Guardian Home Program
Give a Great
Dog a Family to
Call Their Own
Our Guardian Home Program allows select Owen-a-Doodle dogs to grow up as cherished family pets while remaining part of our responsible breeding program for a limited season.
A different way to breed
What Is a Guardian Home?
A Guardian Home is a long-term partnership between Owen-a-Doodle and a carefully selected family. Your dog lives with you full-time as your companion while remaining part of our breeding program until retirement.
A Family Dog First
A Family Dog First
Your Guardian Dog lives in your home, bonds with your family, and enjoys the everyday life every dog deserves.
A Thoughtful Partnership
A Thoughtful Partnership
Owen-a-Doodle retains ownership and breeding rights while you partner with us on the dog’s care and program needs.
A Forever Home
A Forever Home
When the breeding chapter is complete, the dog is retired, altered, and ownership transfers according to the Guardian Home agreement.
Why We Do It
Dogs deserve more than a breeding program. They deserve a home.
Guardian homes are an important part of how we believe responsible breeding should look. Instead of keeping a large number of breeding dogs together, select dogs get to grow up with their own people, receiving individual attention, training, adventures, and family life.
We believe responsible breeders and reputable rescues can both play a meaningful role in animal welfare. Thoughtful breeding, careful temperament evaluation, lifelong breeder support, and responsible placement all help give dogs the best chance of staying where they belong: with the people who love them.
Loving dogs means caring about how they are bred, raised, matched, and supported for life.
Before you apply
The Need-to-Know Basics
These are the biggest practical requirements to consider before scheduling a Guardian Home interview.
Distance
Guardian families should live within approximately a 90-minute drive of Owen-a-Doodle in Enumclaw.
$1,000 Fee
A non-refundable Guardian Fee is due after the agreement is signed and before placement.
Multi-Year
This is a long-term breeding partnership, not a short-term foster arrangement.
Interview
Placement depends on household, lifestyle, availability, and fit with the individual dog.
Is this right for your family?
What We Look for in a Guardian Home
You do not need breeding experience. You do need a stable home, good communication, and the ability to meet the dog’s everyday and program-related needs.
A loving, stable household
The dog is welcomed as a full member of the family.
Reliable transportation
You can get the dog to Owen-a-Doodle or required appointments when needed.
Financial readiness
You can comfortably cover routine veterinary care, food, insurance, grooming, supplements, and training.
Consistent training and socialization
You can comfortably cover routine veterinary care, food, insurance, grooming, supplements, and training.
Open communication
You can keep Owen-a-Doodle updated on health, behavior, scheduling, and breeding-related changes.
A household ready for the commitment
Everyone understands that breeding obligations are part of the arrangement.
A shared commitment
Who Is Responsible for What?
Guardian families handle the normal costs and responsibilities of loving and caring for their dog. Owen-a-Doodle covers approved breeding-related expenses.
Your Family
- Daily care, exercise, love, and socialization
- Food and required supplements
- Routine veterinary care and pet insurance
- Professional-level grooming and nail care
- Required obedience training
- Transportation related to the dog and breeding program
- Prompt communication and scheduling cooperation
Owen-a-Doodle
- Breeding-related health and genetic testing arranged by us
- OFA testing requested for breeding qualification
- Approved reproductive veterinary expenses
- Care while the dog is staying with Owen-a-Doodle
- Pregnancy and whelping-related care for females
- Spay or neuter at retirement within contract terms
- Ongoing support throughout the partnership
Different dogs, different logistics
Female and Male Guardian Homes
The heart of the program is the same for every Guardian Dog, but breeding logistics look different for females and males.
Female Guardian Dogs
Heat cycles: Families need to recognize and promptly report the start of each heat cycle.
Breeding: Planned stays with Owen-a-Doodle may be required during breeding.
Pregnancy and puppies: A pregnant female returns to Owen-a-Doodle near the end of pregnancy and remains through whelping and weaning.
Important for families: Her time away for a litter can be several weeks, so everyone in the home should be comfortable with that part of the arrangement.
Male Guardian Dogs
Breeding: Live breeding may happen at the Guardian Home or require a short stay with Owen-a-Doodle.
Scheduling: Breeding and semen collection timing can sometimes change quickly based on reproductive timing.
Transportation: Families may occasionally help with transportation to breeding-related appointments.
Important for families: Male guardians generally have shorter absences, but flexibility and reliable communication are still essential.
Looking for a Guardian Dog?
See Our Current Guardian Home Opportunities
Available Guardian Dogs are already showcased on our Available Dogs page. Keeping them there means you always see the most current opportunities without us maintaining duplicate listings.
Interested in moving forward?
How the Guardian Home Process Works
The goal is to make sure both sides understand the program before any commitment is made.
01
Learn
Review this page and make sure the basic requirements work for your household.
02
Connect
Reach out about the program or a specific available Guardian Dog.
03
Interview
Talk with Kody about your lifestyle, experience, schedule, expectations, and questions.
04
Meet + Review
If the fit looks right, discuss the dog, review the applicable contract, and decide together whether to move forward.
A Guardian Home Is Not a Free Puppy Program
A Guardian Dog is intended to be your family’s long-term companion, but Owen-a-Doodle retains ownership and breeding rights during the agreed program period. Guardian Dogs cannot be independently sold, rehomed, surrendered, or transferred. The signed Guardian Home Contract contains the complete terms and controls the final arrangement.
A few common questions
Guardian Home FAQ
Owen-a-Doodle retains legal ownership during the breeding program. Ownership transfers according to the applicable Guardian Home Contract after the dog's breeding obligations and retirement requirements are complete.
No. What matters most is the right household, willingness to communicate, ability to follow the program requirements, and commitment to the dog.
Household pets are discussed during the interview because intact dogs and breeding prevention require special consideration.
The commitment is multi-year and the specific retirement terms differ for male and female Guardian Dogs. Those details are reviewed during the interview and contract process.
Guardian families should contact Owen-a-Doodle as soon as possible. Guardian Dogs may not be independently rehomed or surrendered.
From our pack to yours
Could Your Family Be the Right Guardian Home?
If the program feels like it could be a good fit, the next step is simply a conversation. Tell us a little about your family, your home, and what draws you to becoming a Guardian Home.