Guardian Program
Guardian Home Information
Do you think you could be a guardian owner?
Our Grey Manor Labradors guardian program is our way of ensuring the best for our breeding dogs. A guardian family is a family local to us (within an hour’s drive) who provides a loving furever family home to one of our guardian pups.
This is our way of considering the welfare of the dog, not only what we produce from them. Labradors are social, loving and happiest when they are with their humans and this is the life we want for our breeding dogs, not an awful life in a breeding kennel!
Guardian dogs are carefully selected and only those with qualities we would like to see continued are chosen for our program. Our guardian homes receive the best we have to offer when we place a potential future breeding dog with them. Not only are they receiving what we consider the best of the litter, in both temperament and looks, but we also complete full DNA test and hip and elbow scored before they turn one.
Whilst the information below is most relevant to female dogs, we do on occasion keep males for our breeding program and do look for families who would be interested in a male dog.
Our guardian puppies are offered free of charge to approved guardian families. The guardian family will receive the puppy at 8 weeks old like any other puppy. And like any other puppy, the guardian puppy will be microchipped, wormed, vaccinated and health checked at no cost to the guardian owner.
Females can whelp up to 4 litters between the age of 18 months and 6 years old. We like to breed with each female dog twice. We like to do this after they are 2 years old. If the dog does not pass her health tests, then we do not breed with her and she is desexed and becomes the guardian family’s dog and the contract comes to an end. If she passes all of her health tests, then at the right time for the dog and ourselves, we will start the breeding process. After she has finished her 2 litters, she is desexed and she becomes the guardian family’s dog and the contract comes to an end.
As part of the guardian program, the guardian owner is offered a second puppy from the second litter or a payment of $2,500 after the second little. A litter is a minimum of 4 healthy puppies.
Pregnant females will need to return to Grey Manor 1 week before puppies are due and stay with us for between 7 and 9 weeks. We understand these dogs are your family pets and you will miss them during this time and also want to meet the new additions. We welcome visits from the guardian owners while they are with us (COVID permitting).
Females have their first season anytime from 8 months to 14 months of age. They then have a season roughly every six months. A season lasts between 2-3 weeks.
Responsibilities
You are responsible for
Grey Manor is responsible for
FAQs
Does being a breeding dog change their personality?
No. We don’t see any changes in either the boys or the girls. When they go home they are their usual happy fluffy selves.
Does mum find it hard to leave the puppies?
The relationship between mum & pups is not like a human mother and baby, we have a bond and a flood of emotions, it is different in the doggie world. Usually once the pups teeth start cutting & are through, mum gets a bit reluctant to want to be around the pups and give us the signs that they want to wean the pups, so it is mum who decides to leave the pups and we follow her lead (obviously once the pups are of the appropriate age!). When they are not with the pups, they are with us inside or outside playing, either way, they are a part of our family when they are with us and slide right back into their guardian family routine when they get back home.
Do entire dogs get on with other dogs and can they play with them?
Yes. They are labradors and love everyone and everything, whether they have two legs or four. We haven’t encountered any issues with entire dogs. Our dogs (boys & girls) play and have fun with their friends at the dog park like any other dog. The boys don’t go around mounting every dog in sight. Boys & girls (entire and desexed) all hump each when they play and this is usually play or dominance (not sexual). The only thing is the girls can’t go to the dog park for a play (or off lead) when they are in season. We have seen entire males living with entire girls in peace with no mounting or concerning behaviour, we don’t even see them marking. They only need to be separated when we have a girl in season.
Are the entire girls housebound or have to stay inside?
No. We want our dogs to live normal lives. Girls cycle (heat) every six months and it is just during this time that they can’t visit the dog park or be walked off lead. We do need them to be kept safe and not be around entire boys. Other than those times, they can play, swim, walk, or go on holidays like any other pet dog.
Can we have an entire dog if we have another dog?
Yes you can, provided that dog is desexed. (A desexing certificate will be required or a letter from your vet).
Things to think about
Are you willing to deal with a female dog going into season?
This means dealing with blood, keeping the dog away from other undesexed dogs and sometimes having to cancel or rearrange social plans because your pet’s cycle is getting in the way.
Are you willing to work with the breeder?
You can expect extra vet visits, check-ups and your pet going on ‘honeymoon’. Whilst we will work with you, you need to be willing to be supportive of the process and be accommodating with balancing your family life and your pet’s needs.
Do you like the breeder and does the breeder like you?
For this relationship to work, you need to like and trust us and we vice versa.
Can you put the time into training?
Your dog doesn’t need to be Lassie but some basic obedience is crucial for all breeding dogs. This reduces the stress on the dog, it’s helpful to maintain consistency with the rules and expected behaviours between houses. You need to be willing to socialise your dog and put the effort into exposing her to other people and animals.
Can you give your dog up for weeks on end?
This is the hardest part. But when your dog is ready to whelp her litter, she will return to us for between 7 and 9 weeks. That’s a long time to be without your family pet! It’s emotional and if you have young kids, it might be a difficult concept to explain. We do encore visits while your dog is with us and ultimately, you do get the joy of knowing your dog is going to have babies that make another family as happy as she makes you.
Are you planning on staying put for the next few years?
It goes without saying but if you’re considering a transfer to Dubai or interstate in the next year or two, this cannot work.