Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

Sierra will make a great mom as she loves all puppies! With just two weeks to go, Sierra continues to relish her food. She is now eating three smaller meals daily consisting of fresh pureed fruits, vegetables, oatmeal, chicken and supplements so she and her pups receive the best nutrition possible. This holiday season, she will be lurking around the dinner table but she needn’t worry - she‘ll receive her own delightful turkey feast! Sierra has slowed down a bit and as previously mentioned, prefers quieter surroundings. She is usually found lying by the fireplace on her own cozy doggy bed or on our bed. She doesn’t stay outside for very long or venture very far from us. Like the rest of us, Sierra is not big on ice storms, but nothing seems to faze her and she didn’t object to the absence of hydro for four days. Throughout the whole “ordeal”, she emphatically wiggled her rear and cooed with delight at every turn. It was difficult to tell Sierra was even pregnant as she didn’t real...

Sierra enjoying some R&R time at the cottage before the big event. As you can see, Sierra is a very happy girl. She is constantly wagging her tail and howling with joy. Pregnancy is certainly agreeing with her! Sierra hasn’t skipped a beat when it comes to her enjoyment of food, nor has she suffered from morning sickness; quite the opposite really. She is eating two larger, nutritious meals daily however, in a couple of weeks’ time she will enjoy three smaller meals. Sierra is sticking close to us these days. She prefers to remain inside on these cold winter days rather than play outside with the other dogs. She can usually be found curled up by the fireplace or nestled on our bed. She is a girl that enjoys comfort! At the moment, she is enjoying a marrow bone by the fireplace and tonight she will curl up beside us for her regimen of belly rubs. Pre-natal period: It’s an interesting fact that a dog's tactile perception develo...

Mr. Apple loving the outdoors but not the heat! Victoria’s Secret It happened early one morning. The sun was beating down and the birds were singing their various melodies, busily scouring the dewy grass for worms and other delectables. As we opened the door to release Bailey and her mini pack into the yard, Bailey spotted it first and tore off at top speed to investigate. Sensing imminent danger, Mr. Potato stopped in his tracks and turned to warn the others, many of which were already headed back inside in response to our beckoning. In the meantime, Bailey was nose to nose with her adversary… a baby chipmunk. Once the puppies were “safely” tucked away, Bailey was also persuaded to return, allowing the little chipmunk to reunite with its own family. With the weather being as hot as it was this past week, it’s no surprise that the puppies spent much of their time soaking their little feet in the over-sized water bowl - no doubt dreaming about swimming at the cottage one day. An...

Baily and pups playing - can you spot the impostor? The Impostor Little puppies aren’t good at math at seven weeks of age, but try taking three treats out in front of an adult Golden and they’ll know full well that you’ve only given them one or two. On several occasions, the membership of this litter has gone from eight to nine. The group didn’t seem to notice at first or maybe they just didn’t mind, but there was an imposter in their midst. A friend who breeds American Eskimos had a litter on the same day as Bailey that resulted in a singleton (an only child). Vickie, the three pound minion has been over for play dates with our puppies to aid in her socialization and just to have some fun. She was welcomed into the pack by all in true Golden fashion including Bailey the super-mom, who even allowed little Vickie to nurse.   Mr. Mint Whether rain or shine, the gang has been enjoying their outdoor time. Their favourite activities include ...

  Mr. Plum very proud of his landscaping skills! The Police Escort Perhaps they thought the garden would look better without it. The puppies worked tirelessly like a little gang of lumberjacks and before long, the large green plant growing alongside a honey locust tree lay shredded in a heap. All of the perpetrators had wisps of green foliage in their fur and protruding out of the corners of their mouths like over exuberant vegans at an all-you-can-eat salad bar. Intent on exploring another shrub nearby, Miss Lemon stretched up as high as she could onto her tiptoes thereby losing her balance and doing a backward summersault on the mulch-covered ground. She shrieked and was momentarily disoriented, but wasted no time in getting back to the job at hand. With their tremendous appetite for exploration, the little ones know no boundaries. Bailey is a mother-extraordinaire. Unlike most moms, Bailey spends her time on outings playing with her pu...

Enjoying the great outdoors! “The Mission” With the agility and precision of a Navy SEAL, she dragged herself up the grassy embankment, using only her front limbs to propel herself forward, staying low to the ground and fighting off fatigue, she was within range of the target. Her mission was clear and timing was crucial. At the last moment, Miss Apricot lunged forward, flinging herself on top of Mr. Mint and so the two tumbled playfully on the lawn. Now that the puppies are old enough and the weather has been cooperating, the group has been enjoying their time in the sun. It didn’t start out that way though. On the first day when a few of the puppies were deposited on the lawn, some just stood and whimpered, taking in the magnificence of the world outside as it stood menacingly before them. Very quickly, that feeling passed and as their confidence grew, the puppies did what puppies do: be curious. Some ambled around, rolled in the grass, studied trees, chewed twigs ...

We love to play together! “Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting” Imagine a warm summer evening as the sun goes down accompanied by an almost deafening sound of crickets chirping in a meadow. Now transition that thought to another context with eight hungry puppies huddled around their food bowl smacking their lips in unison as they devour their dinner. The way this group approaches every mealtime, one would be left with the impression that they’ve not eaten in days. The truth of the matter is that they get three generous meals of mush a day, interspersed with deliveries by their mom, Bailey with her milk wagon. In addition, the little ones are supplementing their meals and keeping themselves well hydrated with a constant supply of fresh water. Small wonder that some puppies with their big, round bellies are already breaking the 7 lb. barrier. This is the beginning of a key socialization period for the puppies. When they’re not sleeping ...

Mr. Mint “Bite Me” He was fast asleep and didn’t see it coming. The sensations in his leg caused him to jolt out of his slumber. Then it became clear:   Mr. Apple was gnawing on Mr. Rhubarb’s leg because it was time to play!   As they spend more time awake, the puppies paw and mouth their littermates, learning rudimentary social skills in their interactions with one another. Their vision has progressed beyond simply being able to detect light, dark and movement and they are beginning to respond to sudden or loud sounds. They are also able to relieve themselves without the assistance of their mom to stimulate them. With so many newfound skills coupled with the ability to walk and climb, it’s no great surprise that the little ones start to get into some mischief. One weekend morning at 6:00 a.m., we were awakened by the sound of Bailey barking and some of the puppies squealing. It seems that Miss Lemon and Mr. Plum conspired to scale the smal...

This week our eyes opened!   “ Peek-a-boo ” This was a big week for the puppies in many respects – the first of which is that their eyes opened. Miss Lemon was the first of the girls and Mr. Mint was the first of the boys. It’s not surprising in Mr. Mint’s case: since he’s always so hungry, we’re sure he felt he could find more food if he could see where he was going. This development had no effect on Mr. Apple as he continued to enjoy his meals splayed out on his back. At this stage, the puppies can only differentiate between light and dark through a kind of haze, but this will clear up very quickly over the next week or so as they begin to experience normal sight. They are able to hear quite well as soon as their ears have opened but it will take some time before the little ones can understand or relate to what it is they’re hearing. Another highlight is the move of the whelping box from our bedroom to the living room down the hall. Now that the group is well e...

  Welcome to the world!   “Room for Rent” In our previous posting, we revealed how much Bailey enjoyed accommodating her puppies in the plush surroundings of the whelping box. Now that she’s recovered from her C-section and has had a little more time to reflect, Bailey been on the lookout for some other digs; quite literally. On more than one occasion, she’s been caught trying to excavate some spaces in the yard she deems suitable to raise her new family in. There’s one hole under a rock that was so deep, we could hear an echo in it. Since the digging was proving to be difficult, Bailey finally settled on a readymade dog house on the side porch, albeit we think it may just be a little small for her needs. Bailey in the dog house! Thanks to Bailey’s dedication as a mom, spending almost 24 hours a day in the whelping box, the puppies have almost doubled their birth weights. Bailey’s milk depository provides their nourishment which...

Miss Apricot cuddling up to mom - a few hours old! “Welcome to the World Little Ones!” We are very pleased to announce the “late” arrival of Bailey’s adorable puppies on Monday, May 20 th , of 6 beautiful boys and 2 adorable girls by C-section. We were certainly hoping Bailey would give birth during the night but she never progressed past stage one labour, so after several days of waiting we decided it was best to go in and get them. It turns out that a little one who’d made a wrong turn was blocking the passage for all the pups. The puppies are all very hearty, fairly even in size and weight and are actually somewhat larger compared to other litters. Bailey has all the makings of a good mom and is recovering well. Unlike other first-time mothers, Bailey relinquished the mindset of wanting to deliver her puppies somewhere in the yard in favour of the plush surroundings of the whelping box. She seemed to like it so much, she spent the previous two nights sleeping in it ...

  Bailey still looking stunning! Bailey sure is showing signs of slowing down and there is definitely a waddle in her walk these days. She prefers to be inside with us lying on her cozy dog bed or on the cool tile floor. Bailey is a very calm and quiet girl and seems even more so with her pregnancy. She continues to have a tremendous appetite, which we are thankful for as some expectant moms can be extremely fussy – others have voracious appetites. Bailey is currently eating three meals a day but this weekend, we will transition her to four smaller meals daily.  She still gobbles down her food and we can’t seem to put the bowl down fast enough. This Monday evening, we will take a trip to the vet to see how everything is going and then prepare for the big event on the following weekend. Bailey has begun to seek out what she feels is the perfect spot to have her pups. So far she appears to be undecided as to where she would like to give birth since she has already e...

Baily at day 35. Still looking slender! It is hard to believe that Bailey will be having her puppies in less than 20 days. While her tummy has expanded to 33.5 inches (85 cm), she is not showing any signs of slowing down yet. Bailey is extra sensitive and prefers being close to us rather than with the pack, so her evenings are spent cuddling and getting lots of belly rubs. Bailey has a ravenous appetite and is being fed three times daily now. As the puppies grow, there is less room in her tummy and it’s also easier for Bailey to digest these smaller meals. She is eating a nutritious balance of home cooked organic foods, premium kibble, supplements and raw vegetables.   Embryo at 25 days. Photo by National Geographic. Pre-natal period: It is an interesting fact that a dog's tactile perception develops before birth, therefore unborn puppies can detect touch when the mother is petted from the outside of the abdomen. This establishes the basis for puppies to toler...