Guardian Homes and Intact Males

[sunnysfdoodle]

Hi all,

I posted this in the Considering a Labradoodle Forum but maybe it makes more to ask actual labradoodle owners about their experience.

I'm considering becoming a guardian home to a male (small medium) labradoodle stud and was wondering if anyone has input about what it's like to own an intact male. Does anyone have experience with intact male doodles -- aggression, marking, mounting, running away? I hope that with doodles' naturally sweet temperament (and this particular pup is a darling), plus proper training, most things could be corrected. However, I do live in a city exploding with dogs and I don't want my pup howling through the night every week after catching the scent of a female in heat, or getting into fights at the dog park...

Also, has anyone acted as a guardian home for a breeding dog? What are the pros and cons, and what about the liability issues involved? What happens if the dog does run away or gets hit by a car or something equally terrible? My contract says that the guardian *may* be responsible for the full value of the dog (up to $10K)) if it's due to "negligence." I work with lawyers so perhaps I'm overly cautious, and my breeder is a lovely woman, but it seems like anything could be argued as "negligence," even though accidents can happen even with the most diligent care.

I love this pup and want to give it the best home possible, but it's also a big responsibility so I really appreciate any knowledge or advice that other guardian homes or breeders can share!