STAR Golden Retrievers are puppies we keep a little bit longer. We help them to navigate the seas of housebreaking, leash training and other basic obedience skills during the first few months so you don’t have to. STAR puppies are able to pass their AKC STAR PUPPY evaluation before they go to their new homes and they are well on their way to AKC Canine Good Citizen titles. Families who are in need of a service dog find that a STAR puppy is a good beginning. All of our STAR puppy families find the investment worthwhile. When both parents work and kids are active, schedules change and there isn’t much time to train a puppy. At the end of the day, though, our STAR puppy families can come home to a well-mannered puppy without worrying about cleaning up accidents or runaway dogs. We can only reserve two STAR puppies per litter for extended training. STAR training usually takes 4-6 months. During this time, you are welcome to visit as much as you’d like. You can also take your puppy home for a weekend or two!
STAR Puppy Training takes place at Golden Rule. Your puppy will stay with us until he graduates at 16 weeks. Vet costs, vaccinations, food, toys, and all expenses are covered in the STAR Puppy fee.
STAR PUPPY TRAINING will address:: Basic commands such as Sit, Down, Stay, Place, Touch, Here, crate training, leash training, housebreaking, introduction to navigating public access, interactions with other dogs and strangers, chewing, biting and Canine Good Citizen ready! Puppies in the STAR program may develop and grow at different rates. Where some puppies shine, others may struggle. Our goal is for STAR puppies to go home at 7-8 months. Sometimes, families ask us to keep their pups longer for more targeted training. We are happy to help with beginning service training. Please understand this involves more commitments in time, training and funding. As we try to meet the demands for trained puppies, we are dedicated to adding more commands that will help your new family member’s transition into your home to be one that brings joy and laughter to your home.
STAR PUPPY: $12,000 ($5,000 nonrefundable deposit required)
Please Note: In the past, Golden Rule Retrievers donated puppies and dogs to individuals and families in need. Due to instances in which recipients were irresponsible in caring for their Golden Rule dogs, we no longer donate puppies or dogs. Law enforcement officers, veterans and active duty military members may still receive a $300 discount. Please be responsible. Spay, neuter, vaccinate, train and microchip!
“It was such a relief to find the Golden Rule family, to visit your home and to see where the dogs eat, sleep, play and learn. To me, it made all the difference that Ruger was raised in your home using a puppy protocol that covered everything from the sounds of fireworks and sirens to learning the sit command.”