Starstruck Labradors

Frequently Asked Questions 

Is Starstruck Labradors a registered Kennel name, and what does this mean?

 No, Starstruck was a name taken already in the CKC record books, but we would only need to register our kennel name if we wanted to name our dog's after ourselves. Example: "Starstruck's Wonder Pup". However, registering a kennel name serves no other purpose. We do have a membership with the CKC, but again, this is a financial transaction, not a quality assurance to anyone.

It never fails to amaze us how many people are still under the false pretense that being a member of a posh dog club and owning a "registered kennel" must mean that the breeder is a reputable one! Truly, all this entails is paying your dues to a club. No kennel club in Canada has any jurisdiction to conduct inspections, ensure healthy living quarters, or has in any way to control of how the dogs are treated by one of its members. A puppy mill can be the member of any club it wishes, just pay up and sign on the dotted line...it is not that hard. No one will come to examine your dogs, no club leader will enforce that the dogs are kept in a humane and safe way.

So next time you ask for a reference, and the breeder responds by saying that they the proud members of this club or that, remember that no club can save a puppy from a cruel existence, only you can. Do not support a breeder who would still leave you to believe that a membership card is a kennel inspection certificate. Visit the kennel yourself, or do like we did, and have the breeder present a inspection summation from an unbiased veterinarian (not a friend or colleague).

We are one of the ONLY kennels in Canada to have been inspected by a veterinarian! CLICK HERE to read the report!

Can I see the pedigree, health clearances, and more pictures of my dog (or my puppy's parents)? 

We would love the chance to share our bragging book of endless health clearances we have done our our dogs, their parents, and even their grandparents! When visiting our kennel, please ask to see our records, if you have the time! 

Pictures are always available upon request. We do not place certain pictures or pedigree and health records on our website as this would attract a great deal of unwanted attention from other breeders. We have some of the most sought after dilute bloodlines in the world, and certainly in this country, but we do not sell any breeding rights with our puppies. Our pups are sold as pets, donated as service dogs, or placed into training programs as working dogs.

To place pedigrees and health clearances of our dogs online, would give the impression to other breeders that we were willing to sell our dogs and puppies as breeding stock. However, we have seen too many ruthless breeders to trust anyone with breeding rights on any one of our dogs. We are just not willing to put our dogs on the public "meat market" of dog breeding, that would be absurd.

Why are your dogs so expensive? 

What are silver, charcoal, and champagne Labradors, and are they registered as purebred Labradors?

Silver Labradors are at the centre of a debate now, just like the chocolates were once a hated colour, and yellows before them. For a deeper explanation of the dilute colours, please visit our "Colour Controversy" page.

For a quick answer. Yes, we believe our dilute Labradors are purebred, and they are registered, as their parents are also registered. Their are many who do not like these colours, and we respect their opinions, but ask that they remain professional in presenting those opinions to us.

Can I meet the Starstruck breeding dogs?

 Absolutely! We enjoy meeting you, almost as much as you will enjoy meeting our gang! We do ask that you plan your trip for a nice day, but prepare yourself for windy, rainy, or snowy conditions…this IS Alberta after all…

 For the health and safety of our dogs we REQUIRE that you have first sent in an adoption application, and schedule an appointment with us, before planning your trip. We need to know that you are not bringing viruses, diseases, or bacteria into the kennel. Remember, puppies are born fragile, and are in danger if we do not keep such things out of our facilities. This means no visiting other breeders, playing with puppies in pet stores, or interacting with unknown animals on the day of your visit. This would put our entire kennel, especially our puppies, at great risk. So we ask that when paying a visit, that you be kind to our dogs, and respect the rules we have set out to protect them.

On your visit, you will be meeting our breeding dogs, our growing puppies, and puppies sold or for sale who are five weeks of age or older. However, you will not be able to meet the puppies, or their nursing mother, until they have been vaccinated at least once, at five weeks of age.

If you have no puppies that fit my timeline, how do I choose another breeder?

First and foremost, ensure you visit your breeder in person! You are purchasing your next family member from them, so make sure you take a day to see where your family member will actually be coming from, and make sure you're comfortable with it.

Breeders should be friendly, informative, and very attentive to their clients AND to their dogs! When choosing a breeder, look for signs of good maintenance of the grounds and of the dogs. Breeders who do not allow visitors to see most or all of their dogs are usually hiding something…

 You should be able to see where the dogs eat, sleep, play, and poop! You should be able to walk through the kennels without holding your breath, or nose!

 The dogs should be curious about you, excited to see you, and generally happy. All dogs should have clear and clean eyes, thick and full coats (unless nursing), trimmed nails, access to fresh water, and should show no signs of aggression toward humans. The breeder should be able to tell you about the unique characteristics of each dog, how many litters he or she has fathered/mothered, and if any of those puppies have had any health or training issues.

 A good breeder knows the history of the breed, the importance of genetic components in breeding, and the overall quirks and characteristics of the breed. If your family or lifestyle does not suit this particular breed, a responsible breeder will recommend you look for a more suitable pooch, even though it means losing a customer.

 Health testing should be a must. You want to find this in the form of OFA certified Hip & Elbow x-rays, as well as CERF eye testing and a basic Cardiac exam. If in doubt, get documentation. General practice veterinarians are often not qualified to evaluate hip and elbow x-rays, and board certified radiologists are required. DNA testing for certain diseases is a huge plus as well, as many of these problems can kill or incapacitate your pet at a very young age. Some breeders lie about the health testing on their dogs. If in doubt, ask for documentation.

 The breeder should be willing and eager to help you select a proper food, offer suggestions for training, and assist you in anyway necessary to ensure a healthy and happy life for your new pet. A reputable breeder will have you sign a contract or warranty that specifies that you will not subject your new friend to breeding, abusing, under/over feeding and so on. Your buddy should also be welcomed back to the breeder, at any time, in case something goes wrong, so check with the breeder before making a commitment.

In conclusion, when you find a friend who breeds healthy, happy, and genetically sound pets, you have found a good breeder!

 How do deposits work?

Deposits are $200 each. This amount will be credited to the full purchase price of your puppy or dog. Our deposits are non-refundable, but are transferable toward the purchase of any available pups or future litters. We take deposits year-round and usually have a list of ten to thirty families waiting for unborn pups. If you want one of our pups, it is always best to plan ahead!

We accept deposits on combined colour and gender preferences only. If your preferred colour and gender combination is not produced, you will then have the opportunity to transfer your $200 deposit toward any available puppy of your choice or to the next available puppy that meets your specifications.

If you place a deposit with a certain puppy in mind, but decide not to purchase that puppy, your deposit will be placed in the order that it was received, and hold your place for the next available puppy of your liking.

When can I select my puppy?

We encourage visits with your puppy as soon as is healthy to do so. For the protection and safety of your new family member, we do not allow visiting the new litter until just after five weeks of age. By this time, your puppy has been vaccinated once and his or her mother is more settled and has had a chance to recover and adjust to her new litter.

For our clients who live a greater distance away, we will do all that we can in helping you select the correct pup. We can send photos, video, and our recommendations with regard to personality and trainability.

Although you do not have to pick your puppy upon your first meeting,  you must make your selection by eight weeks of age.

 What is included with my new puppy?

We send our pups home with a good foundation for basic housetraining. Our pups have access to the indoors and outdoors from a young age, and are given the choice to do their "business" in the right spot! Dogs, by nature will not mess in their beds, unless they have no other choice. Many breeders keep their pups indoors, or even in their whelping boxes until they go home, with no choice but to "go" in their bed! This would set up any dog be a very difficult pooch to potty train! Our pups are usually mess free for 2-3 weeks before they go home, so they already know that their "duties" are done outside!

Our puppies are microchipped, dewormed four times, and have their first TWO vaccinations. This saves you an expensive vet visit, and ensures the immunity of your puppy when you take it home. Six weeks of free pet insurance is also included. This insurance covers emergency accidents and illness.

We are very happy to offer a lifetime of breeder support - from torn toenails, training, or medical advice and pointers, we will be there every step of the way! We are not experts in all fields, but we can help in many ways, and if we don't know, we can hopefully point you in the right direction!

When can my puppy come home?

We allow our puppies to go to their new homes at 8 weeks of age. Before they go home they MUST be vaccinated twice, they must be eating hard kibble and still gaining weight, and they must be using the dog door without messing inside.

At eight weeks of age the pup can travel by air. If you are hoping to travel with your pup in the cabin, you will have to schedule this as close to the eight week mark as possible. Our pups are usually well over ten pounds by the time they leave for their new homes at eight weeks of age!

 What about a blanket that smells like the mother?

We do not send our puppies home with blankets that smell like there mother or litter-mates. Blankets do not hold scent very well, and the pups will have been weened from their mother for almost 1.5 weeks when they go home. However, we do not bathe the babies...

What we ask, is that you do not bathe your new baby. The scent of her brothers and home will stay in the natural oils of her skin and coat until they are washed away with soap and water. Also, bathing should be kept to an absolute minimum as it induces stress, and can cause dandruff problems that can be hard to cure. When you do bathe a pup, use very little soap, if any, as the chemicals will strip away the natural oils that protect a dog as their first line of defense from many offenders.

 What if I live far away from Starstruck? Do you ship puppies?

We have sent puppies to their new homes via air and land, without meeting their new families, but we do not allow our pups to homes that we feel are, for any reason, are unsuitable. Therefore, the only difficulty in purchasing a puppy from us at a distance, is to earn our trust from a distance! Do not worry, we won't send private detectives to stalk you, but we will be extra cautious, and ask questions beyond our regular adoption application.

Puppies have been sent safely via Air Canada, and Continental Airlines, both in live cargo and in cabin! If at all possible, we prefer a pup to fly in cabin, with a human. If you would like your puppy shipped to you, please make a note of this in your adoption application, and have your nearest International Airport code ready. (For instance, Calgary's is YYC) This will help us check to make sure that we can ensure your pup's safe arrival at his or her new home!

 What do I feed my new dog?

We spent over a year researching this very question. First and foremost, we strongly recommend a raw food diet! Sadly, many veterinarians stand against the raw food diet for dogs, but thankfully, mother nature has put the proof in the pudding! We feed all of our adult dogs a high quality raw food diet, composed of 50% chicken and 50% beef. Since making the switch from kibble, we have seen our vet bills plummet! If you are interested in trying a raw food diet to see the changes in your own dog, please contact us.

Aside from a natural raw diet, we know that only certain dry kibble products meet the nutritional requirements necessary to support a lab’s overall health and well being.

We recommend a kibble called TLC, which is primarily chicken and lamb based, and that we have been feeding your puppy since it was weaned off its mom. This product is delivered direct to your door, at no extra charge. Although there is a financial incentive for us to recommend this product to you, we do not pocket the money ourselves, but we donate the entire amount to charity. We want to make a point that we believe in this product, so much so that we do not look to personally gain from it.

You can read more about TLC under the Purchasing Information tab.

 To inquire further about this product and to collect your personal ordering information, please contact us.

 When should I spay or neuter my dog?

We very strongly believe that spaying, neutering, or any major surgery should be avoided until your furry friend has finished growing. For some dogs, this can take up to three years. If you are not willing to care for, and be responsible for an intact dog, you should consider buying a parakeet instead. 

What many people do not realize is that when a male is neutered, his testes are completely removed and this completely stops him from being able to produce testosterone! Why do men look like men, and boys likes boys ... it is all testosterone! How can we expect our male dogs to grow healthy and mature to their full potential when we take away the fuel? Training a male not to lift his leg in the house is the same challenge as teaching him not to bark in the house, and just as possible. In the world of competitive dog showing, ALL of the dogs are left intact, and trained to behave.

When spaying a female, the uterus is completely removed, the ovaries are taken out, and the intestines have to be re-arranged to do so! When humans have to undergo this type of procedure, there is great concern, and hormonal replacement treatments are undergone, or menopause occurs and the bone structure begins to crumble. Estrogen is needed to build healthy bones, so why take that away from a young female who is not finished growing yet?

So why do vets push so hard for spaying and neutering at such a young age? We think there is a two-fold answer. 

First and foremost, there is an animal control problem. What that really means, is there is a people control problem. Pet ownership is about responsibility, and not allowing your pet to breed. The veterinarian community has given up hope that individual people are responsible enough to control and care for an intact dog. Secondly, it all boils down to money. If a veterinarian can schedule you in for an appointment now, rather than suggest waiting for two years, the money will go to cover the running costs of that particular clinic. If you waited for two years, you might have moved, or found a better vet, and the sale would be taken from the first veterinarian.

At least, that is our take. Here is a great link that one of our pro-active puppy parents managed to find, doing her own research into the subject - http://www.caninesports.com/SpayNeuter.html

Which vet do you recommend?

Choosing a vet is as difficult as selecting your family practitioner! Although we do not have a list of “good” veterinarians, we can offer pointers to select a good one in your area.

 1)     Begin interviews…before you get Fido! Yes, really. Imagine going to the vet without an animal in tow! If the Doctor has no creature to focus on then you become the centre of the interview. This is important because your new puppy will not be able to speak to the doctor, and you will have to be able to do that for him. If you and your pet’s physician can not see eye to eye in a simple interview, how then will the relationship withstand a time of crisis?

2)     As a personal observation, we have found that vets who treat large animals, like horses and cows, are generally less expensive and more realistic. We are terribly saddened to hear tales of old and sick animals whose lives are unfairly prolonged. Vets who also work with large animals often have a better perspective in this regard, and are therefore more realistic when it comes to minor, chronic, and acute concerns.

3)     And finally, if during the life of your pet, a vet recommends a procedure over $500 in value, get a second opinion! There are as many different answers to a question as there are vets to ask. When in doubt, consult an educated third party. Feel free to give us a call if you'd like.