What to Expect
Our dogs are considered beloved members of our family. We created a Guardian Home Program to grow our breeding program while still providing each of our breeding dogs with a loving environment in a guardian family. We refuse to have our beloved dogs live in a kennel environment. We believe that happy, loved dogs will produce amazing offspring. We breed for temperament, health, and physical attributes. Living in a loving home is essential for our breeders to produce top quality puppies. A Guardian Home is not a foster situation. This is a great way for a family to have their very own high quality puppy, chosen by the breeder. By joining our Guardian Program, you desire to and act as a guardian for a Shih Tzu puppy dog that may be either a male or a female and is a potential breeder or proven breeder. All subject to the terms of this Agreement. The following will spell out the Guardian-Home Program, including our requirements for our guardian families while the puppy dog is a part of the breeding program. The Obligations we will assume as Owner, and how the dog will become a permanent member of your family.
To the Guardian family:
The Puppy Dog is “pick of the litter” with an estimated value of $2500+, your cost is $0.
The guardian home is responsible for all regular costs associated with owning a dog. For example: vet costs that may come up, Grooming, Food, training that may be needed, toys, dog supplies, treats. Our breeder guardian dogs can only have certain vaccinations along with no heart worm, flea or tick preventatives. We breed for good health and don't want those poisons given to our dog. Kate Corley will pay for any expenses with breeding/whelping.
Initial Obligations of Guardian Family:
In order to be considered for the Guardian Home Program, we require that you:
1. Live within 1 hour from Huntingdon PA 16652. Any distance further than that must be discussed & agreed upon. The guardian home is required to bring the puppy dog back and forth to the owner's home.
2. Maintain open lines of communication with Katie Corley or Don Corley concerning any matter related to the puppy dog.
3. Maintain distance from other intact dogs. The subject dog of this contract may not reside in a home where other intact dogs live or frequently visit.
4. The subject dog is to be kept safe. Rough play can result in injury to any animal.
5. The dog is to be professionally groomed every 6 weeks by the guardian home. We do not want the dogs shaved down short. We like each of our dogs to have a Shih Tzu style again not shaven. The dog will need bathed in between professional grooming sessions.
6. Pictures of the puppy dog must be provided upon request.
7. Puppy dogs CAN NOT be boarded in kennels.
8. The dog would become your pet, living in your home.
9. She would remain in your home while still a part of our breeding program.
10. She would come to our home when she is in heat to be bred.
11.She would then come back to our home at the designated time to have her pups and raise them in our home, typically 8-10 weeks.
12. After she retires, she would remain in your home as your dog and companion.
The Guardian Family is to always consider the safety of the dog.
Guardians of pregnant dogs should be extra cautious of rough activity.
Ownership:
Ownership and all rights, title and interest in the dog shall remain with Owner, Katie Corley. If the dog is a female, any puppies born to the dog shall be the sole property of the Owner, Katie Corley. The Guardian Family shall have no ownership interest of possession rights to any such puppy or the breeding adult while breeding.
If the dog is a male, all semen shall be the sole property of Owner, Katie Corley. The Guardian Family shall have no ownership interest or possession rights to any use of semen. The dog shall be used as a breeding adult exclusively by Katie Corley. Under no circumstances shall be bred to anyone other than as directed by Katie Corley. After the dog ceases to be a breeder, Owner shall, by written evidence of transfer, assign and transfer ownership of the dog to the Guardian Family after the dog has been spayed or neutered. Spaying/Neutering will be the Guardian's Family financial responsibility.
Possession:
Upon the execution of this agreement, the owner shall transfer possession of the dog to the Guardian Family. The Guardian family shall retain physical possession of the dog during this Agreement, subject to its obligations to return possession of the dog for breeding purposes, and shall provide physical care to and supervision of the dog subject to the terms and conditions of this agreement. The Guardian family must continue to implement commands & training of said dog.
Owner’s Possession for Breeding:
Female Dog: Owner requires access to female breeding dog for reasons including, but not limited to:
Veterinary appointments, Photos, breeding and whelping of puppies. Females typically have 4-5 litters, depending on her recovery from each litter. The female will be brought to meet the male and return home with the guardian family. This will typically happen 3 times for each heat/breeding cycle, but more visits may be required if successful breeding does not take place within the first three visits. Occasionally, the guardian home may need to take the female to the veterinarian for blood work that will indicate preferable breeding days. The breeder will make the determination if this is necessary. We do try to keep travel to a minimum with the guardian family in mind. Female will come to stay with us to deliver her puppies 5-7 days prior to due date and up until the puppies are weaned at approximately 7-8 weeks of age. Guardian families of female dogs will be compensated $300 for every healthy successful litter the dog produces. Katie Corely will make visits to your home as deemed necessary.
Male Dog: For each breeding event, the owner requires access to a male breeding dog 3-4 separate occasions, 24-48 hours apart. Occasionally more breeding's are necessary. If he is breeding a female that lives a significant distance from Katie Corley, it may be necessary for him to stay at the female’s house for multiple days per breeding.
The Guardian Family will be compensated $300 for each healthy litter born from said dogs litter.
The Guardian Family shall not transfer possession of the dog to any person without the prior written consent of the owner, Katie Corley. We do understand that circumstances in life occur that are unforeseen. In the event the Guardian Family cannot keep the dog in their home or cannot fully care for the dog, Katie will determine the future living arrangements for the dog. Katie may rehome the dog or work out other living arrangements. Outcome will depend on specific circumstances and timelines.
During this agreement, Owner shall: Provide the Guardian family with instructions concerning:
Nutritional and Dietary guidelines
Preventative Holistic Care
Reproductive cycle of a female dog
Training
Grooming
If the breeding dog is female, take possession of the Dog from the Guardian Family for purposes of whelping and care of puppies (approximately 8-9 weeks). Katie Corley may visit the residence of the Guardian Family at least once per calendar year to discuss with the Guardian Family any issues concerning the care and supervision of the dog.
Guardian Family Obligations:
1. Raise the dog as an indoor dog. Never to dwell outside.
2. When left at home safely contain the dog in the indoors so he/she is not harmed.
3. Comply with Owner’s nutritional and dietary guidelines
4. Provide the Dog with regular exercise and socialization. The dog will be introduced to many other dogs and people over the course of it’s breeding years. We expect the dog to act in a non-aggressive way toward all.
5. The dog should not be exposed to harmful agents such as cigarette smoke, vaping smoke, radiation, excessive chemicals, drugs of any type, air freshners, etc. We do understand that the dog may pass by someone who is
smoking a cigarette or vape. It’s impossible to prevent that. But, the dog should not be exposed to cigarette smoke or vaping on a normal basis or be confined with cigarette smoke, vaping or other harmful agents.
Cigarette smoke and vaping has proven to be harmful to dogs as well as humans.
6. Katie Corley requires that the dog be seen at one of her vet offices.
7. Keep vaccinations current such as yearly shots. The Guardian Family will cover costs for regular vaccines while the dog is under breeding contract. We do not permit Lyme vaccination, Lepto vaccination, flu vaccine, heart worm medication, flea/tick preventatives.
8. Provide basic training-the dog should follow basic commands and act with manners. The dog should not be obnoxious or aggressive. If this behavior is portrayed, it will be the guardian home’s responsibility to seek training or professional advice as well as to act on that advice as approved by Katie Corley.
9. Keep the dog properly groomed, with care given to matting, ears and claws. Please remember these dogs are representing Shih Tzu Lovins and need to have regular grooming's by a professional at least every 6 weeks. We will occasionally ask for photo updates. We use photos to update our website and show prospective puppy families pictures of our breeding dogs. The dog will need brushed & combed in between groomings. They should be brushed & combed daily. We do not permit the dogs to be shaven down short. Each dog needs to have it's own Shih Tzu style.
10. Make certain that the dog is available for breeding purposes. We are at the mercy of the female breeding cycle and Katie Colrley will try to give you beforehand warning but sometimes cycles change. So please be prepared to bring the breeding dog to us.
11. Notify Owner of planned vacations and change of address, phone or email.(in case of need for breeding).
12. The Guardian Home is not to compete with the practices of Katie Corley. They are not to enter into breeding practices due to conflict of interest.
Termination of Agreement:
This Agreement shall terminate upon the occurrence of any of the following at the discretion of the owner, Katie Corley:
1. Immediately, upon the transfer of ownership of the Dog to the Guardian Family
2. Immediately, upon the Owner's determination that the Guardian Family is non-compliant with the terms of this Agreement. And such non-compliance poses significant risk to the health, welfare and safety of the Dog, and the breeding program, at which time possession of the dog returns to the Owner, Katie Corley
3. With reasonable notice to the Guardian Family, upon Owner’s determination that the Guardian Family is non-compliant with the terms of this Agreement and such noncompliance does not pose significant risk to the health, welfare and safety of the Dog and is not cured within a reasonable amount of time.
4. Immediately, upon the death of the dog from natural or accidental causes
5. Immediately, upon the Guardian Family’s permanent return of the Dog to Owner for any reason. All Fees and expenses are non-refundable.
Indemnity:
The Guardian Family agrees to indemnify and hold the Owner harmless from and against all claims, liabilities, losses, cost, damages and expenses by reason of any damage property orinjury or death to individuals allegedly caused by the Dog while in the possession of the Guardian Family.
Completing the application is a step in the process to acquiring a guardian puppy dog from Shih Tzu Lovins. It does not guarantee a dog. The breeder reserves the right to refuse any placement at any time.
We do have a contract and will not place a guardian dog without a signed contract. It is so we are both clear on the expectations of being a guaridan home.
We have a take-back policy. Any dog from our home always has a home here. We take a cradle-to-grave "original home" responsibility for our puppies & dogs. We do not want them going to unknown homes, rescues, or shelter.
We feed a raw food diet or high quality kibble. We do feed it Life's Abundance as a kibble. The cost of this is the Guardian's Family responsibility. This is the healthiest food for wellness for not only breeding dogs but all dogs. We do not want our breeder dogs to be overweight, thus treats should not be loaded with carbs or carincogenic ingredients.
Again, we do NOT want them having flea/tick medications, heart worm preventatives, lepto vaccination, lyme and flu vaccination. We like to maintain wellness & holistic. We do not want these poisions causing health problems to the puppies and our breeding dogs.
Guardians are responsible for all transportation to and from us.
As a guardian, you will be not be charged for the puppy dog. You will be financially responsible for total care of the dog. This includes but is not limited to grooming the dog a minimum of every 6 weeks, feeding the high quality kibbles as specified, all veterinary expenses, and total care of the dog. The breeder will pay for any veterinary expenses related to breeding. The breeder is not financially responsible for any damage that the puppy dog may do while in your care.
If said dog is bred accidently or intentional while in the guardian's possession, they will be charged $10,000 for each time that this happens.