Breeder Caretaker Selection Process
Proven Practices – Utilize our tried and true practices when caring for the puppies and keep records to track success and development.
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To be considered for this role, candidates must:
- Complete all required Assistance Dogs paperwork, including the Volunteer Agreement
- Complete the Breeder Caretaker Application
- Sign the Breeder Caretaker Contract
Once the paperwork is completed the Breeding Coordinator will meet with the candidate and review their application. If this role looks like a fit with the individual a home visit will be set up. Final selection of a prospective Breeder Caretaker is the responsibility of the Breeding Coordinator. Priority will be given to prospective Breeder Caretakers willing to whelp litters in their home (female dogs).
Applicates may have up to 2 pet dogs in their household. There will be a home visit to make sure the breeding dog is comfortable with the other dogs. The Breeder Caretaker needs to be prepared for these dogs to move outside the household for a period of time while the litter is in the house. How long will be determined by the Breeding Coordinator.
General Responsibilities for Breeder Caretakers
The primary purpose of this role is the care and well-being of an Assistance Dogs breeder dog for an extended period of time.
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The Breeder Caretaker will follow the guidelines in the Assistance Dogs Breeding and Pregnancy manual. They will keep the dog current on vaccines, preventative medications and health/reproduction tests (e.g., annual eye exams) as directed by Assistance Dogs. In addition, the Breeder Caretaker will report any incidents of inappropriate behavior (e.g., aggression, fearfulness, or uncontrollability) to Assistance Dogs immediately. Equally important is reporting any medical problems, especially something like a seizure, allergies, etc. It is critical the dog maintains a proper weight as directed by Assistance Dogs staff. Breeder Caretakers are also responsible for maintaining all training, behaviors and skills and following all Assistance Dogs training protocols. This includes the Assistance Dogs house manner rules–not sleeping on bed, not up on furniture etc.
In general, we would not recommend having two breeders in the same home, but the staff will determine if there is an appropriate exception. There may be an occasion when a breeder is temporarily sent to another program and the Breeder Caretaker is asked if they can whelp another breeder such as a visiting dog from another program or special circumstances. But this will be the exception not the rule. The dog is a Service Dog In Training dog until it is placed as a service dog or it retires from breeding.
Dam Breeder Caretaker – not whelping liters
Once a Breeder Caretaker is selected and they do not wish to whelp litters in their home, they will agree to the following:
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- Taking the Dam to a specific vet or our facility to get a progesterone sample. This will be every 2-3 days for 1-2 weeks.
- Follow the Breeding/Pregnancy Care guidelines – feeding, medications, exercise, exposures, taking heat cycle samples, and measurements.
- The dam will move to the whelping home 2-4 weeks prior to projected whelping day.
- If the Dam is moving to another service dog program, the Breeding Coordinator or assigned staff member will coordinate that move with the Breeding Caretaker and the other program. In some cases, the Breeder Caretaker will transport the dam to the other program. This could out of state. Transport can also be arranged by the Volunteer Coordinator with another Assistance Dogs volunteer. Approved expenses will be reimbursed (hotel, car mileage and reasonable food costs see Appendix 1. Mileage reimbursement form and Appendix 2. Assistance Dogs volunteer expense report)
- If the dam is whelping locally, the Breeder Caretaker may be invited to the whelp. The Breeding Coordinator will determine the list of people attending the whelp.
Dam Breeder Caretaker – whelping a litter
Two weeks before the whelp the Breeder Caretaker will set up the whelping pen so the dam can get used to the area. Supplies will be provided by Assistance Dogs. Follow the Breeding/Pregnancy Care guidelines – feeding, medications, exercise, exposures, taking heat cycle samples, and measurements.
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If there are pets in the home, they may need to move out of the house for a period of time to be determined by the Breeding Coordinator. This is dependent on the temperament of the Dam, the ability to move the pet away from the whelping area within the house and temperament of the pet dog.
There may be situations where the dog is moved to another ADI program or host home for breeding and/or whelping even though the breeder caretaker is whiling to whelp litters in their home. This will be decided by the Breeding Coordinator. This can occur when the stud dog is located at another program some distance away and the semen cannot be shipped. Also, when Assistance Dogs needs to conserve resources ex. if 2 or more dogs will deliver close in time.
To remain in these roles, caretakers must:
- Provide all documentation, breeding/heat logs, in a timely manner
- Follow all Assistance Dogs training protocols
Dam Breeder Career
Dam Selection Process
A prospective female dog will be reviewed between 12-15 months of age. Selection of a breeder is based on temperament, medical/health clearances and structure. If the dog is part of the Assistance Dog International(ADI) breeding cooperative known as the ABC Breeding Cooperative, the assessment will be done by the ABC Co-op panel with input from Assistance Dogs staff.
Dam Public Access
Once selected as a breeder, a female will continue to have limited public access. It is important to keep up the dog’s skills needed if she went to another program for a litter including, but not limited to, house manners. Full public access is not necessary because she will not likely be placed as a working dog. But keeping the dog fit between pregnancies is very important. The Breeding Coordinator will talk through appropriate ways to do this.
Access will be limited to home, neighborhood and if determined appropriate, a work place. The breeder caretaker should not take a breeder dog to public places like restaurants, grocery stores. A female breeder is
Length of Career and Retirement
A dam may produce 3-4 litters. The number of litters is determined by the Breeding Coordinator. A dam could be in a breeder caretaker home for more than 2 years as a breeder. At the end of that time, the dog will be retired. The Breeder Caretaker will have the first right of refusal for full adoption with no adoption fee. If the breeder caretaker decides not to adopt the dog the Director, Volunteer Coordinator and Breeding Coordinator will determine the appropriate future home.
