Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

Happy-Go-Lucky Mango Our extremely fit Mango is blossoming throughout her pregnancy as her tummy which normally measures usually 70 cm (27.5 “) has expanded to 87 cm (34.25”). As she heads into her final few days of pregnancy, Mango continues to enjoy retrieving her ball, but there is a definite waddle in her walk. She spends her days lounging in a nice shady nook in the yard and cuddling with us in the evenings as she sure doesn’t want to miss out on her belly rubs. Remarkably Mango still can jump on the bed, but we’re wondering just how long that will last. It’s easy to feel the puppies moving in Mango’s tummy now and we witness a little kick now and again. Since she doesn’t have much room left for food in her expanded waistline, Mango is getting five or six smaller meals throughout the day. As of yesterday she’s become a bit picky so we offer her various enhancements to her regular food. Her current favourite is liver and eggs with freeze dried Crump’s liver bits sprinkled on to...

Mango hasn't slowed down much! This is about the time that Mango will embark on her quest for nesting. She will seek out that perfect spot in the yard where she intends her puppies to be born. But not to worry, she’ll actually have them in a nice warm and sterile environment known as the whelping box. Over the next week we will introduce Mango to the whelping box and make all the final preparations for the arrival of her puppies. This will require a certain amount of persuasion because no matter how cozy we think this venue might be for her, Mango believes our bed is much more comfortable! In the evenings, Mango insists on constant belly rubs and we can feel the puppies moving around when she lies on her back. This mother-to-be is now receiving four smaller meals, as there is less room for food given the size of the puppies. Mango is becoming a little picky with her meals so we offer her a “gourmet” selection of nutritious foods that will meet all...

National Geographic  - Embryo at 25 days Mango - Day 36 pre-parturition We had some terrific news this past week: an ultrasound confirmed our sweet, beautiful girl Mango is expecting! This is an exciting time for all of us as it seems like an eternity since we have had puppies in our household! Diet is so important at this stage as the puppies will begin to grow rapidly now. Over the next few weeks as her abdomen expands, Mango will obviously begin to slow down. Above is an amazing photo by National Geographic of an embryo at 25 days of age. This is approximately the time Mango had her ultrasound (day 27). From day 35 on, the embryos are known as fetuses. At this point, the embryonic sacs are a little over 4 cm.  Although several sacs were detected during the ultrasound, it is still difficult to determine exactly how many babies Mango will have. Fetuses are approximately 1.3 cm. which may seem small but they will triple in size in just one week. Between days 29 and 35, the...

Mr. Chocolate Fudge out for a romp! “Titanium” Timing was crucial if her mission stood any chance of success as she assumed her primary position around the back of the target. With the precision and agility of a Navy SEAL, she sprang into action, her lithe, powerful legs churning. One, two, three…..Geronimo! She was in place. And now to explain:   our dear Whitney whose own litter has long since gone to their new homes, is the self-appointed surrogate to not only Sierra’s litter, but also Heidi’s. What she does is run to the far end of the whelping box to attract the puppies’ attention. Once they’re all in place, Whitney runs to the opposite end of the box, leaps up onto the sofa and catapults herself into the whelping box in order to nurse Heidi’s puppies. Occasionally the puppies catch on so Whitney enlists Sierra’s aid as the decoy to allow her the time to get into position to jump into the box. We haven’t quite figured out if Whitney ju...

Fun times outside this week! “The Lap Pool” It can’t be a coincidence. This week But we had to fish Mr. Bunny, one of the group’s beloved stuffed animals, out of the water bowl yet again. Given the repercussions following last week’s apparent hazing incident, we know that the little ones have surely learned to treat all creatures with the kindness and respect they deserve. But as usual, no one is talking so we can only surmise that Mr. Bunny must really just enjoy swimming. As we look around the whelping box at the puppies, we’re beginning to wonder if there’s something about the food or the water they’re getting, but several of Heidi’s pups appear as though they’re sporting Afros. We can almost hear disco music playing in the background! Their fashion choices aside, the little ones are all gaining well and looking great. Their muzzles are lengthening and are beginning to look a bit more like the adults they will eventually become. Their emotio...

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...