A Guardian Program is a specialized partnership between an ethical breeder and a local family. It is widely considered the "gold standard" for high-quality breeding because it eliminates the need for kennels, ensuring every breeding dog lives as a cherished family pet.

​

How It Works:

     The Placement: The breeder places a "pick of the litter" puppy (a dog with top-tier health and temperament) with a           local family at little to no upfront cost.

 

     The Ownership: The family acts as the "Guardian." The dog lives with them forever, but the breeder retains legal                 ownership and breeding rights for a set period (usually until the dog is 4–5 years old).​​​

​

     Retirement: Once the dog finishes their contracted number of litters, the breeder pays for the spay/neuter, and full             legal ownership is transferred to the family. The dog will then stay with the family they have known their whole             life, for the rest of their life.

​

   Females: The dog returns to the breeder for about a week for mating, and then again for about 8 weeks to whelp

(give birth) and raise her puppies.

 

Males: The dog visits the breeder briefly for "dates" and then returns home immediately.​​