Become a Guardian Home for Big Rock Labradoodles

** Dogs currently available are in Photographs above ** 

Be a Guardian Home

Would You Like to Be a Guardian Home?

Becoming a guardian home for one of our breeding dogs can be an excellent way to have a top quality dog as your family pet. Here at Big Rock Labradoodles, we do not believe in the long term kenneling of our dogs (or any dog for that matter). Dogs raised and kept in kennels often do not get the proper socialization and stimulation that is needed for them to become well balanced, happy animals. Therefore, we like to place our upcoming breeding dogs in their forever homes as puppies with suitable families, while we retain legal ownership and breeding rights of that dog for a specified period of time.

What this means is that the dog lives with you as your family dog.  You pay for all of the dog’s regular health maintenance (annual exams and vaccinations), food, grooming, and other expenses.  We pay for the genetic health testing required for our breeding dogs in addition to all breeding expenses.  Some of these expenses include hip and elbow films, annual or semi-annual eye checks, screening for multiple genetic illnesses, and various other tests associated with the breeding process such as semen analysis, progesterone levels, etc. Once the dog has passed its initial health testing (usually prior to his or her first birthday), and he or she becomes sexually mature he or she comes back to Big Rock Labradoodles, as needed, for relatively short periods of time for breeding and/or whelping. When the dog completes his or her breeding obligations, you are given permission to neuter or spay the dog, at your own expense, providing proof to Big Rock that this has been completed, and the dog comes home to enjoy the wonderful life you have provided for him or her since puppyhood, legal ownership is transferred to you.  Males are typically retained as sires for a longer period of time than breeding females, but they do not need to leave their families for extended periods of time. Females in guardian homes may have up to four litters (minimum of two) prior to being spayed, so their breeding career is often shorter than that of males, but they have to leave their family for longer periods of time.

There are many things that Guardian families need to consider besides frequent separation from their pet. Guardians of females sometimes have to deal with several heat cycles, keeping their girl protected from well-meaning gentlemen callers when she is in season. The Guardian family will need to learn the signs of a heat cycle starting and communicate, cooperate and coordinate with us to ensure successful breeding. Guardians of males will need to be comfortable with some “macho” behavior in their un-neutered boy as well as protect his “purity” so to speak. Yes, there are doggie venereal diseases that we will test for prior to breeding with an unknown female, so your male will only mate with approved females chosen by Big Rock Labradoodles.

The price you’d pay for a multi-generational Australian Labradoodle puppy from Big Rock Labradoodles is $3,000, plus g.s.t.  The price to purchase a “breeding quality” Australian Labradoodle with breeding rights would be significantly higher (approximately 4-5 times higher). The Guardian program allows a family to have a “breeding quality” dog for no up-front cost. Should a dog placed in a Guardian Home not test out for some reason, or we decide not to breed that dog, we will cover the cost of spay/neuter and the dog will revert to a pet contract for a fee of half of the pet price.  Once breeding, our guardian families of our females receive $100 for each puppy born in a litter, to a maximum of 5 puppies, for each litter that your dog has for Big Rock Labradoodles, in consideration for your time away from your pet and for taking such great care of her ($100 for each litter sired by males).  If the puppy fails to meet the high testing standards we have set for our breeders’, then the Guardian Contract would revert to a pet contract for no additional charge.  If we decide for any reason not to use the dog as a breeder, the dog would be neutered or spayed, at your expense, and you’d retain ownership under a pet contract.  Our health warranty is the same for any dog raised at Big Rock Labradoodles, whether it is in a Guardian Home or a pet home.

Guardian Programs provide benefits for the Guardian Family:

• Guardian Families have a ‘pick of the litter’ puppy, chosen and named by the breeder

• Guardian Families have additional information as to the overall health of the dog

• Guardian Families receive ongoing support and training directly from the breeder of their dog

• Guardian Families can schedule trips during breedings/whelpings without worry or cost of kenneling their pets

Guardian Programs provide benefits for the Dog:

• The dog doesn’t need to be re-homed as an adult after retiring

• The dogs are well socialized and in stable, loving home environments

• The dogs are well-loved, cherished family members

There are a few requirements for providing a Guardian Home for one of our dogs:?

• Guardians must have some previous dog experience, especially so with males

• Guardians must NEVER strike the dog with an object or their hand as a form of discipline

• Guardians must live in a house with a fully fenced yard

• Guardians must keep the dog on a leash when outside unless the dog is in a fenced area (fully fenced Off Leash facilities are okay)

• Guardians must take their dog to formal puppy classes, as well as further obedience classes and must achieve Canine Good Citizen Award (a CKC certification which any trainer can administer) with their dog

• Guardians must ensure the puppy is socialized to adults (male and female, people of colour and people in hats, masks, costumes, etc.), children of all ages, other dogs and other species (ie cats) and ensure that the dog is confident and friendly, never skittish

• Guardians must provide appropriate veterinary or emergency care when needed, including vaccinations, titer testing, de-worming, etc.  All veterinary care is to be discussed with and approved by the breeder, prior to any treatment taking place.  Guardian’s veterinarian must be made aware that dog is a Guardian Breeding dog and that breeder is to be added to dog’s chart as co-owner.

• Guardians must feed the dog a commercially prepared RAW diet, approved by the breeder, along with required supplements, which change when females are pregnant

• Guardians must not allow the dog to participate in extended strenuous running on concrete or other hard surfaces before 18 months of age

• Guardians must notify breeder immediately when a female begins any heat cycle

• Guardians must not allow a female around intact males during her heat cycle

• Guardians must not allow a male to breed ANY females other than those chosen by the breeder at a time determined by the breeder

• Guardians must live within reasonable driving distance from Big Rock Labradoodles (one hour drive from Okotoks) and Guardians are responsible for all transportation of bitch/stud to the breeder at any time that bitch/stud is needed for health testing, progesterone testing, breeding or whelping.  These times will be planned between breeder and Guardian and not last minute.

• The Guardian Program is not open to families with children under the age of 5

• Guardians and all others that live within the home must be interviewed by the breeder

• Guardians must communicate, cooperate and coordinate with the breeder regarding testing, matings, whelping, and other breeding related activities

If you would like more information or are interested in becoming a Guardian Home, please contact us.
 

Get more information and see our current dogs seeking Guardian Homes here: 
https://www.bigrocklabradoodles.com/guardian-program