Is there a location requirement for guardianship?
Yes, guardians are required to live within a 1hr radius (by car) of Kitchener/Waterloo/Cambridge area in Ontario, Canada.

How do I apply to be a guardian home?
Please check out our "Guardianship Application" page for an application form.

What happens when my guardian dog retires?
Upon retirement, guardian dogs remain with their guardian family permanently. 

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 Purina Pro Plan diet (as recommended by our reproductive vet)

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. 

We ask that guardian families complete basic dog obedience training. Experienced dog owners may want to do this themselves or it can be completed through puppy training classes.

Guardian families must take care to protect their dog's joints during development. Guardian families must not run their puppies excessively on a leash or treadmill prior to 16 months of age, and stairs must be avoided when possible. Guardians should further take care not to let their puppy jump in and out of vehicles, or on and off of tall surfaces. These considerations are especially important for medium and large puppies.

What age will my female guardian dog have her first litter?
Generally, female guardian dogs are bred on their second or third heat. This depends on the individual dog though. Some dogs may have their first heat extremely late, and some dogs may not be mature enough when they have their second or third heat.

How many litters will my female guardian dog have?
Our female guardians are contracted for a maximum of 4 litters. We consider a litter to be 2 or more puppies born. Some females may have less then 4 litters as we base all of our decisions on our reproductive vet's recommendations, as well as on the individual dog. Sometimes dogs just don't like motherhood - and that's perfectly fine too! Dogs are all individuals and as such we must decide on an individual basis.

What health tests will my guardian dog have completed?
We test hips (through OFA and/or PennHIP), elbows, eyes, heart, thyroid, patellas, and genetics.

How long will my female guardian dog stay with the breeder?
Female guardian dogs generally stay with us for health testing (usually a few days maximum), breeding purposes (usually around a week), and for whelping/raising puppies (usually 9 weeks - one week prior to having their litter and 8 weeks to raise their litter).

How long will my male guardian dog stay with the breeder?
Male guardian dogs generally stay with us for health testing (usually a few days maximum), and breeding purposes (from a few hours to a week at a time). 

When/How often are female guardian dogs bred?
Female guardian dogs will be bred no earlier than 12 months of age (for smaller sized females), no earlier than 16 months of age (for mid-sized females), and no earlier than 18 months of age (for large sized females). Females may breed as often as every heat, or we may skip heat cycles between litters depending on their individual condition after a litter, and the recommendations of our board certified reproductive vet. It is generally safer for females to be bred every heat due to risk of pyometra, however sometimes back to back breedings are not possible, for a variety of reasons. Recent studies also point towards it being healthier for dogs to have their litters earlier and retire earlier, so we always aim to retire our females as early as possible.

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. Male guardian dogs do not have a set retirement date as it completely depends on the individual dog. Having a male guardian dog is generally a longer term commitment compared to a female guardian dog. 

Are there any special care requirements for female dogs during pregnancy?
During the first half of pregnancy, there aren't many requirements. Your dog may be a bit more hungry than usual, and some dogs may have a bit of morning sickness. Normal 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 at this time (no rigorous exercise or roughhousing). Your dog may also start to have an even greater appetite! While your dog is pregnant she must not receive any flea, tick, or heartworm prevention that hasn't been approved by our reproductive vet, any vaccines, or any medications not approved by our reproductive vet. This includes any vitamins or supplements. 

Can I visit my guardian dog and/or my guardian dog's puppies while they are with the breeder?
We do allow guardian homes to visit their dog (for female guardian dog owners) as well as their dog's puppies (for both male and female guardian dog owners). Visits are however only available after the puppies have had their first vaccine and only if we do not have another litter of young puppies in the home. This is to prevent the spread of diseases such as Parvo, Distemper, and Canine Herpes virus. Facetime is available at mutually arranged times so guardian families may check in on their dog.

What expenses am I responsible for and what expenses is the breeder responsible for?
You are responsible for any regular expenses associated with owning a pet dog. These expenses include routine/emergency vet care, food, supplies, etc. We are responsible for any breeding-related expenses that would not be present with a normal pet dog. These expenses include health testing, breeding-related veterinary care, spay/neuter at retirement, and breeding-related emergency vet care. 

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 that come with the guardian program. Guardian dogs are entitled to at-cost grooming (for furnished dogs), low-cost emergency boarding (may depend on availability), free spay/neuter 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 out guardian program. 

What happens if my dog is not suitable for breeding?
Guardian dogs found to be unsuitable for breeding are not used in our program. Generally if we choose not to breed a guardian dog the guardian family would be responsible for the cost of the spay/neuter, and we would sign over ownership upon completion of the spay/neuter for no additional cost. If a guardian dog has ever been used for breeding purposes we will cover the cost of the spay/neuter regardless of age of retirement.

What happens if I decide I no longer want my guardian dog/puppy?
We hope that you will apply for a guardian puppy/dog with the understanding that 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 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. The guardianship program isn't for everyone! If you love our dogs but don't feel you can comply with the commitment necessary for our guardian program, that's OK - please check out our puppy application page to apply for one of our pet puppies. 

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!