Guardian Programme
A Partnership Built on Trust
At Lily Hill, every dog within the programme is chosen deliberately. Breeding responsibly means protecting the long-term health, temperament and genetic diversity of the Australian Labradoodle while ensuring every dog lives a rich and fulfilling life as a much loved companion.
One of the ways this balance is achieved is through the Guardian Home Programme. Only a small number of puppies are ever selected for guardian homes, and the families who welcome them play a meaningful role in the future development of the Lily Hill lines.
Rather than keeping all breeding dogs within one home, carefully selected puppies are placed with exceptional families who raise them as their own while partnering with Lily Hill for a period of time during the dog’s breeding career.
This approach allows each dog to grow up in a dedicated family environment while still contributing thoughtfully to the future development of the Lily Hill lines.
Above all else, our goal is simple.
Every breeding dog lives first and foremost as a loved family dog.
What Is a Guardian Family?
A Guardian Family is a home that partners with Lily Hill to raise one of our breeding dogs as their own companion.
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The puppy lives with you as your family dog and becomes part of your everyday life. During a contractually agreed period, the dog may return to Lily Hill when needed for health testing, breeding or whelping, meaning that Guardians must be located within 1 hour of the RG45 postcode.
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Once the dog has completed their breeding career, they are spayed or neutered at Lily Hill’s expense and full ownership transfers permanently to the guardian family.
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They remain exactly where they have always belonged. At home with you.
Why Guardian Homes Matter
Responsible breeding programmes require carefully maintained genetic diversity in order to protect the long-term health and stability of the breed.
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The Guardian Home Programme allows Lily Hill to maintain a thoughtfully structured breeding programme while ensuring every dog enjoys the individual attention and family life they deserve.
It also allows the programme to remain intentionally small and welfare focused, something that sits at the heart of the Lily Hill philosophy.
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Guardian families therefore play an important role in the future development of the programme.
Dogs Selected for the Programme
Puppies chosen for guardian placement are not selected randomly.
They are carefully identified based on the qualities we aim to preserve within the Lily Hill lines, including:
• Stable, people-focused temperament
• Strong overall health and genetic background
• Balanced structure and movement
• Coat quality consistent with the breed standard
• Soundness and confidence
Temperament always remains the first priority. A dog must demonstrate the calm, stable nature that defines the Australian Labradoodle before being considered for the programme.
Responsibilities
A guardian dog lives as a much loved family companion within their guardian home, enjoying daily life including walks, training, playtime and family routines.
Guardian families play an important role in the Lily Hill programme and agree to provide a stable home environment, maintain the dog’s health, grooming and nutrition, keep open communication with Lily Hill, and make the dog available for programme-related appointments when required.
Full details are outlined in the Guardian Agreement prior to placement, with transparency and mutual trust forming the foundation of the partnership.
Becoming a Guardian Family
Guardian homes are selected very carefully and placements are limited.
The right guardian home is one that shares the Lily Hill values of responsible dog ownership, thoughtful training and a commitment to providing a stable and loving environment.
If you feel your values align with the Lily Hill Guardian Program Scheme, or would like to learn more, please contact us here for more information.