Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

Misty enjoying an evening walk. As we head into the final 10 days of Misty’s pregnancy, we don’t see her slowing down too much. She opts to stay inside enjoying the air conditioning and enjoys our company more than frolicking outside with the rest of the pack.  Her waistline measures 31 inches (78 cm) now but she still has a voracious appetite. She is quite happy that we have increased her serving sizes over the past couple of weeks! This weekend she will be introduced to the “whelping box” which is where she will have her puppies. It will be in our bedroom and will stay there till the pups are approximately 3 weeks old. Then it will move to a sunny location in our living room. The living room has French doors to a private yard for pups and mom. Misty has just begun to seek out a special area in the yard to deliver her pups. This is normal behaviour as moms dig a den for their newborns. Obviously, we have a much cozier and cleaner idea in mind.   Pre-natal period:...

Love on the rocks! “They Grow Up So Quickly” Seven weeks ago, they were all chipmunk-size nuggets – all squirmy with little pink feet and noses. They evolved from helpless little bundles to real going concerns that are desperate for backyard time and curious to know what each and every little sight and sound represents. Where has the time gone? The gang loved their outdoor time. And who doesn’t enjoy dining al fresco? Everyone was enthusiastic about helping Chanel survey the perimeter of the fence line, on the lookout for trespassers. On one particular outing, Miss Blaze shot out of the house, catapulted herself over the stoop in hot pursuit of a bird she spotted. It’s remarkable how large a part that genetics plays in their development. Even collecting and chewing sticks is in their DNA. This week, the puppies experienced their first car ride to the friendly veterinarian. Unlike most other litters travelling to the same destination, the ride there was extremely quiet. Onc...

Cooling off in the grass! “The Drinking Contest” A drinking contest normally conjures up images far different than this week’s experience as this one was far more innocent. The puppies were ready for a change; ready to take on a brand-new adventure, namely their introduction to the great outdoors. When we removed the door to the whelping box to allow them to work their way outside on their own, most weren’t sure what to make of all this newfound freedom, so they stood in the entrance as if frozen in time. A little coaxing cured that and soon the entire crew made it out. Despite the newness of it all, their primary focus was on getting to their mom for a quick snack. Chanel’s sores from her bout of mastitis have since healed and the milk bar was available in its entirety. When Chanel felt she’d met her obligations and scurried off for some private time, the gang was left to absorb the vastness of the yard. Mind you, they didn’t stray very far on the first day, but their circle wi...

“Friends for Life” The dynamic in the whelping box is evolving. This is the beginning of the most influential socialization period for the puppies. They’re learning to communicate with each other and with us by wagging their tails. With the increased control over their facial muscles, they are making expressions and are beginning to reveal their personalities and communicate their opinions. They spend longer periods of time awake and they use it to engage in some manner of play with their siblings whether head-butting or wrestling. They’re also craving a lot of attention and affection. When we were removing the pig rails from the whelping box, the puppies came to investigate with a perfect blend of caution and curiousity. This gave way to a great deal of hand nibbling and cuddling. In short, they’re making friends - both with us and each other, not to mention their little stuffed toys. Since the little ones are getting more accustomed to eating solid food, their food is being ...

Happy 4th week Birthday to us! “Five Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Chanel and her brood have been relocated into the living room which is a pretty regal deal for mom. She’s got both a sofa and a love seat to stretch out on, not to mention some carpeting and some sections of cool wood flooring for lounging. There’s also a walkout to the backyard for those peaceful Zen moments or for chasing chipmunks. Unlike many other moms in this situation, Chanel didn’t bat an eye. She knew this was a good deal, but perhaps her puppies did not. It usually happens at least once in every litter that a puppy manages to escape over the wall. In fact, Mr. Smoke had his fifteen minutes of fame at two weeks of age. Not long after they were relocated, five of the little ones slipped out into the living room to get a better look at the carpeting. So, without the benefit of a GPS to guide them, they soon realized they have no clue as to where they were (and of course that there’s no food in sight). The...

Happy 3rd week Birthday to us! “A Foot in Cold Water” Here’s one we’ve never witnessed before. We’re not certain as to whether it’s something she learned in a spa or if it has some other purpose, but we’ve noticed that Chanel puts her right paw inside the water bowl while she’s having a drink. Irrespective of the reason, at least the bowl is fixed in place during her hydration session and she has one clean foot. To add to the challenge of nursing eleven puppies, Chanel contracted mastitis this week - an inflammation of a mammary gland which is an infection caused by a little bite or scratch. This is not uncommon in larger litters and not serious when diagnosed and treated in the early stages. We opted for two courses of treatment: the medical solution of a regimen of antibiotics coupled with the homeopathic one of strapping a cabbage leaf to the affected area. That gets followed up with basting the wound with saline solution and the incredible healing properties of honey. Sin...

Our eyes are beginning to open! “500 Miles Away from Home” The day began like any other. The morning dew burned off with the hot caress of the sun’s rays. It was very still, apart from the occasional fluttering of a mama robin’s wings as she hurried off in search of food for her young. Yet something felt out of place. A trip to the bedroom where the whelping box resides revealed the answer. There were only ten puppies on hand. A scan of the room revealed nothing. And then…..a tiny muffled voice; but from where? The search was escalated to the highest priority. Finally, Mr. Smoke, the little rascal was retrieved from way under our king-sized bed. The distance travelled was no small feat for such a little creature who hasn’t even learned to walk yet. We can only conjecture how he managed to escape over the barrier – either he crawled over the back of a sibling or he was still enjoying breakfast attached to his mom when she left the box to have a little break. What suction! It’...

Devoted momma Chanel and her 11 puppies. “The Job Description” It’s always a bit confusing for a mom giving birth by C-section. For the weeks leading up to the birth, a mother-to-be knows she’s going to have a litter. When they’re delivered by C-section, it’s rather perplexing for her because the babies seem to appear out of nowhere…..and they already have demands!  Chanel warmed up to the idea quite readily and immediately began to bond with them, but it took a day before she came to the realization that the job came with responsibilities. After 24 hours, she stepped up to the plate and began to lick and nudge each of her offspring to clean and stimulate them as they are initially incapable of eliminating on their own. For the first couple of days, we had to coax her out of the whelping box for her bathroom breaks which are conducted in record time. She even insists on a “dining in” meal plan so that she can continually tend to her flock.  With eleven in the ...

“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 st...

Chanel is thankful Spring has finally arrived. Chanel has always been a very calm and easy-going girl. Now that she is pregnant, she seems very much the same but her “happy meter“ is off the charts. Her tail is wagging constantly and she likes to carry her favourite stuffed toy around in her mouth.   Chanel did have a mild bout of morning sickness around day 25 but she bounced back quickly. She is eating about 20 oz. daily which we will increase to 22 oz. this week.  Chanel hasn’t slowed down yet and still is very active with the pack. She eagerly runs out the door every morning to check the perimeter of our backyard fence. Chanel is our resident chief of security with Faith and a few others as back up! We expect Chanel will slow down over the next couple of weeks as her abdomen grows.   Above is an amazing photo by National Geographic of an embryo at 25 days. Pre-natal period: It is an interesting fact that a dog's tactile perception develops before ...