What is a Guardian Home?
A guardian home program allows you to receive a puppy or dog from us at no cost, but with the understanding that we retain full ownership and breeding rights. Once the dog has completed their breeding career and is ready to retire, we will cover the cost of spaying or neutering, and full ownership rights will be transferred to you. At that point, the dog becomes permanently yours!
Please note, this program is exclusively for pet homes, not breeders.

A guardian home is a great opportunity for both the dog and the family! You will receive a top-quality poodle at no charge, while the dog enjoys a loving, attentive home. This arrangement ensures our dogs receive the best care and live a fulfilling life with their forever family from an early age. Guardian homes are responsible for the day-to-day costs, including feeding, grooming, and veterinary care, while we cover all breeding-related expenses.

• Male dogs will need to come to us for a few days when needed for breeding, showing, or health testing.
• Female dogs will stay with us for 1-2 weeks during their heat cycle and for 8-10 weeks after giving birth.

We understand that it can be difficult to be away from your pet for extended periods, so please ensure you are prepared for this commitment before deciding to become a guardian.
Guardian Home Requirements:   If you are interested in becoming a guardian, please review the following criteria and email us to discuss further:

• Pet Homes Only: This program is not available to breeders.
• Other Pets: All other  dogs in the household must be spayed or neutered.
• Indoor Pet: The dog must live indoors as a family member.
• Proper Care: The dog must be fed high-quality food, receive adequate exercise, and maintain a healthy weight to avoid hip problems.
• Location: You must live within 1-2 hours of Nixa, Missouri, and be willing to transport the dog to us when necessary.
• Breeding Decisions: Guardians have no involvement in breeding decisions. Male guardian dogs may not be studded out by the guardian.
• Heat Cycle Awareness: You must be able to recognize when a female dog is in heat and inform us immediately. If you're unsure, reach out, and we’ll help determine!  
• Communication: Frequent updates and communication with us are essential.  Photos and updates on guardian dog are to be provided every 6-8 weeks.
• Injury Notification: You must inform us immediately if the dog is injured, sick,  etc.  
• Home Ownership: You must own your home or have explicit permission from your landlord.   A letter from landlord may be requested.
• Retirement and Return: We reserve the right to reclaim the dog at any time if deemed necessary.  Including, but not limited to:  dog found to be neglected, uncared for, harmed, etc,   guardian is unwilling to communicate, or comply with terms of the guardian contract. 
• Vaccinations & Grooming: The dog must stay up to date on annual vaccinations and be groomed every 4-6 weeks.
• Training: You are responsible for house training, crate training, and basic obedience commands.
• Costs: You are responsible for the dog's general care (food, grooming, vet bills). We cover all breeding-related costs and spay/neuter once they retire. 
• Vacations: If you travel, you must either bring the dog to us or arrange for a reliable sitter approved by us. In the event of long term travel (2 weeks +) dog must stay with me. 
• Name: Dogs will keep the names provided by us. If they don’t yet have a name, we will offer a list of choices in effort to keep our dogs names and  program unique. 
• Rehoming: If you are ever unable to keep the dog, he/she must be immediately returned to us. The dog cannot be sold, surrendered to a shelter, or rehomed elsewhere.
• Female Dog’s Breeding: Females will need to be left with us for 9+ weeks once or twice a year during their stay with puppies.  Drop off is  1 week before her due date. She will also be left with us for 1-2 weeks during her heat cycle. There may be shorter stays of 1-5 days depending on if dog is being shown or needed for     continued health testing.  
• Intact Status: Dogs must remain intact until officially retired from our program.  
• Retirement: Dogs will typically be retired around 7 years of age, though this may vary on a case-by-case basis. 

Important Considerations:    Being a guardian home is a significant responsibility. This is a business agreement and a long-term commitment, not simply receiving a free puppy to love. A strict contract is in place, which will be enforced if necessary. The guardian contract can be reviewed on our Health Guarantee & Contracts page.
If you’re interested in becoming a guardian home, please email us for more details!