Here at Oregon Bernese I have guardian homes which give my dogs their own loving families who they live with other than when they come to have their puppies here in our cozy puppy nursery. When the dog retires, they stay permanently with their guardian family. This gives families who may not otherwise be able to find or afford a great quality & well-trained dog a chance to welcome one into their family at no cost to them in exchange for the dog staying with the breeder for 5-6 weeks to have each litter of puppies. Families get to visit the mom & puppies & choose the names the puppies. When a dog retires after 4 litters I pay for the girl to be spayed and then they will stay with their guardian family for life. I am so thankful to my guardian families who give such wonderful lives to the girls in my program.  
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Female Guardian Home Summary
The guardian female will be entrusted free of charge to the guardian to love on, socialize & be part of their family. The breeder will cover all breeding related costs of the dog. The guardian will bring the dog to the breeder for health testing & vet appointments as needed. Once the dog is old enough & has had all of its health testing completed the guardian will notify the breeder when the female is in heat & she will stay with the stud for approximately 5-9 days after which she will be returned to guardian home during pregnancy. (Pregnancy lasts 2 months) until about 5 days before the due-date of 58 days to have time to settle in. After the puppies are born she will stay with the breeder until the puppies are approximately 4-5.5 weeks old at which point she will go home to her guardian. The guardian is welcome to schedule a visit during the dogs stay with the breeder to see mom & puppies & the breeder will send updates on the dog to the family. Once she has had her 4 litters of puppies she will retire & be spayed and the guardian home will receive full ownership of the dog. ​
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Breeder will pay for the costs of:
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Purchase of dog
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Flight/Travel to Oregon
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Microchip & AKC registration
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Litter stipend of $500 for litters 3 & 4 (if at least 3 puppies are born in a litter).
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Breeding related vet care 
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Breeding health testing costs
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All costs of pregnancy, birth & lactation care & supplements
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All vet care costs of pregnancy, birth & lactation.
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Any vet costs & food when dog is at breeders.
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Cost of spay if after 2+ litters 
Guardian covers the normal costs of a pet for example:​
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Dog’s food/expenses related to being a family pet.
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Dog's non-breeding related vet care including monthly heartworm/flea preventative
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Boarding/pet sitting when needed for vacations etc. (things that are not breeding related)
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Gas too & from breeders or vets when needed.
MEET THE GIRLS LOOKING FOR GUARDIAN HOMES
Meet Texas (previously Taffy) from Meg & Westley's fall litter last year. Her parents are both fully health tested & excellent family dogs. She is just about to turn one. She has been in a guardian home, but they are moving out of state & not taking her with them. She has grown up with their 4 year old Berner so she is used to being in a 2 dog home. They have 2 very little kids & she was very gentle & sweet with them. She is past the crazy puppy stage & potty trained.
She has loved all other dogs & cats she has met so far both big & small! We are looking for a loving guardian family for her. Texas would have 4 litters before retiring with her guardian for life.​
If being a guardian sounds like something you would be interested in please fill out the questionnaire below & email it too Knifongb@gmail.com
Guardian Questionnaire:
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What's your first and last name?
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Phone number?
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Number of children and ages? (if applicable)
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Do you currently have any pets? If so, tell me more about them. Are any intact males?
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If not have you had dogs in the past?
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Tell me more about yourself (Your lifestyle, family (if you have one), or anything else to help me make sure you're a good fit for my pups!)
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Do you live within 2 hours of Eagle Creek Oregon? If not are you willing to drive the dog to me when needed?
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What type of home do you live in? (Home, Apartment, Townhouse, or Other), do you own it? If not has your landlord given you permission for a large dog?
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Are you willing to send me a video or pictures of a tour of your home & yard?
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Do you have a fenced yard?
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Will you be the primary caretaker of the puppy? If not, who will be?
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How many hours in a row a day would the puppy be alone for on a regular basis?
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Are you ok with dealing with the dogs heat cycles starting when she is 6-12 months old every 6 months? They can be messy & require diapers.
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Are you ok dealing with a pregnant momma? There are not a lot of complicated care needs, but she will need some extra supplements in her food (provided by me) & gentle exercise/protection from rougher dogs.
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Will you be ok being without your dog for 5-7 weeks for the birth & puppy time period? You will be able to visit weekly if you would like & will be sent updates but it is still time apart. Some families plan vacations etc during this time :)
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Are you willing to do a basic puppy training class (at least 6 instructed sessions) with your dog to teach it proper manners & socialization?
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Are you willing to drive the dog too me for vet appointments/health testing, vaccinations & breeding? This will be approximately 3-6 trips a year but may be more or less at times.
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Are you willing to meet in person or over facetime to go over the arrangement before bringing your puppy home should you choose to move forward?
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