Guardian Homes

 

What is a Guardian Home?

In order to give our breeding dogs the very best life possible, it is important to limit how many dogs we personally keep at our home.  We have 3 dogs that live with us full time.  We also understand that in order to breed the highest quality dogs possible, we need to continuously evaluate and add quality blood-lines to our breeding program. So, how is this possible? For us and many breeders like us, the answer is a Guardian Home Program.

Our Guardian Home Program allows us and other dog breeders like us to expand our dog breeding program the right way….by keeping our breeding dogs out of kennels and in Guardian Homes where they live as Cherished Family Members.  We simply can’t keep all of the wonderful dogs that we would like to in our home and we want our breeding dogs to have a normal family life, not be kept in a kennel for breeding only.

In order to be considered as a Guardian Home, you must live within 20 miles of our home, and be flexible for dropping off and picking up the dog for health testing, vet visits, breeding, and whelping puppies.

As a Guardian Home, you get a free puppy and you become that puppy’s forever home. For female dogs, we retain breeding rights for a certain number of litters starting at sexual maturity and ending once the female has whelped a set number of litters. Each Guardian Dog Contract is unique, but it is normally three to four litters depending on what we’re trying to accomplish with a particular female and how well she reacts to being a Mother. Male dogs are bred on an “as needed” basis.

Guardians are responsible for the dog’s regular health maintenance: annual exams, vaccines, food, etc. We pay for genetic health testing required for breeding, and all breeding-related expenses. Once the dog has passed their genetic health testing he/she is added to our breeding program. We decide when each dog will be bred and to whom. Females stay with their Guardian Family during pregnancy (normally lasts 63 days) and then are returned to us a few days before their due date to deliver (whelp) and then raise puppies (approximately 5 weeks). Once the puppies are weaned, then the female is returned to her Guardian Family.

There are many things that Guardian Families need to consider. Guardians of females have to deal with several heat cycles and keeping their girl protected from unwanted males. The Guardian Family will need to learn the signs of a heat cycle and be willing to communicate, cooperate and coordinate with us to ensure a successful breeding. Because of canine venereal diseases, male dogs can only mate with approved females so the Guardian Family is responsible for keeping the male away from intact female dogs.

We view our Guardian Home Program as a true “win-win” situation. Our Guardian Families receive a “pick of the litter” quality puppy for free, and we have the satisfaction of knowing that our breeding dogs are living life as cherished family members.

 

If you would like to be considered as a guardian home, please fill out the guardian home application below.

Thanks so much!

(If you live in the greater Milwaukee area and are interested in the guardian program, please contact Jeff at The Labradoodle Corral)