Guardian Home

At McDoodles of Texas all of our breeding dogs live in our home as members of our family OR they live in the homes of some very special families called Guardians.  If a small breeder wishes to provide a regular supply of well-loved, well-fed, socialized puppies, the breeder must choose to move their breeding dogs into kennels and sacrifice the homed experience for those dogs or branch out and partner with people who can provide a loving home environment for a breeding dog.  Of course, we have chosen to partner with these people, our Guardians, and they allow us to maintain a small, select breeding program without sacrificing the quality of life of any of our dogs.  When our breeding dogs have engaged in a healthy quantity of litters, either as dams or sires, they retire to the homes they have lived in all along.  Our program is designed so that a dog is never rehomed, but always at home. 

​

A McDoodles of Texas Guardian benefits from our highly selective breeding process, and our small sustainable model. We only add the highest quality puppies to our bloodline, puppies with clean genetic records, from good homes, and showing character traits that promise good socialization and health. Because our brand and our values rely on these pups, we exercise great care to select beautiful, smart, healthy puppies with strong lineage and good temperament.  Our guardians are happy to gain a loving family dog at no cost and they understand that they are part of an endeavor that seeks to promote sustainable ownership in loving home environments with careful breeding and socialization.

Guardian dogs are a part of your family just as your family dog always is.  The only difference comes with the care of unaltered dogs.  Because guardian dogs have not been spayed or neutered, a little more care is taken to protect them.  When a female is in season, she must be kept from unaltered males.  In her first heat cycle after her first year, McDoodles will breed her to a stud best suited for a great litter.  Bred females then return to their guardian homes during the typical 63 day pregnancy until within a week of the expected due date.  The guardian dog will then be brought into the McDoodles home to prepare for whelping and treated with love and care as one of ours for the two months needed to prepare puppies for adoption. In that time, she’ll be given affection, fed well and supplemented to help in providing nutrition for the puppies.  After that time, we’ll return the guardian to her family.

​Guardian service can vary, but contracts typically cap at 4 litters.  Once the contract is completed, we will spay the guardian dog and retire the female from breeding to ensure a long and healthy family life with no further interruptions.  Though we’d be thrilled to visit occasionally with our former guardian dogs!

​

Because Guardian dogs are part of McDoodles small, sustainable breeding program, there are certain benefits and responsibilities beyond basic ownership.  The first benefit is your Guardian dog will be genetically tested at our expense to ensure suitability both for breeding, and for care.  Sometimes this helps us decide who your dog should be bred with, and sometimes it helps us determine proper care and diet to ensure great health.  Your responsibility will be to feed premium PawTree food.  PawTree food has never been recalled and is formulated to be highly nutritious without fillers and additives.  We will select the proper blend of food considering breed and genetic testing.  You will also be required to obedience and crate train your Guardian dog.  This requirement is also a benefit!  Baxter & Bella is an online training program that provides great recorded instruction, live group training, and one on one training as needed.  A well-trained, crate disciplined dog is a blessing to your home and will ensure your Guardian can travel with emotional comfort and stability when it is time to breed or whelp puppies.

​

If you skipped to the bottom, please go back and read thoroughly about our Guardian program.  This is an important part of our mission, as it establishes our puppy culture and ensures the best start for our puppies.  The structure of our program is non-negotiable, so carefully consider if you can fulfill your end of the bargain before applying.  Also, understand, we are a small breeder.  This is a small program.  We will reach out to applicants only when we need a new Guardian home.  So, if you don't hear from me please don't think you've been denied or that we are ignoring you and if you'd like to speak with us about this program or have questions then you can always email us at mcdoodlesTX@gmail.com.