Guardian Program
A unique opportunity to raise an exceptional dog—
while being part of something bigger.
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:
💵 Earn up to $1,500 per litter
What We Ask from You
We are looking for families who will:
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
Here’s what you can expect:
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
👉 Full ownership transfers to you
Who is this a good fit for?
This may be a great fit for you if:
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
This is likely not a good fit if:
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
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We’re delighted to have you as a part of our Joley Aire Family! To join the Guardian program, we ask that you fill out an application at the link below:
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We may have Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bernedoodles, or Poodles available for our Guardian Program.
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At this time we are only offering females for the Guardian program.
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Send us an email at rebekah@joleyaire.com to inquire about dogs that are currently available for our Guardian Program.
If we don’t have dogs currently available, we may purchase a new dog to place in your home.
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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.
Our dogs are ambassadors for our breeding program. They should be well maintained as we will likely be taking pictures of them while they’re with us. We also love to receive updated pictures from our guardian families that we can share.
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Becoming a guardian home for one of our dogs is a huge commitment and a decision that should not be made lightly. Please keep in mind that we are retain full legal ownership of the dog until they are retired from our program and guardians have a legal obligation to follow the contract. Our dogs are very high quality and have been hand selected to benefit and improve our program further.
Becoming a guardian home is not for everyone! Please consider this commitment carefully.
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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/neutered. After that, full ownership will transfer over to you.
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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 of the dog during the breeding program, we must be kept informed of significant medical concerns and involved in major treatment decisions, especially those that could affect the dog’s health or breeding career.
Pet insurance is strongly encouraged during the Guardian contract period to help protect the Guardian from unexpected veterinary expenses.
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.
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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.
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For any relationship to enjoy success and benefit all involved there needs to be trust and communication. It’s no different for a Guardian relationship!
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No! We will provide you with all the information you need!
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Your dog will live with you full-time as your family pet, with only a few temporary stays with us during her breeding cycle.
Typically, this includes:
A short stay during heat for breeding
A longer stay for whelping and raising puppies (about 9–10 weeks total)
This happens around each litter and usually only a few times over the course of the contract. Outside of those times, your dog is home with you.
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If a breeding does not result in a pregnancy, we will simply try again on a future cycle.
There is no penalty to you as the Guardian.
Our goal is to work with the dog’s natural timing and health, not to force outcomes. -
We do our best to match each dog with the right home.
In some cases, you may have input or preference, but ultimately we make the final decision based on:
The dog’s temperament
Your home environment
The best long-term fit for both
This helps ensure success for everyone involved.
If you have questions that are not answered on this page, please reach out by emailing me at rebekah@joleyaire.com!