Guardian Home Progam
At Four Paws Havanese, we believe that every dog deserves to have a loving forever home. All of our dogs are part of our family and live in our home rather than kennels so that we know they are getting as much love and attention as possible. We also offer a Gaurdian Home Program so that we can place our puppies in a home that will be their forever home from the time they are puppies. We benefit as a breeder since we do not need to utilize kennels, care for more dogs than we are comfortable with in our own home.
Becoming a Guardian Home gives you the opportunity to have one of our top notch “Pick of the Litter” puppies as a family pet for free with Four Paws Havanese retaining ALL breeding rights.
As a Guardian Home you will be required to pay for the everyday expenses of owning a dog including annual exams, vaccines, food, etc. We will pay for all breeding related costs including health testing.
Becoming a Guardian Home is not for everyone. You MUST be willing and able to follow these requirements:
- Be willing to provide daily exercise and socialization.
- Be willing to only feed quality food, supplements, medications (including flea and tick medications, heartworm preventative, etc) that are approved by Four Paws Havanese.
- Be willing to fix any other dogs in the home if they are the opposite sex.
- Be willing to not allow him/her to mate with any dogs.
- Be willing to practice safe handling of the dog. To 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.
- Be willing to let us, the breeder, visit your home.
- Be willing to provide veterinary care when needed and send a copy of paperwork from vet visits to the breeder.
- Be willing to contact us right away if the dog becomes sick or injured, so we can be involved in all decisions regarding the treatment of the dog.
- Be willing, if you are a guardian for a female dog, you must be willing to drop her off for 1-2 weeks for her to be bred. Then drop her back off 1 week prior to her whelping date. She will stay with us until the puppies are 6 – 8 weeks old. At that time she must be picked up by the guardian family.
- Be willing, if you are a guardian for a male dog, you must be willing to drop him off for 3-5 days for breedings.
- Be willing to communicate with us, the breeder, about scheduling testing, mating, whelping, and anything else breeding related.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please contact us for additional questions not answered below.
What age do you start breeding the dog?
We will usually breed on the first heat after the dog reaches 12 – 24 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 or not we will breed. We would also like to be notified when your puppy has its first cycle, somewhere around 6-12 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 her?
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 5 – 7 of the heat cycle. She will remain with us for about one week, and then they can pick her up and take her back home.
How long is a dog pregnant?
Dogs are pregnant for about 63 days.
How long is she with you when she has the litter?
She will come to us between 7 – 9 days before she is due with her litter. This gives her time to settle into our house, 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.
Can we visit her when she has her puppies?
The less stressed and the more relaxed she is, the better it is for her and the babies. It is very important that the guardian home not make the transition difficult for the dog such as acting upset, nervous or sad about leaving her. You are welcome to stay for about an hour when you bring her to us, but it is important to treat this visit like any normal outings you may have with the dog. The guardian family then leaves quietly without disturbing the dog is the best.
Can we visit her when she has her puppies?
We do not allow guardian homes to visit until puppies are at least 4 weeks of age. Please be aware though that no handling of puppies will be allowed until the puppies are 6 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 puppies do best when not separated from mom for longer than that.
What happens during pregnancy and what do I have to do differently with the dog?
I have a list of what happens each week during the pregnancy development that I give to our guardian homes at the time we begin breeding. We will also give you supplements to give to her during her pregnancy. The dog may act a little more tired, or not eat normally for a few weeks. During the last couple weeks of pregnancy, she can be more hungry and sleepy. Otherwise, normal activity is typical and it is important to continue with walking the dog right up to the end. Normal playing and running during the first half of pregnancy is fine. During the second half, activities will be limited to walking on a leash and ball chasing type of activities will be avoided. No chemicals may be given during pregnancy. We have to be notified immediately of any illness or injury so we can be involved in determining how she is treated.
What happens if the dog gets sick or injured while in the guardian home's care?
The guardian family is responsible for all of the dog’s expenses except for anything related to breeding or if an injury occurred during the breeding and birthing periods. We must be involved in treatment plans, be well informed of the situation, and consulted with if medication is needed.
What expenses do the guardians pay for and what things does the breeder pay for?
The guardian home pays for any normal care items such as food, dishes, leashes, beds, any medical needs, toys, grooming needs, etc. Anything unrelated to pregnancy 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.
How long is the dog's breeding career?
For females, we contract for up to 4 liters. She will not start breeding before the age of 12 months and will not be bred past the age of 5 years old. 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 remain with her guardian home family. For males, he will not breed until 12 months of age and will not be bred after the age of 6 years old. For males we decide how many times he will breed between the age of 12 months and 6 years old, there is no set number.
Who pays for the spay/neuter surgery?
The guardian home family will pay for the spay/neuter surgery. For females they should have 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.
Does the guardian home have any breeding rights?
No, Four Paws Havanese retains all breeding rights.
Apply to be a guardian Home
Please fill out our Puppy Application to start the process of becoming a Guardian Family.