JK Homegrown Livestock Guardian Placement Policy
Last updated: August 30, 2026
Purpose
JK Homegrown places livestock guardian dogs according to the needs, abilities, limitations, and best interests of each individual dog.
Available dogs may include rehomed guardians, dogs receiving another opportunity, evaluated rescues, foster dogs, retrained dogs, and occasional puppies or young dogs produced by JK Homegrown. JK Homegrown is not presenting itself as a regular puppy producer.
Placement is an application and matching process rather than an e-commerce sale. A dog is not placed solely because an applicant responds first or can pay the adoption fee.
Placement Application and Screening
Every applicant must complete a written application and participate in any follow-up conversation needed to evaluate the proposed placement.
Applicants must provide:
- Photographs of the existing fencing and shelter.
- Basic information about the livestock and other animals on the property.
- The applicant's working goals and expectations for the dog.
- Information about the proposed living and working arrangement.
- Any additional information reasonably needed to match the applicant with an appropriate dog.
JK Homegrown uses this information to determine whether the applicant's setup is suitable and which dog, if any, may fit the proposed home.
Working Homes and Pet Placements
Guardians being rehomed are ordinarily dogs in need of a working home.
A pet home may apply only when the individual dog is not considered suitable for future livestock guardian work or when JK Homegrown determines that a pet placement is in that dog's best interest.
A renter applying for a pet placement must provide landlord approval before placement.
Containment Requirements
Secure containment must already be available before a dog is placed. An applicant with no containment system is not eligible.
Acceptable containment may include:
- Permanent fencing appropriate for the individual dog.
- Movable electric net fencing.
- A suitable GPS-based invisible-fence system, including systems such as Halo or SpotOn.
Tethering is not preferred as a routine containment method but may be approved case by case when it is appropriate for the dog and circumstances.
The adopter is responsible for maintaining the approved containment and preventing roaming after placement.
Individual Evaluation and Matching
Each dog is represented according to the information available during evaluation. JK Homegrown may consider the dog's age, maturity, temperament, history, health, containment needs, livestock exposure, known working behavior, and observed limitations.
A successful evaluation or prior working history describes what JK Homegrown has observed. It does not guarantee that the dog will behave identically in a different environment or succeed with every livestock species, property, household, handler, or management system.
The adopter must follow all limitations and placement conditions disclosed for the individual dog.
Young Dogs and Working Maturity
Puppies and young livestock guardian dogs are not immediately independent workers.
JK Homegrown does not represent a young dog as reliably safe while unattended with livestock or poultry before at least 18 months of age, and some dogs may require supervision until 24 months of age or later.
A young dog's need for training, supervision, correction, and appropriate learning opportunities does not automatically mean the dog is unsuitable for guardian work.
Transition and Decompression
Adopters must provide continued training, supervision, and management after placement.
Some dogs may transition directly into work. Others may need a short decompression period indoors or under controlled tethering before beginning work.
Livestock guardian dogs often need substantial time to accept a new property, people, livestock, routines, and boundaries. A transition period of three to four months is completely normal for a working guardian.
Adjustment time, uncertainty, or training needs during this period do not automatically mean the placement is failing. Adopters are expected to give the dog appropriate time and grace while maintaining safe supervision and containment.
Livestock and Poultry Limitations
The adopter must follow every livestock limitation disclosed for the dog.
A dog that has not been evaluated or approved for poultry may not be placed directly with poultry. Poultry-working ancestry, prior poultry exposure, or a successful evaluation does not guarantee that a dog will remain poultry-safe in a new environment.
All livestock introductions must be supervised until the adopter has sufficient evidence that the dog can be trusted in that specific setting. Chasing, rough behavior, livestock stress, escape attempts, and other concerns must be managed promptly rather than treated as behavior the dog will automatically outgrow without guidance.
Adopter Responsibilities
The adopter is responsible for:
- Maintaining safe containment, shelter, food, water, and routine care.
- Providing continued training and supervision appropriate to the dog's age and experience.
- Following all disclosed livestock, poultry, household, and management limitations.
- Monitoring the dog's condition and behavior during transition.
- Seeking support before a manageable concern becomes a crisis.
- Complying with applicable licensing, vaccination, containment, and animal-control requirements.
Health Preparation and Disclosure
Before placement, every dog receives:
- A veterinary examination.
- Current rabies and core vaccinations.
- Parasite treatment or testing when applicable.
- Embark testing.
- A microchip registered to JK Homegrown.
JK Homegrown will disclose all known medical conditions and available health history for the individual dog.
Adoption fees are used to offset the dog's veterinary examination, vaccinations, parasite care, genetic testing, and other preparation costs.
Microchip Registration and Recovery
Every dog placed by JK Homegrown will be microchipped. The microchip will remain registered to JK Homegrown, and the owner will receive the dog's microchip number and registration information.
If the dog is lost, found, impounded, or taken to a shelter, the microchip allows JK Homegrown to be contacted and, when necessary, retrieve the dog. JK Homegrown will work to return the dog to the current owner when doing so is appropriate and consistent with the dog's safety, welfare, and placement agreement.
A dog that has been abandoned, placed in an unsafe situation, or otherwise cannot appropriately be returned will be handled under the return, surrender, and abandonment terms of this policy.
Sterilization and Breeding
Most dogs are placed already sterilized.
Sterilization may be completed through spay, neuter, vasectomy, or salpingectomy.
A dog placed intact is governed by an individual written agreement addressing breeding rights, breeding restrictions, and any future sterilization terms.
No breeding right is created unless it is expressly stated in the individual agreement.
Adoption Fees, Deposits, and Payment
The adoption fee for each dog is disclosed before placement and must be paid in full before the dog leaves JK Homegrown.
JK Homegrown accepts cash, Cash App, Venmo, and payment through the JK Homegrown website.
An approved applicant may be required to pay a deposit to reserve a dog before pickup. The reservation deposit is applied toward the adoption fee.
The deposit is refundable if the approved adopter cancels. It is also fully refundable if JK Homegrown cancels the placement or the dog becomes unavailable.
Trial Placements
A trial placement may be available by request and must be approved in the individual written agreement. The trial length and conditions may vary by dog.
If the placement does not work during the approved trial, the dog may be returned and the adoption fee refunded, subject to the trial conditions.
The dog must return healthy and in substantially the same condition as when it left JK Homegrown. The adopter is responsible for any injury, illness, deterioration, or other health concern arising during the trial.
JK Homegrown may withhold the refund until the dog's condition is evaluated. Reasonable costs associated with evaluating or treating a return-related injury, illness, or deterioration may be deducted from the adoption-fee refund. If those costs exceed the available refund, the adopter is responsible for the remaining amount.
The adopter is responsible for returning the dog according to the agreed trial-return arrangements.
Placement Support
JK Homegrown offers lifetime placement and training support to the best of its ability.
Support may include transition guidance, management suggestions, troubleshooting, and consultation with a more experienced livestock guardian resource when needed.
Support does not replace the adopter's responsibility for daily training, supervision, containment, veterinary care, or emergency action.
Return and Surrender
If the adopter can no longer keep the dog, the adopter must contact JK Homegrown before selling, surrendering, giving away, transferring, shelter-surrendering, or independently rehoming the dog.
JK Homegrown will take the dog back as a voluntary surrender, not a buyback. Once an approved trial period has ended, the adoption fee is nonrefundable.
The dog must have current vaccinations before surrender. Bringing the dog's vaccinations current is the responsibility of the surrendering owner.
The owner remains responsible for the dog's care and safety until an approved handoff is completed.
Pregnant Females
A female surrendered while pregnant will be spayed promptly by a veterinarian. The spay will terminate the pregnancy.
## Decompression, Reevaluation, and Future Placement
Every returned dog receives a decompression period before reevaluation.
After decompression, JK Homegrown will evaluate whether the dog remains suitable for a working placement, requires a different type of home, or should not be placed again.
A dog may be humanely euthanized when terminally ill, behaviorally dangerous, or when euthanasia is determined to be in the dog's best interest.
Transportation for Surrender
The surrendering owner is responsible for transporting the dog back to JK Homegrown.
If the owner cannot provide transportation, JK Homegrown may be able to facilitate transport at a reduced cost to the owner. Transportation help depends on distance, timing, available assistance, and the dog's condition and is not guaranteed.
No dog may be brought to or left at the farm without prior arrangements and express approval.
Abandonment
Leaving a dog at JK Homegrown without prior arrangements is abandonment. The incident will be documented and reported to the appropriate authorities.
JK Homegrown will place the abandoned dog in protective custody and follow the legal process required to obtain or confirm authority over the dog's care and placement.
JK Homegrown will oppose returning the dog to the person who abandoned it. A person who abandons a dog is permanently ineligible to adopt, purchase, foster, or otherwise receive another dog from JK Homegrown.
Right to Refuse or Cancel a Placement
JK Homegrown may refuse or cancel a placement whenever the applicant, containment, livestock setup, household, expectations, proposed use, or other circumstances appear unsafe or unsuitable for the individual dog.
JK Homegrown may also stop the process if information is incomplete, inaccurate, withheld, or inconsistent with the proposed placement.
Any reservation deposit will be refunded if JK Homegrown cancels the placement.
Individual Placement Agreement
Every placement requires an individual written agreement. That agreement may include dog-specific health disclosures, livestock limitations, trial terms, breeding or sterilization requirements, transport arrangements, or other conditions.
When an individual written agreement contains more specific terms than this general policy, the more specific terms apply to that placement.