"Dark Star" is not a kennel of dogs, but rather an integral part of our family! The dogs are our companions first and foremost: they sleep on (or in) our beds with the children or Dad & I, they follow me around the house or yard in my daily mom-chores on schooldays, and they participate in the family's evening and weekend activities.

The dogs are our family pets, and we only have a few. We don't have a kennel-full of dogs; yet we've done well enough with dogs that we have owned and/or bred. We have shown in conformation (AKC points or Championships), done obedience work (the "CD" obedience titles), field work (retrievers/hunters and several "WC" Working Certificates with the Labradors), as well as the AKC's Canine Good Citizen "CGC", and several dogs that I have done visiting pet therapy with. I have also bred two dogs that graduated as working Guide Dogs! (With Labradors, obviously; the Cavaliers are a bit too small for that type of work!) In short: I breed for a good temperament (it's a critical issue for me), conformation correct for the breed, and health.

Being a "dog breeder" is a hefty responsibility - one entailing not just bringing puppies into the world, but involving oneself in the advanced planning and welcoming of well-bred puppies that are healthy, typey, and with suitable temperaments. Our puppies are born in my bedroom, and raised in the family room, with time and attention lavished on them - so they are very well-socialized. Therefore they are socially adept, confident, and loving; it's a good combination of genetics and nurturing. (Sadly, there are many breeders that do not socialize their babies, nor do health testing. Scary, isn't it?)

I was always a ‘doggy' person, I was the girl in the neighborhood that took everyone else's dogs for walks, brushed and trained them! It seemed a natural progression to dive more fully into the dog world, and so in the 26+ years I've been involved in the purebred dog fancy I've enjoyed the camaraderie of the dog shows, obedience trials, and field work; cherished the personal rewards of making a positive impact with a nursing home/convalescent facility resident while doing pet assisted therapy visiting; and thoroughly enjoyed raising a litter of puppies - knowing that I would hand over precious bundles of fur to excited families. Such are the rewards for this labor of love! Please visit our webpages - dive in and snorkel the dogs' and family's pages - meet everyone!