Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

We're growing bigger by the minute! “Roll Call” We did a count and then a recount, but there were no puppies missing. We were convinced that since Mr. Bulrush tipped the scales at 6 ½ lbs. he must have swallowed one of his siblings. Fortunately that was not the case; like the rest of the gang, he just has a good appetite. To aid in the puppies’ campaign to bulk up, they were introduced to gruel or mush:  a healthy concoction of oatmeal, honey, goat’s milk and vitamins to supplement the feedings they get from their mom. With their inaugural bowl, no one needed a second invitation. Miss Sweet Pea was the first one in, both literally and figuratively followed by Mr. Periwinkle, after which the concept of etiquette went out the window as everyone looked like they’d been in a food fight. Mealtime became a source of entertainment as the puppies were lacking in table manners or bedside manners since Mr. Orange Blossom among other took turns falling asleep in the bowl. To their c...

Bow-wow! “Hang Gliding” He was one of the last puppies nursing before Faith decided to go on her break and he sure was hungry. Mr. Buttercup must have had greater suction than a Dyson vacuum cleaner because when Faith got up to exit the whelping box, he was still attached. As a result, he was subsequently deposited on the living room carpet. As bewildered as he appeared, we’re sure there was a part of him that said, “wow, what a ride!” Now that their vision is established beyond simply being able to detect light, dark and movement, the puppies are becoming increasingly curious about their surroundings and each other. As they are beginning to get acquainted with their littermates, they can often be seen standing in a group gently colliding or rubbing their noses and heads against one another whether awake or asleep. This is the beginning of a key period for the puppies as they are developing rudimentary social skills. They are testing each other’s limits and learning the diff...

Just Chillin' “The Portable Oven” Since newborn puppies require a good deal of warmth and aren’t able to regulate their own body temperature until the third week, Mother Nature has made some clever provisions for that. Momma Faith’s mammary glands are very warm; in fact almost hot to the touch. She therefore provides her brood a nice warm brew that not only nourishes and makes them sleepy but also offers a nice warm shelter for them to curl up in. Apparently Faith hasn’t read the memo as she still insists on excavating a tunnel in the snow when she’s outside on her bathroom breaks. Meanwhile back in the whelping box, Mr. Buttercup has developed a fondness for burrowing under towels while Mr. Periwinkle loves to sleep on his belly with his legs splayed out behind him like a frog. The rest don’t seem to be so particular. This was also the gang’s first spa week. This consisted of some warm facecloth wipe downs to get any spots that mom might have missed and pedicures ...

Faiths litter only hours old. “The Four-legged Ostrich” It’s always in the wee hours. And despite the fact that Faith obliged us by hitting her target delivery date, sleep was going to be out of the question. Mr. Bulrush made his appearance at 1:10 a.m. albeit with his girth, he gave us all a run for the money. As a result, Faith decided to take a nice long break to enjoy a bit of ice cream. Mr. Orange Blossom arrived next, followed in quick succession by his little sister, Miss Sweet Pea and brother, Mr. Periwinkle. Then of course it was time for another break in the action so we guzzled coffee while Faith enjoyed another helping or two of ice cream. Eventually Mr. Buttercup made his debut and then Miss Powder Puff welcomed the sunrise. Poor Faith was a bit awestruck by this momentous turn of events and it took her quite some time to accept the fact of her motherhood and begin to stimulate her puppies by licking them. It all worked out in the end. Apart from nourishme...

Faith, aka “The Eskimo” Faith building an Igloo for her puppies. Faith has certainly slowed down these past few days. With bone chilling temperatures, she prefers to lounge by the fire but when she does go outdoors she is keen on excavating the snow and building an igloo for her pups to be born in. This is a natural behavior that begins several days before whelping puppies. Obviously, we’d never let that happen as we have a sterile, cozy whelping box waiting for her pups. Faith has been particularly picky with her food lately but always manages to devour liver treats! Her abdomen measures 34.5 inches or 87.6 cm and she tends to sleep on her back at the foot of our bed. A Golden Retriever puppy fetus almost fully developed. It’s easy to feel the puppies moving around in Faith’s tummy now. We will definitely make Faith as comfortable as possible in the home stretch. She has always loved cuddling and having her belly rubbed but she is certainly more demanding these da...