Do you live within a one-hour drive of Elizabeth, Colorado, and want to help promote the Mi-Ki breed? Have you always wanted a Mi-Ki but weren’t sure you are able to make the financial investment? Royal T Mi-Kis is looking for applicants for our Guardian Home Program. We are offering this opportunity in order to promote breeding dog happiness and a healthy Mi-Ki gene pool without having to raise and maintain multiple dogs in our home.

What is a Guardian Home?

The Royal T Mi-Kis Guardian Home Program allows approved families, couples, or individuals within a short driving distance to host and care for a breeding/show-quality Mi-Ki in their homes during a dog’s reproductive years.

Once approved, you will be paired with a breeding-quality puppy or young adult Mi-Ki that we would have traditionally kept in our own home. Rather than being part of a larger pack of dogs, the Guardian Program allows every puppy/adult dog to have the individualized attention and training they deserve. For this reason, we particularly welcome retirees to this program or those who can work from home.

Females in our Guardian Home Program

After doing a trial with several females in our guardian home arrangement, we’ve learned that it is simply too difficult for the dog and her family to be separated from each other for two months. Perhaps it works for other breeds, but since Mi-Kis are bred specifically for companionship, it’s not in their nature to be away from their family for an extended period of time. Finally, after tragically losing one of our guardian girls post-C-section, we’ve decided to phase out of our female guardian homes. We cannot put another family through this heartbreak.

Partnership Male Mi-Ki Stud Dogs

At this time, we are only offering the Guardian Home/Partnership program for males. The male is purchased at a reduced rate in exchange for keeping him intact for an agreed-upon number of litters sired. If purchased at a reduced rate, breeding rights are only granted for Royal T Mi-Ki stud use.

Alternatively, a partnership home may be developed where the male is purchased for the full pet price but breeding rights are offered for free – a $1,500 value. Not only is the male kept intact for Royal T Mi-Ki Stud use, but they may also be used for other approved Mi-Ki breeders if desired with the ability to collect stud fees.

If you choose to be a guardian/partner stud home, we test the dog with an Embark DNA test and will guide you through getting their OFA cardiac test, patella test, and CHIC ophthalmic exams. If authorized by line originators, you may be able to collect stud fees from approved Mi-Ki breeders. The going rate for a stud fee for Mi-Kis is $1,000 per litter. We will advertise your male as an available stud on our website and through Embark’s breeder program. STD testing may be required when breeding with outside females.

Females are usually brought to the male every other day for three pairings, so this partnership program is only available for homes within an hour’s distance from Elizabeth, Colorado.

Requirements for Male Guardian Homes

• Must live within a 1-hour driving distance of Elizabeth, Colorado
• Must be willing to transport the Mi-Ki to us or allow a female to be brought to your location for breeding. Some males are only comfortable breeding in a familiar environment.
• Must be willing to keep the Mi-Ki healthy with an agreed-upon diet, veterinary care, dental care, vaccines, groomings, and exercise
• Must be willing to have breeding health tests performed and submit results to us (we pay for all reproductive-related veterinary expenses)
• Must provide a fun, safe environment, and basic behavioral training for the Mi-Ki
• Be willing to let us visit your home before approval
• Protect the Mi-Ki from harm – i.e., predators, large dogs, children, loss, etc.
• Must not allow your dog to breed with unapproved dogs (i.e. dogs that aren’t Mi-Kis, or Mi-Kis that do not have breeding rights.)
• Be willing to pay the dog’s market value at one year of age should the male not develop into a breeding candidate (i.e. undescended testicles, does not pass health testing, poor conformation, etc.)

What Royal T Mi-Kis Provides

• A quality puppy or young adult Mi-Ki with a reduced adoption fee and/or free breeding rights
• Guidance for the care of the Mi-Ki
• Additional support for those who wish to participate in conformation or performance sports (encouraged but not required)
• Free groom and board when you choose to travel without the Mi-Ki. Many folks will decide it is convenient to take a vacation while the dog is busy siring a litter.
• We pay for all reproductive-related veterinary care including genetic and health testing for breeding soundness.
• We sign over registration ownership paperwork once the dog is retired from breeding.
• A clear legal contract so all parties involved fully understand the working relationship.

Thank you for your interest in partnering with Royal T Mi-Kis and ensuring this breed will remain healthy for generations to come!

Male Guardian Home Candidates

We might consider most any of our current studs for a partnership home. If you’re super in love with one of our studs and might even consider going to dog shows with us, give us a call and see if we can arrange something! Here are a few that we are particularly interested in partnership homes:

Royal T’s Keen d’Koda – DOB 5/12/24

Koda is a pup we held back to promote the frozen lines and smoothies. Since he’s a little more reserved, we believe he’s going to do better where he’s not in competition with other males. We think he’ll do great in a guardian home where he can gain confidence. Koda isn’t a leg lifter and is good about using a cloth potty pad, therefore he isn’t used to wearing a belly band. He enjoys sleeping in bed with us. He also plays well with other dogs. He could use more socialization, however. When we take him out on errands, he’s a bit nervous. He’s very sweet, though, and accepts pets from strangers. Since he’s a smooth-face Mi-Ki, he’s easy to care for. Just an occasional bath, nail trim, and pad shave, and he’s good to go. His coat is still developing. Koda will also be considered for a pet. Contact Mary for details: 303-246-3196.

Halen – black smooth-face male – DOB 12/18/2022

Halen is one of our favorite males, but lately he and Max haven’t been getting along. Since he’s related to several of our females (through Harley) we can’t use him a ton, but he’s still got lots of valuable DNA with cool colors (and the rare smooth gene.) Therefore, we’re willing to consider letting him be in a partner home. Halen is used to wearing a belly band in the house. Since he’s a smooth-face Mi-Ki, he’s easy to care for. Just an occasional bath, nail trim, and pad shave, and he’s good to go.

Pepe – black and white long-coat male

Pepe (pictured with his son, Niko) has arrived at our home with the intent to offer a smaller blue carrier/clear red option to our program for our smaller females (like Zelda) who we are nervous about putting with our bigger blue carrying males. Brumby’s Run Pepe Le Pew previously lived in a Guardian Home with Shekinah’s Mi-Kis in Ohio. He does not require a belly band. He squats on potty pads. His long coat is easy to maintain. He is very gentle and low drama. In fact, we’re in no hurry for him to go anywhere since he is so sweet and easy. Pepe has sired several top Mi-Kis.