I'm Maria S., the breeder behind Salata Goldens located in Taylor Ridge, IL. We adhere to the breed standard and breed for temperament and trainability. We use Puppy Culture and work with the pups every day. We strive to breed the very best pups possible. It is very important for us to find just the right home for each puppy. They can all have such different personalities and need to find a home that can optimize their personality. See more on social media at Salata Golden Retriever.
Q. & A. with Maria
Why did you start breeding?
I wanted to raise better therapy dogs. I thought if I could start their training from the time they are born I would have better-trained dogs knowing how well they were bred.
What makes your program special?
The amount of time I put into every litter and every breeder I have. When the puppies go home they are already started with basic obedience, crate trained, and housebreaking. The families that get my puppies just need to reinforce what I have started for them.
What are the different breed coat colors in your program?
Our puppies are golden. Colors will vary depending on the parent dogs.
Where do your breeding dogs live?
They live in my home.
Matched dogs
These dogs are already reserved or have gone home.
Girl 4
Went home
Female
Boy 2
Went home
Male
Girl 1
Went home
Female
Boy 3
Went home
Male
Boy 1
Went home
Male
Girl 2
Went home
Female
Girl 3
Went home
Male
Boy 4 - Grey
Went home
Male
Boy 1 - Orange
Went home
Male
Boy 5 - Green
Went home
Male
Girl 1
Went home
Female
Girl 2
Went home
Female
Boy 2 - Black
Went home
Male
Boy 3 - Blue
Went home
Male
Red
Went home
Female
Green
Went home
Male
Blue
Went home
Male
Black
Went home
Male
Pink
Went home
Female
Orange
Went home
Female
Grey
Went home
Male
Purple
Went home
Female
Yellow
Went home
Female
Getting a puppy from Maria
Maria has been certified by Good Dog’s screening team for responsible and trusted breeding practices. When you’re ready to reach out, feel free to ask any questions about the breed, their program, or specific puppies.
Together, you’ll choose the puppy that’s right for you, stay in touch with regular updates, and plan how to bring your new puppy home.
Price
Puppy prices include a $700 non-refundable deposit and $3,000 final payment, before taxes & fees.
Pay over time with Klarna.
“Price includes limited AKC registration, microchip, dewclaws removed, first vaccinations, dewormed at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks, introduced to commands, potty training and exposed to social interactions with dogs, cats, adults and children. Your non refundable deposit will hold your place on our waitlist until a litter and puppy are matched to your household.”
Contract & health guarantee
Maria may provide a written contract or
health guarantee when you purchase a puppy. This helps
protect both you and your breeder, ensuring that you
both have a clear understanding of the terms of your
puppy purchase. If Maria offers a contract
or guarantee, the details will be personalized by them.
If you have any questions or want to know more,
don’t hesitate to reach out to Maria directly.
Salata Goldens meets or exceeds our community standards in these areas:
Responsible breeding practices
Health of breeding dogs and puppies
Puppy environment and enrichment
Buyer education and policies
Litter and program updates
Maria S.
Litter update on 29 May •
Dad and puppies playing
Dorian and Sansa's litter
Maria S.
Program update on 08 May •
Maria S.
Litter update on 31 Mar. •
They're here!
4-boys and 5-girls
Dorian and Sansa's litter
Parent dogs
Sansa, mom
Golden Retriever
About Sansa
Sansa is a very loving, sweet girl who loves attention. She enjoys playing ball, going for walks, and lounging around the house. She gets along well with dogs, puppies, cats, children, and adults. She's never met an animal or person she didn't like.
Good health testing
Cardiac Evaluation (registered with OFA), Elbow Dysplasia Finals (OFA, BVA, SV, FCI), +2 more.
Parent health testing
Breeder-Reported Testing
Great level
Salata Goldens reports to performing the health tests below on their breeding dogs. Ask your breeder about the tests performed on the parents of your litter. Learn more about health testing for Golden Retrievers.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip testing reduces the chance of passing down hip dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause hip pain and the eventual loss of the function of the hip joint.
Elbow Dysplasia Finals (OFA, BVA, SV, FCI)
Elbow testing reduces the chance of passing down elbow dysplasia, which is primarily found in large breed dogs and can cause arthritis in the elbow joint and front leg lameness.
Eye Certification (CAER, registered with OFA)
Eye testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide range of hereditary eye illnesses including retinal dysplasia, lens luxation, and glaucoma, which can cause impared vision or blindness.
Cardiac Evaluation (registered with OFA)
Heart testing reduces the chance of passing down congenital heart disease, which can cause a range of symptoms ranging from trouble exercising to heart failure.
Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis 5 (NCL5), Golden Retriever Type, PRA, Rod-Cone Degeneration (PRA-prcd), PRA, Golden Retriever 1, PRA, Golden Retriever 2, Degenerative Myelopathy (DM; SOD1A), Ichthyosis, Golden Retriever Type 1
Genetic testing reduces the chance of passing down a wide variety of hereditary diseases of differing prevalence and severity such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy (an eye disease) and Von Willebrand's Disease (a blood disease).
Verified owner stories
Hear what other owners say about working with Maria to bring home their puppies.
Pyper T.
Verified owner · June 2025
My pup Sawyer has brought such joy into my life. Finding Maria was a blessing. Not only are her puppies from amazing parents and pedigree but Maria’s care in raising her puppies to be ready for life is what sets her apart from others. Our little Sawyer once in his new home welcomed his kennel at night with no fuss, slept through the night and was trained to do his business in the yard right when he arrived. Maria brought us through an entire backstory of the dogs parents, health and even provided a detailed manual on how to care, train and raise your pup, which you can see is written from the heart and love of raising dogs and her many years of service dog training. I am so glad we found Maria and our lovely Pup Sawyer!
Bri H.
Verified owner · Nov. 2024
+4
Maria was very helpful and informative throughout the entire process. She is a very knowledgeable and competent breeder. She picked a puppy that seemed best suited for me and he is my soul dog.
Health testing is one key piece of responsible breeding and is performed on breeding dogs to prevent the presence of heritable conditions in their puppies.