Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

  Our beautiful Sierra with only a few more days till pups arrive! We’re in the home stretch with our happy girl Sierra who is getting bigger with each passing day. She may be carrying around lots of extra weight but Sierra continues to wiggle with delight throughout the day and tip toes around to keep an eye on all the activity around her. She now measures 34.5 inches (87.6 cm). We are monitoring Sierra’s temperature twice daily as any significant drop would signal the onset of labour. At this point, the fetuses are fully developed and can be born safely. The puppies have basically finished their development and are just growing bigger now. They are born without the ability to see and their eyes don’t open till about 10 days after birth. We will make our girl as comfortable as possible over the next week as we look forward to the big day! Stay tuned….

Less than a week till her babies arrive! Unlike most other pregnant females, our Bailey inhales her meals. She has an appetite like we’ve never seen before and is eating four times daily. Bailey continues to blossom as her tummy has expanded to a massive 36 inches (91 cm), so she has quite a bit of extra weight to carry around! Heading into her final days of pregnancy, Bailey is pretty much just enjoying lying around and watching her fellow pack-mates frolic in the yard. The whelping area has been prepared for the big event, but our biggest challenge is monitoring Bailey’s activity outside. She has begun the hunt for a den to have her puppies in. Like many of our other moms, Bailey likes to dig under one of our spruce trees. We’re not sure why they all seem to prefer a cold, muddy hole to a comfy, warm and clean den in our bedroom. The puppies can be safely born anytime now, but Bailey typically goes full term which is 63 days from the time of ovulation. It is easy to feel the pupp...

Miss Whitney doing what she loves.....relaxing! We have less than a week to go until the big event. Whitney’s abdomen has continued to expand and is approximately 34.5 inches (87.5 cm). She weighs 76.4 lbs. (34.6 kg) which is up from her usual weight of 64 lbs. (29 kg); the difference of which would be her litter of puppies. Whitney has definitely slowed down this week, however her appetite has not waned. She is currently eating 3 times daily and next week we will increase to 4 times daily. Our expectant mom is now on a mission to find a location to have her pups. Her favourite spot seems to be under a spruce tree in the back yard, but of course we have other plans. So, this weekend we will introduce Whitney to the ever-so-cozy and spotlessly clean whelping box, lined with freshly washed linens and towels. At the moment, Whitney seems to be most comfortable on the dog bed in front of the fireplace in our bedroom. She is still managing to join us o...

The above dark area shows a pup in the gestational sac. Sierra’s ultrasound – confirmation of pregnancy at approx. Day 29 This is an exciting time for all of us as it seems like an eternity since we have had puppies in the house. Sierra hasn’t experienced any morning sickness at all. She knows exactly when meal times are and is the first to remind us if we are late with meal service! She goes outside for brief bathroom breaks but usually arrives back at the door within minutes demanding to come inside. We believe she uses a code which consists of 3 barks a pause followed by another 3 barks followed by 2 barks, a pause and repeat. Sierra is a very happy girl and always shows her enthusiasm but her distinctive howl and her uncontrollable tail wag which is more like a full body wag are her trademark.  At this point, the embryonic sacs are a little over 4 cm.  Although several sacs were detected during the ultrasound at day 30, it is still difficult to determine exactly how ma...

Bailey out for a stroll Beautiful Bailey is not showing any signs of slowing down, however she has become more affectionate - if that’s even possible. When she’s not engaging with the rest of the pack, her favourite activity is snuggling up on the dog bed next to our fireplace. Bailey has always had a ferocious appetite and she certainly continues to eat her food in record time. She is enjoying a very nutritious raw food diet, fresh organic puréed veggies with folic acid, prebiotics and probiotics daily.  As her waistline expands, she will have less room for food so we will increase the frequency and reduce the size of each meal. Bailey’s abdomen now measures 80 cm or 31.5 inches.  Fetus at approximately day 39 By day 30, digestive and respiratory glands, muscles, bones, the puppy's circulatory, genital and urinary systems, the skin and hair, the nervous system and all of the puppy's sensory organs--including the eyes, inner ear and peripheral nerves have formed. Duri...

  Whitney looking lovely at day 50 pre-parturition As we head into the home stretch, Whitney is certainly showing signs of slowing down. She has always loved her creature comforts like a warm, cozy sofa or her favourite spot – our bed. Now more then ever, she can be found curled up there. She rolls over as we approach indicating it is “belly-rubbing- time”. So far Whitney continues to relish her food. Next week we will begin to give her three smaller meals daily as her abdomen expands and the room in her tummy diminishes. Pre-natal period: It is an interesting fact that a dog's tactile perception develops before birth, therefore unborn puppies can detect touch when the mother is petted from the outside of the abdomen. This establishes the basis for puppies to tolerate being touched, when compared to puppies born to mothers that were not petted. Pregnant dogs that are exposed to stressful events tend to release hormones that can be detected by the fetuses, which can negat...

Such a handsome bunch. “Boot Camp” Training exercises began very early in the morning as the sun worked its slow trajectory across the sky. The morning dew saturated the grass and the air was beginning to get thick with humidity. With breakfast out of the way, the crew was ready. They scrambled out of their dorm into their warm up jog following their team leader, Mango who was intent on not letting them catch up. The group worked through various manoeuvres which included “hand to hand” combat with sticks, rock climbing and agility training, however it would seem that the crowd favourite was digging a giant foxhole. They usually worked in pairs and before long, they had a hole that was large enough to accommodate two puppies. Rain or shine, this group was intent to repeat their ritual as often as possible each and every day and they appeared unfazed when the weather was less than ideal. On the days that it rained, they wore the mud on their faces like camouflage. When they were c...

Do you want to share my stick? “The Conspiracy” It happened in the wee hours of the morning. The moon was but a sliver and light was scarce, but their adrenaline was in abundance. All the time spent planning would be put to the test. As the moment drew near, their fears remained unspoken. One by one they slipped over the wall which had been inadvertently compromised by their custodian’s last visit. Off in the distance, they spotted their objective: their mother Mango fast asleep. They quietly tiptoed over to her in the hopes of a “midnight snack”, but alas Mango was not in the mood to oblige at this hour which left the trio wailing. They might not have achieved what they set out to accomplish with their short-lived freedom, but calm was quickly restored once they were reunited with their brothers in the whelping box. This week was all about treasures and discovery. Since the weather was occasionally a bit unsettled during the week, Mother Nature contributed numerous twigs and bits ...

Enjoying the great outdoors! “A Bull in a China Shop” He was in a very deep sleep – likely a milk-induced coma. He lay there, gently twitching and feeling oh so comfortable. In his dream, he heard the thunder of hooves all around him. A split second later, Mr. Twister, now rudely awakened, was experiencing the dream. Like a bull in a china shop, Mr. Sandstorm repeatedly stepped on Mr. Twister’s head as he raced around the whelping box with Messrs. Lightning Bolt and Purple Rain in hot pursuit. Whether it was carelessness or they were sending a message, the group wasn’t content until everyone joined in on the fun. We’re not sure if was cabin fever that inspired his actions, but later in the week Mr. Snowstorm catapulted himself over the wall to explore the living room. Once he came to the realization that he was alone, he began to whimper until he was quickly airlifted back to the safety of the whelping box. Since we finally caught a break with the weather, we did not waste the oppo...

Doggy den for sale or rent. “The Cavern” They suspected nothing. She had spent several days earning their trust so she could finally move around the compound without scrutiny. She had to work quickly, but there were no tools at her disposal other than her own limbs and sheer determination. Bit by bit, the ground gave way. She worked tirelessly for what seemed like an eternity. Smiling, she stood back and assessed the fruits of her labour. Just a little bit more she thought. Just another day or two and it would be complete. Unfortunately for Mango, the cavern she created to house her babies was eventually discovered and her plan to move them was thwarted. Meanwhile in the living room, the extension was added to the whelping box and the puppies now have an elaborate playstation at their disposal (no batteries required). They are developing their strength, co-ordination and cognitive skills as well as learning to engage in activities with their littermates. They scramble around at to...