Guardian Homes
What is a guardian home?
A guardian home is an arrangement where a breeder places one of the dogs from their breeding program in a companion home to live on a day to day basis but retains ownership of the dog for breeding purposes.
The dog resides with the guardian until the breeder needs them (stud service for males, heats for females). The dog goes to the breeder’s house during this time and is returned then to the guardian after the mating has taken place.
For females, the guardian is required to communicate with the breeder and advise when the dog enters her heat cycle. If the dog is bred during the cycle, the dog remains in the guardian’s home until a week or so before giving birth, and then is transferred to the breeder’s home. The breeder then cares for the dog during the whelp and raises the puppies. Once pups are ready to go to new homes, the dog is returned to the guardian home.
For males, the guardian must make the dog available to the breeder for any type of service needed such as stud service for one of their dogs, stud service to an outside dog, AI collection, etc.
The breeder covers all costs associated with breeding and whelping (health testing, brucellosis testing, collection, AI, c-section, puppy shots, microchips, supplements, etc.) and sells the puppies, keeping the profit. The guardian only covers regular vet care like annual examinations and immunizations. The guardian must make the dog available to the breeder to perform any testing / certifications needed in relation to breeding.
In exchange for this agreement, the guardian typically receives the dog free or at a reduced cost from the breeder once the dog reaches retirement age and is desexed. Most breeders require the guardian to pay the cost of spay or neuter as this would fall under regular vet care for a dog that is a pet.
What are the benefits of a guardianship arrangement for the guardian home?
There are many people who like a guardianship arrangement as they are ultimately getting a free or low cost puppy. If they were to purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder who does the testing set forth by the DCA and pays attention to conformation and temperament, a pet would cost them $2,000-$3,000+. On top of that initial cost, they would still have to pay the other items outlined above such as regular vet care and the cost to spay or neuter.
In a guardianship agreement, once the dog reaches retirement age, the breeder would sign over all ownership paperwork to the guardian (usually once proof of spay or neuter is provided) and that dog would live out their life with the guardian. The guardian receives a dog that they have known, cared for, and trained since they were a puppy.
Many of the guardians will plans vacations or trips during the time that the dog will be with the breeder as it allows them to travel without having to pay for boarding or pet sitting. Other guardians love having a dog that will be fully health tested prior to the age of 2 as they know that they are getting a very healthy dog with a great temperament and correct structure.
What are the benefits of placing a dog in a guardian home for the breeder?
A guardian home is a great option for breeders who do not have the space in their home for many dogs but would still like to grow their program. The arrangement allows them to place dogs of breeding quality in companion homes during the times of “rest” between mating. The dog gets to be loved and spoiled as a pet, but the breeder retains ownership and will have access to the dog for breeding and can continue a certain genetic line that may otherwise be lost due to limited capacity.
It also gives breeders an opportunity to evaluate retirement homes for their dogs way before the dog ever ages out of their breeding program. Not all breeders place dogs in retirement homes, but it is something that happens. Having a retirement home set up for the dog when they are a puppy means that they do not have to go through the stress of being rehomed later in life.
What are some things to consider when thinking about a guardianship arrangement?
Remember that not all agreements are the same and there will be some variation as to the terms of the guardianship. The contract between the breeder and the guardian should be very thorough and reasonable on both parts. The breeder should not be requiring ridiculous amounts of “access” to the dog or excessive travel from the guardian. On the flip side, the guardian would not be authorized to make any life altering decisions in regards to the dog without permission from the breeder (desexing, rehoming, etc.). Both parties give and take in the agreement and should feel like they are benefiting from the arrangement.
Do you utilize guardianship homes at Boondachs?
Great question! While most of our breeding dogs currently reside with us, we are open to a guardianship arrangement if it would be the best option for one of our dogs. If you are interested in becoming a guardian, please see the Contact Us page for methods to reach us.
We do have some basic requirements of a home before we will consider a guardianship arrangement:
There must not be any other intact dogs in your home or in a home that you frequently visit and bring your dog such as a relative or friend's house.
You must live within 2 hours' driving time from Clyde Park, MT.
You must have a reliable method of transportation. While we do our best to avoid having our guardians travel, occasionally we may need them to meet us at a veterinarian's office or bring the dog to our home. When dealing with heats and mating windows, time is of the essence and we need to ensure that our dogs are available to us during those times.
You must have a fenced yard.
You must own your home (unfortunately renters are not a great option as guardian homes due to the potential of relocation out of our area).