Host a Breeding Female

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At OccuPaws Guide Dog Association, our puppies have a very special destiny — to assist a person with a visual impairment in leading a more fulfilling and independent life. In order for OccuPaws to have these puppies, we need homes for our breeding females.  The mama will live in the breeding home except the last couple weeks of her pregnancy through weaning of the puppies (usually about 6-8 weeks total).  OccuPaws pays all expenses (food, equipment, vet care, Heartworm and Flea/Tick meds) and you provide the safe, loving home for Mama.  After she has 2-3 litters, she is your dog to keep if you wish – at no cost.  Because these girls do not have public access, you do not need to attend weekly training classes, unless you wish.  Breeding homes should be within a couple hours drive to the Madison, WI area.

The dogs in our breeding program are the very best, and they are treated as such! They are not left in kennels or boarding facilities ever! We have many different families and individuals throughout Wisconsin who provide Foster Homes to each individual girl.  This ensures that each mama gets the individual love and attention that they need and deserve.

We breed yellow, chocolate and black Labradors of the English bloodlines. All our dogs are AKC registered and have all OFA clearances and full genetic testing.

This mission involves four major areas of personal responsibility:

Providing for the care and well-being of an OccuPaws breeding female:

 

        • A safe home environment
        • Feed only the food, supplements and other medications supplied by OccuPaws
        • Healthcare – follow all preventative healthcare requirements, learn to recognize and inform OccuPaws of the commencement of a heat cycle, and prevent exposure of the female to other intact males when in heat.
        • Be willing to have the female leave your home for a period of time before and following gestation

Enrollment and participation in OccuPaws obedience classes are encouraged but not required for the duration of the hosting period. Volunteer breeding hosts are also required to inform OccuPaws of any health or temperament issues as soon as possible. Volunteer breeder hosts raisers agree to follow OccuPaws approved socialization guidelines and handling techniques when working with the OccuPaws female. Transportation, which may include taking the dog to the Vet, to the whelping home, etc. must follow OccuPaws safety guidelines.

Breeding Foster Guidelines:

        • Breeding Fosters receive continuous support and guidance.
        • Safety of the female should always be a concern for the foster home. Whenever a mama is outside and not within a completely fenced area, the female must be on a leash.
        • Since an underground fence does not prevent other dogs from entering your yard and may cause an alert or shock at an inappropriate time (such as when the female is exploring a bush or greeting a neighbor), underground fencing is not to be used with our females.
        • Our females live indoors and sleep in a crate. Outside kenneling is not allowed except for a few hours as excercise.
        • Throughout the day, females are to be supervised (or crated).
        • The cost of maintaining a breeding female is OccuPaws responsibility.
        • To ensure that the female continues grows and whelps healthy puppies, the mama is to be fed according to OccuPaws specifications.
        • Visits to foster family’s residence by an OccuPaws representative may occur periodically with reasonable prior notice given.
        • Breeding Foster agrees to make the female available for tests, scans, whelping upon request at any time.
        • Should boarding become necessary, OccuPaws will provide a puppy sitter.
        • Breeding Fosters are invited to attend our graduation ceremonies to see the dogs they helped into this world meet their new partners.

          If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Breeding Female Foster, please contact Barb at 1-608-772-3787 or barb@occupaws.org