Many of our home buying clients are dog-lovers who move to Lafayette from places like San Francisco and Oakland where they haven’t felt comfortable having a family dog because they didn’t feel they had the space or yard to accommodate one.
Once they move into Lafayette, though, they often quickly expand their families to include a furry member. Many want Golden Retrievers, a long-standing family favorite in Lafayette.
Good news: If you are currently looking for a Golden puppy, you don’t have to look very far from home – but you may have to act quickly!
Linda Epperson tells us that there will likely be puppies available soon through Lucy’s Legacy Goldens, which Linda owns in partnership with two other Lafayette residents, Ben and Sandy Shaw.
Many of you may recognize Ben Shaw’s name. Now retired, he was Principal of Burton Valley Elementary (“BVE”) from the time it opened in 1979 until he retired in 2005.
If “Golden” is on your puppy wish list, you’ll find more information about Lucy’s Legacy Goldens at www.lucyslegacygoldens.com. Just know: You can’t get a better family Golden than these – or one that is more local.
What the website doesn’t tell you is that these Goldens have a Lafayette story that begins before Lucy was even born.
It starts in 2000 with a Golden puppy named Sadie, who today still lives in her “childhood” Burton Valley home and will turn 14 in May.
While Sadie wasn’t exactly enrolled at BVE, she lives nearby and was there often, particularly in her early years. Back then, Ben was still BVE Principal and Sadie’s human siblings (now college graduates) attended BVE. At the time, Sadie’s human mother, Charlette Plinneke, now a popular science teacher at Stanley Middle School, was an active BVE volunteer and classroom aide.
Sadie had only one litter of 7 puppies. Charlette kept one of Sadie’s puppies (Miami) and placed the six others with Lafayette families, including the Shaw’s.
Unlike those who have to take a leap of breeder family faith, Ben knew Sadie and her family well when he signed up for one of Sadie’s litter – a puppy Ben and Sandy named Lucy.
Flash forward a few years and Linda enters this Golden family picture, thanks once again to BVE connections.
Explains Linda: “Ben and I met when I was PTA president and he was principal, and we have been friends ever since. One day having lunch with Ben he mentioned they had bred Lucy. I jumped on it and put down a deposit for the pick of the litter.”
Shortly thereafter, Georgia moved in with Linda and her family. From there, the Golden Retriever breeding partnership took hold.
“Although our dogs are sold on a limited registration (meaning buyers cannot breed their dogs and must have them altered) Ben and Sandy and I decided to own Georgia together and hold her out for a possible breeding dog. We evaluated her at two years old and were very pleased that she was true to the AKC (American Kennel Club) standard and possessed the calm true Golden temperament.”
With each litter, the partnership continues to grow while still remaining true to Lucy’s Legacy.
“The 3 girls we have for breeding are all out of Lucy, 3 different litters,” says Linda. “We co-own one female from each litter.”
Georgia (5-1/2), Carolina (3), and Alabama (2) live with Linda. Meanwhile, Lucy lives nearby with Ben and Sandy.
What happened to all the other puppies? Look closely at the “What Our Goldens Do” photo collage on the Lucy’s Legacy Goldens’ website. Recognize any of your neighbors? The truth is that Lucy’s Legacy Goldens aren’t just Lafayette born and bred. Many are being raised in Lafayette, too!
“It’s really amazing how these dogs have spread through Lafayette,” says Sandy Shaw, who also works at Stanley Middle School.
We love the intersection of Lafayette families, schools and — of course — Golden Retrievers. What about you?
Puppy News: Are you interested in a Golden Retriever for your family? Georgia is being bred later this week with Rico Suave, with puppies due around Thanksgiving that will be able to “go home” at the end of January.
Several families have already signed up but Linda believes they will be able to accommodate a few others. Contact Linda at lindaepperson@mac.com for more information.
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