Guardian Homes
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A GOLDEN RETRIEVER GUARDIAN HOME FOR MAY 2024!
INTRODUCTION
We want to provide families with wonderful companion dogs who faithfully love, heal, and create memories with their families.
To do this well, we soon realized that we would never be comfortable having multiple dogs in our breeding program and keeping them all outside in a kennel. For us, it is vital that our dogs are part of our family and that their puppies are well-loved, socialized, and kept indoors with us.
In order to continue offering excellent, well-socialized puppies to families and still give breeding dogs a wonderful life with their family, we implemented our Front Porch Goldens Guardian Family program. This allows all of our dogs to be healthy and happy.
THE SPECIFICS:
The breeding female goes home to an approved Guardian Family Home at half of the purchase cost. Usually this is a pick of the litter, a dog from exceptional lines.
A female dog lives with the family and returns to our home for breeding when in season. The dog returns again to deliver the puppies.
A female stays with us for 10-16 days during her heat cycle in order to be bred by our sire. If the Guardian Home is close by, the female can come/go during the breeding time rather than staying at our farm.
She again returns to whelp (deliver) the puppies a week before they are due, staying with us until the puppies are weaned (about 6-7 weeks total). She will also return any times we have families coming to meet the puppies or for pick-up dates.
The Guardian Family is paid an amount for each litter during the contract period.
We work with our Guardian Homes using a simple contract and we provide support and guidance all along the way, staying in contact through the year.
At the end of the Guardian Home Family contract, the dog belongs 100% to the Guardian Family.
In this program, the Guardian Family has the opportunity to get a wonderful puppy from excellent lines for a reduced amount in exchange for working with us for a certain number of litters.
GUARDIAN FAMILY
QUALIFICATIONS
QUALIFICATIONS
Previous dog experience
Must have space for the dog to properly run and exercise (fence or closed-in area).
Must be willing to train the dog basic obedience commands to make a well-rounded dog.
Must ensure the puppy is socialized with adults, children, and other animals.
Must provide appropriate veterinary or emergency care when needed.
Must feed the breeders’ choice of food.
Must be able to identify onset of the heat cycle and notify the breeder immediately.
Must not allow female in heat near intact males.
Must not allow dog to breed with any dog.
Must communicate, cooperate and coordinate with the breeder regarding breeding, whelping and all aspects of dog care.
Must live within 1 hour drive of Storm Lake, IA and be willing to come to our farm or to meet halfway for breeding and whelping arrangements. (We will consider families outside of this radius only if the Guardian Family takes responsibility for driving the dog to within an hour of our farm.)