Guardian Program

Here at Smokehouse Puppies, our dogs are a part of our family. Unfortunately, we are unable to keep all of the dogs we will be using for breeding at our home. If we keep too many, we are unable to provide the very best care. That is where you come it!! Occasionally, we would like to add some new dogs and puppies to our program as potential future moms and dads. We want to find Guardian Families who will love them just as much as we would. Families who qualify for guardianship will enjoy the companionship of a puppy/dog without the cost of purchasing, while we retain the breeding rights and use them in our program. 

Here are a few of the main things that we expect from our guardians:

• Located within a 2 hour driving distance from Bluffton, IN (female only). 
• Must provide proper vet care and provide documentation.
• Food must be approved by us.
• Properly train, socialize and exercise the dog/puppy.
• The dog must live inside with the family with some kind of fence system for the yard.  
• Must keep the dog/puppy groomed and free of fleas & ticks

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OWNING A FEMALE:

Once she is of breeding age (18mo-24mo) & she comes into heat, we will keep her here at our home for up to 2-3 weeks during the breeding process. Dogs are pregnant for 9 weeks. One week before her due date, she will come here again until the puppies are weaned at 6-7 weeks old. Litters will ALWAYS be whelped and raised at our home, no exceptions. As a guardian, you are welcome to visit at any point during these times. Guardians must familiarize themselves with heat cycles and be able to detect this in their female and keep her away from all intact males during that time. Females retire around the ages of 5-7 (depending on their fertility), are spayed and will then live the rest of her life with you. 

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OWNING A MALE:

Males in our guardianship program are very different than the needs of females. While females are only needed a few times a year, males can be used/needed many times a month but for shorter periods of time. When needed for health testing, we will take the male to the vet for the day and return him home the same day or the following day if overnight is required. This should happen when he is around a year old and then again when he his two years old. As for breeding, males need to pass certain health testing before he can be used for breeding. Once he becomes of breeding age (18 mo-24mo), we will make frequent trips to our vet in Berne and then return him the same day. There may by times that a female needs to be bred and it may take a few days at our house. Of course we will only keep him as long as he is needed and will return him as quickly as possible to you.  Owning our own stud is new territory for us so we will be learning along the way. Males must be kept away from all intact females AT ALL TIMES. If away from your home, he must be kept on a leash to avoid accidental pregnancies. When a male picks up the scent of an in heat female, they will go to great lengths to get to her. Failure to abide by these rules will result in immediate removal of the dog.  Our males retire around the age of 6-9 (depending on fertility rate), are neutered and will then live out the rest of their lives with you.

Dogs in our Guardian Program are owned by Smokehouse Puppies for the entirety of their lives. No ownership is officially transferred on their AKC/CKC paperwork. 

PLEASE EMAIL US A SMOKEHOUSEPUPPIES@GMAIL.COM IF YOU ARE INTERTESTED.