Guardian Homes

Basics of our Guardian Home Program

We believe that parent/breeding dogs deserve a great home and a great life first and foremost.  Sometimes our program requires us to have more dogs than we can lovingly keep in our home, so our answer is to allow some of our breeding dogs to leave us and become part of another family’s life and home.  Later they then return to us for breeding, and for females, again when it’s time to give birth to the puppies.

The parent dog gets to be a companion/pet and have the happiness of being part of a family and home – and great puppies are raised. This parent dog lives in their forever home, grows up, is trained, is well socialized, loved & cared for and is part of their family. What could be better? The Guardian Family has the opportunity to have a truly wonderful dog at a very low cost, in exchange for working with us for a limited number of litters for a female or a set amount of years for a male. The Guardian Family is paid a contracted amount for each female dog’s litter during the contract period, or a set amount per stud use for a male.  It’s a total “win” for everyone- the parent dog, the Guardian Family, and On Point Mini Aussies! 

This plan is used by many breeders and is often called a foster or “Guardian Home” program.  Summarized – the breeding/parent dog lives with their adoptive family and returns to us for breeding as needed.  Females will return when in season, then again to deliver the puppies. The female stays with us for 10-14 days during her heat cycle, to be bred. Then, she again returns to whelp (deliver) the puppies a week before they are due, staying with us until the puppies are weaned (about 7-8 weeks total). Males return for about 5-7 days when a female that he is needed for stud is in heat.  We work with our Guardian Homes using a simple contract and we provide support and guidance all along the way, staying in contact through the year. At the end of the Guardian Home Family contract, the dogs belong 100% to the Guardian Family. 

Please note that we are very selective and only highly qualified families will be approved to foster our breeding dogs.  We will conduct a telephone interview and will conduct a home visit. Our breeding program depends on the quality of care provided by our Guardian families – we expect the best home life possible for our dogs. 

Guardian Home families must live in Colorado, and/or within 2-4 hours of Roggen. The guardian family must be willing bring the parent dog back to us or to meet us half-way (if timing allows Breeder to meet, sometimes we will be unable to meet so Guardian will need to commute the whole way) to get the dog to and from our house during breeding and whelping periods.

Qualifying to be a Guardian Home:

• Guardians must have previous dog experience

• Guardian must keep Breeder informed with updated phone number and address.

• Guardians must own and live in a home with a fully fenced yard (Will allow no fenced yard on a case-by-case basis if Guardian lives in the country and has a good recall for parent dog, but must be supervised so parent dog does not run away, get hit by car, have interaction with other unaltered dogs, etc.)

• Guardians must keep the dog on a leash or in a fenced area (Again, case by case basis if parent dog has a good recall and stays with Guardian while outside)

• Guardians must be willing to train the dog the very basic obedience commands (off, down, sit, leave it, kennel)

• Guardians must ensure, if they are taking a puppy, that the puppy is socialized to adults, children and other animals – SUPER IMPORTANT!!

• Guardians must provide appropriate veterinary or emergency care when needed

• Guardians must feed the dog a diet approved by the breeder. Breeder prefers Purina Pro Plan.

• Guardians must be able and willing to identify and notify us immediately when a female begins her heat cycle

• Guardians must not allow a female in heat near unapproved intact males

• Guardians must not allow a male guardian to breed with unapproved females

• Guardians must live within a reasonable driving distance from Roggen, CO

• Guardians must communicate, cooperate and coordinate with the breeder regarding testing, mating, whelping, and other breeding related activities