Guardian Program

We believe dogs thrive best in real homes, surrounded by family, not raised in kennels. That's why we place some of our breeding dogs in carefully selected Guardian Homes. This is more than just bringing home a dog, it's a partnership. One that allows us to raise well-loved, well-adjusted puppies while giving families the opportunity to be part of our program in a meaningful way.

What is a Guardian Home?

A Guardian Home is a long-term partnership between your family and our breeding program. You raise and love the dog as your own, while we retain breeding rights for a limited time. During those years, we handle the breeding process, and once that season is complete, full ownership is transferred to you.

What you receive

We take care of many of the major expenses, including:

• Diamond Naturals Adult Lamb & Rice dog food, in reasonable quantities
• Grooming, up to 3 times per year
• One routine veterinary wellness exam per year
• Boarding during breeding and whelping periods
• Spay after retirement from the breeding program

In addition, you can earn up to $1,500 per litter.

What we ask from you

• Provide a safe, loving, in-home environment
• Keep the dog as a family pet
• Maintain a healthy weight and good overall condition
• Feed the food we provide
• Provide routine preventative and veterinary care
• Communicate promptly with us about heats, health concerns, and other important changes
• Partner with us throughout the dog's breeding career

Because this is a partnership, we do ask that Guardian Homes:

• Live within approximately 1 hour of us
• Be comfortable with temporary separations during breeding and whelping
• Be prepared for the dog to remain in our breeding program for at least four litters, with retirement timing determined by us
• Be committed to caring for the dog long-term after retirement

How it works

• Your dog lives with you as part of your family
• When she goes into heat, she comes to us for breeding
• After breeding, she returns home to you
• Before puppies are born, she stays with us for whelping
• After the puppies are raised, usually around 8 weeks, she returns home
• Guardian families commit to a minimum of 4 litters, though the dog may remain in our breeding program longer at our discretion

At the end of her breeding career she is spayed at our expense and full ownership transfers to you.

Who is this a good fit for?

• You want a high-quality dog without the upfront purchase cost
• You're home often and able to provide consistent care
• You're comfortable following our feeding, health, and breeding guidelines
• You value doing things thoughtfully and responsibly
• You're excited about partnering with us throughout the dog's breeding career
• You like the opportunity to earn compensation from each litter

Who this is not for

• You want full ownership or full decision-making control immediately
• You're uncomfortable with temporary separations during breeding and whelping
• You're not able to communicate consistently
• You're uncomfortable committing to at least four litters
• You prefer to make independent decisions about feeding or breeding-related care
• You're simply looking for a free dog

Our approach

We are very intentional about where our dogs are placed. Even when working with friends or family, we carefully consider each home to ensure it's the right fit, for both the dog and our program. Our goal is not to place dogs quickly, but to place them well.

Questions and information

What breeds are available for the Guardian program? We may have Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bernedoodles, or Poodles available.

Are there males and females available? At this time we are only offering females for the Guardian program.

How do we see which dogs are available? Send us an email at rebekah@joleyaire.com to inquire about dogs that are currently available. If we don't have dogs currently available, we may purchase a new dog to place in your home.

Are there specific grooming requirements? We do not require you to keep a specific groom or cut, but we do require that the dog's coat is well maintained and does not get matted. This includes regular brushing and grooming. While the dog is with us, we reserve the right to groom and bathe the dog to ensure cleanliness, especially after whelping.

What happens if we do not want our dog bred? Becoming a guardian home for one of our dogs is a huge commitment and a decision that should not be made lightly. We retain full legal ownership of the dog until they are retired from our program and guardians have a legal obligation to follow the contract.

What happens if my dog isn't suitable for breeding? If your dog is deemed unsuitable for breeding by either us or one of our veterinarians, then the dog will be retired from our program. You will not be required to pay any fees and we will pay for the dog to be spayed or neutered. After that, full ownership will transfer over to you.

What happens if the dog gets sick or injured while in the Guardian's care? While the dog is living with the Guardian, the Guardian is financially responsible for illness, injury, medications, treatment, emergency care, and other veterinary expenses not specifically covered by Joley Aire. Because Joley Aire retains legal ownership during the breeding program, we must be kept informed of significant medical concerns and involved in major treatment decisions. Pet insurance is strongly encouraged during the Guardian contract period. If the dog dies as a result of the Guardian's negligence, the Guardian may be responsible for a $3,000 fee, and any deposit will be forfeited.

What if we can no longer keep the dog? The dog may be returned to us. Our aim is for this arrangement to be permanent for the benefit of the dog and it requires the serious commitment of dog ownership.