Guardian families must within a reasonable
distance of Ottawa and be prepared to work closely with us. For the first four to six years it is a co-ownership of the dog
– you are the emotional owner and we are the legal owner. This requires you to provide a loving home for the dog
and commit to providing high quality Veterinary care, feeding it a high quality diet, training it in basic commands, providing
sufficient exercise, and making it available to us for health testing and breeding purposes. A sales contract will be prepared
that clearly outlines each party’s responsibilities and commitments.
We will need access to the dog to carry out health tests (hips, elbows, eyes, thyroid, and genetic
testing) on one to three occasions when the puppy is between six and fourteen months of age, and once a year thereafter for
annual eye and thyroid screening.
For female dogs, you would need to keep us informed whenever she goes
into heat. When we decide to breed her, we would need to keep her for six to ten days for breeding purposes. She would come
to us again about one week before the puppies are due and stay with us until they are weaned at around seven weeks of age.
We would let you know well in advance what our breeding plans are for the prospective Mamas. We would breed her up to four
times between the age of 18 months and six years.
For male dogs, you would
need to make the dog available for anywhere from one day to one week at a time when we require him for stud services (either
natural breedings or semen collection for artificial insemination).
Once
a female dog has had her final litter or once a male dog turns seven, the co-ownership ends: the dog will be neutered and
become your forever family pet.
Under this kind of arrangement, expenses related to day-to-day care of the dog are your
responsibility (food, annual vaccinations, general health care, toys, etc). Any expenses related to health testing for breeding
purposes, breeding, whelping, and care of the puppies are our responsibility.
There is no adoption fee for the guardian family in
recognition of the fact that this is a co-ownership and requires a significant commitment on your part to share your dog with
us for several years.
