What is a Guardian Home?
The guardian program allows us to grow our program and continue to better our breed, 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.
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, 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!
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.
DOES IT COST TO BECOME A GUARDIAN?
No, you will receive a top quality dog that has been hand selected by us to remain in our program at no upfront cost!
WHAT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION?
Guardians are responsible for all transportation to and from us. If you have a female, then you could also be responsible for taking her to the vet for an ultrasound if you are not able to bring her for us to take her.
WHAT EXPENSES ARE GUARDIAN FAMILIES RESPONSIBLE FOR?
Guardians are responsible for all “regular” dog care including providing food, treats, toys, etc. They are also responsible for normal vet care that is not breeding related. The dog must be kept UTD on all shots, flea and tick meds, and heartworm meds at guardians expense. Guardians are also required to pay for grooming unless they opt to do it themselves.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A GUARDIAN HOME?
Teach basic commands such as sit, stay, lay-down, “no”, quiet, and leave it as well as how to walk politely on a leash
Must be willing and able to train using positive reinforcement only
Potty train and crate train the dog by 9 months of age if they are not already
Keep the dog as an indoor family pet
Keep the dog off of the ground where other dogs frequent (dog parks, pet stores, etc) and away from unknown dogs until the dog is fully vaccinated (around 16 weeks)
Be willing and able to socialize the dog with other dogs as well as people
Provide adequate exercise and mental stimulation
Be able to bring the dog to and from the breeder within 24-36hr notice - may require leaving dog at the breeder for 3-5 days.
Must be able to communicate, cooperate, and coordinate with the breeder effectively
Contact the breeder in the event of any serious illness or accident
You may not be a guardian home for a different breeder (with the same breeds) while participating in our program
Fenced in yard is preferred, but not required
Live within close proximity to Pekin, IL. 45 minutes - 1 hour away is preferred but not required.
FAQs
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1.Provide guardian family with a healthy dog at no cost
2. Pay for health testing
3. Pay for all breeding related expenses (ie progesterone testing, semen collection, etc)
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
5. Provide lifetime support for the dog
6. Always be willing to take the dog back if the guardian family can no longer care for them
7. Monetary compensation for each litter
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Initially, they may be slightly confused wondering, “Where’s my family going?”, but typically within 1-2 hours they are settled in. We try extremely hard to make sure that they are as comfortable as possible at their “home away from home” by giving them a lot of extra attention. It is also why we keep our guardian dogs in our home with us, as part of the family! When they come back to us typically the hormones are in high gear and their focus is quickly diverted.
Please take into consideration that you may also play a role in how quickly your dog adjusts. The more relaxed she is, the less stressed out she will be. Humans can project emotions on their dogs, so, if you are crying or acting nervous when leaving your dog, then she will most likely be more stressed.
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We do not require you to keep a specific groom or cut, but we do require that the dog’s coat is well maintained and does not get matted. This includes regular brushing and grooming.
While the dog is with us, we reserve the right to groom and bathe the dog to ensure cleanliness, especially after whelping.
Our dogs are ambassadors for our breeding program. They should be well maintained as we will likely be taking pictures of them while they’re with us. We also love to receive updated pictures from our guardian families that we can share.
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Becoming a guardian home for one of our dogs is a huge commitment and a decision that should not be made lightly. Please keep in mind that we are retain full legal ownership of the dog until they are retired from our program and guardians have a legal obligation to follow the contract. Our dogs are very high quality and have been hand selected to benefit and improve our program further.
Becoming a guardian home is not for everyone! Please consider this commitment carefully.
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If your dog is deemed unsuitable for breeding by either us or one of our veterinarians, then the dog will be retired from our program. You will not be required to pay any fees, but you will be required to pay for spay/neuter at your expense. After that, full ownership will transfer over to you.
BENEFITS TO BEING A GUARDIAN HOME
You are getting a top quality dog at no up front cost
The dog will be health tested at the breeder’s expense
Families are allowed to visit their female and her puppies
Life long breeder support
Monetary compensation for each litter
Once retired full rights and ownership are transferred to you
Knowing your canine companion is blessing families all over the country
We consider all of our puppy/dog owners family, but when you become a guardian you are truly part of our team
MALE OR FEMALE? WHICH IS BETTER FOR ME?
Interested in becoming a part of our guardian program but not sure if a male or female is a better fit for you? Click the buttons below for more info and to find out the differences!
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE CONSIDERING THE GUARDIAN PROGRAM
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For males, the timeframe that they’re gone is much shorter. Females will be generally be with us about a week during the breeding cycle, then again for about 6 weeks when they have puppies. This may happen up to two times a year.
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As mentioned above, if you already know that you may be moving within the next few years, then the guardian program may not be the right fit for you.
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One thing that separates us from many breeders is that we try our best to treat our guardian dogs as part of the family. This means that they will live in our home while they’re with us. While we do move our litters to our puppy area around 3 weeks to start the weaning process, they are always invited into our home.
To be able to do this, all dogs must have obedience training. At a minimum they should know how to sit, stay, lay-down, “no”, quiet, and leave it. Along with other basic manners (ie no jumping up, proper door etiquette (not bolting out), no counter surfing, etc).
They must also be housebroke and crate trained.
What Our Current & Past Guardian Families Are Saying
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