Key Takeaways
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When Coleen Goodwin lost her beloved golden retriever Chipper to cancer, she was devastated. But through her grief, she found clarity.
"This dog made me a better human, and we have to do this again," Coleen recalled telling her husband, Brent. "I know it's going to hurt losing a dog every single time it happens, but I need to be a better person."
That moment of loss became the foundation for Council House Goldens, an ethical golden retriever breeding program that has since provided over 150 dogs to Northwest Battle Buddies (NWBB).
A Mission Born From Heartbreak
After Chipper's death, Coleen began searching for another golden retriever, but what she discovered alarmed her. A breeder warned that golden retrievers were becoming so poorly bred that the breed might disappear within 10 years.
"It rose up something in me," Coleen explained. "I set my jaw and said, 'Not as long as I live. There is a way to do this to ensure that I'll have a golden and my grandbabies and my great-grandbabies will, too.'"
She threw herself into research, learning everything she could about ethical breeding and tackling genetic disease. Her focus wasn't on show dogs or breed standards. She wanted to raise healthy, well-tempered golden retrievers that could make a real difference in people's lives as faithful companions.
Finding Northwest Battle Buddies
In October 2013, a Veteran searching for a PTSD service dog connected Coleen with NWBB founder Shannon Walker. The introduction changed everything.
The two met in Pendleton, OR, where Shannon met William, Coleen's first golden retriever from her new breeding program. Shannon was immediately interested, but Coleen noticed something important about their conversation: she was being vetted.
"Shannon was guarding the organization that she was creating," Coleen recalled. "That was a good thing. Really, really smart."
Just two months later, Coleen and Brent delivered their first dogs: two male puppies from William and a female named Hava. They drove them to Battleground, WA, right around Christmas. It was the beginning of a partnership that has now spanned over a decade.
A Veteran, a Dog, and a Flight of Stairs
Coleen and Brent were invited to attend an NWBB graduation ceremony years ago, an experience that still brings Coleen to tears when she recounts it.
The couple followed the class as Veterans completed their public access testing at a mall. One Veteran, a man using a walker, faced a difficult decision. Confined spaces like elevators were a trigger for him. At the last moment, he asked Shannon if he could take the stairs instead.
Shannon said yes, positioning staff in front of and behind him for safety. Then something remarkable happened.
"I watched as this dog watched the Veteran's leg, looked up, and matched his step pace for pace," Coleen described, "just like they had always done this. Like it was something they had been practicing forever."
The dog, one of Coleen's, guided the Veteran down every stair. Shannon shouted across the mall: "Did Coleen see that?"
"It was really remarkable to see what that dog was capable of doing and what he inspired that man to do," Coleen said. Stories like this are why NWBB provides professionally trained PTSD service dogs to Veterans who need them most, helping them navigate triggering moments and reclaim the everyday moments that PTSD has stolen.
Bred for the Job
Not every dog can become a PTSD service dog. Coleen has spent years refining the traits that make her golden retrievers ideal candidates for this demanding work.
"High intellect. These dogs are really smart," Coleen said. "They're affectionate. They're very focused."
She described working with a professional trainer who was amazed by one of her dogs during a "watch" command. No matter what was happening around them, the dog held Coleen's gaze, waiting for the next instruction.
"That trainer said, 'That's a one-in-a-million dog,'" Coleen recalled. "It just so happens we see that a lot in our dogs."
The goal is to produce dogs that are "bomb-proof," able to remain focused and calm regardless of their surroundings. These traits matter because Veterans with PTSD often face triggers in everyday environments: unexpected noises, crowded aisles, confined spaces. A steady, focused dog becomes an anchor, helping them stay grounded when the world feels overwhelming.
"I do see in these dogs a sense of 'I'm responsible to you,'" Coleen explained. "It's fascinating to watch."
Giving Back to Those Who Served
Coleen's commitment to Veterans runs deep. Her father served in the Army, her stepfather in the Air Force, and her firstborn son in the Navy. She grew up singing the "Star Spangled Banner" at home with her mother.
"These men and women did a job that I've never had to do," Coleen emphasized. "They did that for me, for my children, for my grandchildren, and for the country that we love."
Over 12 years, Council House Goldens has provided more than 150 puppies across 17 AKC-registered litters to NWBB. Each one represents Coleen's answer to a simple question: How can we give back?
"It's difficult sometimes to find the right words to express my gratitude to the men and women for their sacrifice," she said. "But there really is a tangible way that we can give back and do something in return."
Because NWBB believes no Veteran should have to pay for the support they've earned, every PTSD service dog is provided free of charge. Donations through Operation Never Quit (ONQ) make this possible, funding the training, care, and ongoing support that transform a puppy into a lifeline.
A Partnership That Creates Better Dogs
Providing a puppy to NWBB isn't a one-way transaction. For Coleen, it's the beginning of a continuous feedback loop that shapes every breeding decision she makes.
"I'm given updates on health and temperament information, both positive and negative," Coleen explained. "So we can make really good breeding decisions for Northwest Battle Buddies."
This ongoing communication allows Coleen to identify which traits produce the most successful service dogs and refine her program accordingly. If a dog excels during training, she knows. If one struggles with a specific skill, she learns that too.
Over 12 years and 17 litters, this feedback has helped Council House Goldens produce dogs that are increasingly well-suited for the demanding work of supporting Veterans with PTSD.
"There's a thread of conversation happening all of that time," she said, from the moment a puppy leaves her home through foster care, training, and placement with a Veteran.
Honor Our Veterans Today
Coleen and Brent Goodwin have turned personal loss into a legacy of service. Every puppy they provide represents hope for a Veteran struggling with the invisible wounds of war.
You can be part of this lifesaving mission! By joining Operation Never Quit (ONQ), you provide consistent funding that allows NWBB to continue providing professionally trained PTSD service dogs to Veterans at no cost. For as little as $22 a month, you can help ensure that no American Hero faces their battles alone.
There are many ways to support NWBB's mission. Whether you donate financially, foster a puppy, or simply spread the word, your support changes lives and honors those who served.
To learn more about Council House Goldens, visit their website at councilhousegoldens.com or find them on Facebook.