“Real Dogs For Real Life”

We are starting a Foster Program at Von Hayden Shepherds patterned after one developed at Leerburg Kennels in Wisconsin. This section will explain why we are using it and how the program works. It will also let you know how you can apply to become a foster family and why it would benefit you.

 

The Basics of the Foster Program:

Because we are a hobby breeder who lives in a regular family household without full-time kenneled dogs, we do need puppy foster homes. In order for a kennel to build up their own bloodline, it is necessary to breed several litters each year. The best prospects (puppies) are kept back to develop and train to see if they will eventually fit into the breeding program. The way the foster program works is, I place my "pick of the litter" females in foster homes. The dogs live in these homes for their entire life. The foster parents do not pay for the dog, we give the dog to them. We also sign the ownership of the dog over to the foster parents and they sign a restrictive breeding contract with Von Hayden Shepherds.

This program allows local people an opportunity to own one the best German Shepherds in this country without paying for it. (These are pups that sell for $1500+). If someone qualifies as a foster parent and they are given on of our dogs.

As a foster puppy grows up we monitor its temperament, drive and health. If the female is good enough, she will be used in our breeding program. Before breed the dog we x-ray her hips (at our expense) to verify that she does not have hip dysphasia. If the hips are not good we ask the foster parents to have the dog neutered and our breeding rights are terminated.

When a female is 2 years old she will come back to the kennel when she comes into season. After getting bred she will go back to her foster home. Then 4 or 5 days before whelping she comes back to the kennel and has her babies here and stays until she weans the pups (at 5 to 6 weeks). Females come into season twice a year. We only breed a female once a year. We have 2-3 litters a year, and not all of the females are bred every year.

I am constantly searching for the super female. Should someone get one of those super females, they will be bred every year. When a female is at our kennel we encourage visits from the foster parents. They can stop as often as they want and walk their dog and play with the pups. In my opinion placing dogs in foster homes results in a far better life for a dog than living in a life in a dog kennel. The foster home program is a good deal for the dog, it's a good deal for the foster parents, and it's a good deal for my breeding program. It's one of those "win - win" situations for everyone involved.

We utilize this program because it is our fervent belief that a German Shepherd can only live up to its genetic potential when given the appropriate amount of attention, love, and care. Even the founder of the breed has written that German Shepherds will be ruined by becoming solely kennel dogs and we'd have to agree. In addition to this, it is imperative for us to see that this puppy grows up to become a dog who is totally reliable in a family atmosphere, around children and strangers, as well as having the ability to bond that we try to breed into our dogs. It is this ability that we feel makes the ownership of a good German Shepherd a true joy, and while we are confident that all of our pups have it - it has to be worked and utilized in order to see just how much of this ability it has. German Shepherds, by nature, are not highly social dogs and need deliberate socialization with people to make them the safest and most reliable dog they can be. We believe all of this is most possible when they live within a family as their family dog rather than being one of our breeding dogs. There is a lot to be learned by sleeping with the dog, spending day in and day out with the dog. We rely on the foster home's knowledge of what their dog is like in assessing the dog's true quality.

If for some reason I don't like a female when she is old enough to breed, or when I am through breeding a female, we will ask that she be neutered. When that is done the breeding contract is null and void. Questions & Answers on the FOSTER Program

Who Qualifies for a Foster Dog?

We are very selective of who we choose to become a foster family. Our primary concern is that our dogs go into safe homes where they will be well taken care of and not get run over by a car or allowed to escape and get lost. We expect the foster parents to allow the dogs to be house dogs. We look for people who have had dogs before. In fact the ideal person is one who has just had a 10 or 11 year old dog die of old age. This is a person who knows how to take care of a dog. We do not give dogs to people that want farm dogs, nor do we give dogs to people who are going to keep them strictly as an outside kennel dog. We also do not give dogs to people who have just had a dog that was accidentally killed. (If it happened once it can happen again.) I also do not give dogs to people who have any type of criminal history. I am not concerned about traffic tickets, but any type of criminal activity for either of the spouses will not work.

We will not place a dog in the following homes:

1. Where the dog will be an outside dog only
2. Further than 50 miles from our kennel facility
3. Everyone in the household does not feel this is a good idea
4. Families that are interested in breeding dogs (we are not placing dogs for breeding, only fostering)
5. Where there is not a secure, fenced yard
6. If we are not allowed to visit or periodically inspect the Foster Home.

If the Foster family moves more than 50 miles away from our Kennel, we must take back possession of the dog.

What are the Foster Family's Responsibilities?

While the foster family does not pay for the puppy (or young adult), they must agree to purchase a dog crate and a leash. They must also agree to feed an all natural diet or all natural kibble. The foster family must have a fenced back yard, a dog kennel or an in-ground fence system (like Invisible Fence). My foster families can purchase this fencer at my wholesale cost. In fact, the foster families can purchase any training equipment that we sell in our business at our wholesale cost.Foster homes should have the following:

• Own their own home or rent a home with landlord's written permission that it is okay to keep a dog
• Have their own car that is large enough to take a German Shepherd Dog
• Prior experience with German Shepherds is a plus but not necessarily required - but prior dog ownership is a must.
• Be willing to crate-train and housebreak
• Afford to spend approximately $100-$150 per month as is usually required for dog ownership in general - which will include feeding a top-quality kibble or RAW FOOD, as well as regular vet checks and vaccines.
• Be prepared to have their own vet listed as a reference
• Fenced backyard
• Be available to drive dog to and from our home come time for whelping and/or breeding.
• Capable of moderate exercise
• Children over the age of 6 years old with no babies in the house. (This is not because of any specific danger, but rather that homes with babies tend not to have time to devote to a dog, in spite of good intentions.)
• Keep us updated on the puppy at least once a month, and when in heat, we must be notified so that we may keep track of the dog's cycles, with pictures every 1-2 months for us to follow the puppy's progress.
• Be willing to socialize the puppy by taking it everywhere possible and showing her life in general

What If I Have Another Dog Already In My Home?

We usually do not place foster dogs in homes where there is already another dog. It's a rare occasion that this would happen. We would never place a female in a home where there was an un-neutered male. We also would not place a female in a home with another large female. Females fight with females, males fight with males. We try to eliminate bad situations by limiting the environment our dogs are placed in.

How Far Away Do You Place Dogs?

We seldom place dogs in homes further than 50 miles away from Poughkeepsie N.Y., although in certain cases we have gone as far as the Albany.

Who Owns The Dog:

The foster parents own the dog. The AKC registration papers are in the foster parents name. When we place the dog we sign over the ownership to the foster parents. They in turn sign an exclusive breeding contract with Von Hayden Shepherds . (Click here to see a copy of the breeding contract)

Do You Ever Have Older Dogs, Rather Than Puppies To Be Placed In Foster Homes?

Some people know how much work it is to raise a puppy and would rather not go through the house breaking and chewing stages of a puppy. An older female is a good solution for these people. At times we have young adults (and sometimes older females) that we would like to place in a home. These are dogs that have been in foster homes and have come back to the kennel. There are a number of reasons this will happen. Some people get divorced and find themselves living in apartments where they can not keep the dog, some people move away from the area, and some people simply decide they do not want a dog any longer.

These older females are all very nice dogs. They are house trained and have some basic obedience. I always feel sorry for a dog that has been a house dog and then comes back into a kennel environment; it's like going to prison. They go from a one on one relationship to a place with limited time spent with them.

 

What About Medical Issues And The Dog?

The foster parents are required to keep the dogs current on rabies and heartworm. The reason for this is that the state of New York does not allow me to give rabies shots or administer heart worm medication. We ask that the dogs be put on once a month heart worm pills during the mosquito season. If there are any medical expenses as a result of the breeding or litters this is taken care of by us.We do not allow ANY VACCINATIONS to be given to our dogs - NONE!!

It is the responsibility of the foster parents to make sure the dogs remain in good health.

Do You Place Males In Foster Homes?

No, I import my stud dogs from Europe or I keep a male back for breeding here at the kennel. We usually have 2 or 3 stud dogs. If someone wants a male dog we will be happy to sell them a dog but we do not place our males in foster homes.

How Do We Know When A Dog Should Be Bred?

We have a computer program to track the female's heat cycles. By inputting every heat cycle we can anticipate which bitches are going to come in season in which month. We plan our breeding season around a computer print out. That is the reason the foster parent must keep us informed of the females cycles. Females come into season 2 times a year. They will blow their coat (shed) at 2 to 8 weeks or so before coming into season. When a female starts to drop blood we expect to get a phone call. If we plan to breed the bitch we will inform the foster parents ahead of time. Females are usually bred on the 11th and 13th day of their season. We take them into the kennel about the 6th day.

What if We Decide that We Do Not Want to Stay in The Program?

If at any time something changes in a foster home and they are no longer able to keep a foster dog there is no problem with them returning the dog back to the kennel. When this happens we will either place the dog in a new foster home or we will sell the dog, depending on the quality of her and her pups.

Do I Ever Split Litters with Foster People?

When people ask if I split the litters with foster parents, the answer is usually "no." This is really not a program for someone who wants to be a breeder.

The only way I ever consider splitting a litter with a foster parent is if the person trains and puts a Schutzhund title on the dog. That is a rule that is cast in stone. Most foster parents find the pups cute, but they don't want more dogs. The kind of people that take these dogs are not interested in breeding. If they are good foster parents and want another dog, I will give them a second one. Each foster home is limited to a maximum of two dogs. We set this limit because the very reason we use fosters homes is so that our pups can all get individual attention from their owners, and with more than 2 dogs, we feel this will not happen.

If a person is interested in breeding then this is not a program for them. They should purchase a dog and get into the business.

Are Foster Parents Ever Allowed To Whelp The Litter?

We also get asked by an occasional foster parent if they can whelp a litter at their home. The answer is "NO." There is too much that can go wrong during a delivery. When a bitch is to be bred, she must be brought to the Kennel for breeding at the appropriate time. She will then live with her Foster Family until shortly before whelping (about one week) She will then stay at the Kennel for whelping until about a week after the puppies are weaned. Foster Families are, of course, welcome to visit at scheduled times. We do not allow Foster Families to whelp litters at their home, there are too many things that can go wrong.

Under What Circumstances Do We Take A Dog Away From a Foster Home?There are only a few reasons that we would take a bitch out of a foster home:

1. If we find out that they are allowing the dog to run loose when there is no supervision
2. If the bitch gets accidentally bred
3. If the foster parents do not tell us when a bitch comes in season (even if we do not plan on breeding it), we will warn the foster parents once and take it away if it happens again.)
4. If someone is arrested for a criminal offense
5. If the dog is neglected or abused in anyway.
6. If someone moves without informing us that they have moved
7. If someone allows a dog to become way, way over weight and does not take steps to correct this

8. If the dog must be rescued from an Animal Control facility

9. If the dog is not kept current on Rabies, Heartworm, Vet Visitations.

These reasons will be discussed in detail before any bitch is placed in a Foster Home. The Foster Parents must agree to all terms with the kennel.

Also, if the bitch dies, either from careless accident or neglect on the part of the Foster Family, they must pay Von Hayden Shepherds Kennels the current worth of the bitch. This will be stipulated in the contract.

Also, it should be noted that the process of whelping is not always perfect. Things can and do go wrong, and when you are whelping a litter, this thought it always in the back of your mind. Worst case scenario, you could lose your dog in the process, though more often than not - things do go smoothly. However, it is important that you fully understand this risk prior to being a part of our foster program.

If you are in New York , and find yourself interested in becoming a foster home for Von Hayden German Shepherds, write us @ vonHaydenSheps@aol.com  and tell us how you qualify. I check my e-mail several times per day. Also, leave us a phone number so we can call you back to get to know one another. We will also do a foster puppy if you are located within 50 miles of a partnering kennel. Please inquire to VonHaydenSheps@aol.com