Breeder Caretakers

As part of its breeding program, NEADS partners with volunteers to host our breeder dogs in their homes, then return the dogs to campus when needed for breeding and whelping. Breeder dogs are treated much like a pet and be kept safe and happy in the home.

Are You Ready?

It is important to note that in addition to transporting the dog to campus for breeding and whelping, you will need to:

• Care for the NEADS dog 24/7
• Provide a safe, healthy and loving environment for the dog
• Bring the NEADS dog to the vet once a month to be weighed and send the form to NEADS
• Bring the dog to NEADS to get a medical check, pick up food, and preventative medication every 3 months

Other Things to Consider:

• Breeder dogs will have no public access rights and are never allowed off leash.
• Caretakers will follow NEADS procedures for medical treatment, food type, and food amounts.
• NEADS will cover the expenses for all medical and food costs.
• There is a small possibility that a breeder dog could re-enter a facility to continue their Service Dog training and be matched with a client.
• If the Caretaker has the breeder dog for more than 6 months, the Caretaker will have the first right of refusal for adoption once the dog is retired

Pet Policy

Owning a pet does not exclude you from Breeder Caretaker consideration, but:

• • all dogs in the home must be spayed or neutered (no intact pet dogs)
  • all dogs in the home must be owned for more than one year
  • All dogs in the home are required to be up to date on DAPP, Bordetella, Leptospirosis and Rabies vaccinations and regularly receive flea/tick preventative and heartworm preventative.

For Caretakers for a Female Dog

• If you are a Caretaker for a female dog, you must bring her back to campus within 3 days from when she goes into heat.
• When she becomes pregnant, she must be in quarantine 3 weeks prior to her due date. Quarantine means the breeder dog should remain at home and in your yard, avoiding dog-heavy areas like trails, dog parks, and pet stores.
• Additionally, during quarantine, the breeder dog should only interact with household dogs, and household dogs must avoid dog-heavy areas as well.
• 1 week prior to the due date, she will return to NEADS and remain on campus for 6-8 weeks.
• Visitation – the Caretaker will be allowed to visit the litter on campus two times, when the litter is 3-7 weeks of age.

For Caretakers for a Male Dog

• It is the Caretaker’s responsibility to bring the male back to NEADS if he is needed for breeding. The male will stay on campus for 2-4 days and then will return to the Caretaker’s home.
• Visitation -the Caretaker will be allowed to visit the litter on campus one time IF the litter the stud has sired is a NEADS litter. It’s common for studs to sire litters at other service and guide dog organizations and visitation may not be possible. When this happens, NEADS will make an effort to share photos and updates on the litter.