Skip to main content

Heidi, Day 56 (pre-parturition)


Our beautiful Heidi

As we head into the final days of Heidi’s pregnancy, we are certainly seeing her slow down. She is spending most of her time lounging on our back deck and just watching the other dogs frolic and play. When she does venture out, Heidi has been wandering our yard seeking a den in which to whelp her puppies and it would appear that she has excavated a 2’ x 2’ foot hole under the spruce tree. This week we will introduce her to a pristinely clean whelping box in the hope that she will find this acceptable for her pups.

Heidi is shedding the hair on her belly in preparation for the birth and we can actually feel the puppies moving at this time. Since she is eating 3 meals daily and measuring 36 inches (90 cm), we will most likely transition her to 4 meals daily.
 
A Golden Retriever puppy fetus almost fully developed.
 
At this stage, the puppies have a full coat of hair and can be felt moving around in her tummy. The coat is one of the last organs to develop. It is now very crowded in her uterus, so we will definitely make Heidi as comfortable as possible this final week. She has always been very affectionate; enjoying cuddling and having her belly rubbed but she is certainly more demanding these days. Of course, we are more than happy to oblige her.

Stay tuned…..

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Fiona & Dutch’s Autumn Litter 2025!

Dutch and Fiona's puppies arrived! Introducing Fiona & Dutch’s Autumn Litter 2025 We are thrilled to share that Dutch and Fiona has welcomed her first litter on Wednesday October 22nd!  She was expecting 12 puppies, and although we sadly lost three little angels after a long 14-hour labour, we are overjoyed to have  nine healthy, robust pups — three girls and six boys . Fiona has been an exceptional first-time mom, instinctively knowing what to do and bonding with her puppies immediately.  Meet our Autumn Litter, in birth order: 🍂  Miss Kale  – Purple collar 🍂  Miss Spice  – Orange collar 🍂  Mr. Acorn  – Brown collar 🍂  Mr. Apple Pie  – Red collar 🍂  Mr. Gourd  – Green collar 🍂  Mr. Twilight  – Black collar 🍂  Mr. Frost  – Light Blue collar 🍂  Mr. Sunrise  – Yellow collar 🍂  Miss Mushroom  – White collar We can’t wait to share more updates as these little ones grow! Stay...

Dutch and Fiona’s puppies are now 7 weeks old!

Seven Weeks Old and Full of Fun! This week has been all about  play , and these little ones have truly come into their own. Whether romping around indoors or bounding through the snow, they’ve spent their days chasing each other, wrestling, and engaging in very determined games of tug-of-war. The puppies are now enjoying between  6.5 and 8 ounces of food per meal —and not a single morsel is ever left behind! They have fully transitioned to solid food, and Momma Fiona has officially retired from nursing. She has done a  phenomenal  job raising her babies, and now it’s her turn to rest and enjoy some well-deserved R&R. Although the puppies still sleep quite a bit, they are awake more often and absolutely adore being picked up and cuddled. This is such a sweet, affectionate stage. The highlight of the week was their  veterinary health checkup . We were incredibly fortunate to have our vet come to our home—especially helpful during today’s severe winter storm. H...

Six Weeks Already! Dutch and Fiona’s Beautiful Litter!

Dutch and Fiona’s puppies are six weeks old today — gosh, how time flies! What an exceptional litter they are. Their weights and appearances are remarkably consistent, with the girls just slightly smaller. If you’ve been watching on the 24/7 camera, you’ve probably noticed how much more they’re playing and interacting every single day. This week’s big news:  Fiona has decided that  all  the toys belong to her! One evening, I watched her go into the toy box, carefully select a toy, and carry it over to her bed. By the end of the night, every single toy had been relocated. She never destroys them — she simply gathers them like treasures. It’s absolutely comical. Faith ventured over to investigate, and let’s just say Fiona was  not  impressed with the intrusion. A huge thank-you to everyone who attended our open house last weekend. The puppies soaked up all the cuddles, and it was truly lovely meeting everyone. I know you're all getting excited to bring your puppy ...