Guardian Home Program
What is a Guardian home? We strive to be able to provide our puppies and dogs with loving homes that give them the attention and dedication that they deserve. In order to provide amazing pups for more families, we are adding quality dogs to our breeding program. Our goal is to give our breeding dogs the best life possible, so it is important to limit how many dogs we have in our home. We are able to do that through our Guardian home program, where the dogs we are keeping for our program are placed with a loving family to be able to live their best lives as family pets.
How does it work? Once approved to be a guardian home, you get a high quality, pick of the litter puppy for just a $1,000 deposit and you become that puppy’s forever home. Utah Lake Porties retains breeding rights of the dog. For females, this starts at sexual maturity (around 2 years of age) and ends once the female has whelped (given birth) to 4 litters. Male dogs’ contracts tend to be longer and they are bred on an “as needed” basis. Your $1,000 deposit is returned to you after the first litter is born. For females you get $1,000 for each litter after that.
Once a dog passes its health testing around 2 years of age, Utah Lake Porties decides when each dog will be bred and to whom. Females stay with their Guardian Family during pregnancy (normal gestation is about 63 days) and then she is returned to us a few days before her due date (normally around day 56) to deliver (whelp) and raise her puppies. Once the puppies are weaned, which is typically when pups are around 7-8 weeks of age, the female can be picked up by her Guardian Family. When the dog has completed his/her breeding obligations, we pay for the spay/neuter and release ownership of the dog to you so that he/she can return home to enjoy the wonderful life that you have provided for him/her since puppy-hood.
Things to consider- Female dogs have two heat cycles per year starting between 1-2 years of age. Guardians are responsible for keeping their girl protected from unwanted males during their heat. Guardians of females will also have to be comfortable being away from their dog for an extended period of time (normally around 7-8 weeks each litter.. Pro tip: if you vacation during that time, you don’t have to worry about a pet sitter). The Guardian Family will need to learn the signs of a heat cycle and be willing to communicate, cooperate and coordinate with us to ensure a successful breeding. Male dogs can only mate with approved females, so the Guardian Home is responsible for keeping the male away from intact female dogs. Guardians of intact males will need to consider the importance of keeping him properly contained to prevent unwanted litters. You will be responsible for all pet financial responsibility including Vet visits, vaccinations, grooming, food, care, etc. Utah Lake Porties will pay for health testing and all costs associated with reproductive care.
Benefits- You get an amazing high quality dog for no cost, plus earn up to $3000 over the course of the dogs breeding years. You get free pet sitting during breeding and whelping periods where you can vacation worry free. We also offer pet sitting to you when needed as long as we are able and available, so that your dog is comfortable with us and trusts us to ensure they have a positive experience in our program. With a female, when she has puppies, you are able to come visit to snuggle and play with her sweet pups. You have first right of refusal on pick of the litter. This means that if you are considering a second pup or have a friend or family member that is interested in your dog's offspring, then can get bumped to the top of the pick order to be able to get your pick of the litter.
Requirements- You must live in Utah and be planning to live in Utah for at least the next 5 years. You must be willing and able to provide a loving and comfortable home for your dog. You will need train your dog in all basic manners. You will need to commit to regular health care and grooming standards. Must be willing to work with us on timing and maintain regular communication with Utah Lake Porties. We are hoping to find someone who becomes a lifelong friend!
If you are interested in becoming a guardian home for Utah Lake Porties and meet all of the above qualifications, please send us an email to sambathewaterdog@gmail.com and indicate that you are interested in our Guardian Home Program. Thank you for your interest!
