What does it mean to participate in our Guardian Program?

Being a Guardian Family is an opportunity to bring one of our Australian Labradoodle puppies into your home as your family pet, without the adoption price. You get to have the Breeder’s pick of the litter as a member of your family in exchange for providing a loving, forever home with good training and socialization for one of our precious pups.  Your obligation is to care for the dog as your family member, in your home, and keep up with vaccinations, grooming, socialization, training and a healthy diet.

Our guardian homes help us continue our breeding program. While we retain breeding rights, the guardian provides the care, attention and love for their lifetime, something every dog deserves. We ask that you consider your commitment as a guardian family very carefully, and make sure you have the time to train, socialize and give companionship to a young pup. A puppy or dog should be a commitment for life.

All breeder dogs will go through initial testing prior to six months of age. These tests are paid for by Valley Vineyard Labradoodles, however transportation is usually the responsibility of the Guardian. Most health and genetic tests are completed the first year, and usually only involves a few local trips. Testing is administered mainly at Newberg Veterinary Hospital. Matings are done locally, and travel would be limited.

Guardians must live in the vicinity of the metro Portland or Yamhill/Washington County area, and preferably near Valley Vineyard Labradoodles in the Newberg area.

In order to ensure safety and health there are certain requirements to qualify for our Guardian Program.

• Dog has access to fully fenced yard or minimally, a 6′ dog run and potty area.
• Provide a crate for dog and keep pup crate trained for their security and for times when dog has to travel or be unsupervised.
• Ensure that the dog is well socialized, this includes limiting the dog’s alone time to a reasonable amount of time each day, taking dog on outings and providing them with lots of different experiences and human interaction. Neglecting a pup or dog because of a busy lifestyle is something we can’t support.
• Attend puppy obedience training classes.
• Have dog professionally groomed every 8-12 weeks to breeders specified look with one of the approved labradoodle groomers. Grooming expense will be the responsibility of the Guardian. Grooming can range from $65-$100 per grooming. Once photos have been completed for the website, we can relax our standards and try to help Guardian learn labradoodle grooming techniques on their own or find a groomer in Guardian’s area.
• Be willing to only provide high quality meals and other dietary needs. (We want our dogs fed healthy food with the right supplements for proper growth and nutrition.)
• Use only vet approved or all-natural flea products.  Chemical flea treatments can cause cancers and birth defects, and other genetic problems.
• Dog is mainly kept indoors as a member of your family.

Female dogs go into heat approximately every seven months. Depending on Valley Vineyard Labradoodle’s breeding schedule, the breeding female may be bred back to back or skip a cycle. Females are bred no more than four times (often less than that) and then will be retired and ownership will be transferred to the guardian. When it is time for the female to give birth they are brought to us to whelp and to help raise her puppies up 6-7 weeks, when the puppies are weaned and mama feels ready to separate.

Males can be active in Valley Vineyard’s breeding program up to six to seven years.

Guardian homes and the dogs we entrust in your care are representing Valley Vineyard Labradoodles. It is important that, you choose to partner like this with our breeding program, that you present a well-mannered and well-groomed puppy/dog to represent us, and the breed well. Our treasured Guardian Homes make our breeding program possible!

The most important requirement is that Guardian’s provide a loving home for our dogs and the dogs are “inside” dogs as a member of your family. If you are interested in being a Guardian for Valley Vineyard Labradoodles please fill out and email us a puppy application and write “GUARDIAN” request.