GUARDIAN PROGRAM FOR RETIRED GUARDIAN FAMILIES AND DOGS

Fleury Farm Doodles works hard to provide the best for our adult breeding dogs who serve as loving members of our family. In order to give these dogs the best possible home life while being able to expand and produce the best possible puppies, we like to limit the number of dogs we have living in our home. We are now offering a guardian program where qualified families will receive a  puppy or adult dog while we retain the breeding rights, or he/she may be a retired breeding dog. 

Guardian families are expected to provide the best possible care for their new puppy/dog physically and financially. We will cover all costs associated with breeding and care for/own all litters produced by guardian family dogs. Basically, you will get an adorable dog to add to your family and we get to use him or  her in our breeding program.  Pretty simple! Guardian dogs will remain your forever family pet but will come to us a few times a year to sire/whelp their litters, unless or until they have been retired from our program. In this case, we will have them spayed/neutered before sending them home with their guardian family to be loved and cared for for the rest of their life.

Qualifications:

Guardian families must have:

• A fenced yard
• Previous experience with owning a dog or have adequate knowledge on caring for a dog 
• Must be a good fit for a  guardian dog

Guardian families must be able to:

• Provide a puppy/dog with proper health care, nutrition, and exercise
• Properly train (both professionally and at home) and socialize a puppy/dog with appropriate tools and methods 
• Keep up with grooming (both professionally and at home) including regular brushing/bathing
• Guardian families of intact dogs must live within 60 miles of Elizabeth City, North Carolina, or within 120 miles of Knoxville, TN.

Owning an intact male guardian dog:

Once your dog is of age, has passed all of his health testing, and is ready to breed (whenever he has matured), our male dogs will spend a few days with us at a time when needed during breeding, typically a few times a year. Guardians must be able to keep male dogs away from un-spayed female dogs in heat. Males retire at around the age of 5-7. After retirement the male will be neutered and continue to live the remainder of his life with his guardian family.  

Owning an intact female guardian dog:

Once your dog has experienced at least one heat cycle and has passed all of her health testing, our female dogs will spend a few days with us at a time when needed during breeding. Females are bred yearly every 6-7 months for several years. She would come to Knoxville, Tennessee or Elizabeth City, NC for breeding, return to the guardian home until a few weeks before whelping, and return to the guardian home after weaning 5-6 weeks later. Guardians must be able to keep their female dogs in heat away from intact male dogs. After retirement the female will be spayed and continue to live the remainder of her life with her guardian family.  

Other requirements:

• For Doodles: We ask that you let the puppy’s coat grow out until around 6-12 months, although hair around the face, on the belly, and under the tail must be kept trimmed. Brushing and bathing should be done regularly.
• For Australian Shepherds:  Dog should be bathed and brushed regularly, and hair should be trimmed and brushed as needed. NO SHAVING!
• We ask that you allow us to make arrangements to pick up the puppy/dog throughout various stages in its life to get photos taken to display on our website/social media channels, until they are retired.
• Guardian dogs we are still breeding are to be kept on a healthy diet at all times, including feeding our chosen food brand and any required supplements. 
• Guardian families are required to take their puppy/dog to the vet for annual vaccines and whenever else needed (except for breeding related visits).
• All our Guardian Dogs will be registered with either the AKC or CKC and must keep their given names, although we may work with families of guardian puppies on selecting a name that he will answer to.