Field Golden Retriever Puppies for Sale in Indiana
Welcome to Sunshine Acres, located in northern Indiana, where our family has been raising quality field Golden puppies for sale for over 20 years. We love our Golden Retrievers and enjoy raising these smart and kind dogs so we can give other families the opportunity to experience their social, fun loving natures, too. Our newest litter is a litter of Irish Golden Retrievers, one-half European Golden, one-quarter field Golden and one-quarter Irish Setter, planned with lower cancer risk and better genetic health in mind. Our Golden puppies have playful, friendly personalities and are exceptional family companions.
Meet Our Golden Retriever Puppies
Willow and Wilbur’s Irish Golden Retriever puppies are ready to meet their families! These adorable puppies are well socialized, friendly sweethearts. They love to play with their toys, get along well with other dogs, and always have a happy wag to share with everyone they meet. Each puppy has its own photos below. Choose your favorite, then apply and text us to hold your puppy.
Litter: Willow and Wilbur’s Irish Golden Retrievers
Mix: one-half European Golden Retriever, one-quarter field Golden Retriever, one-quarter Irish Setter
Born: August 31, 2026
Ready to go home: Thursday, October 29, 2026
Available: 4 boys, 3 girls
Price: Boys $2,800 · Girls $3,000
Expected adult size: 40 to 70 pounds
Registration: Not registered (see “A Note on Registration” below)
Agreement: Non-breeding agreement required
Every puppy comes with: 3-year written health warranty, microchip, current vaccinations, a nose-to-tail veterinary check, Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), crate training started, and a $200 rebate when your puppy passes the AKC Canine Good Citizen test
Meet the Parents
Willow, the mom
Willow is our Irish Golden mom, half field Golden Retriever and half Irish Setter, with a rich red coat, weighing about 42 pounds. She is an excellent, patient mother with such a gentle way with her puppies, yet she’s always ready to head outside and enjoy life to the fullest. Willow is retiring after this litter, and since we always keep from our favorite lines, one of her daughters will stay here at Sunshine Acres to carry on her genetics.
Genetic diversity: Willow’s DNA shows 48% heterozygosity, higher than the typical range for mixed-breed dogs (33% to 46%).
Wilbur, the dad
Wilbur is a purebred AKC Golden Retriever from classic European lines, about 70 pounds, with a silky cream-white coat. He’s a happy-go-lucky boy who loves to snuggle or romp with the kids, and he’s quite sure he’s a teddy bear.
Ichthyosis (ICH1 and ICH2) DNA: Clear
PRA (GR-PRA1, GR-PRA2, prcd) DNA: Clear
Muscular Dystrophy (Golden Retriever) DNA: Clear
NCL5: Because Wilbur is DNA clear of NCL5, no puppy in this litter can inherit two copies, meeting the Golden Retriever Club of America’s standard for this disease.
How to Bring Home Your Golden Retriever Puppy
- Choose your puppy. Browse the puppies above and pick your favorite, or call or text us and we’ll help you find the best match for your family.
- Apply. Our free puppy application takes just a few minutes. We’ll reach out to you within 24 hours of receiving your application.
- Hold your puppy. A $500 earnest deposit by Venmo or Zelle holds the puppy you’ve chosen. Each puppy goes home as a beloved family companion with a non-breeding agreement.
- Welcome them home. Your puppy is ready to go home Thursday, October 29. The balance is due at pickup by Venmo, Zelle, cash or personal check. If you’d like a later homecoming, just let us know and we’ll work out the details with you. Delivery via American Airlines is also available.
Each of our puppies’ parents is fully tested with OFA hip, elbow, heart and CAER eye screenings and DNA tested before they are allowed to be a parent here at Sunshine Acres. From lines carefully selected for generations of superior health and excellent trainability, our puppies are well suited as both competitive Goldens, such as agility, obedience or field trials and as gentle, sweet natured family companions as well.
Each of our Golden puppies comes with 3-year health warranty, microchip and current vaccinations. They are checked, nose to tail, by a licensed veterinarian and approved before they are released to join their forever families. Pre-spoiled and used to kids, they are well socialized according to Jan Fennell, The Dog Listener’s methods. During their first weeks, every puppy also receives Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), gentle daily exercises designed to help puppies grow into confident, resilient dogs. Every Sunshine Acres puppy that passes the AKC Canine Good Citizen test also earns its family a $200 rebate. Contact us for help selecting your next BFF (Best Furry Friend), or choose your favorite puppy from the photos above. We look forward to hearing from you.
Sunshine Acres, an Indiana Field Golden Retriever Breeder
Bringing a puppy into your life is a time of excitement and joy mixed with a little apprehension of knowing the work a new puppy requires. As experienced Golden Retriever breeders, attention to detail, breeding based on science and love of the Golden has always been our priority. We do everything we can to promote the long term welfare and superior health of our Golden Retriever puppies and their parents. We are happy to be a resource for you as you prepare for the big day of your puppy’s homecoming.
What are our Golden Retriever puppies like? We started with field Golden Retriever lines, which university research has found kept more genetic diversity than American show lines. Our field Golden lines of Golden Retrievers have lighter frames and smaller adult size than show Goldens. A male can be expected to grow to 50-70 pounds, with the females being about 10 pounds smaller. They are typically darker in color with shades from dark red to golden. With beautiful silky coats, our field Goldens have shorter hair than show Goldens and do not shed as much, which we love!
Field Goldens are the type of Golden that is most similar to the original Golden Retrievers developed by Lord Tweedmouth in the 1800’s. These original Goldens were bred as hunting dogs, water retrievers and an outdoor companion. While creating the breed, Lord Tweedmouth bred one of his foundation goldens, Cowslip, to a red Irish Setter named Sampson, so every Golden Retriever carries a little Irish Setter in its family tree. They have amazing trainability and intelligence and are extremely devoted to their human companions. Athletic, active and fun loving, they would not do well left alone for long periods of time, since they love companionship.
Our puppies’ parents are from lines with many titled field Goldens in their pedigree. When Sunshine Acres began, in 2001, we purchased our first two field Golden Retriever puppies from Topbrass, Jackie Mertens kennel of amazing field Golden Retrievers. For over 50 years, Jackie Mertens’ “Topbrass” has been the dominant name in field-bred golden retrievers, and Topbrass lines run strong in our Golden and Goldendoodle parents here at Sunshine Acres.
Today, we specialize in field Golden Retrievers cross bred with European imported Golden lines. European Goldens, often called English Goldens, are bred in the UK and Europe to the breed standard of the Kennel Club and FCI breed standards. They are known for their calm, easygoing, gentle temperament, a sturdy, well-balanced build with a broad head, and shades from cream to light gold. Families love them for their relaxed, companion-first personalities.
Why bring the two together? Field lines and European lines have been bred apart for generations, each in its own smaller gene pool. Pairing them brings together the athleticism, trainability and drive of our field Goldens with the calm, gentle nature of European Goldens, and gives our puppies a broader family tree than either line alone. We believe that makes our multi-line Goldens one of the best Goldens a family can own: quick to learn, happy to play outside, and relaxed at home.
The Science Behind Every Pairing
Michael grew up on a family farm in Iowa, where agriculture was a way of life. His first hands-on experience with genetics came as an undergraduate researcher in Dr. Walt Fehr’s soybean breeding program at Iowa State University, and genetics quickly became a lifelong interest. After graduation, Michael worked as a soybean agronomist for Pioneer, where hybrid crop development gave him an even deeper foundation: pairing distinct genetic lines to maximize heterosis, or hybrid vigor, while locking in predictable, desirable traits.
In 2000, Michael settled on our rural acreage near Wolcott, Indiana, and the dream that became Sunshine Acres began to take shape. At the time, very few hybrid dogs were available, and nearly every breeder focused only on purebreds. Michael’s interest in genetics led him to raise family pets and therapy dogs from lines strictly selected for good health, outstanding temperament and trainability, with the vigor of a hybrid rather than a single breed.
Today, Michael applies the same scientific principles he practiced at Iowa State and Pioneer to every breeding decision at Sunshine Acres. We look past surface looks to make careful, data-driven pairings that give every puppy the best genetic start, whether it’s one of our Irish Golden Retrievers or one of our Doodles. Our goal is superior health and longevity in an adorable puppy package, ready for family companionship.
Meet Our Irish Golden Retrievers
Our Irish Golden Retrievers carry that Irish Setter heritage a little closer to the surface. Willow, our Irish Golden mom, is half field Golden Retriever and half Irish Setter, and Wilbur is a purebred AKC Golden Retriever from classic European lines. That makes the puppies one-half European Golden, one-quarter field Golden and one-quarter Irish Setter, with the sweet, people-loving Golden temperament families adore front and center.
Planned for Lower Cancer Risk and Better Genetic Health
Cancer is the number one health worry for Golden Retriever families, and it shaped every choice behind this litter. In a large UK study of cancer deaths by breed, Golden Retrievers died of cancer more often than their share of the dog population, while Irish Setters died of cancer far less often. European-bred Goldens have also shown lower cancer death rates than American Goldens in published research. By pairing our field Golden and Irish Setter lines with a European Golden sire, we chose breeds and bloodlines with lower cancer rates in published research.
Genetic diversity matters too. UC Davis research found that both American field and show Golden lines have lost genetic diversity over generations of selective breeding, and a separate UC Davis study found purebred dogs had higher rates of 10 of 24 inherited disorders than mixed breed dogs. Pigmentary uveitis, an inherited eye disease that can cause blindness, has been found only in North American Golden bloodlines. Bringing field, European and Irish Setter lines together broadens the family tree and gives each puppy a healthier start.
No breeder can promise a dog will never develop cancer, but we can stack the odds in your puppy’s favor, and that is exactly what this litter was planned to do.
The Best of Both Worlds: Active Outside, Mellow Inside
Each side of the family tree brings something special. Field Goldens bring athleticism, drive and a love of the outdoors. European Goldens are known for their calm, easygoing, companion-first temperament. The Irish Setter adds extra spark and stamina for the fun parts of the day. Together, our Irish Goldens are ready for a hike, a swim or a game of fetch, then happy to settle in at your feet for the evening. One of our Irish Golden families described it perfectly:
“She was the best dog I’ve ever owned… I like to tell people she was an Irish Setter outside and a Golden Retriever in the house. Meaning outside she was very energetic, but once she came inside, she was very mellow.”
— Shawn R., Irish Golden Retriever family since 2012 · Google review
A Note on Registration
Every Golden Retriever’s Irish Setter heritage dates back to the breed’s foundation in Scotland, long before the American Kennel Club began registering Golden Retrievers in 1925. Because our Irish Goldens have Irish Setter in their recent family tree, they are not registered as purebred Golden Retrievers. For families who want a healthier start, we think that’s a small trade for the benefits of a broader family tree.
Our field Golden can thrive in an active household as a running buddy, hiking partner, or in any outdoor activity their family enjoys. They can also be content with the exercise they get in the back yard, with a family that is less active as well. Intelligent and trainable, our field Golden puppies are well suited for therapy work, service work, as hunting dogs or just their family’s BFF (Best Furry Friend).
Our Golden Retrievers love the companionship of their new families. Our field Golden puppies for sale have been raised with children from elementary age to adult age and love them! Over the years, our Golden puppies have filled a very special role in our family. Always there with love to give, our puppies are a wonderful friend for our children, and we have found that love to be mutual.
Learn more about our available field Golden Retriever puppies, see the puppies’ Golden adults or parents, examine their health certifications and genetic screening, ask questions about our Golden Retrievers, review the 3 year health warranty, and complete an application to begin the reservation process. It is all right here at doodlepuppy.com
Sunshine Acres is located in Indiana, about an hour and a half northwest of Indianapolis or a couple hours drive from Fort Wayne, Indiana or Evansville, Indiana. We are only an hour and a half from downtown Chicago, Illinois or a couple hours drive from the surrounding suburbs of Hinsdale, Glencoe, Lake Forest, Naperville, Winnetka, and Oak Brook, Illinois. Whether you live near Indianapolis, Chicago or anywhere in Indiana or Illinois, Sunshine Acres is a Golden Retriever breeder near you! Delivery via American Airlines is also available.
We have been raising healthy, intelligent field Golden Retrievers since 2001 and have extensive experience in animal husbandry and genetics. We are ready to help you select that perfect Golden puppy for your family. Puppy kisses are waiting!