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Chanel, Day 54 (pre-parturition)



“The Countdown Begins”


Enjoying the sun setting after an active day of digging!

As Chanel heads into her final 9 days of pregnancy, she is very much focused on finding the perfect den in our backyard to birth her puppies. This is a normal behaviour for pregnant dogs so we are keeping a watchful eye on her. She has dug a hole that she can pretty much fit herself into along with the pups’ daddy! However, we have a much cozier and cleaner nesting area for her. This week we will introduce her to the “whelping box” and make all the final preparations for the puppies’ arrival next week.

Chanel is still extremely interested in food and when offered a treat, she will almost take your hand along with it. She is getting about 28 oz of raw food daily as well as supplements including folic acid for the prevention of birth defects and rosemary tea leaves for uterine health.

Chanel’s abdominal area seems to expand daily. She measures a whopping 36.5 inches or 92.7 cm and she’s still growing!


Golden Retriever fetus at almost full term.

At this point, the puppies’ coats of fur are fully developed and they will gain rapidly in size in preparation for their birth. As always, our pregnant girls enjoy many evening belly rubs and Chanel is no exception. We can actually feel the puppies moving around. It seems like they are anxious to get out into the world and meet their forever families!

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