This is the Puppy Process - On the HUMAN SIDE:

There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes here at Shooting Star! Here are some of the things you can expect with our puppy process: (please see our "Shooting Star Puppy Raising" page to see what we do on the puppy side of things!)

Before Puppies Are Born
  • If you are serious about our puppies, your first step is to fill out our Puppy Application
  • Once we receive your application, we will contact you via email. We will let you know when our next litter is expected and you can ask us all the questions you can think about!
  • At that point, we will let you know if we will be putting you on our wait list, or if we believe a Shooting Star puppy would not be a good fit for you.
  • If you live within a days drive from us, we ask that you come and visit our home and our dogs (and Momma dog!) before she is pregnant. If you are going to be joining our Shooting Star Family, we like to have this time to talk to you, so we can get to know you and you can get to know us and our dogs - Before puppies are here! Once puppies are here, everyone is glossy-eyed (and for good reason!).
  • You won't hear much from us between this time and the time that puppies are due. We do send out occasional email updates on how the Momma-to-be is doing, but you'll be able to see more fun photos by joining our Shooting Star Facebook Page.
After Puppies are Born
  • We will contact you once puppies are born. I usually don't send out anything official until they are around a week old. This is simply because I probably get about 15 hours of sleep during the first week of puppies! There is SO much to do, it's a 24-7 job to make sure Momma has everything she needs, and each puppy is getting everything it needs to be safe, healthy and grow.
  • You will receive two contracts from us. One is your "deposit contract" and the second is your "adoption contract".
  • I send out weekly puppy updates so you can track the progress your puppy is making, and what we are working on each day.
  • I post weekly (okay, usually daily!) photos of our growing puppies on our Facebook page.
  • I will often do "puppy live" posts on our Facebook page! They are very fun and you can chime in with comments and questions!
  • We encourage visits to start when the puppies are between 4-5 weeks old. We get to watch you interact with the puppies (this all helps with match-making!) It's a very fun time, and great socialization for the litter!
  • Since the puppies personalities are continuing to develop, we do not do our matchmaking until very close to the time you will pick up your puppy. We take this role very seriously and want to make sure we have the best fit for both you and the puppy.  Sometimes we may have a retired couple that likes to go hiking, or a young couple that lives in a high rise in the city, or a family with younger children. Some people are looking to do dog sports, some people want to do therapy work, some people may have a handicapped family member at home. All of these would require a different personality and/or structure from a puppy. We look at a wide range of traits when considering which puppy goes into which home. I know it's tough to wait, but we want to make sure we choose the perfect puppy for you! And before you ask - Coat, color and sex are the last three considerations  :)
  • Around 3-4 months of age you are welcome to bring your puppy back to have a grooming lesson. There are some wonderful groomers out there, but we like to encourage everyone to groom at home if you are able. It's really quite easy, and we'd love to teach you!

After your puppy goes home
We consider this a life-long commitment.  We also expect that you will keep in contact with us throughout your dog's life. Not only are we invested in your puppy, we want to know how he/she is doing through adulthood and beyond.  Mutually, we are here for questions for the duration of your dog's life. Responsible breeding for successful and happy lives together!

Ready to Apply for a Puppy? Fill out an Application
​
Want to learn more about us?

Photos of previous litters

Want to see our sweet dogs?

​Learn about our Puppy Raising