Guardianship INFO
Well it is simply for when a breeder has several puppies they would like to keep (called "keeper" puppies) for their lines to continue to breed and show but don't necessarily want them to stay in their homes so they place the pups for a discounted price with a family under the agreement of the puppy being shown, titled and used for breeding in the breeder kennel program until retirement which would be when the breeder then alters the dog and transfers full ownership to that family. The breeder pays for all showing, travel for showing and breeding expenses. The family pays for regular vets checkups as usual, food etc for the dog as they would for any other pet. Providing the necessities is the responsibility of any pet owner.
Usually for female dogs the breeder would take the bitch back to show or breed her for 9 days or so and return her to the family after breeding so she is with the family during pregnancy. Once her due date is near the breeder again takes the bitch to have the pups and once the pups are ready for their new homes, mom comes back home to the family until bred again, etc. Males are only needed for showing and breeding for 9 days at a time.
What are the benefits of this program for the average family?
That is simple. A family is selected thru our application process and the benefits are you will be getting a high quality pet for a discounted price with a few stipulations along the way ending with full ownership once the dog is retired from breeding and showing. The other advantage is you won't have to pay for any showing or breeding fees, The breeder pays for everything showing and breeding related.
A Guardian Family gets the very best that October Glory has to offer in Standard Poodles! This means that we choose our breeding stock based on the best qualities that are outlined in our breed standard with health and temperament of course coming first. Another wonderful benefit to our Guardian Families is that their Guardian dog/puppy will be completely health tested by 18 months of age (some tests may be done as early as 16 weeks of age) at the expense of October Glory prior to entering our breeding program at no cost to the Guardian Family. Our Guardian Families get to enjoy the excitement of being a part of our breeding program, and seeing the offspring of their very own Guardian dog be placed with families across the country bringing others the same joy and happiness that they have received from their Guardian Dog!
- October Glory will reimburse the Guardian Family for 2 6-week puppy kindergarten training classes such as offered at Pet Smart or your local breed club.
- Or you may take advantage of us holding on to the puppy a little longer (2-4 months and training them before they leave us to come to you).
- A $300 thank you for each litter the dog you have produces once the whole litter has sold.
What are the requirements to be a Guardian home?
To be considered as a Guardian Home for one of our breeding dogs, we require that you live within 2 hours of our home, (we live in El Reno, OK). It is necessary that you have physical fencing to provide a safe and secure environment for the Guardian dog/puppy, own your own home, and have a schedule that will allow for your dog to not be left alone for extended periods of time. All dogs and pups placed in Guardian Families must be indoor dogs, and never be left outside unattended. Guardian Families must have reliable transportation, and a willingness to bring the Guardian dog/pup to us when needed throughout the year. But chances are we would come to you and pick up the dog and deliver it back home to you safely.
Is there cost involved when being a Guardian home?
Yes, initially. We do not give our Guardian dogs or pups away. The cost of a Guardian Home dog/puppy requires a deposit of $300 like with any puppy for sale and the remaining balance of $200 (so $500 total for a guardian pup). When the Guardian puppy/dog has completed its breeding career for us, we will refund the entire deposit back to our Guardian Family as a way of saying “thank you” for participating in our Guardian Home Program.
Our Guardian Home Families are responsible for the general routine veterinary care and wellness of the Guardian puppy/dog placed with them. This means annual vaccines, feeding a high quality dog food, grooming, monthly heart worm prevention, flea/tick prevention, training, regular exercise and socialization, and most importantly all the love and care and attention possible!
Any “breeding related” medical costs for the Guardian Dog are the expense of October Glory Standard Poodles. Our Guardian Homes are only responsible for routine maintenance and medical care just as they would if they had their own dog.
How many litters will a Guardian female produce?
Each dog is individually assessed before determining their required litters. Most of our Guardian dogs will have between 2-5 litters for us (this depends whether you have an adult that has already had litters or a puppy entering our breeding program). Female Guardian Puppies placed in a Guardian home will have up to (and no more than) a total of 5 litters. The health and well being of our breeding dogs is a priority to us. Occasionally we may decide to have fewer litters if we have accomplished our goals in development of our Guardian dog in a shorter period of time. Again, this is determined by October Glory.
If you are interested in applying to be a Guardian Family please take the time to fill out puppy application first, and we are happy to contact you to discuss Guardian Home opportunities available!
What happens to the dog once they retire from breeding or showing?
Once the puppy you got grows up and is done with showing and breeding for good, the breeder will then pay to have the dog altered (Neutered or Spayed AKA fixed) and the breeder then will transfer full ownership to the family who has been caring for the dog all along. We wouldn't take a beloved family member after such a long time with them. The only time we would take back a pup/dog is if our contract has been breached in any way, shape or form.
What is the price of a Guardian puppy?
For our keeper puppies that will be in this program we will be asking a non-refundable fee of just $500 for males and $600 for females (with deposit down to reserve of $300). Failing to pay full amount for a Guardian puppy by their ready date will result in cancellation of your reservation and no refund will be given. This is a very serious program and it will not works with "maybes" or "ifs". A different choice can be made at the breeders discretion.
So how does it work?
If you are applying for a young adult, or mature Guardian dog, she/he will already come to you completely health tested, and may have just a couple more breedings for us (depending on her age and the number of litters she has had) prior to her being spayed and released solely to you as a forever pet. When the Guardian dog is in season, the Guardian Family is required to contact us immediately (a delayed contact can affect our breeding schedule and cost us so this is mandatory). An intact female usually has a heat cycle that will last between 14 and 21 days. During this time, we will need access to her for breeding related appointments. Once she has been bred, she will remain with her Guardian Family until one week before her due date. At that time, the Guardian dog will come back to stay with us throughout her pregnancy, and will be returned once her pups are fully weaned approximately 8-10 weeks later. Guardian Families are welcomed and encouraged to visit with scheduled appointments while their Guardian Dog is at Rainbow Rose.
If you are applying for a Guardian Home puppy, she/he will come to you at 8 -16 weeks of age. During the year and a half, October Glory will have her health testing completed. Once we receive all of the results from her health testing, we are then able to assess whether or not she will enter our breeding program. If for any reason we decide not to breed the Guardian Puppy placed with you (this is a decision solely made by October Glory) we will then pay to spay the Guardian puppy at no cost to you, return your deposit and she will remain a forever family pet with her Guardian Family.
If you are receiving a Guardian Home Puppy, we ask for monthly photos and updates during the first year so that we can watch him/her develop, and update our website. We also will require a visit to our Guardian Family’s home every few months during the first year to assess the Guardian Puppy, as well as build a relationship with her for the future. Occasionally, we will ask our Guardian Families to bring the puppy to us for a visit so that she can get comfortable with our home for when she will be here with us in the future having babies.
