House of Pups Guardian Program

call the number on this page or send an email to receive an application form. What happens when my Guardian dog retires? Upon retirement, guardian dogs remain with their guardian family. Who retains legal ownership of the guardian dog/puppy? We retain legal ownership for the duration of the guardian dog`s breeding career. Upon retirement, full ownership is signed over to the guardian family. Are there any guidelines I have to follow when I am raising/caring for a guardian dog? Guardian families must agree to feed their guardian dog a food of the breeder`s choice. Generally, our dogs are fed Acana puppy/adult food. Guardian families must check with the breeder prior to completing any non-emergency veterinary care including flea/tick prevention, vaccines etc. This requirement is in place to ensure that any treatment options/medications comply with recommendations provided by our reproductive vet. What age will my female have her first litter? Generally, female guardian dogs are bred on their second heat. This depends on the individual dog. Dogs are all individuals and as such we must decide on an individual basis. How long will my female guardian dog stay with the breeder? Female guardian dogs generally stay with us for health testing (few days maximum), breeding purposes ( about a week), and for whelping/raising puppies (usually 9 weeks- one week prior to having their litter and 8 weeks to raise their litter). When/how often are female guardian dogs bred? Female guardian dogs will be bred no earlier than 12 months of age. females may breed as often as every heat (every 6 to 12 months) depending on their individual condition after a litter. It is safer for females to be bred every heat due to risk of pyometra. Recent studies also point towards it being healthier for dogs to have their litters earlier and retire earlier. When will my guardian dog retire from breeding? Female guardian dogs will be retired no later than their 6th birthday. Usually, they will retire much earlier than this. On average, our females are usually retired by 4 and a half years of age. Are there any special care requirements for females dogs during pregnancy? During the first half of pregnancy, there arent many requirements. Your dog may be a bit more hungry than usual, and some dogs may have a bit of morning sickness. Normally activity may be continued for the first half of pregnancy. The second half of pregnancy is when you will start to notice the most changes. Reduced activity is important as this time (leash walking only, no rigorous exercise or roughhousing). Your dog may also start to have an even greater apatite! While your dog is pregnant she must not receive any flea, tick, or heartworm prevention, any vaccines, or any medications not approved by the breeder. This includes any vitamins or supplements. Can I visit my guardian dog and puppies while they are with the breeder? We do allow guardians to visit their dog as well as their puppies. Visits are however only available after the puppies have had their first vaccines. This is to prevent spread of diseases such as parvo, distemper, and canine herpes virus. What expenses am I responsible for? You are responsible for any regular expenses associated with owning a pet dog. These include routine/emergency vet care, food, supplies, etc. We are responsible for breeding-related expenses that would not be present with a normal pet dog. These expenses include health testing, breeding-related veterinary care, spay at retirement,

Are there any specific care requirements expected of the guardian home? Guardian dogs must be kept in good condition at all times. This means that you must take care to ensure your guardian dog does not become over or under weight, that they remain clean, mat free, with clipped nails, and in overall good health. What are some of the benefits of the guardian program? There are a few perks, guardians dogs are entitled to at-cost grooming, low-cost boarding, free spay on retirement, free health testing, and lifetime support. Guardian homes may also be able to get a puppy sooner through the guardianship program vs through our traditional waitlist. Guardian homes also receive an extremely high quality puppy for a very low fee! We only keep back the very best puppies/dogs for our guardian program. What happens if my dog is not suitable for breeding? Guardian dogs found to be unsuitable for breeding are not used in the program. Depending on the reason for them being unsuitable you may be offered the option to purchase your guardian puppy at a reduced pet price, or you may be offered a free puppy. What happens if I decide I no longer want my guardian dog/puppy? We hope that you will apply for a guardian dog/puppy with the understanding that the dogs are a lifetime commitment. Unfortunately, sometimes circumstances out of your control may arise where you can no longer keep your guardian dog/puppy. If this is the case, your guardian puppy must be returned to us immediately. What happens if I decide I don`t want to allow my guardian dog to be bred? Joining the guardian program is a big undertaking. Please keep in mind that we retain all legal ownership of all guardian dogs until they retire from our program. Guardian families have a legal obligation to follow the contract. This means that you may not decide that you don`t wish to breed your guardian dog. Our breeding dogs are extremely high quality; they are the culmination of working towards the best health, temperament, personality, structure and coat type possible. We invest a lot financially and emotionally into our dogs, and because of this we impose strict legally enforceable penalties on those who want to take advantage of us and our guardian program but don`t wish to comply with the requirements. We ask that you seriously consider the commitment necessary before applying to be a guardian home. I have questions about the guardian program that weren`t answered here. Where can I find more information? Please feel free to reach out to us for more information about the guardian program. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have!