Host Family Program

How to become a host family!

After reading this page, if you are interested in becoming a River Days host family and would like to learn more, please complete an adoption application. Please indicate on the application that you are interested in becoming a host family. We will review your application and contact you.

What is a host family?

The River Days Australian Labradoodles (RDAL) host family program is an excellent opportunity for loving and wonderful families to have a breeder-picked, health tested Australian Labradoodle. We retain ownership and breeding rights of the dog until the host family contract is fulfilled. Then, the dog will be spayed/neutered, and ownership is transferred to the host family. For females, the usual contract involves 4 litters. We are grateful to our host families for supporting our breeding program model. Our host family model ensures that none of our breeding dogs live in kennels. Our breeding dogs live as beloved members of their families, for whom they will remain with forever— after their breeding careers have ended.

It is important for our breeding dogs to put their best paw forward!

Our host families and breeding dogs represent our program. So, we select the very best families who are fully committed to excellence and success. We are proud to offer a host family recognition program, which incentivizes advanced training. Host families are encouraged to achieve Canine Good Citizen (CGC) with their hosted dog.

What sets these puppies apart?

Our breeder-picked puppies possess highly desired attributes, which we would like passed on in our lines. This includes excellent structure, sound temperament and amazing coats. They are truly the best of our best! These puppies undergo extensive genetic health testing, coat color and type testing, OFA hips and elbow certification, OFA Patella certification, OFA heart certification and OFA eye certification. Occasionally our breeder-picked puppies join us from other trusted and high quality breeders. Though in most cases, these puppies have been raised in our home following our puppy curriculum. This ensures a smooth transition to their host families, usually between 8-18 weeks of age.

What commitment is required of host families?

To be considered for a host family opportunity, we require that you live in and around central NC. Most opportunities are for female puppies.

We cover breeding related expenses, including reproductive and health testing. The host family is responsible for usual dog related expenses such as food, immunizations, heart worm prevention, training, grooming, etc.

Most of our requirements are measures excellent dog families take for their dogs anyway. These include:

Provide a loving, healthy and supportive home for the dog.
Collaborate, support and communicate with us regarding breeding related matters. This includes heat cycles, breeding plans and protecting the dog against unplanned mating.
Agree that there will be no other intact (not neutered/spayed) dogs in the home.
Willingness to provide quality companionship to the dog, ensuring that she will not be left alone for prolonged periods of time.
Make sure that the dog is adequately socialized to men, women, children and other dogs in various situations.
Be receptive and open to receiving advice and recommendations from us.
Willingness to keep the hosted dog in a physically fenced in space, or on a leash at all times when outside.
Agree to feed a high quality food that we recommend, or another food that has been pre-approved by us.
Administer supplements/vitamins that we provide or recommend, especially for healthy breeding dogs and developing puppies.
Complete obedience training classes and provide proof of completion to us by 9 mos old.
Possess the financial means and commitment to ensure routine and emergency veterinarian care. Vaccinations are required to be up-to-date. Oral heart worm prevention is required.
Maintain professional grooming for the hosted dog every 5-8 weeks according to our approved style. This ensures that dogs in our program exhibit the excellent coat that families have come to expect of the breed.
Willingness to stay in touch regularly and to provide us with regular photos of the dog, no less than once per month. Mobile phone pictures are fine.
Transport the dog to us when needed for health testing and breeding.
Understand and support that at the appropriate time point in the heat cycle, female dogs may spend a few nights with us. There may be at least one vet appointment in the 2 month period between breeding and whelping. We will coordinate the appointment. The dog will return to us approximately one week before her due date, until puppies are weaned.

We recognize that it takes a village!

During pre-scheduled visits, host families are welcomed to visit with their hosted dog and her puppies! Hosted families may plan trips during whelping without worrying about the cost of kenneling or dog sitting!

Finally!

If you desire to be a part of our program and you are willing and able to meet the above requirements, please submit an adoption application. Remember to indicate that you are interested in becoming a host family. We will be in touch after we’ve reviewed your application.