Become a Country Lane Guardian Home

OPEN YOUR HOME TO A FUTURE COUNTRY LANE PARENT DOG AND ENJOY A LIFE-LONG COMPANION, WHILE PARTNERING WITH US TO RAISE THE NEXT GENERATION OF LIFE-CHANGING BERNEDOODLES

At Country Lane, our dogs are family first

Our guardian home program allows some of our breeding hopefuls (future moms or dads) to live their best life as cherished pets in a forever home, while still being part of our carefully planned breeding program. If you’ve dreamed of having a high-quality Country Lane Bernedoodle at no up front cost and love the idea of partnering with us, this might be your lane.

What is a guardian home?

A guardian home is a family that welcomes one of our selected breeding prospects (usually a female (sometimes male) puppy or young adult) into their home as their own dog.

He or she lives with you full-time as your family pet.

We retain breeding rights for a set number of litters (typically 4-5 litters or 6 years of age)

Once their breeding career is finished, they are spayed/neutered (at our or shared expense per contract) and full ownership is signed over to you.

This allows our breeding program dogs to grow up in the heart of a family, soaking up everyday life, couch cuddles, and all the adventures, rather than living in a kennel setting.

Why we use guardian homes?

Our guardian home program allows us to:

Give each dog more one-on-one attention and family time

Keep our program small-feeling and ethical, even as we grow

Ensure our parent dogs are well-socialized, loved, and part of a “normal” family life

Continue producing healthy, well-tempered, family-raised Country Lane Bernedoodles

It’s a win-win: your family gets a beautiful, well-bred Bernedoodle, and we get to continue our mission of raising life-changing companions.

Is a guardian home right for you?

You might be a great fit if:

You love the idea of partnering closely with Country Lane Bernedoodles

You’d love to welcome a Country Lane Bernedoodle into your family with no upfront purchase cost

You’re excited to follow our care, health, training, and grooming recommendations

You’re comfortable keeping an intact male or female (not spayed or neutered) until their breeding career is complete

You’re reliable with vet care, communication, and scheduling

You’re within reasonable driving distance of us (within 1-1.5 hour of 52649, IA)

You should not apply if you’re uncomfortable with your dog leaving for short periods of time to whelp and raise puppies with us, or if you cannot commit to consistent communication and care.

Our Guardian Home Requirements

Location:

Live within approximately 1 hour of 52649 Iowa
Willing to travel to us for breeding appointments, health testing, and drop-off/pick-up around litters

Home & Lifestyle:

Stable housing situation where dogs are allowed
No planning of moving for the next ~6 years
Preferably a securely fenced yard or a very solid plan for safe exercise
Dog is an indoor family member, not left outside or kenneled long-term

Care & Training:

Feed a high-quality, breeder-approved diet
Stay current on routine veterinary care, vaccines/titers (as agreed), and parasite prevention
Maintain a regular grooming schedule appropriate for a Bernedoodle coat
Provide basic obedience training, socialization, and a safe environment

Communication & Availability:

Maintain open, prompt communication with us
Notify us right away of any health or behavior concerns
Be available to bring the dog to:
- Vet visits or health testing we schedule (hips, elbows, eyes, etc.)
- Progesterone testing/breeding appointments when she is in season
- Drop-off for whelping and raising puppies

Breeding-Specific Requirements (Females):

Dog will remain unspayed while under guardian contract
You agree to prevent accidental breedings (no intact males in the home unless approved, secure fencing, supervision when in heat)
We will typically breed 4-5 litters depending on her health and how she does as a mama
During each litter, she will stay with us from approx. a week before due date until puppies are weaned (usually around 6–7 weeks)

Retirement:

After she completes her agreed-upon number of litters, she will be:
- Spayed (per contract terms on who covers cost or how it’s shared)
- Officially signed over into your full ownership
She then lives out the rest of her life with you as your beloved, retired Country Lane mama.

How the Guardian Program Works

#1

Application
& Approval

You fill out our guardian application (below). We review to see if you’re a good fit based on location, lifestyle, and expectations.

#2

Meet
& Match

If approved, we’ll discuss current and upcoming guardian-eligible females. You’ll meet her (or see detailed photos/videos if she’s a young puppy) and we’ll decide together if it’s a good match.

#3

Guardian Contract
& Placement

We’ll go over our guardian home contract in detail so you understand:

Your responsibilities
Our responsibilities
How many litters we expect
What happens in emergencies

Once everything is clear and signed, your guardian girl comes home with you.

#4

Growing Up
Together

She lives with you as your pet. You send us updates, photos, and heat cycle information, and we schedule:

Health testing
Vet checks
Any evaluations we need before she enters the program

#5

Breeding
& Litters

When she’s old enough and has passed all her testing:

When she comes into heat, she comes to Country Lane & we coordinate timing for breedings
She stays with you during most of her pregnancy
She comes back to Country Lane to whelp and raise her puppies in our nursery
You’re welcome to receive updates, photos, and sometimes visit (as appropriate) while she’s here

#6

Retirement
& Full Ownership

Once she has completed her agreed breeding career, she is:

Spayed
Ownership is fully transferred to you

She spends the rest of her life on your couch, in your lane, as your dog in every way.

Want to partner with us?

We’d love to learn more about you.

START THE APPLICATION

start here!