Why We Don’t Belong to GANA, and What That Means for Our Families and Puppies
- April Power
- Jul 13, 2021
- 4 min read
Updated: Nov 7
Why we don’t belong to Goldendoodle Association of North America:
At Power Goldens, we often get asked why we are not members of GANA, the Goldendoodle Association of North America. It’s a good question, and one we’re happy to answer! We’re passionate about ethical, educated, and health-focused breeding, and it’s important to us that our families understand how and why we do things the way we do. Below, we’ve shared a few of the most common questions about GANA and our decision not to join, along with clear answers about what we do instead to uphold the highest possible standards for our English Mini Goldendoodles.
What is GANA?
GANA (the Goldendoodle Association of North America) is an organization that sets its own internal guidelines for breeding Goldendoodles. Breeders can pay a membership fee to belong, follow GANA’s recommendations, and display their logo as a mark of affiliation.
GANA’s guidelines focus on three main areas:
• Ethical breeding: Encouraging practices that promote responsible ownership and humane breeding.
• Health standards: Setting recommendations for basic health testing for Goldendoodle parents.
• Education: Providing breeders and buyers with information about the Goldendoodle breed and care.
These are great principles, and in many ways, they reflect the same values we hold dear. However, GANA is not a government-regulated organization or an official kennel club. It’s a privately run association, and all compliance is self-reported by members. Breeders can even be fined for not displaying the correct badges or updates on their websites, even though no third party verifies health testing or breeding practices in a formal way.
Why would someone belong to GANA?
Many breeders choose to belong to GANA for two main reasons:
1. It provides a framework of ethical breeding standards, which can be helpful to those newer to breeding or wanting structure.
2. It acts as a directory, allowing potential puppy buyers to find breeders listed within their network.
So, while membership can offer visibility and a sense of belonging to a group, it’s not a certification of quality or oversight, it’s simply a membership to a privately managed registry.
Why doesn’t Power Goldens belong to GANA?
The simplest answer is: we don’t need to.
Our breeding focus is on Mini F1 English Goldendoodles, which are a different lineage and structure than the Goldendoodles GANA’s program is built around. Our standards were developed specifically for this unique line; emphasizing English Golden Retriever heritage, gentle temperaments, and long-term health and structure.
More importantly, we already exceed the health and ethical standards that GANA outlines. We’ve built our entire program on transparency, health testing, and hands-on education; not because an association requires it, but because it’s the right thing to do.
How do your breeding standards compare to GANA’s?
Ethical Breeding
At Power Goldens, ethical breeding starts long before puppies arrive. We carefully select each parent for temperament, structure, and health; focusing on calm, family-oriented personalities that thrive in real homes. Our dogs are raised in loving environments, not kennels, and our puppies grow up with Puppy Culture and early neurological stimulation for the best possible start in life. We breed only when it benefits the health of our dogs and the integrity of the breed. Every decision we make, from pairing parents to timing litters, is made with the long-term wellbeing of our dogs and families in mind.
Health Standards
Our Health Guarantee goes beyond what many associations require. All of our parent dogs are genetically health tested for conditions common in both Poodles and Golden Retrievers, including hips, elbows, heart, eyes, and DNA panels for breed-specific diseases. We share full transparency with our buyers and stand behind every puppy we place. We also breed only F1 English Goldendoodles, which means a 50/50 cross between a purebred English Cream Golden Retriever and a Miniature Poodle: resulting in excellent genetic diversity, low shedding, and healthier lines overall.
Education and Support
We don’t just raise puppies, we guide our families. From our Goldendoodle Adoption process to lifelong support and education, we make sure each buyer is prepared, confident, and supported. We teach about care, training, and nutrition, and offer personalized guidance long after a puppy goes home. We believe education should come directly from the breeder who knows the puppies best, not from a directory listing or group badge.
Do you offer the same resources GANA breeders do?
Yes! And more. We offer personal, one-on-one communication with every family, detailed health documentation, genetic test results, and a lifetime of breeder support. We also take time to educate every buyer on Goldendoodle generations, so they understand coat types, shedding expectations, and what makes our English lines different.
We provide everything GANA encourages, without paying an association to tell us to do it. Our motivation is simple: we want the best outcomes for our puppies and their families, not a logo on our website.
Isn’t being part of GANA a sign of quality?
Not necessarily. While GANA’s intentions are good, its oversight is limited. Membership relies on self-reported testing, and there is no independent verification system. In contrast, at Power Goldens, we provide transparency through open communication, health records, and a guarantee backed by real, documented results.
Choosing a breeder should be about trust, proof, and connection, not a paid membership.
The Bottom Line
We have enormous respect for organizations that aim to improve the Goldendoodle community. But the truth is, our commitment to health, ethics, and education stands entirely on its own.
We breed F1 English Mini Goldendoodles to be healthier, calmer, and more family-oriented; and we uphold every standard because we believe in it, not because someone requires it.
Our goal has always been the same: to raise exceptional dogs and provide unmatched care, guidance, and transparency for the families who welcome them home.
For more about how we raise and prepare our puppies, visit:
You can access the GANA website HERE.
