Charter Stock
Charter stock dogs are chosen to temporarily join the breeding colony before entering guide dog training. As outlined below, multiple benefits can be achieved by obtaining a litter from young female dog or a few litters from a young stud.
Benefits
- Obtain offspring from nice-type dogs and also place them as guides.
- Benefit from potency of youth by allowing young broods to have a litter and thus relieving an older brood from having to deliver one at a later age.
- Enables Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) to produce enough puppies for future clients while simultaneously creating the most guide dog partnerships possible.
Program Guidelines
- A distinction will be made between charter stock dogs and those selected for inclusion in the traditional colony. The Breeding team notifies the puppy raising field manager (PFM) when individual dogs are selected. Selection as charter stock does not preclude a dog from inclusion in the traditional breeding colony on an as-needed basis.
- Females selected as charter stock will enter the guide dog training program until they begin their breeding cycle. Training staff will continue to care for the dog until breeding is concluded.
- Once bred, a foster care placement will be arranged for the female who will be assumed to be pregnant until confirmation via ultrasound ~30 days post breeding. The foster care volunteer will house the female until she checks into the Puppy Center to whelp.
- Puppy raisers of selected females may be eligible to provide foster care if they are within the 75-mile breeder custodian radius.
- Following the birth and rearing of the litter, Breeding and Training staff will determine the femaleās date to return to training.
- Breeding staff will coordinate foster care after weaning and schedule spay surgery.
- Males selected as charter stock are placed in volunteer foster care homes. They are bred several times before being neutered and entering training.
- Puppy raisers of selected male dogs may be eligible to provide foster care if they are within the 75-mile breeder custodian radius.
- Puppy raisers of charter stock dogs are recognized at and invited to participate in any graduation opportunities that are available, provide puppy name suggestions for the litter(s), and visit puppies at the California campus if available.
Please do not hesitate to contact your support team if you have additional questions about the charter stock program.
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