What our clients have to say…

My husband and I have owned five golden retrievers in our lives together. We have had a wonderful time with Bruce Brown and his dogs. We never before had such in-depth help when we brought our puppy home. There was as much support as we needed in the first few weeks.

All his puppies are beautifully clean and loved and handled from the time they are born. Judi Plewes takes a special interest in making sure that all the puppies get cuddled every day so that they are happy with people and ready for the big world.

Bruce is so knowledgeable about the training needed to grow a happy, well-adjusted dog. I recommend him to anyone interested in getting a golden retriever.

Bruce Brown is also the best trainer that I know. He has helped us go further with this dog than we have with any other. I only wish we lived closer so that we could take in more advanced classes.

~ Marcia and Bruce McCallum

Aria is doing great! She enjoys spending time at the cottage and is obsessed with the water/boat/fetching sticks in the water. She and Holly get along splendidly. They are so cute. They do everything together. “Two nuts in a shell :)”

Aria is so funny. She has these little quirks – such as her patented ‘self-petting’ technique, in which she swiftly inserts her head into the small space between my arm and my side. She’s adorable. We’ve been in New York City for a week now, and both girls are settling in wonderfully. They love the dog park and seem very comfortable in the condo. I’m very happy.

Aria is a wonderful addition to my life and to the family at large. Everyone loves her. Thank you so much for allowing me to adopt her. She’s a delight.
~ Scott Moffatt,

Cooper is doing so well. He gets more personality every day and is getting a reputation around the neighbourhood as a very friendly and charming dog. We couldn’t be happier with him. He also loves digging, especially in our garden. I think he’s going to be an engineer when he grows up (I’m looking on the bright side!).

Thanks kindly for all your work with our pup!

~ Devon Turner-Brooks

I wanted to thank you for the excellent care you gave Bella. It was so hard for us to leave her at such a young age but we felt completely comfortable knowing she was in your (Board and Train) care. We just loved that she was in your home and had such nice friends to play with! And the training… what can I say, what a great job you did.

Bella left as a rambunctious puppy and came home as a lovely calm puppy who actually understands and knows good behaviour. What a difference in 2 weeks. Thank you so much for all your hard work. I am so impressed!

Last I week I took her into a very busy store in Oakville; I constantly heard what a beautiful and well-behaved puppy! Of course, she loves the admiration.

She is proving to be a pure joy and a lovely dog. Exactly the temperament we were hoping for. Still many “puppy” moments but we are trying to enjoy them! When she comes and says “put me on your lap” we’re done!

~ Lesley, Gord and Bella, Oakville

Dear Bruce, thank you so very much for taking the time to meet with us and most especially for giving us the pure joy of our little Ellie! I could not imagine a better person than you to train our puppy. I am so very thankful to have found you and it is my intention to let everyone know of your fabulous Goldens. Your manner and demeanour speak volumes about the person you are and we all feel so fortunate to know one such as you.

~J Valliere & Miss Ellie, Oakville

Hi Bruce, I wanted to send you this letter of appreciation for the work and time you spent with us and our dog Mason.

I would first like to say that the manner in which you delivered the skills and your knowledge of dogs was done at a very high level and we are thankful. You also spent time with us in making sure that we had the proper techniques and skills to have a positive interaction with Mason and each other. Your training was extremely helpful and will serve as a great start for us as we move forward.

Again, the training was great and we would recommend your training to anyone who is looking for quality training.

~ Patrick O. Harriott-Stewart

Bruce is an incredibly knowledgeable, caring, dedicated and enthusiastic instructor, with years of experience and a profound care for the health, happiness and well-being of dogs in his care. He helped us immensely in training our Golden, and we don’t know where we – or Scout – would be without his expert instruction.

Bruce makes classes fun, interactive, and connected to real-world challenges that dogs and their families will encounter. He uses sound teaching practices that focus on building upon every small success of the dog in becoming a well-mannered family member. We loved Parts 1 and 2 of Bruce’s obedience classes, and encourage everyone we know to enroll in them. Thanks, Bruce!

~ Denise Cole

Bruce, not sure if Judi told you that Norah called her yesterday? She was alone with Finn and Finn was dreaming. Norah thought something serious was wrong. She was so scared, she called you and Judi reassured her. Oh, my goodness, what will she be like when she has a human baby? I appreciate the support Judi gave her, it really emphasizes how comfortable we are with you both. Tell Judi, we will look after her baby. We know this was Judi’s favourite! She is so adorable, and I feel honoured that Judi chose us to be Finn’s new family.

~ Audrey Chaput

Chris and I were suggested to Goldnote by a family friend. From Bruce’s pure love for his dogs, his devotion and time spent with the dogs, and the cleanliness of the facilities, there was no doubt in our minds that we were getting our “Jetson” from Goldnote.

Bruce and his team put in so much time and effort to find a puppy that would best suit our young, active lifestyle. To be honest, I thought he was a bit crazy since all puppies were just cute little balls of fur. But after having Jetson for a year, we realize that he is the perfect dog for us; ready to run/bike/hike/swim with us when he is called and able to sleep when we need him to (shift work).

Aside from him being our furry best friend and spoiled rotten, he is very people and dog-friendly, obedient, and a very handsome fella!

We would recommend Goldnote to anyone. When we get another dog, it will be a no-brainer for us to go back.

~ Alyssa and Chris Hunter

We took a trip to Goldnote just to explore the idea of adopting in the near future. Little did we know, our puppy-parent days would come much sooner than expected. After having an extensive conversation with Bruce and Judi, we were introduced to Barkley and it was love at first sight for all three of us. The next day we brought Barkley home and we’ve been a family ever since.

The ongoing support and advice they have offered us is incredible. Through our frustrating potty training period, Bruce pinpointed what was wrong and we’ve been very successful since. We’ve attended Bruce’s puppy classes and they’ve taught us as much as they’ve taught Barkley – I quite honestly believe Bruce truly is a dog whisperer.

Despite the little issues we’ve had, all negative feelings are forgotten when Barkley looks up at us with his big brown eyes and humongous smile. The bond that we’ve been able to forge is nothing short of amazing and we so look forward to continuing to grow and learn together.

~ Jo-Lynn & Mike Seaward

Bruce has helped us so much over the last few months, with our female black lab pup Bailey. Everyone who meets her cannot believe how well she listens to her commands. She gets along very well with any other dogs she meets and people too.

Bruce’s training has helped us with Bailey all around… from in-town on-leash walks, to off-leash bush walks, and any new situation she is introduced to. Simply put, she knows many helpful commands and always comes when called. There is no way we could have trained our lab to the level she’s at today, without so much of Bruce’s help.

~ Josh and Amy Millett

We absolutely love Fozzie – he is an extremely welcomed addition to our family. He was at the vet this week for a weigh in for heartworm meds – 22lbs and growing. He is starting to lose his “puppy” look already and turning into a dog – I forgot how short this period is. Everyone still thinks he is a very cute and fluffy puppy despite his growth. He loves the cottage, is great in the car and loves the walks to and from school and playing at the park.

~ Karen M