Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

How fast we grow! “The Ninja” We weren’t exactly sure how she did it, but she stealthily executed the manoeuver time and time again. It seems as though Sierra is already experiencing doggie-equivalent visions of lounging on a sandy beach sipping drinks with umbrellas in them, so it’s no surprise that she doesn’t want to nurse her puppies as often any more. And that’s where Whitney comes in and our story begins. Whitney, whose litter had all left the roost except for Mr. Raven, assumed the role of Godmother. After a time, were finally able to observe how she accomplished her clandestine feat. First Whitney would run to the far end of the whelping box to lure the puppies there. Then she would run to the opposite end, jump up onto the sofa that’s behind the whelping boxes and do a swan dive into the whelping box, landing nimbly every time just so she could nurse Sierra’s puppies. There’s certainly something to be said about the generous nature of ...

What fun we have had this week! “The Hazing” They knew it was wrong but everyone was tight-lipped about the incident.  While some avoided making eye contact, a scan of faces, expressions and body language yielded no further clues. This was a rough crowd. The prospect of cooperation was unlikely and further interrogation would prove to be futile. What was evident was that Mr. Bunny, one of the pack’s beloved stuffed animals was found submerged in the water bowl, the apparent victim of a hazing ritual. Once Mr. Bunny was washed and dried, the puppies made certain to include him in all of their play activities; no doubt their guilty consciences prevailed. There are some things most of us take for granted: like walking on grass. During this week’s introduction of the group to the great outdoors, Mr. Chocolate Fudge was among the first to experience this odd type of ground covering. Fascinated by every sight, smell and sound, he forged a...

Lets Play! “The Mission” She knew her window of opportunity was small. The breakfast rush was over and the rest period had begun. Even the guards were drowsy from their morning indulgence. She surveyed the wall for an apparent vulnerability and quietly thrust herself over it. Once on the other side, she paused and listened, her escape thus far undetected. She made her way around the walled enclosure and came upon some steps leading up to a large open area. This was the area the guards were lounging in but they appeared to be fast asleep. She climbed the stairs and made her way through. She was somewhat nervous, pausing for a brief bathroom break before pressing on and assessing the avenues available to her. It was at that moment when a large human appeared, stepped over Whitney, Heidi and Sierra, all fast asleep and oblivious to the goings on and apprehended Miss Kahlua in the foyer. Her freedom was short-lived, but she had to try. She’d heard ...

We are a cute bunch! “Pick Me!” The sound is unmistakable. It can happen at any time throughout the day or night. Sometimes it’s a howl but at other times it sounds like a baby crying. And that’s our cue. Heidi’s litter has progressed to the point where they crave extra attention. The little ones are becoming more responsive to their environment, reacting to every sight and sound, watching us very intently as we move around the whelping box. It’s a challenge to reach in without having a herd of little feet anchoring the very towel we’re trying to swap out. Their tiny voices call out as if to say “pick me, pick me!” No longer content hobnobbing with their littermates, they relish being picked up and caressed, all the while nibbling on our noses and bathing us with little puppy kisses. These are among the blissful moments that make our journey worthwhile. Now that the whelping box has an extension, the puppies have room to run laps. They ...

Play, play, play... “The Bouffant” It was a cool October day. There was a gentle breeze rustling through the trees and the sun’s rays danced in and out between the clouds. Off in the distance a bird was chirping and there was the occasional crackle from the c rusty carcass of a dried leaf as it tumbled to the ground. This was the perfect day for Whitney’s litter of seven and Sierra’s litter of five to come together for their long awaited mega-playtime. Everyone looked their best, albeit Mr. Raven’s mane appears to have a perpetual static charge so that it always looks like he has a bouffant hairdo and may be in need of some gel to tame it. That didn’t slow him down in the least as he set forth to get better acquainted with Miss Cosmopolitan from Sierra’s litter. In the meantime, Mr. Sapphire chased after Miss Kahlua whose adventures took them to the remote corners of the rock garden. The two moms acted as chaperones for this get-together, but in...

Drinks are on me! “The Block Party” It was a beautiful fall day and there was electricity in the air. The preparatory work in the kitchen was now complete and the persistent thud of a bass drum resonated through the speakers. There was a buzz among the some of the guests as they milled around in anticipation of the big event that was moments away. The two chaperones were already in the garden waiting to welcome everyone. The stage was set and we were ready. All the puppies from both Sierra and Whitney’s litters were led into the yard to have their first playdate together. The scene resembled a dance floor on prom night. Some of the participants were initially a little shy as they scoped out the new group. Ever the playboy, Mr. Raven from Whitney’s litter wasted no time in getting to know Miss Cosmopolitan and there was little question that Mr. Sapphire fancied Miss Kahlua. Playtime took on a whole new dynamic and everyone was having lots of fun, ourselves included. This enhanced ...

Mr. Chocolate fudge. “Call of the Wild” It was a cold morning and the air was crisp and clean. Patches of frost on the grass were being threatened by the sun’s rays breaking through the trees. Tiny droplets of humidity were forming on the inside of the windows. In an instant, the tranquility was broken by a lone voice somewhere within the confines of Heidi’s whelping box. It was howl, albeit like that of a miniature wolf. Before long, the inhabitants joined together in a haphazard unison, delivering their own call of the wild. With a little experimentation, we realized that by whistling, we could coax the puppies to howl on command. The puppies are growing rapidly and it’s amazing to watch the transformation every day as they become more mobile and their personalities begin to emerge. They are starting to play with each other and are spending more time awake each day so we’ve added the extension to the whelping box to give the gang more...

  Whitney having a fun time with her puppies. “Miss Houdini” She managed to accomplish the feat not once, but twice in the same week. And we’re still perplexed as to how she got away with it. Miss Jade has now found at least two means of escape from the whelping box. As we examined the evidence, we suspect that the first time, she launched herself over the opening off an unsuspecting sibling’s body. In another instance, it would appear that she managed to fasten herself to Whitney on her way out of the whelping box and used her mother like a Trojan horse. We’re keeping a close watch on this one. There’s no shortage of excitement outside. On one particular outing, Miss Crimson and Miss Marigold followed their mom up the five inch step leading to the living room’s exterior door. Since it wasn’t time to go in yet, we summoned Whitney back to the play area to spend some more time with the rest of her pack. Whitney obliged, leaving...

Mr. Grasshopper howling just like his mom. “All Hail Brittania” The members of Sierra’s litter are decidedly British high society – perhaps even royalty. They never seem to want to rush anything, even the dawn of a new day. They prefer to be gently roused and summoned to the breakfast table. Their breakfast now consists of mush: a canine smoothie comprised of moistened puppy food, oatmeal, goat’s milk, supplements, probiotics and honey - all blended to perfection. We were surprised that the little ones even formed a queue as they took turns to get their first taste of this delicacy. But again, they didn’t want to rush into that either. After a bit of coaxing, the group gradually got the hang of it and even licked some of the sticky residue off the faces of their littermates, in a very reserved manner of course. (For the record, subsequent meals were consumed in their entirety and conducted in a very orderly fashion.) Mind you, Sierra has spoile...

Mr. Chocolate Fudge “The Time Machine” It was early. The sun had just begun its daily struggle to illuminate the morning sky and the room was still filled with a murky darkness. We heard the rumble off in the distance. Moments later, we heard it again, except much closer. Suddenly the mattress began to ripple from a weight deposited in its centre. Much to our surprise, Heidi had exited the whelping area, broken through two barriers and was guided to our bedroom by her internal GPS for a bit of rest and a morning cuddle. Heidi’s mastitis has cleared up and she’s ever the happy and loving creature. She is very content with the move of her mini-pack into the library where she can attend to her flock and have lots of room to lounge in. (She has yet to read any books though.) Even her “sister” Sierra comes by routinely just to inspect the goings on in Heidi’s whelping box. While Heidi has welcomed the move, she’s still intent on investigatin...