About Top Gun's Owner

Meet the Heart Behind Top Gun Golden Retrievers
UPDATE: 10/14/2025

Thank you for taking the time to get to know me and the story behind Top Gun Golden Retrievers.

Hi, I’m Samantha, but most people just call me Sam. I’m 31 years young, married to my best friend and business partner, Mitchell, and together we’re raising two amazing boys, Jaxson (10) and Benny (5), along with a pack of beautiful Goldens who keep our hearts and our floors full.

I grew up on a working ranch in Montana that’s been in my family for generations. My great-great-grandfather started it, and every generation since has carried on that legacy of working with animals. My grandma was the one who first taught me how to truly understand them. When I was just two years old, she gave me a stubborn little pony to train. She showed me what grit looks like, how to get bucked off, dust yourself off, and get right back on. But she also showed me that true training doesn’t come from dominance — it comes from connection. Kindness, patience, and understanding are the foundation of every great partnership, whether you’re training a horse, a pig, or a puppy.

That philosophy stuck with me for life.

I started training dogs when I was just four years old, and over the years, I learned a million ways to reach a dog — but only one way to truly earn their trust: through heart, consistency, and respect.

Then came Sophie Marie, my first Golden Retriever and the one who changed everything. She wasn’t just my dog; she was my soul dog. My shadow. My laughter. My therapy. She taught me about loyalty, about joy, and ultimately about heartbreak.

Sophie came from a puppy mill that I didn’t know about at the time. There was no health testing and no ethical breeding practices. When she developed cancer and hip dysplasia far too young, I was devastated. Watching her fade was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The house felt empty without her zoomies, and I’d give anything to see her try to fit three tennis balls in her mouth again.

Losing Sophie lit a fire in me. I was angry, but I turned that anger into purpose. I decided no family should ever have to lose a dog the way I lost her. That’s when Top Gun Golden Retrievers was born.

I dove into genetics, health testing, structure, behavior, and breed preservation. I made it my mission to breed healthier, calmer, truer Goldens — the kind that embody everything the breed was meant to be: gentle, loyal, intelligent, and kind-hearted. Every pairing is carefully planned, every parent is fully health-tested, and every puppy is raised with love, early neurological stimulation, and a focus on confidence and connection.

But even after I started breeding, I had one more hard lesson to learn — this time from a sweet girl named Penny.

Penny was purchased from a breeder in Tombstone, Arizona, who I believed at the time to be honest, experienced, and ethical. I thought she would be a great mentor, someone who truly loved her dogs the way I did. Unfortunately, I learned too late that I was wrong.

After purchasing several dogs from her, I discovered the heartbreaking truth: she wasn’t ethical at all. She didn’t care about the dogs — only the money. I had purchased my beloved Penny and our handsome stud King from her, both of whom would change me forever.

When I brought Penny home at eight weeks old, she already had a level 2 heart murmur. That meant she was immediately retired from our program. As she grew, her health declined. She developed irritable bowel syndrome, a level 4 heart murmur, and Valley Fever. Each condition came with its own struggles, and I fought for her with everything I had — emotionally and financially. Over two years, we spent more than $26,000 trying to save her. But in the end, Penny’s heart just couldn’t fight anymore. The Valley Fever spread to her brain and began to affect her behavior. When she lashed out in confusion and fear, attacking my son and one of our younger puppies, I had to make the most painful decision of my life.

We let Penny go — not because we wanted to, but because we loved her too much to let her suffer.

Just a few months later, King died suddenly from a heart attack. He too had a level 4 heart murmur. The breeder had lied to us. She told me both of their parents were fully health-tested, but the truth was they had failed their testing and suffered from severe heart conditions. The paperwork I had trusted was fabricated.

Losing Penny and King nearly broke me. But like Sophie, they became part of my purpose. They reminded me why I hold this program to such a high standard and why I will never compromise when it comes to honesty, health, and transparency.

If a dog doesn’t meet my standards for health or temperament, we don’t breed them. I’d rather retire a dog than risk another family feeling the pain I have felt. To make that possible, we built an amazing Guardian Home Program so every dog can live a full, loved life with their forever family while still contributing to bettering the breed.

We don’t breed for high drive or hyper Goldens. We breed for balanced, family-oriented companions who are easy to live with, eager to learn, and full of love.

Our program has taken years of dedication, study, and sacrifice, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Every puppy that leaves here takes a piece of my heart with them, and I take full responsibility for every life I bring into this world. If a family’s circumstances ever change, I require that the dog comes back to me. Always. No questions asked.

Sophie, Penny, and King all taught me that we can’t change what broke our hearts, but we can use it to protect others from the same pain. Through Top Gun Golden Retrievers, their spirits live on in every wagging tail, every joyful puppy snuggle, and every family that finally finds their forever dog.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope it helps you understand not just what I do, but why I do it.

Have a Golden Day,
Samantha