You may have heard the terms guardian home, co-own, or preservation partnership. They can all mean something a little different depending on the breeder. This blog is to explain how my Preservation Partnership works and why I decided to create it.
Why I Created It
When I started breeding, one of my biggest goals was to keep improving my Golden Retriever line with each generation. The obvious answer seemed simple, keep every promising puppy I might want to breed someday.
But realistically, I can’t keep every puppy that’s born.
As tempting as a house full of Goldens sounds, that’s not the kind of breeding program I want. I want to keep my program small enough that I truly know each dog as an individual and so every dog gets the time, attention, and training they deserve.
I also know that no breeder can predict the future. You can spend years researching pedigrees and planning the perfect litter, but you still don’t know exactly how each puppy will mature. That’s just part of responsible breeding.
A Preservation Partnership gives me another option.
Instead of keeping every puppy myself, I can place one with a carefully chosen family while still watching them grow, complete their health testing, and mature into adults. That gives me the opportunity to evaluate more than one puppy before making important breeding decisions, which I believe helps me make better decisions for the future of my breeding program and the Golden Retriever breed.
How Does It Work?
The puppy is first and foremost your dog. She’ll live in your home, go on vacations, sleep on the couch, play with your kids, and become part of your family. That’s exactly what I want for every puppy I raise.
While she’s growing up, we work together as a team. You provide the daily love and care, and I cover the costs related to showing, health testing, and breeding. I’ll also be there to answer questions, help guide you through the process, and communicate well in advance of any future plans.
During that time, we’ll be co-owners. To me, co-ownership means working together as a team with the same goal of helping improve the breed while giving each and every Golden the best life possible. It’s a partnership built on communication, trust, and doing what’s best for the dog. Once our partnership is complete, I’ll happily transfer full ownership to you.
If she passes all of her health testing and grows into a wonderful example of the breed, she may have a small number of carefully planned litters. She’ll stay with me during breeding and while raising her puppies, then return home to you.
Do You Offer This Often?
No. Preservation Partnerships are rare in my program. I only consider them when I feel I have an exceptional puppy and have found the right family.
At the end of the day, this program isn’t about having more breeding dogs. It’s about making thoughtful breeding decisions while keeping my program small and personal.
If you have questions about my Preservation Partnership Program, I’d love to visit with you.
