Why a Guardian Home Program Matters for Our Kennel
At Skyview Decker & Old Dominion Terriers, our top priority is raising healthy, happy, and well-adjusted puppies that grow into beloved family companions. One of the most meaningful ways we could achieve this would be through a guardian home program. A guardian program allows us to place select breeding dogs into loving, permanent family homes while still including them in our breeding program.
If you’ve ever heard the term “guardian home” and wondered what it means—or why responsible breeders choose to use this model—this guide will explain the importance of guardian homes, why they are needed, and how they benefit both the dogs and their families.
What Is a Guardian Home?
A guardian home is a family that partners with a breeder to provide a permanent, loving environment for one of the breeder’s pick puppies or breeding-quality dogs. While the breeder retains breeding rights, the guardian family raises the dog as their own, ensuring the dog has all the love, attention, and daily care that only a dedicated family can provide and ensures the best of our puppies’ genetics are not lost from the gene pool of the breed. And it also means there will be more friendly, smart, loving pups for other families.
When our puppies become someone’s treasured pet and are then sterilized, their genes are lost from the Decker and Old Dominion Terrier genetic pool forever. Sadly, this has been the fate of some of the very best Decker and Old Dominion Terriers that have ever been bred. This attrition is a loss to the breed and over time weakens its genetic health.
However, we are a small program who only wants to keep a handful of dogs. This is because it is important to us that they live as part of our family and all get the individual attention they crave and deserve.
We certainly do not want to go down the road of the alternative, which is to keep more dogs here, and start housing them in kennels. Plus, it really isn’t the best for the dog’s mental and physical well-being. Deckers and Old Dominion Terriers love human contact and while they can live in such an environment, they don’t necessarily thrive in it. And the stress this engenders in the moms is passed on to their puppies, resulting in nervous, anxious, unfriendly puppies and unhappy owners.
Once the dog’s breeding career is complete, ownership is fully transferred to the guardian family, and the dog lives out the rest of their life as their cherished companion.
Why Guardian Homes Are Important
1. Dogs Thrive in Family Environments
Terriers are intelligent, loyal, and people focused. They deserve to grow up in a home environment, not a kennel. Guardian homes allow our breeding dogs to live just like any other family pet—with daily play, cuddles on the couch, and one-on-one attention. This leads to better-adjusted, more confident dogs that pass those wonderful qualities on to their puppies.
2. Prevents Kennel Overcrowding
Breeding programs that keep too many dogs on-site can unintentionally limit the quality of individual attention and care each dog receives. A guardian home program ensures that our dogs are never just “kennel dogs.” Instead, each one is part of a family, all while contributing to the betterment of the breed.
3. Improves Socialization and Training
Dogs raised in guardian homes are exposed to real-world experiences—children, other pets, visitors, car rides, and more. This natural socialization makes them well-rounded, adaptable companions. When it’s time for them to have puppies, their stable and confident temperaments make them excellent parents.
4. Expands Breeding Programs Responsibly
Using guardian homes allows breeders to carefully grow their programs without compromising the quality of care. Instead of keeping many dogs on-site, we can partner with trusted families who love and care for our dogs as their own, helping us continue to strengthen and preserve breeds like the Decker Terrier and Old Dominion Terrier.
How the Guardian Home Program works:
There are lots of options that can be customized to suit your situation and preferences. In short, as a Guardian Home for a girl would need you to fully cooperate with her having a set number of litters in her lifetime with us – usually 2-4 [one a year]. And for boys, whenever he is needed.
Option of a Heavily Discounted puppy
With the price of puppies being so high owning one of our dogs is out of the reach for many families. The Guardian Home (GH) program provides deserving homes who otherwise may have missed out, the opportunity to own one of our beautiful dogs. The female “pick of select litters” is sold at a heavily discounted price to an approved family who are on the waiting list for or already own one of our puppies and who will provide a loving, secure, and caring home. Male dogs in the program are typically sold at normal price but will earn their Guardian Home $500 each time they sire a litter.
Option of Shared Profit
Another alternative for buyers of selected female puppies is to pay full price but then share in the net profit from each litter. A 25% share is a typical amount.
General Guardian Home Terms
First and foremost, before any dog is put into this program, he/she will need to have DNA testing done and the results deemed acceptable to keep them in this program. This will be done at our expense. They will then need to be in their guardian home until the age of 2 before we can complete their health testing through OFA. This again will be at our expense. This does however most times require for the dog to be taken to a clinic to have this testing completed and sometimes multiple clinics. If the dog in your care is a female this will require you to keep track of her heat cycles because the x-ray parts of the exams cannot be done with accuracy if she is coming into season soon or has just gone out of season.
The GH family must also show they are prepared to take responsibility for enabling and supporting the breeding of their dog. The dog comes to us to breed or be bred, and if it is a girl, then have and rear her puppies. Once the puppies are completely weaned and she is no longer interested in spending time with them we will release her back to her guardian home. They must also be able to afford to have their dog insured and provide a safe environment and daily exercise.
Ownership of the dog is signed over to the Guardian family subject to the Guardian family signing a restrictive breeding contract with us. If, for any reason, you decide to change your mind when we decide to use the dog placed in your care after this agreement is signed, we have the right to take the dog out of your care as a guardian and rehome it elsewhere.
For girls we limit the number of litters to one per year, so she is not away from her family too much. All costs associated with breeding your dog is covered by us. All costs associated with normal care of a pet dog is covered by the Guardian Family who must have pet insurance to cover this.
Girls in a guardian home may have up to 4 litters in her lifetime after which she will be sterilized at our expense. By this time, she will be around 5 to 7 years old. This age also largely depends on her ability and willingness to participate in taking care of her puppies. We will not force any dog to participate in having and raising puppies if it is clear to us that she is not a willing participant. Some dogs love their puppies and others merely tolerate the process.
Any animal going into a guardian home must also be kept on the same diet we feed our dogs to ensure easy transition from your home to ours when we are using them for breeding purposes.
If you fail to meet and follow any and/or all of the guidelines as stated above, it will result in the dog being removed from your home and being placed elsewhere.
Becoming a Guardian Home is a Win-Win
For families, joining a guardian home program is a special opportunity. It means welcoming a high-quality puppy or dog into your family at little or no upfront cost, while partnering with a breeder who is committed to the breed’s future.
Guardian homes must meet certain requirements—such as having a safe yard, committing to training and veterinary care, and living within reasonable distance of the breeder. In return, they get the joy of raising a wonderful companion while playing an important role in improving and preserving the breed.
Undoubtedly, living in a guardian home results in a far more enjoyable life for a dog than living in a kennel. The Guardian Home Program is a good deal for the dog, a good deal for the foster family, and a good deal for our breeding program… and all those people patiently waiting for their puppies. In my opinion, it is one of those “win-win” situations for everyone involved.
Naturally it is a big responsibility, so only homes offering a high standard of care and responsibility will qualify as Guardian Homes.
If you’re interested in being considered as a Guardian Home and joining the Skyview family, please contact us here and include the following information about yourself:
- The suburb you live in. You must live within an hour or two of us.
- Whether you are open to a girl or only a boy as a Guardian Home
- Confirm you are willing to cooperate with breedings, have pet insurance to cover non-breeding veterinary care of your dog, and are committed to providing daily exercise and a whole food-based diet (we will give you guidelines)
For families who want to dive even deeper into what it means to be part of a guardian program, we recommend this helpful article from PetPLAY: What Does it Mean to Be a Guardian for a Dog? It provides a thorough, neutral overview of guardian homes, including responsibilities, benefits, and important considerations for families.
Final Thoughts
At Skyview, our guardian home program reflects our commitment to the health, happiness, and future of our dogs. By placing select Decker Terrier and Old Dominion Terrier breeding dogs into loving families, we ensure that every dog gets the best of both worlds—a fulfilling life as a family companion and a meaningful role in bettering their breed.
If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a guardian home, we’d love to talk with you! Contact us today. Together, we can provide the best possible lives for our dogs while building a strong foundation for future generations of these incredible breeds.
Guardian Home FAQs
- Do guardian homes have to give the dog back?
No—the dog lives with the guardian family as their pet from the very beginning. The only times the dog returns to us are for breeding-related visits or, in the case of females, for whelping and raising puppies. After their breeding career is finished, full ownership is transferred to the guardian family. - How long is a dog part of the breeding program?
This depends on the individual dog, but typically females are part of the program for a small number of litters, while males may be used for several years. Once their breeding role is complete, they are retired and remain with their guardian family permanently. - Is there a cost to be a guardian home?
Guardian families usually receive their dog at little upfront cost. The guardian family is responsible for everyday expenses such as food, regular vet care, and training, while the breeder covers breeding-related costs. - What qualities make a good guardian home?
Guardian homes should provide a safe, loving, and stable environment. A fenced yard or some other means of keeping the dog contained, commitment to training, regular exercise, and good communication with the breeder are all important. Families should also live within a reasonable distance of the breeder for transportation during breeding times. - Will the dog be gone a lot?
No. Outside of breeding-related visits or whelping, the dog stays with the guardian family full time. Even when females come to us to deliver and raise their puppies, the separation is temporary, and they return to their family once puppies are weaned. - What happens after breeding is done?
Once the dog is officially retired from our program, they are spayed or neutered (at the breeder’s expense) and live out the rest of their life as the cherished pet of their guardian family. - Why should we consider being a guardian home?
Becoming a guardian home allows families to welcome a high-quality puppy or dog into their lives while playing an important role in preserving and improving the breed. It’s a partnership that brings joy to both the family and the breeder.
**Conditions may, can, and will be varied to suit individual situations.**