Faraway Goldens

About Us

Finnegan with late fall colors, Dec 2008

Faraway Goldens consists of our golden retrievers – “Gemma” born 4/17/97, our pet girl and a true princess (still here with us in spirit); “Finnegan” aka Foo born 11/5/02, our resident anti-depressant and “multi-purpose” golden boy; and… introducing “Haiku” aka “Ku” — our rascal puppy born 8/24/10!

[The photo above was taken by professional photographer Pam Biasotti -- click on the photo to go to her website and blog. You can see several more of Pam's wonderful pix at the bottom of this page. Her work with dogs and kids is superb!]

Our Beautiful Gemma... still with us every day in our hearts

You have HUGE paws to fill, Haiku!

I am retired from U.C. Berkeley where I taught English literature and counseled students and am now a part-time faculty member at Bergin University of Canine Studies/Assistance Dog Institute in Santa Rosa, CA where I teach a course entitled The Dog in Modern Literature as well as seminars on golden retriever breed structure and canine tracking. We divide our time between our home in Orinda, California built by my (now retired) general contractor husband Ted, and our cabin and land (aka Doggy Heaven) overlooking the Mattole River on the “Lost Coast” of Northern California — a place we call “Faraway.”

Click below for larger images.

Faraway, the cabin

The meadow

The Mattole River in high summer

Finnegan & Gemma on the trail, October 2008

I am a member in good standing of the Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) and NORCAL Golden Retriever Club– for which I have served as both membership  (currently) and corresponding secretaries on the Board of Directors and have chaired five CCA events.

At Faraway Goldens we embrace and adhere strictly to the GRCA Code of Ethics.

We invite you to meet our beloved goldens and perhaps consider if our Finnegan might have something to contribute to your own breeding program as a stud dog. You can find out more about him here and also see his puppies.

Scattered about this website you’ll find underlined links embedded in the text– just click to go directly to the pages!  Here’s an example: Click on Gemma to go to her webpage. You can also click on some of the photos for larger versions.

For more information about Faraway Goldens, please contact Suzanne Bria at: farawaygold@sbcglobal.net (click to send e-mail) -or- 510-919-6284.

Thanks for visiting!

Ted, Foo, Gem, & Suz on the front porch

My sister(-in-law) Karen and her two Norwich terriers share this wonderful place with us!

Finn, Gemma, Karen, Candy, & Barley at Faraway

We dedicate this website to the memory of her husband David Mitchell who loved all creatures great and small– and for whom Faraway was a refuge.

Here are several more photos by Dog Photographer Pam Biasotti (click her name or the pictures to go to her website)!

Foo loves to jump over stuff

… and he’s always on the ball!