What guidelines do I have to follow when raising the puppy or dog?
Guardian families must feed their dog with dog food approved by us. We are advocates of health and nutrition for dogs, and for feeding foods that will not contribute to health issues like cancers, tumours, allergies, etc. The foods we ask you to feed are easily found, but are holistic, wheat and corn free and have no by-products or fillers, etc. We require the family to avoid all chemicals unless necessary, and to not give supplements or medicines unless approved by us. This includes flea, heartworm, or any other medications. We use Advantage and Fenbendozole for flea and worm medications and your Vet prescribes the heartworm medication.
As these dogs are non-shedding, they will require grooming. This is a regular expense and guardians must be willing to keep on top of grooming and regular care of teeth, ears, and nails.
If the dog becomes sick or injured, we need the family to notify us right away, so we are involved in all decisions regarding the dog’s treatment.
We ask the family to practice safe handling of the dog and to not leave the dog outside if they are not at home and provide basic obedience training, so the dog has manners.
What expenses do the guardians pay for and what things does the breeder pay for?
The guardian home pays for any normal care items. Food, dishes, leashes, beds, normal vaccinations or wormings, flea meds, heartworm meds, toys, grooming needs etc. If the dog needs meds due to worms, illness, infection, or anything unrelated to pregnancy, it is the guardian’s responsibility to pay for those expenses. We pay for all expenses related to health testing for breeding purposes, all breeding expenses, and litter expenses.
Who is responsible for transporting the dog?
The guardian home is responsible for the transportation of the dog to us when needed for breeding, having litters, or health testing. This is the most inconvenient part of the guardian responsibilities. Please think through this carefully. We will not meet families or pick up dogs ourselves, unless you are within the Chilliwack area. This is the guardian home responsibility and part of how you earn the dog through the program.
What age do you start breeding the dog?
We will usually breed on the first heat following when the dog reaches 12 months of age. If a dog goes into heat at any time beyond 12 months, you must notify us immediately so we can assess whether we will breed. We would also like to be notified when your puppy has its first cycle, somewhere around 9-12 months of age, so we can have a calculated guess on when her next cycle will be.
How long is she with you when you breed?
As soon as the family is aware the dog is in heat, we will have them arrange to bring the dog to us by day 8 of the heat cycle. She will remain with us for about one week. If you are unable to drop off or pick up the dog within 1-2 days of when needed, you will be required to find someone else who can do so for you, or we can ask one of our dog transporters if they are available for $100 per trip.
How long is a dog pregnant?
Dogs are pregnant for 63 days and a pregnant female will come to us in time to settle into our house, and get used to seeing the whelping box . It is important that she becomes very comfortable with being in our house and being with us all the time. We do not want the mom to feel threatened by us when she is getting ready to whelp. She will go home after puppies are weaned. This will be when puppies are 7-8 weeks of age.
Can we visit her when she has the puppies?
We do not allow guardian homes to visit until puppies are at least 4 weeks of age. You may visit the guardian dog and spend some time with her if she is doing well with leaving her puppies for short periods of time. We do try to limit this visit to one hour as our schedule is very busy and puppies may become distressed if away from mom for longer than that.
Does this negatively affect the dog emotionally to go from the guardian home to the breeder's home?
No. There is an initial "Where is my family going?" when you bring her to us, but in every situation the dog is settled and comfortable and doing very well within an hour or two. We try very hard to give them so much attention and love the first couple days that it is a pleasant and enjoyable experience for them. This is important because stress in the mother’s body can affect the babies. The more relaxed she is, the better it is for babies. So, it is very important that the guardian home not make the transition difficult for the dog. Although it can be emotional for guardians to drop off their pet, do your best to make it a pleasant exchange to help keep your dog at ease. One way we encourage owners to make the hand off less stressful, is that you bring her in for a visit with us for an hour before leaving. This way it feels like any other visit you'd make. Usually when the family sneaks out after a visit, the dog is unaware and handles it very well.
How long is she with you when she has the litter?
She will come to us 3-4 days before she is due with her litter and return to her guardian 7-8 weeks after puppies are born.
How does pregnancy affect a female dog?
Pregnancy is actually very easy on dogs. They may act a little more tired, or not eat normally for a few weeks. The last couple weeks of pregnancy she is usually becoming hungrier and sleeps more frequently. Otherwise, normal activity is typical, and it is important to continue with walking the dog right up to the end. Being in good shape will help the dog with delivery. Normal play, romping, and running during the first half of pregnancy is great.
What happens if the dog gets sick or injured while in the guardian home's care?
While the dog is in guardian's care and home, any illness or injury that happens is their financial responsibility. We must be informed of any health issues, and involved in treatment plans and determining medications, but the family is responsible for those expenses. Health insurance is recommended during her breeding years. This insurance is for your protection because these dogs are extremely valuable as breeders.
How many litters do you usually breed before retiring the dog?
We contract for four litters. We may only breed three, but we have the option of four. We are concerned for the well-being of our program dogs. If we find that the girl has problems with deliveries or it would be unhealthy for them to breed again, we will stop the breeding program with her, and she will be yours.
Who pays for the spay surgery?
We pay for the spay surgery after the girl has had time to recover from the last litter and have her hormone levels return to normal. This is usually about 2 months after puppies are weaned.
What are the grooming requirements, and do you want us to keep the dog clipped a certain way?
We ask that families keep the dog groomed in a typical cut for a Labradoodle. The most important part is the head and ears. We want them to have the look a doodle is supposed to have, especially when they come to visit us for the first time around 9 months of age, as I try to get a lot of pictures of them for the website.
We do require that the dog be kept groomed and matt free. If you are unable to keep the coat in good shape yourself, you are required to use a groomer to do so. If the dog is brought to us with a matted coat, or a coat that is in bad shape, we have the right to take them into our own groomer and have them shaved down or worked on, but you will be responsible to reimburse us for that expense before the dog returns to you. Guardian dogs are ambassadors for our program. It is important that they are maintained and not matted or in bad shape.
