What is a guardianship/ Co-owner program?

A guardianship program is where we place a puppy with a family for little to no price, and a Co-Owner is given a discounted price and particular environmental requirements for both. The rights of each are different. If you are interested in joining the Autumn Breeze family please read all that is below to see if you qualify! Note- we are very selective about our guardianship placement. Even if you apply you are not guaranteed approval.

We currently have 2-3 Swiss Shepherd puppies for next year fall litters 2023 we want to place in Guardianship/ Co-owner homes which are listed on current puppies. If you are interested in this please fill out our GUARDIANSHIP/CO-OWNER Application.

Our Swiss Puppy Co-Owner Placement price is $2500. Note- these puppies are worth $3500-$4500 on average(this includes breeding price).



RESPONSIBILITIES OF GUARDIANSHIP AND CO-OWNERS
THESE ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE TERMS:
PLEASE READ THIS FULL PAGE ALL INFO IS IMPORTANT

You are responsible for keeping the puppy on the high quality food and supplements we send you links to. 

You must be Keeping up with training we send you and keep us updated with the progress.

You absolutely must be socializing your dog consistently with other people, animals and environments(safely and properly).

You must Keep your puppy up to date on shots, heartworm and flea meds.

You are responsible for the fees for OFAs done on the puppy in between 12-24 months old. You need to find a vet that can successfully perform these. In the case that the puppy does not pass these exams, depending on the scores and any possible environmental factors, the dog may be washed from my program. If that is the case then I will write an ownership release contract and the dog is to be spayed/neutered no earlier than 18 months and no later than 24 months old. If everything goes well as planned then the dog will be apart of my program.

For males they cannot be altered and must be supervised to prevent any unwanted pregnancy of other dogs. Males will be used from 20-24 months old and after (once OFAs are done and processed). I expect to retire the male no later than 7 years. We prefer live covers as they are a lot more successful but in the case that AI is necessary you are responsible for any fees associated with collecting and shipping of the AI. For live cover we can negotiate on a location. There will be plenty of notification for any planned breedings as i know every person is busy and life happens.

For females, they cannot be altered and must be keenly supervised to prevent any unwanted matings/pregnancies. Females will be used from 22-24 months of age and after (depending on OFA completion and processing). We prefer to do live covers for our dogs so depending on the male we select we do expect some travel to be involved. If AI is necessary then you will be responsible for any fees associated with this pregnancy. At 4 or 5 weeks we ask that an ultrasound is complete to confirm pregnancy. Once pregnancy is confirmed we will get a place ready for her at our location at 7 weeks. She will birth the puppies with me and we will raise them and place them. Once the female is in my care any fees for her care will become my responsibility. You may schedule to visit her and the puppies at the 4 week mark and after. The female can return home on the 7th week mark. We will clean her up and provide her with dewormer and anything she needs to come home fully healthy as she recovers from birth and raising pups. We expect to plan a litter once a year for 3 to 4 litters, however puppies in the first litter will be assessed and as long as their development goes well we will proceed with the breedings. There may be times where the female is bred back to back every other year if the vet check up prior to her heat is approved. Once our girl is done with her whelping season of life she will be spayed and we will sign a release a contract so that the dog is fully yours and can enjoy her retirement.

FOR GUARDIANSHIP

Guardianship Information: 
You will be placed with a puppy, possibly may be asked to cover vet fees as the only form of payment. The puppy will be sent over on a special contract. The puppy belongs to me and my program so while you are responsible for the development, nourishment, care and growth of the puppy I own the rights of the dog for an extended period of time, until a release contract is signed, as the dog is intended to be apart of my program.

Why do i have to pay for all the breeding bills and travel?
The price of a Swiss puppy is $3500-$4500. If you choose to be a guardian for a puppy that means you are essentially getting a dog upfront for free in the exchange that you invest your time and funding over time for my program, like paying off a loan. In the case the dog is washed from my program you get a greatly discounted dog. However, please see below about compensation for the guardianship program.

COMPENSATION:
For the guardianship program i do not offer compensation until the 2nd litter. The first 3 years will be your job to raise and care for the dog in exchange for little to no fee. Its a big job we know so by the second litter any vet fees associated with her pregnancies and travel for her 2nd litter and after will be compensated once puppies leave. Please make sure to save receipts for those expenses so that you receive the right amount back. On top of your expenses refund, You will receive 0.05 percent of the gross amount each puppy brings which means it grows and shrinks with the price of each puppy and the amount she brings each litter. This also means we deduct the amount we put into each puppy before. This refund and compensation will be given once all puppies are placed, but in the odd chance a puppy or two is not placed for a while we can work around those terms.

Note: If there is any point where you are no longer at a place to care for the dog/puppy we will take back and look for another guardianship placement. If you end up moving farther than is feasible for our program and you are not willing to travel down for the birthing/mating/picking up then here are the conditions: In puppyhood, a return contract will be signed and we will place the puppy with another family. In Adulthood before breeding, a return contract will be signed and we will place that dog with another family. In adulthood after a breeding there are a couple options. The female can stay with me or another family until she is retired. After that point she may return to you when she is spayed to live out her retirement. 

FOR CO-OWNERS

Co-Owner information:
Since you are paying a partial amount for the dog you have partial rights to the dog. The terms to these rights vary from owner to owner as each situation is different.

FOR PET CO-OWNERS:
If you are looking for a lower pet fee so that you may own a Swiss/German and to invest in our program while also being compensated, this is the best option for you.  You are responsible for the fees associated with the upbringing of the dog such as food, supplements, vet bills, any training/ classes you choose to take, and OFAs being completed from 12-24 months. These expenses are required, and the full details of requirement are above and will be in the contract. In the case a dog must be washed from our program you have the option to receive another puppy from another litter in a co-owner placement and we will cover the OFAs of that dog, or you may choose to keep the dog on a new spay/neuter and partial owner release contract(the dog is fully yours). If everything goes as planned then we add the dog to our program.
NOTE: If you are looking to breed in the future this option is not for you. We only sell full rights and Co-owner rights on 'for breeders' terms to established breeders. This dog on Pet Co-Owner terms is only to be placed with families who will be compensated for raising a dog for my program. Once that dog completes its season in my program they will be spayed/neutered and my rights will be released from the dog via contract and no more compensation will be received.

REQUIREMENTS ONCE APPROVED
Keeping the dog intact and being responsible by not allowing any unwanted matings. 
Traveling for planned matings or sending AI for males under special circumstances and bringing females to whelp by 7 weeks at our location is a requirement.
Semen sampling and progesterone testing may be required by us so make sure you can find a vet who can do those.

COMPENSATION
For Male Pet Co-Owners, to start you will be refunded for any travel or vet expenses that are a result of the breeding of a dog in my program. Please gather receipts.
You will receive 0.114 % of the income from each puppy from my program. As a male puppy owner there is a chance i will use this male for several females a year. In the case that another breeder wants to use the male in their program you will receive 0.70 % of the stud fee. 

For a Female Pet Co-Owner, to start you will be refunded for any travel or vet expenses that are a result of the breeding of a dog in my program. Please gather receipts.
You will receive 0.17 % of the income of each puppy. Since there is the likely hood of only one breeding per year for 4 years i think this is a fair.

NOTE: Payments and refunds will not be given until after puppies have sold and left. In the case that a pregnancy did not occur, expenses will not be compensated on that cycle.



GUARDIANSHIP FOR BREEDERS:
If you are an established breeder with good breeding ethics looking to Co-Own/Guardian a dog that is not as financially demanding as full rights but we both reap benefits, this option is for you. 
The responsibilities are the same for you as adding any dog to your program food, Supplements, vet bills, Training, and OFA exam fees.
 
Once a dog is passed for breeding here are the conditions:

For males: I can use the male for females in my program when ever i need (given there will be plenty of communication given during this process.) For puppies he sires in your program i will receive 0.15% of the income from each puppy sold. In the case that i want a puppy from one litter, if agreed upon i may ask for pick of the litter instead.

For Females: If you would like the responsibility of raising the pups and placing them you have the right to do so. With this option, i reserve the right to pick of the litter, or 0.22% of the income of each puppy.
If i raise the puppies you will receive 0.35% of the income of each puppy sold. You may also decide to pick from the litter or any litter.
Other conditions may apply depending on terms.



REQUIREMENTS FOR GUARDIANSHIP/CO-PET OWNERS:

1.We are looking for individuals who are within 4 hours of us, however we will consider all applicants within a reasonable amount of distance. Other states are acceptable. We are located currently in Rome, Georgia.

2. We are looking for families who are long time dog owners, especially experienced shepherd owners or dogs with some energy. 

3. We are looking for families or individuals who do not plan on moving far or can commit to the conditions above in the chances that they do regardless of move location.

4. We are hoping this will be the dogs lifetime commitment for your family. While for a portion of the dogs life they are expected to be apart of our program, once their job is done they will be released to you for the remainder of their life. While there are benefits to guardianship/co-owning we expect the love and desire to care for the dog to be there even after its retirement from our program.

5. You must have the funds to provide not only basic care for a dog but also emergency situations that may arise. This includes all shot/exam vet visits, Purina Pro Plan Large breed food and daily Nuvet supplements listed given each day and ordered through our breeder code, and the preliminary OFA HD and ED Exam at 12 months of age. They will be reviewed and if all goes as planned we will proceed to add them in our program. We may also ask they be examined again at 20-24 months. Travel fees and vet fees may also be associated with the matings of dogs in our program.

6. EVNIRONMENTAL FACTORS: We would love our dogs to placed with families who have yards for them to play in and fences for them to be secure in.  You must be able to take the time to socialize the puppy placed with you so that they are friendly, and used to other/new environments, being in the car,  getting along with other dogs, and to practice their basic training. They must be leash trained, sit, down, go night night ( go into crates without fuss), potty and crate trained and we would love for them to be call trained. We do not want our dogs to jump on others and to be used to mannered behavior in public/new places. A document in more detail will be provided.

There is a good chance your application may not be approved if you are living in an apartment or tiny spaces or places with lots of stairs.
Environment is expected to effect up to 75% of a dogs OFA scores.
We will carefully place dogs only in the best environments and families.  

. All conditions will be bound by the contract. We expect all parties applying to guardian/Co- own to do their due diligence of reading all the terms and conditions, and inquiring for anything that may be confusing, unclear or possibly unstated. Communication and meeting all our requirements and expectations, which are clearly communicated and reasonably attainable,  are a must and if are not met may result in the removal of the dog from your household and the contract will be voided due to breach of contract. We may and will consider proceeding legal action in some situations of breach of contract, however this is not something we would do without necessity.