Giving an Emerald Park Border Collie a Family Life While Helping Shape the Future of My Breeding Program

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I am currently looking for a small number of carefully selected Guardian Homes in the Tamworth region for future Emerald Park breeding dogs. Special families may be approved further afield.

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One of the most important things to me as a breeder is that my dogs have the opportunity to live rich, rewarding lives. I do not want to keep increasing the number of dogs living in my own home simply because some may have the potential to contribute to my breeding program in the future.

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A Guardian Home provides another way.

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A carefully selected young dog can grow up as a much-loved member of a family, enjoying everyday life, training, adventures and companionship, while remaining part of my breeding program.

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For the right family and the right dog, I believe it can be a wonderful arrangement.

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What Is a Guardian Home?

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A Guardian Home is a permanent family home for a young Emerald Park Border Collie who I believe may have potential as a future breeding dog.

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The dog lives with their guardian family as a much-loved companion. They are not kept separately or treated differently. They become part of the family and experience the ordinary joys of being a family dog.

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The guardian family provides the day-to-day care, including nutrition, exercise, training, enrichment, grooming, companionship and general wellbeing.

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I remain closely involved in the dog's development and, if the dog ultimately proves suitable for breeding, I retain responsibility for the breeding decisions and arrangements.

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The important distinction is that the dog gets to have a normal family life while I retain the ability to make responsible breeding decisions as they mature.

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Why Do I Use Guardian Homes?

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My breeding program is deliberately small.

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I believe responsible breeding involves being able to give each dog appropriate individual attention and care rather than continually increasing the number of dogs I keep.

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Guardian Homes allow me to keep my breeding program manageable while giving selected dogs the opportunity to live as cherished family companions.

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There is also another important benefit.

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When I select a young dog as a potential future breeding dog, I cannot know everything about that dog at eight weeks, twelve weeks or even six months of age. Development takes time.

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Living in a family home allows me to see how that dog develops physically and behaviourally in everyday life. Their health, structure, temperament, learning, adaptability and overall development can be considered over time.

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Being selected for a Guardian Home therefore does not guarantee that a dog will eventually be bred.

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A dog must continue to meet my health and breeding criteria as they mature. If I determine that a dog is not suitable for my breeding program, their wellbeing comes first.

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What Does Life in a Guardian Home Look Like?

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The most important part of a Guardian Home is actually quite simple.

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The dog gets to be a dog.

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They live with their family. They sleep in the house. They go for walks, learn new things, play, explore, receive affection and become deeply connected to the people who care for them.

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I want my breeding dogs to experience the same quality of life that I want for every Emerald Park Border Collie.

They should have opportunities for appropriate physical activity, mental enrichment, training, social experiences and plenty of rest. They should be included in family life and given the opportunity to develop into confident, capable adult dogs.

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The guardian family becomes an important part of that dog's story.

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At the same time, I remain involved. Regular communication allows me to follow the dog's development, answer questions, provide support and keep informed about their health and behaviour ...... without being invasive.

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What Does the Guardian Family Provide?

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The guardian family provides the dog's everyday life and care.

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You provide a safe and loving home, appropriate food, exercise, training, enrichment, grooming, companionship and routine veterinary care as outlined in the Guardian Home Agreement.

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You also provide something that cannot be bought or outsourced: a relationship.

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I am looking for families who genuinely want to live with a Border Collie and who will take pleasure in raising, training and getting to know their dog.

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You do not need to be a breeder or have breeding experience. What matters far more is that you understand the commitment involved in owning a Border Collie and are prepared to work collaboratively with me throughout the dog's development.

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Communication is an important part of the arrangement. I want guardian families to feel comfortable contacting me, asking questions and sharing information about their dog.

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What Do I Provide?

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There is no purchase price for a dog placed into my Guardian Home Program.

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The specific financial, veterinary and breeding arrangements are explained fully before a guardian family commits to the program and are set out in the Guardian Home Agreement.

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I remain responsible for the breeding decisions and arrangements associated with the dog.

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Where health testing is required to assess the dog's suitability for breeding, I organise this as part of my breeding program. I will also provide ongoing support and remain available to the guardian family as the dog grows and develops.

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My aim is for the arrangement to be clear from the beginning. You should know what I expect from you, what I will provide and what may be involved if your dog eventually enters my breeding program.

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What Happens If the Dog Is Selected for Breeding?

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Being placed in a Guardian Home does not mean that a dog will automatically be bred.

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First, the dog must mature.

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As they develop, I assess the qualities that matter to my breeding program, including health, physical development, structure, temperament and overall suitability.

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If the dog is ultimately selected for breeding, I will discuss the process with the guardian family well in advance.

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Depending on the individual dog and the breeding circumstances, this may involve veterinary appointments, health testing, reproductive management, travel or periods when the dog stays with me.

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These arrangements are an important part of the conversation before entering the program. I want prospective guardian families to understand what they are agreeing to and to feel comfortable with it.

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What Happens When the Dog Retires From Breeding?

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A breeding career is only one part of a dog's life.

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When a dog has completed their breeding career, the arrangements for their retirement are set out in the Guardian Home Agreement.

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My goal is for the dog to continue living a happy and fulfilling life with their family.

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The fact that a dog has contributed to my breeding program does not make them any less of an individual. They remain a dog with their own relationships, preferences, personality and needs, and their welfare remains my priority throughout their life.

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Who Am I Looking For?

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I am looking for families who see a Border Collie as a companion first and who would enjoy being part of something a little different.

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You should have the time and commitment to provide a young Border Collie with an enriched family life, be prepared to continue their training and development, and be comfortable maintaining an ongoing relationship with me.

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Because I need to remain closely involved with the dogs in my breeding program, location is particularly important. At this stage, I am primarily seeking Guardian Homes within the Tamworth region and surrounding areas. There may be some exceptions.

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Most importantly, I am looking for people who value responsible breeding, health, welfare and lifelong commitment.

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Is a Guardian Home Right for You?

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A Guardian Home is not simply a way to obtain a Border Collie without paying the purchase price.

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It is a partnership.

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You have the privilege of raising and loving an Emerald Park dog as part of your family, while I have the responsibility of overseeing their potential future within my breeding program.

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For some families, that arrangement will be exactly what they are looking for.

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For others, owning a puppy outright will be a better fit.

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Neither is better. The important thing is understanding the arrangement before making a commitment.

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Could You Be an Emerald Park Guardian Home?

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If you would love to welcome an Emerald Park Border Collie into your family and would be interested in helping me develop a small, carefully managed breeding program, I would love to hear from you.

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I am not looking to establish a large network of Guardian Homes. My intention is to work with a small number of families where the arrangement is genuinely beneficial for everyone involved, most importantly the dog.

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If you think this could be something you would enjoy, please get in touch and tell me a little about yourself, your family, where you live, your experience with dogs and what you are looking for in a Border Collie.

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I can then explain the program in more detail, and we can determine whether a Guardian Home could be a good fit for your circumstances.

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A different way to welcome an Emerald Park Border Collie into your life.

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A much-loved family dog.

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A carefully considered future breeding dog.

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And a partnership built around putting the dog first.

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