SUGAR PAWS HEAVENLY SHIH TZUS - Guardian Home Program
What This Agreement Means - In Plain English
Thank you for being a guardian home! This page explains the formal contract in simple terms. The formal
contract is the legal version.
How It Works
I, Margie Howe, remain the legal owner of the dog while he/she lives with you as a loved family pet. You provide
daily love and care. The dog is part of my breeding program. Any puppies or semen are my sole property.
What I Will Do
- Give you feeding and preventative care guidelines.
- Help choose the vet — both our names will be on the file.
- Pay for all breeding, whelping, and puppy-raising costs.
- Pick up the dog when needed for breeding and return when done.
- For a momma, I will take her 5-7 days before whelping until puppies are weaned, then return her.
- Visit up to 2x per year with notice, plus 1 wellness check per year between 8am-7pm without prior notice.
What You Will Do
- Keep the dog safely contained with fence/leash, especially during heat. Provide exercise, healthy weight,
training, and grooming. No other intact dogs in your home.
- Follow my feeding guidelines and ask before changing food/supplements. You pay for food and routine
non-breeding vet care: vaccines, rabies, fecal tests, and breeder-approved flea/tick/heartworm prevention.
- Use our agreed vet except in emergency. Notify me immediately of illness/injury. You pay those non-breeding
bills and keep me on all records.
- Track heat cycles for females. Give 2 weeks notice before vacations that could affect breeding. Live within 1
hour of me for a female, 2 hours for a male. Keep contact info current.
- Maintain accident/illness insurance unless I waive it in writing.
Visiting Puppies
When your guardian girl has puppies at my house, you are welcome to visit at 3 weeks and 6 weeks old by
appointment.
When The Dog Becomes Fully Yours
When I retire the dog from breeding, I transfer full ownership to you at no cost.
Females: Up to 4 litters before age 7. Each litter must have at least 2 living puppies. If total is less than 12, I
may breed 1 additional time.
Males: Up to age 8.
You will have the dog spayed/neutered at your expense within 30 days of last litter/breeding and then he/she is
fully yours.
If within 3 years I determine the dog cannot be used for breeding, I will offer you the option to purchase for:
$__________ and you will spay/neuter at your expense before purchase.
Really Important Rules
To protect the dog and program, these violations have a financial penalty equal to the value of the dog:
1. Do not spay/neuter without my written permission.
2. Do not allow the dog to breed without my written permission.
3. Do not disappear with the dog or stop communicating.
4. Do not act recklessly that injures the dog so it cannot breed or causes death.
If any rule is broken or the dog is neglected/mistreated, I can take the dog back immediately and the agreement
ends.
If the dog passes away in your care, notify me right away. If cause is unclear, you agree to a necropsy. If death
is due to negligence — including failure to contain/supervise, leaving in a vehicle over 65°F, theft due to lack of
supervision, leaving in sole care of a person under 12, or severe overweight/malnutrition — you agree to pay the value of the dog in the amount of ____________.
