What is a Guardianship?

If you have been looking to add a new dog to your family, you may have come across the opportunity to become a Guardian family for a dog breeder. This is a great way to bring a new pet into your family without the premium cost, however, the options are generally only available to experienced and suitable families. But what exactly does it mean to be a Guardian Family, and should you become one?

What is a Guardian Family?
A Guardian or Guardian family is a person or household that agrees to care for and look after a breeder’s dog. Dog breeders use Guardian Families to ensure that their breeding dogs have happy and healthy lives as the pet of a loving family.

What’s the Difference Between “Owner” and “Guardian”?
A Guardian is a person who has an agreement with the breeder to care for the dog on behalf of its owner. Ownership of the dog will only pass to the Guardian once the terms of that contract have been fulfilled.

In most cases, the Guardian Family becomes the dog’s new owner after it has produced a certain number of litters, or after it has passed breeding age. Until then, the Guardian Family must carry out their responsibilities as specified by the agreement.

What are the Responsibilities of A Dog Guardian?
The exact requirements of a Guardianship contract will vary, but they generally boil down to the following responsibilities:

- Keep the dog well-trained and in good health.

- Allow access to the dog for breeding. This often includes remaining a reasonable travel distance from the breeder. A male breeding dog may be away from your home for a day or two at a time. Female dogs can be at the breeder’s home for several weeks or more, depending on the circumstances. In both cases, the Guardian Family will usually have access to their pet while they are staying with the breeder, although there may be some restrictions or limitations.

- Allow the dog to be bred for a certain number of litters, or for a certain period of time. Female breeding dogs of most breeds retire at around four years old, while males retire at around six years old.

What are the Benefits of Being a Dog Guardian?
The main benefit of becoming a dog Guardian is that it can reduce the cost of having a dog as a pet. Agreeing to act as a Guardian Family usually means that you will not have to pay full premium price for your family pet.

Once the contract is fulfilled, the dog is yours to keep following spay/neuter post-retirement. The dog breeder will cover the cost of breeding-related expenses.

Furthermore, dog breeders generally only choose the best puppies of a litter to be breeders. This means that a dog you take care of and subsequently own through a Guardianship program will have been selected for showing all the signs of good health and temperament.

{P.L.A.Y.: Pet Lifestyle and You}