Guardian Home FAQ’s
FAQ’S ABOUT FEMALES IN OUR GUARDIAN PROGRAM
Below are some of the frequently asked questions about being a guardian home to a female in our breeding program.
Scroll down for information on males in our guardian program
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SHE GOES INTO HEAT?
As a guardian, you would be required to notify us immediately when she comes into heat, no matter the age or whether we plan to breed her on this cycle. We track this information for breeding planning.
We typically like to have the first progesterone test around day 5 of her cycle, in case she is further along in her cycle than expected, however, this may vary.
It is EXTREMELY important to keep her away from any unaltered males during her cycle and to keep a close eye on her when she is outside. This can be around a 2-3 week period.
HOW LONG DOES SHE STAY WHILE IN HEAT?
This question depends greatly on both breeder and guardians schedules, as well as where the guardian is located. We typically do 2-4 progesterone tests depending on how quickly her levels are climbing.
If you are local to us and have a flexible schedule and are able to bring her to and from us or one of our reproduction vets, then she may not need to stay with us for her heat cycle, though she always can.
If you are further away or don’t have a flexible schedule, then she will need to stay with us (typically 5-7 days).
AT WHAT AGE WILL SHE START BREEDING
In most cases, we breed our females on their second heat cycle which is between 12-15 months. We will never breed a female under 12 months old. We do also take into consideration the dog and her maturity and may decide to wait until the next cycle.
HOW LONG ARE DOGS PREGNANT?
The typical gestation period for a dog is 63 days (give or take up to 4 days).
WHAT HAPPENS DURING PREGNANCY?
In general, pregnancy is relatively easy!
In the beginning, you will likely only notice minor changes. She may seem more tired at first and eat less. It may be necessary to add in something more appealing such as chicken or a high quality canned food to make sure she’s getting enough nutrients. Some girls may also have morning sickness the first few weeks. During the first half, her normal activity and exercise may be continued.
During the second half she should not be allowed to engage in rigorous activity, though it is still good for her to get more leisure exercise such as going for walks. Her appetite should also increase and it is important to increase her food intake. If she is picky, then you can continue to add mix-ins to her food. However, she should not be given any foods that are rich in calcium (ie cottage cheese, yogurt, etc).
While your dog is pregnant, she should not receive any vaccines, medications that are not approved by us.
HOW LONG DOES SHE STAY WHEN SHE HAS A LITTER?
We require our momma’s to come back 5 -7 days prior to her expected whelping date. This gives her time to adjust being back in our home with us and also allows us to start monitoring her temperature so we have a better idea of when she may go into labor.
Once the puppies are born, she will need to stay with us for 7 - 8 weeks depending on how the weaning process is going. Puppies will stay the full 8 weeks, but we do have several dogs that are great in helping the puppies socialize so that mommas can return to their families.
CAN WE VISIT WHEN SHE HAS PUPPIES?
After the first 7 days, we allow families to visit if they would like. However, if we feel that it is confusing the momma or making it hard on her, then we may ask that you limit the frequency of visits to every other week.
We stay very busy with our puppies and adult dogs and may not be available at certain times. Please be sure to schedule any visits ahead of time to make sure that we are available!
HOW MANY LITTERS DO THEY HAVE BEFORE RETIRING?
Our females will have up to 4 litters per our contract. However, we do assess each individual female. If they have difficulty delivering, have complications, aren’t a good mom (ie no interest in puppies), or if our vet recommends that they should not have any more litters; then we will retire them.
Our dogs health is always top priority over them whelping and raising puppies.
IS THERE ANY MONETARY COMPENSATION?
We understand how hard it can be to give your dog up for several weeks at a time. So as a “thank you” for working with us, we now offer compensation after each litter goes home.
We offer monetary compensation on a tier system:
1 puppy (singleton) - $100
2-4 puppies in the litter - $300
5 or more puppies in the litter - $500
FAQ’S ABOUT MALES IN OUR GUARDIAN PROGRAM
Below are some of the frequently asked questions about being a guardian home to a male in our breeding program.
WHEN DO MALES START BREEDING?
Males can start breeding anywhere from 7-8 months, however we do not generally begin using them prior to 15 months, depending on maturity level. We will assess each male individually with our vet. This typically consists of taking them to the reproduction vet for a semen collection and analysis.
HOW OFTEN ARE MALES BRED?
This will vary greatly depending on our planned pairings and whether we will offer stud service to outside breeders. Males may be needed one time a year or they may be needed several times. This is another reason that we prefer our males live in close proximity to us. We prefer they are away from their family for as short of time as possible.
HOW LONG WILL HE STAY WITH YOU?
Males will usually stay with us 5-7 days when breeding naturally so they they can “honeymoon” every other day. This typically is only required when the male lives further away.
In general, we prefer that males live within 30 minutes of us. That way he does not have to stay for several days in a row but rather, can come every other day (usually only twice)
If semen is being shipped to another breeder the guardian can take him to the reproduction vet for collection rather than bringing him to us.
HOW LONG DO MALES STAY IN THE GUARDIAN PROGRAM?
Males stay in our program up until 6 years after they go to their guardian home. However, we may retire some males early based on our discretion or our reproductive vet’s.
MY FRIEND HAS A DOODLE, WHAT IF WE LET THEM HAVE PUPPIES?
We retain all breeding rights. This means that he may not be mated with any unapproved females even if it is an “accident”. Males should never be allowed around any unapproved females in heat.
IS THERE ANY MONETARY COMPENSATION?
Yes! We compensate guardians of males $100/each successful litter.