GUARDIAN BOERBOELS GUARDIAN FAMILY PROGRAM – FAQ

There are always a lot of questions that people have about the guardian program. The collection of questions and answers below are our best attempt to address all the most frequently asked questions.

Hopefully the information doesn’t overwhelm you. It’s actually a pretty simple program. 

FEEDING YOUR GUARDIAN DOG

We’re advocates of feeding a high quality grain-free dog food. The dog food we ask you to feed are easily found, but are a little more spendy then your grocery store-bought dog food. I personally recommend Natures Domain, Black Gold, Taste of the Wild and Blue Buffalo, but you may use any of the “high quality” “grain-free” dog foods…

GUARDIAN DOG SOCIALIZATION 

You also MUST socialize your guardian dog with other dogs, people, kids and strangers. They MUST be potty trained and have some basic obedience skills.

We worry more about proper and early socialization than if they will jump through hoops or play dead. We just need them to be comfortable and well-behaved in a home around a family and be able to obey basic commands,  not have anxiety issues when in a crate or around new people.

Guardian Dogs MUST be comfortable being away from their owners without it causing them high stress. Most of the dogs we breed and hold back as future guardian dogs can be really great at all of these things AS LONG AS THEY’RE WELL SOCIALIZED from puppyhood into adulthood.

WHAT ABOUT VET BILLS, DO YOU PAY THOSE?

We pay for all Veterinarian bills that are related to pregnancy, reproduction, whelping and all necessary genetic testing.

We do not pay for Well Pet Visits, Preventive Medications or for Immunization.

If the dog becomes sick or injured, we need the guardian family to notify us right away, we must be involved in all decisions regarding the health and veterinary treatment of the guardian dog/puppy.

GENETIC TESTING AND APPOINTMENTS

All the necessary genetic testing will be completed on the guardian dog before the dog is ever even considered for breeding.

We pay for all genetic testing appointments. We do ask that the guardian family provide transportation to and from these vet appointments.

Usually, only one appointment is needed and we use VCA Animal Medical Center in Marysville – to test for hips,  elbows,  heart and eyes. You are however welcome to use any vet of your choosing for your regular veterinarian care.

We will try to work with our guardians in regards to the appointment times and we will give you at least a weeks notice to prepare. *Sometimes we can not attend these appointments ourselves and in those cases we will pay the veterinarian bill over the phone.

We will also ask you to do one mouth swab genetic test from home. The testing kit will be mailed to you and then you will be responsible for swabbing your dogs checks and sending the sample back in the mail.  This test is the genetic blood panel test and will tells us if the dog carries for any diseases and also the coat and colors they carry. It is very easy. 

DOG HANDLING AND LIVING ARRANGEMENTS:

We ask that our guardian families practice safe dog handling. For example do not leave the dog outside if they are not at home. Don’t let the dog sit in the back of an open pickup. Use a leash in public. Do NOT tie or chain your dog to a tree or post in the backyard. Provide basic obedience training so the dog has manners. Our dogs are very family oriented and thrive in a family environment. They love their people.

These are all things that should be done to protect any dog but are especially important to us. All our guardian dogs must be potty trained and crate trained.

WHAT ABOUT TRANSPORTATION?

The guardian home is responsible for the transportation of the dog to us when needed for breeding, whelping litters, health testing and pick-up. This is the most inconvenient part of the guardian responsibilities. This is why all our guardians must be local to us and live within 30-60 mins from Lake Stevens, Washington.

Please think through this carefully. Sometimes we will pick up dogs ourselves,  but this is not always possible. This is the guardian home responsibility and part of how they earn the dog through the program. Guardians will be notified 3 days in advance for any necessary trips.

WHAT AGE DO YOU START BREEDING GUARDIAN DOGS?

Depends, we breed on the second heat in most cases. Usually this happens around 1 1/2 years old however if their first heat happens at 15-18 months then we will breed them on their first heat as long as they have completed all their genetic testing and are emotionally mature and in good physical  shape.

We want to breed our guardian young so we can also retire them young. The younger they are the healthier they are and same with their puppies.  Our guardian dogs health is always our number one priority when making breeding decisions.

All breeding decisions are ours to make. While we always take our guardians opinions into account – if not being in control is gonna be a problem for you.. then the guardian program is not for you. 

HOW DOES MATING WORK AND HOW LONG IS SHE WITH YOU WHEN YOU BREED HER?

We ask that you notify us the minute you notice your guardian dog is in heat.  We will teach you how to identify a heat cycle if you don’t already know.

Timing is VERY IMPORTANT when breeding dogs so you MUST NOTIFY US RIGHT AWAY when you notice the first sign of menstrual blood. 

Once the guardian notifies us their female is in heat then we ask our guardians wait to bring their girl to us around the 7-8th day of their heat cycle and she will be here with us for about a week. Sometimes we may need to travel with the guardian girl to the stud for the actual breeding.

We will breed our breeding pair every other day until we’ve completed a successful mating or “tie” 3 separate times. We allow our dogs to follow their instincts and we do not force breeding (that doesn’t work out to accomplish a pregnancy anyway.)

Girls know when their ready to accept a male and will only do so when the timing is right. We are just here to hold them so no one gets hurt and also to make sure the breeding environment is as calm as possible.

ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION 

My #1 goal is always to accomplish a natural mating but in some rare cases.. it’s just not possible so we will use artificial insemination also known as ‘AI’.

We may need to use AI for example if we have a female dog who is not accepting of the male and a natural tie or if she’s too tall for the stud to reach here successfully,  or if the stud is to large or not performing well, etc.   In these rare cases we will be taking the female and the male to the vet for a very simple and quick procedure called a “side by side AI”.  She will not be sedated for this procedure and it is not a painful for either dog.

HOW LONG IS A DOG PREGNANT?

Dogs are pregnant for 63 days. Once our Guardian Dogs have been bred, they go back home with their guardian families and remain with them during their entire pregnancy.  We will ask that she be brought back to us about a 1-2 weeks before her due date so she can get situated and comfortable before she whelps her puppies.

HOW LONG IS SHE WITH YOU WHEN SHE HAS THE LITTER?

Guardian Moms stay here with us for 2 months. Just long enough for her to whelp her puppies, wean them and then the last 2 weeks is a very important time where the Mama dog will teach her puppies socialization skills. She teaches them how to be dogs basically.

So, even if the puppies are weaned and could be separated from their Mom and still survive – we do believe that the last 2 weeks is very important and ask that our guardians be patient and understanding that she will be with us until the puppies go home at 8 wks.

We also never force weaning.  We allow our Moms to decide when mother nature tells her it’s time to wean.  Whether that be earlier or later than “usual”.

I have found there are no hard set rules when it comes to how dogs parent their puppies. Every Dog Mom is different and we try to listen to our dogs and allow her to follow her instincts as much as possible.

CAN WE VISIT HER WHEN SHE HAS THE PUPPIES?

Yes, you may come for 1 scheduled visits during her stay, usually towards the end of her stay.  We have tried to do more visits in the past but we actually found that constant visits from their guardian families can actually delay the process of her settling into motherhood harder and made them much sadder then needed.

Our guardians get lots of love and almost all of them absolutely enjoy being new mommies.  It’s usually the owners who have a harder time with the separation then the dogs actually do. They really are too busy enjoying being a new Mom to get sad!

So, visits can actually be more disruptive then therapeutic and being left behind over and over is never fun. When we tried it in the past I noticed Moms would struggle with wanting to follow their family out the door and not wanting to leave their babies behind.  It was heartbreaking to watch. So,  unfortunately we had to put a stop to that.

We don’t want our guardian families to feel left out of the loop while their guardian dog is here with us though so we try to keep them involved by sending them pictures and weekly updates and also by posting weekly and sometimes daily pictures, videos and updates on our Facebook Page.

DOES THIS NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE DOG EMOTIONALLY TO GO FROM THE GUARDIAN HOME TO THE BREEDER’S HOME?

The human race is such a kind, compassionate species that we tend to look at our canine companions as little humans, when in reality, they are canines and have a very different thought process. This is what differentiates mankind from other species in pack societies.

There is an initial “Where is my family going?” when the guardians bring their female to us for whelping, but in every situation the dog is settled and comfortable and doing very well within an hour or two.  Some may take a little longer if its their first time here or if they’ve never been away from their family before (which we don’t recommend). That is also why we ask that they come at least 1-2 weeks before whelping, to settle in and get used to us and our home.

Dogs live in the here and now. We also try very hard to help them feel comfortable and at home we want their stay with us to be a pleasant and enjoyable experience.

The less stress and the more relaxed she is, the better it is for her babies and for us as well. It’s also very important that the guardian family not make the transition difficult for the dog.

If the guardian is crying and acting nervous or sad about leaving her, then she will feel that even more greatly and we need to make sure that this doesn’t happen.  If leaving your dog for a couple months with another family then this program is not going to be a good fit for you.

Humans can project nervous emotions on to their dogs. It is super important to stay upbeat during the transition from your home to ours because if not then your dog may sense it and THEN yes, it may affect her negatively.

This is not only something you should consider as a guardian dog owner but as a dog owner in general.

Dogs do not live in the past or the future, as humans do. They live in the moment.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING PREGNANCY AND WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO DIFFERENTLY WITH THE DOG?

Pregnancy is actually very easy. I have a list of what happens each week during the development of puppies, and I give that to our guardian homes at the time we begin breeding.

The dog may act a little more tired, or not eat normally for a few weeks. The last couple weeks of pregnancy she is usually becoming more hungry and sleeps more as time progresses. Otherwise, normal activity is typical and it is important to continue with walking the dog right up to the end. This helps during delivery. Being in shape is always best. Normal play and romping and running is fine.

WHELPING A LITTER, DO THEY NEED TO GO TO THE VET FOR THIS?

Our Boerboels usually need very little human support and intervention to successfully whelp their litter of puppies.

However, Boerboels are a large breed and usually have large litters and can be difficult for the mother to whelp all babies. We generally will schedule a C-section.

We put them in a big whelping box in our room with blankets and towels and we stay right next to them to make sure each puppy is delivered safely and is placed on their Mom to nurse.

We never leave them alone to whelp and are very diligent with our whelping and nursing Moms. If we see something that is not normal then yes, we would absolutely take them to the Vet right away.

Animal instincts are amazing however and there is usually not a whole lot we as humans need to do for our dogs to successfully whelp and care for their puppies.

It is beautiful to watch a dog who has never had a litter automatically know exactly what to do.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE PUPPY 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 and visa versa if we have the dog and anything happens here then it’s our financial responsibility.

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 worming’s, 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 genetic health testing for breeding purposes, all breeding expenses and litter expenses. We make all decisions on what genetic tests are done and when.

HOW MANY LITTERS DO YOU USUALLY BREED BEFORE RETIRING THE DOG?

This depends on each individual contract. Usually between 2-4 litters.  This will be agreed upon up front in the contract.  It also depends on what our goals are for that particular dog.

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. We only pay up to $200-$250 for the surgery, so if you choose a vet that charges an amount that is more than the average we’ve found throughout Washington State, be aware you’ll be paying the difference. The average spay fee currently is between $125 and $175, but some vets will charge as much as $400.

WHAT ARE THE GROOMING REQUIREMENTS AND DO YOU WANT US TO KEEP THE DOG CLIPPED A CERTAIN WAY?

The short, dense and thick coat of the Boerboel is easy to care for. They can be groomed once or twice a week using a heavy pin brush or stiff bristle brush. Regular grooming both removes dead hair from the coat as well as massages the skin, allowing for increased circulation. The coat can also be groomed using a grooming mitt that is easy for even kids to use to help with the grooming routine.

During the grooming routine the Boerboel should be carefully checked for any signs of fleas or ticks should they be present in the area. Fleas can be treated with monthly topical applications, flea powders and flea collars and ticks can be removed with the fingers or with tick pullers, similar in appearance to tweezers.

The Boerboel can also benefit from routine dental care. Just like with humans, tartar and plaque can build up on a dog’s teeth, resulting in early tooth loss, bad breath and even infections in the mouth. Brushing the Boerboel teeth using a finger sleeve or specially designed dog toothbrush as well as dog toothpaste will help minimize tooth decay and prevent the need for costly tooth de-scaling procedures.

Bathing the Boerboel can be done whenever necessary using dog quality shampoo and following with a conditioner. Avoid over bathing as this can cause the hair to dry out and the skin to become dry and flaky. Some Boerboels may also have an allergic reaction to some shampoos and conditioners, even specialized dog products. In these cases, an oatmeal shampoo may help soothe and clean the skin without any irritation.

The nails of the Boerboel are very hard and durable and with regular exercising on hard surface the nails should stay trimmed naturally. If they need trimming a set of slotted scissor style trimmers or guillotine style trimmers are the most effective. Avoid using any type of human nail clippers as this can cause the nails to shatter.

We ask that you provide us with pictures on a regular basis (every 6-8 months) for our website and so that we can see how our Guardian dogs look as they mature. We want the type of families who would keep their dogs well groomed and take lots of pictures regardless if they were guardians or not.

These dogs are so beautiful you can’t help but take good care of them and take lots of photos. Haha! Believe me. I am constantly taking pictures of my dogs!

These amazing dogs will change your life for the better and watch out because Boerboels are addicting!!

IN CLOSING…

The Guardian Home program is actually a very simple program even though it may seem like there are a lot of details. The guardian program is designed for our breeding dogs, if we as humans truly reject the idea of puppy mills, then to my knowledge there is no better way than the guardian home program to help reputable breeders continue to breed healthy,  happy dogs in a humane and loving environment and out of cages.

We highly appreciate all our wonderful guardian families who have helped us to produce our amazing puppies!

We value our breeding dogs and we want them all to live their entire life as family members and we hope that you can see how this program can benefit your family by providing you with a HIGH QUALITY, HEALTHY puppy for life.

This program is also very rewarding for not only us but our guardian families as well… there’s nothing better then getting to see how your dogs puppies have changed another families life!

GUARDIAN PROGRAM TERMS & CONDITIONS – CLICK HERE

GUARDIAN FAMILY HOME AGREEMENT – CLICK HERE