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Answers
Do I own my AZG breeder?
Not yet! These dogs remain the property of AZG until they are officially retired and adopted. For females, this means sometime around the age of 3 to 7 years. For males, it can be as late as 10-12 years, depending on our needs. When Breeders are retired, AZG staff will work with you to determine if it's viable to offer the breeder to the family of someone with special needs. However, breeder Caregivers always get first option to adopt retired breeders unless the dog is under 3 years of age then it will be evaluated as a potential service dog first or if the puppy was obtain from an outside breeder that has a conflicting contract.
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Can I take this dog into the obedience or show ring?
Nothing would make us happier! We're sticklers for use of using AZG -approved training and handling methods (gentle, gentle, gentle!), and AZG breeding requirements always take precedence over training and showing. Our golden retrievers are all top quality AKC-registered stock, and all of our dogs get very excited when it's time to train. Talk to us if you're interested in showing our dogs so we can agree upon an appropriate training program.
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Can I run my AZG dog in agility?
Probably - as long as you have demonstrated a clear ability to control the dog off leash and you are using safe and appropriate methods of handling the dog. Remember, these dogs are fertile and agility is an off-leash game, so if the dog isn't responding to you, things can get difficult. Get clearance from an AZG representative before beginning an agility program. Of course, expectant females are grounded during their 'confinement'.
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Can I take my dog to obedience classes?
Generally, yes - it's a good idea. However, AZG reserves the right to assess the training program and insist on modifications of the protocols if we feel they are inappropriate to our values, the temperament of your AZG breeder or the history of your dog's training. Ask us!
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Can I train and work my AZG dog as a therapy dog?
Absolutely - though not every dog is cut out for this work. Again, we reserve the right to approve any training methods and to be present if you have your dog tested for certification. But all in all, we love this idea for our breeders!
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Who pays expenses for the dog?
AZG pays for OFA Hips and/or PennHip X-rays, CERF eye exams, OFA heart and thyroid exams at approved vets only! Upon retirement, AZG will have the dog spayed or neutered. We ask volunteers to pay for food, general care vet bills (vaccination, heartworm, flea/ tick preventives, yearly heartworm and fecal tests, etc.) and other miscellaneous needs (toys, approved training equipment, etc.)
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What do you mean 'indoor dog'? Does this mean I can't leave my dog in the yard during the day?
AZG dogs are raised as service dog puppies and are accustomed to being in close company with their humans. As such, they are accustomed to living and sleeping in the house, taking rides in the car and going all sorts of places. Your AZG breeder will want to sleep near you and hang out where the family hangs out. Moreover, these dogs are fertile, and fertile dogs have amazing resourcefulness when it comes to reproductive opportunities. So, your AZG breeder may not be left in the yard when you are not at home, overnight, etc. Approved outdoor dog runs may be used during part of the day (on concrete pad, chain-link with roofs and appropriate shelter, supply fresh water), during good weather and when you are home.
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Can I take my breeder to work/school/shops/etc with me?
Yes, we encourage continued training and socialization, because breeder are sometimes career change to service dogs for people with a disability and will need to be proficient with all commands and comfortable in all situations. AZG Breeder act as ambassadors for AZG as well as all service dogs when out in public. As an ambassador it is vital that all AZG dogs reflect a high standard of manners as well as being proficient in their skills as a service dog.
But once a breeder dog is retired from all AZG programs, they lose their access rights and become well behaved house pets. Occasionally a puppy may be place on public outing restrictions, for example female dogs in estrus will not be allowed to be taken out of the home unless going to the vets or with an AZG staff member. Another example is if a breeder is working through a behavior issue they may only be allowed to come to AZG meetings and training sessions.
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Can I have a AZG breeder if I have another dog?
Maybe - depends on the dogs. All pet dogs will be evaluated by AZG staff to ensure that they are non-aggressive and friendly toward other dogs. You will be asked to provide vaccination records for your pets as well. AZG staff members make decisions about which dogs can be housed with other dogs on a case-by-case basis, as our experience dictates. Breeders are usually not placed in a home with a dog under 9 months of age; or with a dog that has not been spayed or neutered. But all placements are done on case-by-case bases, so some approved homes maybe allowed to have two intacked dogs and/or younger dogs in the same household. If that is the case, those approved homes will be monitored closely and may have additional protocols to follow. All placements are subject to change. AZG staff members will be candid with you about the best type of home for each of our breeders.
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What are the approved training methods?
AZG dogs are trained with positive reinforcement - praise, affection, play and treats. We use a similar method to clicker training for initial behavior shaping (taught at AZG training classes), and we also use conventional rewards-based methods as dogs increase their mastery of new skills. We never allow our dogs to be struck, yelled at, ear-pinched or placed in electronic shock collars. Our dogs are selected in large measure on their responsiveness and trainability. We expect our dogs to have good manners at home and in public. All AZG volunteers are taught appropriate training and handling methods before receiving their dogs and at on-going training meetings are required to be attended by breeder Caregivers. The use of any unapproved methods is grounds for removal of our dog(s) from the volunteer's home with or with out prior notice.
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Can I teach my dogs tricks?
Generally, yes - and your AZG dog will love you for it. Our dogs are bright, and training is mentally stimulating for them. They are used to lots of mental exercise, so tricks are great, as long as they are safe and don't 'ruin' the dog. For example, you're not allowed to teach AZG dog(s) to play dead by making a loud noise. When your dog is working a car may backfire and your dog would stop working and play dead suddenly, this could endanger both the dog and his human disabled partner. Dogs also tend to get fixated on tricks that get them positive attention, and things that are cute to you may be annoying to those that house the dogs during breeding and whelping. Ask us before you teach our dogs a trick - and we'll share some fun ideas with you as well.
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How often will I have to give up my dog for breeding?
Female dogs need to remain familiar with the AZG staff members who will house them during whelping (birth and early puppy rearing) so they don't get overly nervous with a litter of pups. Females will spend one week out of ever six (or so) in their approved whelping home. Females also go to AZG staff members or approved kennels/homes during the entire estrus season (28 days) to avoid unintentional breedings - for most dogs, this occurs about every 6 months. We generally will not breed a female more than once in every 12 months, and most of our girls will retire after 3 litters (earlier if she's not a good mommy; maybe a 4th litter if we just love her pups and there are no health concern). When a female is expecting, she'll be moved to her whelping home approximately 2 weeks before her due date, and she'll stay there until her puppies are 6-8 weeks of age.
On a case-to-case base, some of our breeder Caregivers can be approved to house the female during their estrus cycle and whelping period. If you are approved, there will be extra training involved for the Caregiver. If you are approved to whelp a litter at your home, you have to be willing to follow all the guide lines, including documenting your training time with each puppy. In addition, you will need to be open and corporative with allowing an AZG staff member in your home so they can work with and monitor the puppies and the mother on a daily bases.
Male dogs may also be sent to AZG staff every 6-8 weeks for several days to remain comfortable and confident in the places they will need to perform. Generally, males 'honeymoon' with the chosen females for a period of 3 to 7 days when scheduled for breeding. Since females are bred on days 11-17 of their estrus cycle, you'll usually know 6-10 days in advance that we will in need of your stud dog, but not always will you have much advance notice, so you need to be flexible. In the initial generations of our breeding program, male dogs will likely be called on only once or twice a year (but some might be called on more often). In later generations, certain males may be used more frequently for breeding.
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What if I'm out of town when you need my AZG breeder?
AZG wants to know when you'll be out of town, and we will try whenever possible to assist you with location of an approved 'puppy-sitter' within our volunteer community. This ensures that our dogs continue to receive quality care and handling while you are away, as well as giving us access to the dogs as needed. If a qualified puppy-sitter can't be located, you may elect to leave your dog at an AZG -approved boarding kennel at your expense.
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If I have a female breeder, will she have her puppies in my home?
Most likely not. It's amazing how much of a dog's future capabilities and temperament are set in their first 16 weeks of life, and we manage this time of our puppies' lives very, very carefully. If managed correctly, young puppies develop a balanced level of confidence, high trainability, and built-in neurological abilities to respond to strange or startling situations, an orientation toward people, a propensity for easy house-breaking and good house manners, and a friendly non-aggressive demeanor. As such, all AZG pups undergo a special 'early childhood development' program that helps fully develop their brains, methodically socialize them to people, places and animals, and engender a love of training and working with a human partner. As we grow, we may select a couple of experienced breeder Caregivers to train in the puppy development program.
At this time, however, all AZG pups are born and initially raised under the watchful eye of our veterinary advisors, and AZG staff members unless approved otherwise.
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If I raise a AZG puppy and it's chosen for the breeding program, can I be its breeder Caregiver?
Possibly, but it's not guaranteed. The roles of puppy raiser and breeder Caregiver are quite different, and different selection criteria are used in choosing appropriate homes for pups and breeders. Puppy raisers may apply to become a breeder Caregiver when their pup is grown. The suitability of the home environment, the mature temperament of the dog, its relationship with the host family, and the relationship between the volunteer and AZG staff along with the puppy raiser meeting attendance record all factor into the decision.
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Can I have a AZG breeder and also be a Puppy Raiser?
On occasion but generally, no. The pups that we raise are being evaluated not only for workability but also for potential as future breeders. We don't place puppies in homes with other intact (not spayed/neutered) dogs, so that will rule out most of these scenarios. We would never, never raise a puppy in the same home as its mom- even if mom is being spayed after that litter.
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There are several references given to possible removal of a breeder from a volunteer home. What would cause this?
Our breeders are the most important asset in our business, and we are just plain picky about how well they are cared for and whether their physical, mental and emotional needs are being met. Though these dogs currently do not serve people with disabilities, they must be healthy and confident enough to produce dogs that will - and their handling can make a huge difference in the temperament of puppies. Besides, many of our breeders were whelped or raised by AZG staff and we just plain love them! Any sign that our dogs are being handled or trained with unapproved methods, are not being exercised or groomed regularly, or are being neglected in any way is grounds for immediate removal. In addition, the relationship between the Breeder Caregiver family and AZG staff and volunteers must remain friendly, cooperative and easy to manage. These dogs ARE our business, and their happiness and health is our highest priority.
You also as a breeder Caregiver must follow all AZG guidelines and rules. That includes attending training meetings on regular bases (minimum 2 out of every 3 meetings a month for breeders up to 3 years of age and 1 out of 3 meetings a month for dogs over 3 years of age).
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How will you know if a dog isn't being kept according to AZG standards?
Nothing easier -- the dogs tell us! All dogs evaluated for breeding live with AZG staff members for a time before final selection and placement with a Breeder Caregiver. We know them and have good relationships with them, making it easy to spot the tell-tale signs of neglect or abuse. For the most part, however, our volunteers are amazingly good people, and if they can't keep a dog according to the standards, they step up and ask for help or have us re-home the dog. In addition, we reserve the right to drop in for an inspection or to request a special evaluation of our breeders and their Caregiver's homes at any time.
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If this dog is going to be with me for the long term, why do we have to stick to all these rules?
Remember that breeders are frequently moved around as part of their work. As such, their behavior in their whelping and staff homes has to be acceptable to those people too - not just the volunteer family. For example, some people don't mind a dog on the couch or bed, but it's strictly a no-no in other homes. The breeders must not develop habits that make it unpleasant for the other people they will sometimes live with. In addition, these dogs must remain easy to handle, well behaved in public, comfortable being kenneled or crated, etc. Although these dogs behave as family pets the majority of the time, they are still working dogs owned and managed by Arizona Goldens LLC and must stay 'tuned-up' for their task. Occasionally our breeders are career changed and placed with a disabled individual and will need to have mastered their skills as a service dog.
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What are the minimum day-to-day responsibilities of Breeder Caregivers?
All in all, you need to plan for a minimum of one hour a day to care for your AZG breeder. Your AZG dog needs to be fed twice a day. Exercise is critical for our breeders - a minimum 30 minute walk, game of controlled retrieving or vigorous play is critical. Our dogs are not permitted to attend their humans on bike rides or runs longer then 4 miles- though great exercise, it can result in repetitive stress injuries for the dogs. Dogs need to be brushed and 'handled' each day - we'll teach you how to make sure your AZG dog doesn't mind being touched by the vet, whelping manager, etc. A quick 5-minute obedience session before breakfast and/or dinner will help your dog remember the basic Sit/Down/Stay/Come commands but you should also work on other commands daily like "Get It", "Bring", "Light", "Tug", etc. A few minutes of play and snuggling in the evening are a good idea. Puppy Handling is a great relaxing way for both human and pup to bond.
When no one is home, the dog may be left in a crate, AZG-approved dog run, confined in a particular room, or lose in the house (by the time they are placed with breeder Caregiver, most breeders can be alone in the house for at least 2 hours (unless instructed otherwise). Your dog may not be left in the yard or garage when you are out. For at least the first 2 months you have your AZG breeder, they may not be left alone with your other pet dogs -some dogs, may never be able to be left alone with another dog or out lose in your home.
On a weekly basis, AZG dogs must have their nails clipped (every other week), ears cleaned (weekly) and teeth brushed (daily). Again, we'll show you how. This takes 20-35 minutes each week. If you decide to take the breeder to a groomer, then breeder Caregiver is responsible for all payment.
Your dog should have interaction with other healthy dogs and humans outside your home on a weekly basis. This might mean a trip to the store or walk around the neighborhood. NO DOG PARKS ALLOWED, NO EXCEPTION! Another great experience is taking your dog with you when you visit friends who own nice, vaccinated dogs. This is critical to making sure your dog remains confident around others and meeting their social and mental needs. We recommend taking the breeder to a new place once a week to keep up their ability to handle new places.
AZG dogs must also remain comfortable with confinement. Your breeder must spend an average of 2 waking hours every other day in his/her crate (with the door latched). When doing kennel/crate practice vary time in the crate between times you are at home and times you are away from home. It is important a service dog is content to be kennel both while people are home as well as when no one is home. AZG staff will train you on maintaining crate training. Crate training is required. All crates must have doors on them, be secure, in good working shape, and kept clean for the dog.
Attendance of a minimum 2 out of every 3 meetings a month is required for breeders up to 3 years of age and 1 out of 3 meetings a month for dogs over 3 years of age. This allows us to keep working on your dog handling skills and continue to evaluate the health and temperament of our dogs as they age. These meetings are a requirement, and we may re-home a dog if this requirement is consistently disregarded, attendance is being taken!
Every 2-3 months, your AZG breeder will be scheduled to visit their whelping/breeding home for a few days. We try to be accommodating with the schedule, but we move a lot of dogs and puppies in and out of our homes, and we can't always get all the stars aligned to everyone's ideal situation. We do our best and ask for your flexibility and cooperation.
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Are there other unscheduled requirements?
Yes. You'll be given plenty of notice when your AZG breeder is scheduled for veterinary care (shots, etc.), and we ask you to manage getting them in on time. All dogs are required to get DHPP and Rabies every 3 years after there 1 year booster. They are also required to get bordetella and leptos vaccinations yearly and highly recommend to get rattlesnake vaccination. You also must do yearly heartworm checks and fecal exams on the breeder no matter what the age of the dog. If the vet recommends a dental to be done on the dogs please notify AZG, and if we concur with the vet you must schedule a dental within a year of that exam. If the breeder is over 4 years of age a basic pre-op blood work is required to be preformed before any dental. IV catheters are required to be place prior to any breeder going under anesthesia no matter the age for safety reasons. All above expenses are to be paid by breeder Caregivers.
Every time you take a breeder to the vets, even for vaccination we require the vet to fill out a vet report form, those forms most be mailed or faxed to AZG within 24 hours after the visit. These forms help us with their records, so please send AZG a note if you also have to get any medication refilled.
Occasionally, we may ask to borrow your dog (and you!) for publicity events ranging from fund-raising to press interviews to meet-and-greet parties.
Beyond that, the breeding schedule is managed by Mother Nature (and she's not known for a great deal of flexibility). When she calls, we answer. That's the heart of our business, and the one non-negotiable schedule requirement for our breeders and Breeder Caregivers.
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What if my dog.. uh.. engages in unapproved .. uh .. breeding activities?
First of all, this is a great big, humungous No-No - and it's the humans that are responsible for making sure it doesn't happen. In addition to really messing up our breeding plan and compromising our commitments to those expecting our pups, dogs can spread venereal diseases and you could end up being responsible for the loss of a very expensive asset - or even the whole fleet of dogs if we don't know what's happened.
Managing a fertile dog is the most critical part of your volunteer training. As part of your application process, we'll conduct a thorough evaluation of your home and yard to ensure that it is a safe environment to house an intact dog. We'll minimize the risk to our females by teaching you how to detect the onset of estrus, and we'll move females to approved boarding kennels or AZG staff homes during this time, if needed.
Male breeders must not be left unattended in the yard or let off leash in an unfenced area -- EVER. Restraining even the most docile male dog in the presence of a female in season is a monumental task, and you just never know who's going to walk their girl dog down the street or across the park without a clue that she's in season. Males - and females in season - are known to jump a 5 or 8 foot fence, dig under anything, and climb a tree or worse (brake in through screen doors) when inspired by the presence of an enticing match. You would be amazed how many people don't know when their females are in season.
If your dog engages with another dog and you catch it in the first second, grab your dog and get it out of there. If the male dog is fully engaged, you will not be able to stop the mating without hurting one or both dogs. Forget the hose. Forget yelling at the dog. Stay there. Get your dog away the moment they disengage. Then go directly home and call your AZG volunteer supervisor immediately. That's immediately!
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I have a friend who would like to breed their female with my AZG male. Is that ok?
Absolutely Not!!! AZG dogs and their genetic, uh, 'material' are the sole property of Arizona Goldens LLC. We don't share. On a very select basis, we may contract our males as stud dogs, but only after we have carefully reviewed the health history of the females and are confident of the health and temperament of the bitch and the intentions of the breeder. Again, our breeders are our most important business asset. Protecting them is the first commitment of our volunteer breeder Caregivers, and that means absolutely no unauthorized breedings. Dogs can carry sexually transmittable diseases. Moreover, as breeders, we have a strong obligation to ensure that we are breeding only dogs that are needed, only with good genetic stock, and only in a safe and humane environment. (Did I say 'no' in enough ways here?)
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When my AZG breeder is retired, why do you spay/neuter them? Can I adopt them intact?
All AZG retirees are spayed or neutered. AZG has very strict breeding practices. We do not believe in pushing females to have too many litters - it can be detrimental to their health and temperament. So we don't leave our girls intact when their work is done, lest someone else decide they can give one more round. Bitches and stud dogs are retired or career changed if we are not getting the kind of pups we want from them, if they develop health or temperament issues that may be heritable, or if we have as much genetic contribution as we need from them. If these cases, we don't really want anyone else producing their pups either.
On very rare occasions, we may offer stud dogs for sale when we have as much of their genetic contribution as we want. However, our dogs will only be sold to breeders we know with a proven record of making healthy decisions about breeding and caring for dogs and puppies . . . and you don't find these on every street corner.
So, no, it's really, really unlikely that your retired breeder will be adopted without spaying/neutering.
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What if something changes or this doesn't work out for me and I can't keep my AZG breeder?
Not a problem. We'll re-home your dog no questions asked. In fact, we'd rather have you voluntarily tell us you don't have time or don't like the dog than see their health and spirits deteriorate. In our book, it's honorable to tell us you can't fulfill your commitment, but it's dishonorable to not keep your commitment and not give us the chance to do right by the dog. We do require that when you return the breeder, that you provide a copy of their veterinary history.
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If my AZG breeder retires, do I have to adopt it?
Absolutely not. Some Breeder Caregivers elect to keep their AZG dog as a pet. Others want a break, want to raise a AZG service puppy or want another active breeder. We keep a pretty healthy list of people who want to adopt a nice, healthy, well-raised dog for their family or as a companion for kids with special needs, and we'll gladly and gently re-home our breeders when the time comes.
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Is all this moving around, trading, and re-homing hard on the dogs?
No. Not doing it is hard on the dogs! From their first days, these dogs learn to move into a new home, form a quick bond with the humans there and settle in. Our puppies are traded frequently as early as 3 months of age to cultivate this critical social skill. It prevents them from becoming overly stressed when moved around for breeding, being moved into a formal service dog training school, or when their host family goes on vacation and needs to leave them behind. The dogs that have the hardest time with such changes are dogs that never get out of the home to go the park, stores or visit other people and dogs in their homes and dogs that stop being traded and handled by others. So we start our dogs out with this skill and make sure our volunteers maintain it specifically to reduce stress for our dogs.
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Why does my AZG breeder need to keep up his/her crate training?
Crates are wonderful things, if they are used properly and the dog is thoughtfully conditioned to them. They can provide a quiet, safe haven for your dog and protect it from things in the environment that could present risks. They also provide the safest way to transport dogs over any distance and can be critical in the prevention of unintended breedings. Some dogs going into a new environment will go through a few days of 'exploring' and trying out new behaviors that you'd never see in their primary home. A crate makes sure your dog doesn't get into trouble, develop bad habits, or get into something that could be dangerous to them. I never allow a dog that's new in my home to be home alone - or home alone with my pet dog - unless it's in a crate.
Your AZG dog was raised with the crate being a natural part of its life. We make sure dogs love their crates by giving them favored approved toys, approved bones, or food in the crate - doing all we can to teach them to enjoy their own little 'cave'. You only need to maintain that skill to ensure that your AZG dog is comfortable being crated when it's in a trade, breeding or whelping home. A couple hours every day or two will do the trick, and you're welcome to spoil your dog at this time by giving approved treats or toys or feeding it in the crate.
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What do you mean "approved treats & toys"? Are some not approved?
There are lots of things people give dogs that are just not good for them - plenty of them available at your favorite pet supply store. Our dogs are worth a lot and we love every one of them, so we don't want them getting hurt. String-based rope toys, if ingested, can cause a fatal bowel obstruction. Inexpensive plastic or stuffed toys can, likewise, shred and clog or cut a dog's intestines. Tennis balls can collapse and block a dog's windpipe, suffocating it while you helplessly grasp for something you can't possibly get hold of. Chocolate, caffeine, grapes and raisins are highly toxic to dogs. Give a dog people food, and you'll teach it to beg, sneak, counter-surf and steal. Play tug with an old sock or t-shirt and you'll teach a dog to chew up your dirty laundry. Dogs love to chase balloons, but just like babies, they can break and get bits of latex stuck in their windpipes and/or intestines with fatal results. So, yes, we're picky about what our dogs get.
AZG dogs may only be given approved toys - those that we know are tough enough to handle chewing in your dog's greatest moment of stress. Some things can be used as toys if you are actively playing with your dog, but they can't be left around for the dog to selectively play with on its own. We like the old reliable - "Kongs", durable "Nylabones" (not the flexible ones), jolly balls, buster cubes. For some dogs on some occasions, we'll recommend stuffing Kongs or beef bones with kibble, canned dog food, dog treats, ice or occasionally peanut butter or bits of hot dog. A rope toy or empty milk jug for supervised interactive play is ok, unless you've got a hearty chewer. Compressed rawhide toys are only for supervised play and only for dogs that do not get huge chucks off. The only other type of rawhide you could give them besides large compressed rawhides are the CET chews that you can get from your vet. Pig feet, pig ears, cow ears or hoofs are prohibited!!!
We like healthy low-fat, low sodium treats. It's not ok to share your popcorn or potato chips or French fries with your AZG dog - they love it, just like the love the terribly toxic bar of dark chocolate - it's just not good for them. Most of the golden retrievers will work for a piece of kibble or a nature balance treat. Ask us for favorites of our dogs and trainers. In general, anything you would eat is off limits to AZG dogs, with the occasional exception of peanut butter or carrots are healthy treat.
If you're worried about your dog being bored, ask your AZG contact for ideas. We've got lots of them!
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How do you select your breeding stock?
All of our breeders undergo the classic service dog puppy raising experience. For 12-20 months, as we guide their development, we evaluate them for health, trainability, personality, energy level, confidence, ability to handle novel situations, bonding with people and ease of handling. If we like the temperament we see and the pup has shown itself to be healthy in general, we begin more extensive testing at about 12 to 24 months, including CERF eye tests and OFA testing for hip and elbow dysphasia. Only those dogs that meet the highest standards for health, temperament and trainability are considered for breeding, no matter the effect to our breeding plan. A dog with perfect health and temperament can have a face only a mother would love and make it into our breeding pool. Looks only play a role after all the other criteria are met.
Beyond that, the next layer of selection is based on what characteristics we need to enhance or maintain in our dogs. We like our dogs to be compact, so they fit under a theatre or airplane seat, but not so flight in frame that they can't offer balance support to people who need assistance standing or going up steps.
All of our pure-bred foundation stock was selected after careful review of the dog's pedigree and the breeders' practices. Our dogs come from long lines of healthy, well-bred dogs, many of them with championship titles. All are AKC-certified.
As a rule, we don't breed for cosmetic reasons - color or other particular physical/fashion attributes. Our dogs have a higher mission. Not that we don't want good looking dogs - it's just not anywhere near the same priority as health and temperament.
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Why does it take so long to get a breeder assigned to me?
As a rule, you should expect a training and evaluation period of 2-12 months before your breeder is officially assigned. During the first part of this time, you're asked to attend regular training meetings and begin working with the dogs. There is a lot to learn before you get a dog into your home. You need to know the 'rules' of handling and caring for our dogs, develop and demonstrate the proper skills for the task, and we need to get to know each other. In addition, we will perform a home assessment, meeting with your entire family, and may conduct background and reference checks based on your application.
Once you are approved as a AZG Breeder Caregiver, we highly recommend that you puppy-sit a few times before we assign a dog. It gives you a series of short trial periods to make sure an AZG dog and the requirements of being a Breeder Caregiver really fit into your life. If you aren't happy, our dog isn't happy, and that's not to anyone's advantage.
You'll have at least one puppy-sitting session with the breeder we intend to assign to you, after which we'll evaluate the dog's response to you and your response to the dog. Just like not all people live happily together, the personality match between dogs and humans can be a go or no-go deal. If the match isn't good, we'll wait-list you for another dog that better fits your style.
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