schedules
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Experience with dogs
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Your goals for training, temperament & energy level
Your story matters, and this is where it begins.
Step 2: Thoughtful Application Review
We review every application with genuine care.
Our goal isn’t to “approve” or “deny” — it’s to ensure our puppies are placed in homes where they’ll thrive emotionally, physically, and mentally.
During this stage, we may:
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Ask follow-up questions
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Offer guidance on puppy temperament
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Suggest an upcoming litter that best aligns with your needs
We approach placements with the same responsibility top breeders use across the country — always puppy-first, always family-supported.
Step 3: Reserve Your Spot
Once approved, you’ll have the opportunity to secure your place in the litter’s selection order with a reservation fee.
This step officially places you on the list and unlocks:
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Access to all updates
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A welcome guide + prep resources
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Your puppy’s timeline and go-home details
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Contact access for all your questions
Your spot is held, and your journey becomes beautifully real.
Step 4: Watch Your Puppy Grow
From birth through 8 weeks, you’ll receive weekly updates full of:
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New photos
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Developmental milestones
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Enrichment activities
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Personality notes
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Behind-the-scenes peeks
You’ll also see the environment your puppy is raised in — calm, structured, enriching, and full of gentle human interaction.
We want you to feel connected long before you ever meet in person.
Step 6: Take-Home at 8 Weeks
At eight weeks, your puppy is ready to begin their new life with you — equipped with a strong foundation built from intentional, loving preparation.
Every Ivory & Pine puppy goes home with:
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Veterinary records + vaccinations
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Microchip information
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Health guarantee
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Feeding, schedule, & training guidance
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Familiar scented blanket
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Go-home binder with all essentials
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Lifetime support from us
We’ll walk you through the first 48 hours, crate comfort, potty routines, transitions, and how to help your new baby settle in peacefully.
Your home becomes their forever home — and your journey together officially begins.
A Lifelong Connection
Our relationship doesn’t end on pickup day.
We remain here for support, encouragement, and guidance at any stage of your puppy’s life.
We love celebrating milestones, offering help when challenges arise, and following your puppy’s story as they grow into the incredible companion they were meant to be.
Once you’re part of Ivory & Pine, you’re family.