Breeder: Robert & Martha

Greetings and thanks for visiting our page! Our family welcomed our very first puppy in 2001. A Golden Retriever, of course, named Starla ☺️. Our children grew up with her, and she occasionally had litters of puppies. In time, we kept a few of her pups, and that became the beginning of our dog family. Many of the dogs we have today are direct descendants of Starla, along with our male Bravo, whom we purchased from a show breeder in 2010. Bravo sired our dear and much-loved Pudgey, a once-in-a-generation type of dog you will find in many of our pedigrees. In fact, Pudgey played a big part in the story of how My Golden started!

Raising puppies is truly a family project for us. We welcome visits and encourage families to schedule time to meet our puppies and their parents. Healthy puppies start with healthy parents, so our dogs are genetically tested, OFA certified, kept up to date on vaccinations, and receive regular veterinary care. Along with quality nutrition, room to run and play, and lots of TLC, we work hard to give every puppy the best possible start.

Our puppies receive Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), which helps boost their immune systems and gets them accustomed to human touch starting at just three days old. From there, we spend plenty of time playing with them, continuing socialization, and weather permitting, allowing them to run in our grassy puppy yard. This helps introduce early potty habits, as they learn to go on grass. Our puppies truly love playtime 🤗.

On go home day, we feed the puppies lightly, then remove food for several hours while giving them ample potty time. After a quick bath, they are ready to head off to their new families. While our puppies are not house trained, they do have an understanding of not soiling where they eat and sleep. We recommend puppy proofing your home and planning to spend plenty of time with your new little friend 🐕, especially during the first few weeks as habits are being formed. If you are interested in having your puppy house trained or started on basic commands, we highly recommend Ashley, a professional dog trainer.

Our puppies love snuggles and genuinely want to please. Reward good behavior with treats, petting, and praise, and redirect or offer a positive command when misbehavior occurs. Having adequate, safe space for your puppy to run and burn off energy is highly recommended and helps them grow into a loving, relaxed, and snuggly companion 🐶.

Each go home packet includes a folder with a copy of the sales agreement and health guarantee, AKC paperwork, veterinary exam records, and vaccination and deworming history. To help ease the transition from our home to yours, we also include a small bag of food, FortiFlora probiotic to sprinkle on meals, and a towel with the scent of mom and litter. Please review the sales agreement online and schedule your puppy’s initial veterinary visit ahead of time to ensure continuity of care.

We have also had puppies go on to become service dogs for individuals with disabilities, as well as therapy dogs. If you are looking for a service or therapy prospect, feel free to give us a call. We would be happy to help guide you.

From the Raber Family
Starlight Acres Goldens