CITRINE KENNELS at Big Meadow
Farm
Home
of Citrine Golden Retrievers & Citrine Wirehaired Pointing Griffons
Lynn
Tweedt-Rabinowe; Breeder/Owner Handler; AKC Breeder of Merit
Member
GRCA/AWPGA/OHA; Licensed Boarding Facility
Offering
puppies, stud service, boarding and training.
At
Citrine Kennels, our breeding program is small and carefully managed to produce
dogs of extraordinary quality. The chief
aim is to produce superior working and show prospect pups that are exceptional individuals
in form and function, as measured
This
website is intended to give you a general introduction to Citrine Kennels,
answer some of your questions, and encourage you to contact us for more
detailed information. We invite you to
inquire further via telephone or e-mail.
Most often, people who get a Golden Retriever from us are looking for
the perfect companion/pet puppy; they are not interested in going into the show
ring. That’s perfectly fine with
us! Similarly, most people who look to
us to produce their Wirehaired Pointing Griffon puppy are looking for a
companion/hunting buddy.
Interested
in a puppy? We plan one or two litters
in the early part of each year and one or two litters in the latter. When most people are looking, puppies are
generally available or we can refer you to a friend or associate who has a nice
litter, if our babies are already spoken-for.
Sometimes we have young adults, started dogs, or more mature dogs that
are retiring from our show and working programs that we offer to selected homes.
We
want you to be sure you are ready and will be happy with one of our
pups/dogs. There are many books and
websites available to help you determine if you have the time and energy for a
pup/dog in your life, and determine which breeds might be suitable for you,
your family and your needs. We can fine
tune your thinking when we talk. Making
sure of your choice helps ensure that our pups/dogs will have a wonderful home
with you for their entire lifetime.
We
can safely ship from PDX to major cities all over the
Read
through and browse around our site, e-mail us or call for details and dates of
upcoming litters. If you’re a west coast
local -- from
GOLDENS
The
Golden Retriever, the ultimate companion dog, is renowned as the family pet of
choice. Our six-plus generation line of
Citrine-bred Golden Retrievers is recognizable by fanciers from coast-to-coast. This particular bitch is one of the principle
foundation dams in the Citrine line, Citrine’s EZ’r
Than It Looks. Better known by her call
name, Penny, this lovely girl was not carrying her normally luxurious coat at
the time this photo was taken. This is
advantageous now, as the viewer can see her lovely
The
foundation stock that formed the base from which Lynn T-R chose to work finds
its genesis in lines that are principle to some of the best of the nation’s
bloodlines.
From
these powerful roots, the Citrine “base” for producing top-notch, exquisite
individuals springs. Carefully chosen
outcrosses, coupled with selected backcrosses, and linebreedings
has produced a solid, predictable, sound line of great dogs. Individual Citrine-bred Golden Retrievers
selected for inclusion in the breeding program represent genetic powerhouses of
reproductive capability. The human
families of pups that go home from Citrine as companions and working prospects
reap the benefits of this thoughtful planning and selection. Puppies grow-up to be absolutely
beautiful.
GRIFFONS
The
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, gun dog supreme, is a pointing breed. Often clownish, these bristle-faced
characters have a charm all their own.
Known as a close-working hunting companion, the Wirehaired Pointing
Griffon excels as an upland
In
many breeds, there’s a vast difference in “look” between the dogs in the field
and the dogs in the conformation ring; a vast difference in their abilities,
demeanor, and character, too! That is
not the case with the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. Responsible breeders of these dogs want to
keep it that way. Our Griffons hunt one
day and show the next! In fact,
conformation judges learn in the national club’s education forum that a
Wirehaired
Pointing Griffons do shed, although not in the overwhelming volume of some
breeds. The wiry coat is easy to
maintain, keeping grooming chores minimal.
Ours
are AKC-registered, purebred Wirehaired Pointing Griffons. We’re AWPGA members, and do not breed the
crosses.
We
like to see a title at both ends of our dogs’ names; a championship up front
and a working/hunting title behind. The
championship indicates the dog or bitch is correct. The working/hunting title indicates they can
do the job they were intended to do.
This is a rarer breed. Good ones
are not easy to find.
Interested
in a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon? We
look forward to hearing from you.
PUPPIES
Feel
free to call or email for detailed litter information. To make things a little easier, here are the
basics:
A
deposit is required to get your name on our list or to reserve a puppy.
We
have a very simple buy-sell agreement. We
understand that most people who choose a Citrine-bred puppy are looking for a
healthy and beautiful companion, but they have no plans to enter the show
ring. For pets and working dogs that are
not going to be shown or not destined to become part of a serious breeding
program, we anticipate buyers will spay or neuter their puppy at the
appropriate time.
At
Citrine, our aim in establishing prices for pups/dogs is to stay in the
mid-range of the market pricing tiers. For Golden Retriever puppies, figure at
least $1600 and for Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, at least $1400. We welcome your inquiry for the most current
information.
It
is not our policy to charge more for one gender or another. So, we typically have the same price for boy
as for girl pups.
Serious
show homes are given consideration and all arrangements are by private
treaty.
We
provide a detailed information package to new puppy owners and are available to
answer questions, offer tips and ideas, and work with you to make the addition
of your new household member as smooth as possible.
It
is important to note that puppies should stay with their littermates until they
are at least 8 weeks of age in order to get the most out of their sibling
relationships. So, we prefer that babies
going home are between 8 weeks of age and
4 months of age. During this time
window, pups will have had one or two, possible three of their vaccinations;
been started on heartworm preventative; and given other wormers as
appropriate. You’ll receive a complete
summary to give to your veterinarian when your pup/dog comes home.
Beyond
4 months, we consider pups to be “started” youngsters. Started pups will be well-socialized and off
to a good beginning in their training.
They will have no trouble bonding with their new people! Each will have had basic yard training, leash
work, crate training, grooming and table experience, and the entire series of
puppy vaccinations including the first rabies vaccination. Each will have had experience with kids and
families, will have been on “hikes” through the orchard and the hayfield, and
have been swimming. And each will have
been in and out of the car on short trips to town. Just so you know, there is an at-cost
addition to the basic puppy price for a started youngster.
You
may have other questions. Contact
us! We are happy to reply to your
inquiries.
[A
special note to San Francisco Bay Area or
STUD SERVICE
Golden
Retrievers standing at stud at Citrine Kennels include:
Ch.
Honor-Citrine’s Easy As Pie (5 SDHF pts.)
"Baker" Pedigree
& Photo
Ch.
Gold Rush Singapore Sling "Raffles" Pedigree & Photo
The
links will provide pedigree, photo, and clearance information for that
dog. We have limited quantities of
frozen semen available from these wonderful champions and offer it by private
treaty to serious breeders. We work with
ICSB near
Other
Citrine dogs may be greater interest to you as stud dogs. They may be better suited to your bitch; her
pedigree and characteristics.
Golden
Retrievers:
Citrine’s
One Two Many (AKC pointed) "Three" Pedigree & Photo
Wirehaired
Pointing Griffons standing at stud at Citrine Kennels include:
Ch. Stonepoint’s E.T. Iron, JH
“Ernie”
And Stonepoint Epsomite “Woodrow”
HEALTH FACTS
In
general, we subscribe to the Codes of Ethics as published by our breed &
handler clubs (GRCA/AWPGA/OHA) and we subscribe to the Code of Sportsmanship,
as published by the AKC.
What
does this mean to the puppy buyer?
It
means we are honest, ethical, and fair in all of our business relationships and
transactions. From a practical
standpoint, it means we get the health clearances on our breeding stock that
are the called-for standard for our breeds: qualified practitioners’
radiographs of hips and elbows are submitted to OFA for evaluations and
consensus reports; reports are made to OFA on the results of a cardiologists’
exams; reports are made to CERF/OFA on the results of ophthalmologists’ exams,
thyroid panels are processed; and similar.
The point of these efforts is that these data base groups make their
records public, subject to scrutiny, and available for breeder researchers and
puppy buyers.
This
is all good. But, we go beyond the
basics in making choices regarding the health of dogs in our breeding
program. We screen for allergies and
skin conditions, behavior or temperament problems, structural and balance
faults, dentition and bite issues, and much more.
Are
there early onset cancers to be concerned about in Golden Retrievers? Is there a cancer epidemic? What foods should one avoid? Are the guarantees that some breeders offer
really worth a hill of beans? How do I
make the best choice for my family, my hunting buddy?
When
a breeder makes the decision to pair two individual dogs to produce a litter,
there is much at stake. Your happiness
and pleasure in your pet or hunting companion is very much a part of what is at
risk. The breeder’s future is
on-the-line, too. A smart breeder is
using their best judgment to conclude that the two dogs they are pairing will
produce the best outcome, offer a pathway to a future of better constructed,
healthier dogs for all.
Our
recommendation is that you choose a breeder wisely. Choose someone with experience, pragmatic
good sense, a value system that matches yours, & who understands your
interest and needs. You are choosing the
person who is responsible for bringing your pup into the world.
CONTACT INFO
Telephone
numbers for Lynn Tweedt-Rabinowe
At
home in the country 503-366-3565
On
the road in the show van or motorcoach 925-518-5393
In
the kennel grooming room and training center
925-946-1068
Click here to E-Mail Lynn T-R at Citrine!
BIG MEADOW FARM
In
late 2003, Lynn T-R and her husband Ed Rabinowe, were lucky enough to find a
fabulous country place that met their needs!
The Rabinowes had been on-the-scout for an
out-of-the-city location for some time!
Having lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for nearly 30
They
made the purchase, and relocated their lives and activities to Big Meadow Farm,
a historic spot along the
[A
word from the dogs: “Living at Big
Meadow has enriched our lives made us dogs very happy! There’s room to romp and play. It is great fun to eat apples and pears in
the orchard and to chase the chickens and ducks when the people aren’t
watching! Plus, rolling in cow poop
makes a grand perfume! The neighbors
don’t care if you bark either … life is good!!”]
After
WWII, Roy & Sybil Wallace developed the entire locale into a Springer
Spaniel training kennel and duck hunters’ hideaway spot. Incidentally, Roy Wallace was brother to
Clifford Wallace, top field trial handler of Springers
in the 1940’s and 1950’s.
During
their heyday, the Wallaces trained dogs and
entertained the rich and famous, including avid sportsmen Bing Crosby and Andy
Devine. The kennel itself, which Roy
Wallace built, is still in use today, and is home to Citrine Kennels.
The Rabinowes make their home at Big Meadow Farm in a
beautiful, century-old, four-square craftsman home that has been restored and
updated to its original grandeur. We’re happy to have you as our
guest and client. Enjoy your stay. We hope that you will choose a Citrine-bred
puppy for your next pet, companion, show prospect, or hunting dog.
A WORD ABOUT FADS
At
Citrine Kennels, we are advocates for purebred dogs. Our only registry is The American Kennel
Club. We support serious breeders’ and
pet owners’ rights to own and keep dogs.
We oppose anti-dog and restrictive breed-specific legislation. We strive to protect the rights of hunters
and those involved in shooting/hunting sports.
We
are not interested in the efforts of those who produce hybrids,
doodle-this-and-thats, or such fads that come and
go. We believe that people who
purposefully pair dogs to produce mongrels and mutts are in conflict with the
best interests of purebred dogs, our breeds, our sports, and the public.
We
are not interested in those whose efforts focus on color and “pretended”
English lines or looks as their primary purpose in breeding dogs. Substance, bone, and good head as a summation
of a nice dog are part and parcel to what we produce. We don’t call it “English” in an effort to
sell puppies. There are true English and
European pedigrees and we happen to know all the people who work with them and
do good work with those bloodlines. Most
that advertise as “English” are fooling the public and are not what they
present.
We
are not interested in over-sized or giant Goldens. We are not interested in miniature
Goldens. We find any and all of these
spur-lines off the main track of good dogs to be deeply troubling and very
sad.
In
short, we deeply respect the traditions of the dog community and find it offers
a source of much dignity in our lives.
We value the hard work of the many serious dog enthusiasts of the past
who worked to develop and nurture the dog breeds that we enjoy today.
It
will be our legacy, hopefully, for the beautiful bloodlines from Citrine
Kennels to be proudly included in the pedigrees of purebred, AKC registered
dogs in generations to come.
PHOTO ALBUM
From
time to time, we’ll post photos to this site or on Facebook.
Find
us and “Like” Lynn on Facebook … her page is
http://www.facebook.com/lynn.tweedtrabinowe
We
have unique subpages as well … You can do a simple Facebook search to find each
subpage and “Like” the one that represents your special interest. These pages are 1) Big Meadow Farm – Boarding
for Dogs 2) Citrine Kennels –Golden Retrievers or 3) Citrine Kennels –
Wirehaired Pointing Griffons. Or, “Like”
them all to keep up-to-the-minute with everything here!
The
plan is to post news, photos, events & videos of happenings at Big Meadow
Farm, guests at the kennels, dog show news, blog-type information with helpful
links, and other good stuff.
We
can e-mail other photos for you to view as well.
PUBLIC RELATIONS
You
may see notes in places on the web from an unhappy young woman saying
unflattering things & claiming her puppy has a hip-health problem. Be aware that I investigated thoroughly with
the help of qualified veterinarians and specialists. We were unable to find a problem with her
puppy at that time. She did send the
complaint to our state’s DOJ and that office found no problem with the pup, my
business practices or procedures. They
summarily closed the case. Likewise, the
Better Business Bureau closed theirs. If
circumstances change I will handle the matter sensibly and, as is always my
way, with good conscience. In the
meantime, if you have questions, I am happy to reply and discuss it with
you.
Life can present many interesting challenges, some very puzzling. This one will not deter my being of good cheer and working positively. I am proud of my reputation and have a long, untarnished record for ethical practices and fairness in dogs and in my business career. Nothing about that will change.
ABOUT LYNN T-R
Lynn
Tweedt-Rabinowe founded Citrine Kennels in the 1980’s as a Golden Retriever
Show Kennel. She chose to work primarily
with Golden Retrievers. Traveling the campaign routes to key AKC dog
show events all over the country, Lynn T-R established a name for herself as a
competitive, honest, and sportsmanlike exhibitor. Competing in conformation with her Goldens,
and several other breeds; observing the multitude of breeds in competition;
studying judges as they completed their assignments; discussing various
breeding and breedings with other handlers; Lynn T-R
became familiar with many breeds, principles of breed type, and carefully honed
her eye for a good dog.
As a
natural progression, Lynn T-R established her Golden Retriever breeding program
and chose the kennel name, Citrine. Her
first home-bred Champion (Ch. Honor-Citrine’s Easy as Pie, 5 SDHF pts.); came
from her initial litter. After which,
she quickly earned the GRCA Outstanding Dam title for her foundation bitch by
campaigning and finishing the puppies from that bitch’s early litters entirely
on her own. Sharing her knowledge, she
has coached and aided others as a mentor and friend. Many championships and titles have followed
for Citrine-bred dogs.
The
Wirehaired Pointing Griffon was added to the Citrine Kennel program in mid-2000
when Lynn T-R acquired a well-bred bitch in that breed who became Ch. Butte
View’s No Stout About It, JH. Capitalizing on her experience, Lynn T-R was
able to quickly establish a presence in Griffons, finishing and titling
multiple dogs and bitches.
Lynn
T-R is devoted to her work and her dogs, continuing to handle most of her
entries in the show ring herself. Always
willing to help people “get started” in the sport of showing dogs, she is
available for handling lessons, grooming clinics, and training sessions.
Call
us! 503-366-3565
Or
send an e-mail message! E-mail
Citrine!
“E-NEWSLETTER”
SIGN-UP/SUBSCRIBE TODAY! IT’S FUN, IT’S
FREE!
Make
sure you keep up with the latest news from Citrine Kennels at Big Meadow
Farm. We have a newsletter letter now
that is short & sweet, with a few cute photos and latest news we can
muster. Send your request to add your
name to the list of recipients to: enewsletter@citrine.net
Our
first issue helped introduce Ed’s flavored Vinegar products …
Our
second issue highlighted our peafowl and how they entertain us!
Plus,
we added a “Star Dogs” element to feature extraordinary photos of wonderful
Citrine-bred dogs; their life and times, fun and frolic.
Make
sure you’re on the list! Next issue is
coming soon.
TESTIMONIALS
Submitted
by: Scott Pudwell
on Apr 02, 2013
Lynn
is an absolute joy to work with and my wife and I cannot recommend her enough.
We are so happy with our Griffon and the time that Lynn took to educate us on
the breed. She does a great job on working with you to establish if a WPG is
the right dog for your family. We had a very difficult time with a couple other
breeders, but Lynn saved the day for us. Her knowledge, openness, kindness, and
contact ability were top notch. If you are considering getting a Griff, I would highly recommend getting one from Lynn. Her
dogs and puppies are truly the best.
Submitted
by: Valerie J Hicks on Dec 05, 2012
Lynn
thank you for bring Aria into my life. She is a very beautiful golden girl.
Everyone who sees her cannot get over how soft and gentle she is. Again thanks
Lynn. Valerie
Submitted
by: Ann Gibson
on Sep 17, 2012
Lynn
is such a lovely person and she helped me so much through the process of
learning about Golden Retrievers and how to obtain one. I want to thank her for
taking time with someone who was new to the breed. She is a dream to
communicate with and has such beautiful dogs; although I could not get a puppy
at this time, I will return when I can.
Submitted
by: John Ruttman
on Mar 13, 2012
Citrine
Kennels came highly recommended to my wife and I and we were NOT disappointed.
Our puppy was pointing pheasant wings the day we picked her up from the
airport. Lynn made the entire process incredibly easy and was a pleasure to
work with. We start our formal NAVHDA training this weekend and if our pup
holds true to form (I know she will), she will become an excellent hunting
companion. She's already a wonderful member of our family and we couldn't have
asked for more. -John Ruttman
Submitted
by: Kim
Bartleson on March 16, 2013
Just
thought I’d publicly thank Lynn Tweedt-Rabinowe for all the dog health
education that she loaded me up with many years ago. If I’ve ever helped you with a doggie
question, you may thank Lynn, as she is the one who made me so sensible smart about
these things!
Want
to add a testimonial? Send yours to testimonialcoordinator@citrine.net
for possible publication.