Guardian Home Program
What is the Guardian Home program?
The guardian program allows us to grow our program and continue to better our breeds, without sacrificing any of our dogs happiness and need for love and attention. While we want to keep all of our dogs with us, we understand that they will be happier with more one on one attention than we can give them.
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As a guardian home, you are the permanent home for one of our breeding dogs while they are in our program. Once they are retired (and spayed/neutered at our expense), full ownership transfers to the guardian family and they get to keep the dog forever. Becoming a Guardian Home gives you the opportunity to have one of our puppies or young adults as a family pet while he or she remains in our program at no upfront cost to you! It is important to remember that while the dog is in the program, the dog is owned by the breeder.
By offering the guardian program, we are able to ensure that our dogs get to live the best possible lives in a loving, caring home where they receive as much one on one attention as possible.
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There are many questions that one may have regarding the guardian program. The questions and answers listed below is our best attempt of answering some of the most common questions up front so that an individual can get a feel for how the program works. Please review all the information below in its entirety to determine if becoming a guardian home is right for you.
How long does female have to stay with breeder?
We require our momma’s to come back 5-7 days prior to her expected whelping date. This gives her time to adjust being back in our home with us and also allows us to start monitoring her temperature so we have a better idea of when she may go into labor.
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Once the puppies are born, she will need to stay with us about 6 weeks depending on how the weaning process is going. Puppies will stay the full 8 weeks, but we do have several dogs that are great in helping the puppies socialize so that mommas can return to their families.
What is the Breeder Responsible for?
1. Provide guardian family with a healthy dog at no cost
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2. Pay for health testing
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3. Pay for all breeding related expenses (ie progesterone testing, semen collection, etc). The Guardian pays for routine care and wellness visits
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4. Teaching the guardian family how to detect a heat cycle and how to care for a pregnant dog if they don’t already know
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5. Pay for the spay/neuter upon retirement
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6. Provide lifetime support for the dog
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7. Always be willing to take the dog back if the guardian family can no longer care for them
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8. Complimentary Boarding (at Breeder’s discretion)
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9. Breeder will carry pet insurance until dog is retired from the program.
What is the Guardian Home Responsible for?
1. Guardian pays for normal routine care. This includes food, supplies, vaccinations, deworming, flea medication, heart worm medication, and grooming. Any cost unrelated to pregnancy is the responsibility of the guardian to including medicine needed for illness, infections or worms.
We require that the dog be kept groomed and mat free. If you are unable to keep the coat in good shape yourself and cut/ shape the coat for the typical breed standard, then you must utilize a professional groomer.
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2. Feed a proper diet using one of the recommended kibbles suggested by breeder.
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3. Ensure proper obedience training and socialization to kids and other animals.
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4. Crate train and housebreak puppy.
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5. Ensure that female does not come in contact with any intact male when she is in heat. This includes limiting the distance you may take her for a walk as any unleased intact male can smell her and may try to get to her.
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6. Properly exercise dog
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7. Notify breeder immediately if a serious illness or injury occurs,
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8. Notify breeder if you plan to relocate. If guardian is relocating outside of the specified distance AND dog has yet to have at least 2 litters, then breeder may require dog be returned.
We require that a Guardian Home be willing to allow dog to have 4 litters. However, if for some reason the girl has a problem with delivery or it is recommended by our vet that she no longer be bred, then we will spay her and full ownership will be granted to Guardian. This will be the only instance where we will not require a dog be returned to us due to relocation if she has not had at least 2 litters.
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9. Ensure that breeder has access to veterinary records by ensuring that Highland Grove Doodles is either listed as co-owner or that a release of information be on file for Highland Grove Doodles to access veterinary records
Is there any monetary compensation?
We understand how hard it can be to give your dog up for several weeks at a time. So as a “thank you” for working with us, we do offer compensation after each litter goes home.
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1 puppy (singleton) - $300
2-4 puppies in the litter - $600
5 or more puppies in the litter - $1000