We are so excited to announce that we have officially begun the processes of assessing a new FEMALE GOLDEN RETRIEVER to welcome in to our breeding program. The litter was born on August 16, 2026.
Their mom, Noni is as sweet as pie. She is extraordinary in every way possible. She possesses exceptional temperament, beautiful structure, and a balanced personality. She is eager to be with people, incredibly affectionate, and amazingly gentle. Her build is on the smaller side sitting at 58 lbs. and 20.5 inches (height to withers), but strong, sleek and flawless. She carries a stunning, very light-colored coat with the perfect touch of soft waves that complements her overall beauty. Her movement is elegant, showcasing both grace and soundness. Her health testing results are excellent and her pedigree represent generations of quality that we strive to carry forward. Noni also has competed in the International Show Ring (IABCA). She’s a total package.
Their dad is a superstar in his own right. Tonka comes from an impeccable background and distinguished lineage filled with champions, remarkable longevity, proven temperaments, and generations of outstanding health test scores. Standing 23 inches tall and weighing 68 lbs, he boasts a stocky build with strong conformation, a wide blocky head, flawless movement, and a thick, long, dense, curly coat. Tonka has never met a person he didn’t instantly love. He is calm, attentive, sweet and deeply tuned in. With his soulful eyes and heartwarming nature, he touches your soul and sinks right into your heart. His breeder/owner says that he was wonderfully easy to raise as a puppy, and his offspring are drop-dead gorgeous, 100% health clear, and perfect in every single way.
Here is a link to our puppy evaluation scorecard – Cedar Rock Puppy Scorecard
UPDATE
Welcome home, Thimble
Cedar Rock Goldens is so happy to introduce the newest member of our family. Meet Thimble, our little purple-ribbon girl from the Hoekema Homestead litter.
Thimble was born on Sunday, August 16, 2026, one of six puppies (four girls and two boys) out of Noni and Tonka. We have been quietly watching her since the day she arrived, and this week we finally got to say: she’s the one.
The day she was born
Thimble’s story with us didn’t start at the puppy selection visit. It started in the whelping pen.
On the afternoon of August 16, I was invited to sit with Noni as she brought her first litter into the world. She was incredible. Calm, focused, and completely attentive, she knew exactly what to do from the very first pup, the way some mothers just do. It was a gift to get to be their with her.
Thimble was the third puppy born. She arrived still wrapped in her sac, and for a second, everything went quiet. Noni turned to her and went straight to work on the cord, and I reached in beside her, tore open the sac, cleared that tiny face, and rubbed her little body until she gasped and pulled her first breath into her lungs. Mother and human, side by side, bringing one small life into the world together.
She was 14.3 ounces of warm, wet, wriggling life. I can still feel the weight of her in my hands.
I set her against Noni’s side and watched her make that first wobbly push toward her mama to nurse. Every puppy does it. It’s a miracle to see it with your own eyes. It filled me with joy to assist Noni as she birthed this niny little girl. She is the first pup that help say their first hello to the world. I had no idea then that she was the one we would bring home. I only knew I would never forget her.
Her story so far
She tripled her birth weight by two weeks, and by four weeks she had grown into the biggest puppy in the litter at 6 lb 1.5 oz, quietly passing her sister who had led from day one. Steady, consistent growth every single week. That’s Thimble.
Her parents
Her mama is Noni (Hoekema Homestead Noni Lei), a beautiful young girl who was hand-picked as a breeding prospect and came back with everything we hope to see: OFA Good hips, OFA Normal elbows, a normal heart, normal eyes, and a clear genetic panel for PRA1, PRA2, PRA-prcd, ichthyosis, and degenerative myelopathy.
Her daddy is Tonka (Moonlit Acres Hoekema Homestead Tonka Time), a very sweet and gentle, thoroughly health-tested boy. OFA Good hips, OFA Normal elbows, a normal advanced cardiac exam by echo, and normal OFA eyes. His PennHIP score of .41/.44 puts him in the top 10 percent of golden retrievers worldwide for hip laxity. He is clear on every genetic test: PRA1, PRA2, PRA-prcd, ichthyosis, and degenerative myelopathy. Tonka also happens to be the sire of our foundation girl Meadow, which makes Thimble and Meadow half-sisters. Two Tonka daughters under one roof.
Her grandparents and beyond
Thimble’s pedigree brings together some lovely European lines. On Noni’s side, her grandsire is Swanavly Silk Shimmer, from the Swanavly kennel in Serbia, with A/A hips. Her granddam is Moonlit Acres Hoekema Homestead Leia Rae, whose PennHIP score of .27/.32 places her among the tightest hips in the breed (top 5 percent worldwide). Leia’s side carries French and Norwegian lines known for longevity, along with Moonlit Acres foundation dogs. Behind Tonka you’ll find Norwegian and Swedish lines like Jako’s and Skandi Sanraiz, and further back, Hungarian and Swedish influences.
Because Noni’s sire side is a true outcross from Tonka, Thimble’s own coefficient of inbreeding comes in around 1 percent, which is wonderfully low for a golden. Healthy diversity, right from the start.
What we love about her
From the very first photos, Thimble has been the most consistent puppy in the litter for English type. Broad, blocky head. Deep, wide muzzle with a real chin. Dark, round eyes with full black pigment. Heavy bone, straight front legs, big feet, and early chest breadth. Her ears sit just where the standard asks, close to her head and just above the eye.
And her temperament might be our favorite part. Thimble is the people puppy. When her littermates were wrestling, she was checking in with the humans. She rides quietly in your arms, settles easily, and has a real off switch. She holds her own in play, and when a group of adult dogs came to the fence, she walked right up without a flicker of hesitation. Confident, but never frantic. Steady, sweet, and biddable.
At almost six weeks, after watching every one of these puppies grow, we got to visit. She was the one who kept checking in with us, the one who settled into our arms like she had always belonged there. Maybe she remembered our first meeting. I know I did.
That is exactly the kind of girl we want raising the next generation at Cedar Rock.
Thimble comes home in October. Get ready for a lot of puppy photos.
#cedarrockgoldens #goldenretriever #englishcreamgolden #goldenpuppy #hoekemahomestead #pnwdogs
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