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Bella and Hudson's Puppies - 8 weeks

Mr. Brown ...looking so Regal! This week was all about having fun and getting dirty in the process. Fortunately, the morning dew that covered the lawn was nature’s little miracle footbath that cleansed the puppies’ feet on their way back to the playpen. This week was also about meeting new people, making new relationships and evolving roles. As their mother and caregiver, Bella still provided the occasional snack to her little entourage, but after mealtime, she became their playmate, one on one or in groups. Not unexpectedly, their “Aunt” Sierra who has always adored the puppies, was their favourite and most capable chum. She would inspire a group to chase her and then roll onto her back to allow the little ones to climb on her. With such keen maternal instincts, Sierra is bound to be an exceptional mum herself one day. Aunt Sierra playing with Bella's puppies. The group was eager to get further acquainted with their dad, Hudson and their “Uncle” Jazz, but did h

Bella and Hudson's Puppies - 7 weeks

The Angel Litter .... Miss Lavender Miss Lavender warned him by barking several times, yet the intruder would not budge. She began to bark incessantly, but he was still unyielding. Finally she could take no more. She lunged forward and sank her teeth into him jerking her head from side to side as she pulled back. He finally toppled over and lay there, helpless…..defeated. Score one for the puppies. The broom that graces our deck had learned its lesson. And thus, the tone for the week was set. With their sense of adventure and confidence growing daily, the puppies have now explored the better part of an acre of their private wonderland. They still enjoy their gardening and rock climbing, but have added a form of steeplechase that involves chasing each other under and through various pieces of deck furniture. Their foot races across the back half of the property came to an abrupt halt one day for Mr. Crimson as he disappeared into a large hole that had been dug by some of our old

Bella and Hudson's Puppies - 6 weeks

So many new adventures this week! It’s been a busy week for the puppies. Now that they are becoming more comfortable with outdoor living, they have been pursuing various hobbies and interests. Mr. Black, the lumberjack, has been gleefully pruning a lilac bush. Not to be outdone, Miss Yellow and Mr. Brown have taken up landscaping as they rearrange twigs and bark chips. Messrs. Crimson and Blue are amateur rock-climbers scaling the flower beds, while the others practice their track & field, gymnastics or even origami with the paper in their whelping box. Bella feeds the puppies occasionally to supplement their diet of moistened puppy food, albeit with diminishing enthusiasm. It’s comical to watch them chase her around the yard in the hopes of getting a snack. All in all, Bella is doing a great job as a mum. She has even scared away a wild turkey lurking outside the fence to our yard. When the puppies are in their playpen, Bella lies dutifully beside it to watch over them, b

Bella and Hudson's Puppies - 5 weeks

Bella soaking up the sunshine with her puppies. What an adventurous week this has been since the puppies were introduced to the great outdoors. They are spending a good portion of their day outside now, sometimes slumbering in their pen and other times on supervised expeditions in the yard. Their circle of comfort continues to widen and they are enjoying every minute frolicking about! With their vision and hearing now fully matured, they are very curious, learning about the things many of us take for granted: a blade of grass, a bark chip or a butterfly. One day during afternoon recess, Mr. Black, spotting an apparent gap under our gate, decided he would like to explore the previously uncharted expanses of our property. He recruited Mr. Crimson and Mr. Purple to join him in his quest, but all three were apprehended without incident. Being the good mother that she is, Bella is still very protective of her puppies and the only dogs she never minds having around them is their dad Hu

Bella & Hudson's Puppies - Week 4

"Mush" is a hit with all the Puppies including Bella! It’s now approaching four weeks since these little darlings were born.  They are growing by the hour it seems, and are very gentle, easy going with loving dispositions. Each and every puppy is just so beautiful but with parents like Bella and Hudson, how can they not be blessed with good looks? The highlight of this week was mealtime “mush”:  a healthy concoction of oatmeal, goat’s milk and vitamins. What a hit! Without the need of an invitation, Mr. Black was the very first to dig in. The others followed his lead - some a little apprehensively, perhaps since this substance wasn’t delivered by the usual milk truck.  Since that first day, Bella must have taught them some manners as they are no longer inclined to climb into the bowl. They are now a very cultured group, taking their spot at the “table”, eating politely and recruiting their siblings to help them get cleaned up after the feast.  The added bonus for Bella

Bella & Hudson's Pups - 3 Weeks old!

It’s been another exciting week for Hudson and Bella’s puppies! Their eyes are fully open now and they are intently trying to comprehend the world around them. They are all walking and venturing out of the whelping box at every opportunity. Mr. Purple wins the prize for being the first one to escape. The whelping box is much larger now that a section has been added, providing everyone with a much-needed lounging area. The puppies are growing rapidly and it’s amazing to watch the transformation daily as they become more mobile and their personalities begin to emerge. They are beginning to play with each other and are spending more time awake each day. They are also interacting more with our family as we are greeted with nine wagging tails and tiny faces that peer up at us. The puppies are all so soft and gentle and they lap up every ounce of affection they receive. It’s impossible to resist picking up and cuddling each and every one. Mr. Blue, Mr. Green and Miss Lavender are certai

Bella & Hudson's Pups - Week 2

Mr. Purple loves to snuggle It’s remarkable how quickly Bella’s puppies have grown, with some of them tripling their birth weight. They are just beginning to maneuver themselves around with the assistance of their hind legs. Some stagger around like closing time at a speak easy - they take several wobbly steps on all fours before they collapse into a heap. Bella is spending more time out of the whelping box, but her babies are always top of mind. Whenever she hears a squeak, she runs back to check on them. For reasons not apparent to us, Bella has been scouting out a new den for her babies. When she goes outside, she immediately runs to the corner of the house and begins digging. The hole is about 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep! Bella now has enlisted the aid of our younger dogs who think it’s great fun to dig! As Bella’s pups grow larger, so do their appetites! Occasionally Bella will throw us a backward glance when she enters the whelping box as if to ask, “What?  Didn’t I just

Bella and Hudson's Puppies - One Week Old!

Bella is such a fantastic mum! It seems hard to believe that a whole week has passed since Bella and Hudson’s little ones were born. Time has just flown by for us - perhaps not so much for Bella. She’s such an attentive mum, staying in the whelping box with her puppies, leaving them only briefly for the occasional bathroom break. The other day, we started out on a short walk with Bella in the yard. After about a minute, she darted back toward the door in a panic. Apparently we were not walking back fast enough for she kept running back and forth as if to imply: “Hurry up! My babies need me !”. We spend most of our days just sleeping and cuddling! Puppies are born without sight or hearing, however they are able to detect light. For now, their sense of smell is what guides them to mum! They crawl around using swimming-like movements, propelled mostly by their tiny forelimbs and a good deal of determination. Despite lacking their sight and their hearing, the puppies are defini

Introducing Bella and Hudson's Puppies

The Big Day Arrived! Here are a couple of pictures from last night just after Bella completed the delivery approximately 4:30 am. The pups are feasting and resting as they should. Introducing Mr. Purple, Mr. Blue, Miss White, Miss Yellow, Mr. Black, Miss Lavender, Mr. Brown, Mr. Green and Mr. Crimson! All cozy while I clean up the whelping box! Bella with her 9 new babies!

Bella & Hudson's Pups Arrive!

Hi everyone, I just wanted to give you an update on Bella ... Bella enjoying the sun today! We welcome to the world Mr. Purple at 11:14 pm. Soon to follow was Mr. Blue at 11:28 pm. Then Miss White at midnight. Gosh, not long after was Miss Yellow at 12:11 am and Mr. Black at 12:23 am. Bella is taking a rest right now so we will check in later ..... Back again, Miss Lavender makes her appearance at 1:13 am followed by Mr. Brown. And just when we think we are done Mr. Green pops out! Time to clean up the whelping box ...... Just when everything is nice and clean, Mr. Crimson now makes his entrance ..... After cleaning up yet again, Miss Pink made her entrance unexpectedly at 3:41 am. Sadly, due to the length of Bella's labour, we lost the little princess and were not able to revive her. Well, I think that is it. Bella is fine and her nine puppies are nursing and resting. We will follow up with pictures tomorrow as it has been a long night!

Bella x Hudson Puppies - Day 59 Pre-parturition!

What and exciting and adventuresome week we have had! We were greeted with several visitors – all turtles. Below is a picture of our most recent guest – Momma Turtle about 20 inches in length. Momma Turtle laying her eggs Bella, our sweet gentle girl has typically been the watchdog of the family. She would always stride around the perimeter of our property letting all would-be intruders know to stay away. She doesn’t even like animals on TV! However, this week she took on the role of protector. She planted herself in front of Momma Turtle and kept all the other dogs away by barking at them. Wow, what maternal instincts she has. Bella enjoying nap time in the sun after protecting Momma Turtle! Bella continues to blossom as her tummy has expanded to 36.25 inches or 92 cms. Heading into her final week of pregnancy, Bella is just as sweet and loving as ever, however there is definitely a waddle in her walk. Not sure how she managed it, but last night she climbed up on the bed

Bella x Hudson Puppies Day 53 Pre Parturition

I understand there is viewing issues via email please view online  http://regalgoldens.blogspot.com/ Heading into the home stretch! Bella resting comfortably with only 10 days to go! I can’t imagine where the week went. Time is flying by so fast now and before you know it, Bella will have had her beautiful babies! This past week was nice and dry for a change, so Bella spent many hours outdoors soaking up the sun-mostly rolling on her back as you can see. It’s perhaps not the most flattering picture, but as least she is getting her vitamin D, which is so important to both Bella and her pups. Bella rolling around taking in the sunshine! Bella’s abdominal area continues to expand measuring 34 inches or 86 cm. She is less interested in food as her stomach doesn’t have as much room as usual, so we feed her smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Right now her favorite snack is a scrambled egg added to her regular food and supplements. As you can see, Bella is

Beautiful Bella – 46 days (pre-parturition)

Bella is taking it a bit slower these days as she heads into her last 2 weeks of pregnancy! Bella's waistline continues to expand this week and is now 80 cm or 31.5 inches. She has slowed down somewhat more since last week but she continues to watch the others play and joins in on the fun from time to time!  With her growing waistline, there isn’t much room for Bella’s stomach to expand so her meals have become smaller and more frequent. She continues to have a good appetite and especially likes the yoghurt (probiotics) and oatmeal I add to her very nutritious meals. Yoghurt helps with digestion and oatmeal is actually high in protein and vitamins -  plus it tastes good. As we head into the home stretch, we continue to make her as comfortable as possible. More than ever, Bella really loves her belly rubbed so we usually spend our evenings on the sofa with her beside us petting her from head to toe as she watches her favorite TV shows. 

Bella & Hudson's Litter- Day 39 Gestation

  Day 39 (approximately 24 days to go)    Puppy Fetus – 39 days (National Geographic)   Our Bella (International JHA Champion Montego Diamond Giselle) is certainly beginning to show signs she is expecting. Our sweet girl is losing her waistline, eating lots and resting a little more then usual. If she had it her way she would be content to cuddle and have her belly rubbed 24 hours a day. I look forward to each and every minute we can spend together. She has always been a very affectionate girl but she is in overdrive now and we are loving it. Hudson (Canadian Champion Dreamkeeper Unforgettable Song) is never far away from Bella. If she needs to go out during the night he always escorts and watches over her. As we count down the days to the big event we will have lots to prepare. Yesterday, we introduced Bella to her whelping box where she will have her babies. Over the next couple of weeks she will become very familiar with it and we hope she will stop steal

Bella's Expecting!

Our sweet Bella’s ultrasound at day 30 of the gestation period A developing puppy inside Bella’s tummy We are delighted to report that Bella’s ultrasound confirmed what we all thought – definitely expecting and everything is looking good. Bella and Hudson are a fine match and we look forward to them passing on their sweet stellar personalities to the little ones growing inside of her! There are some interesting developments during the prenatal stages of pregnancy. A dog ’s tactile perception develops before birth. Unborn puppies can detect touch when mom is petted so our Bella is getting lots of cuddles and belly rubs (her favorite!). Bella is on the very best diet possible to ensure her growing puppies are receiving all the nutrition they need for the best start in life. Golden Retriever puppy at Day 25 ( National Geographic) Gestation period is approximately 60 to 63 days. At this point in a puppies development – day 30, their heartbeat can be

Bella and Hudson Litter Spring 2011

Bella and Hudson litter Spring 2011 We are eagerly awaiting our sweet Bella (International JHA Champion Montego Diamond Giselle from Australia) to come into season any day now. Bella is an extraordinarily affectionate and intelligent girl and a joy to have as part of our family . She has a lovely head, is well muscled, compact and has a sweet expression – with jet black pigment. Bella certainly seems to be enjoying the single life but our charming Hudson (Canadian Champion Dreamkeeper Unforgettable Song) is trying sweet talk her so hopefully this romance will happen soon! We are expecting this litter to be exceptional. Hudson comes from outstanding Swedish lines that have produced some extraordinary champions. In true golden fashion, Hudson has a very easy-going and affectionate character. He is quick to learn and very eager to please. He is a wonderful boy, extremely smart, obedient, powerful and athletic, gentle and loving, devoted and confident - with exceptional good looks!