Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

Olivia Day 56 Pre -Parturition As we head into Olivia's final week of pregnancy, we can see that she is now slowing down! She’s still interested in the chipmunks, birds, and squirrels—just like the other dogs—but she’s less inclined to even attempt chasing them. She is currently eating four smaller meals a day, as she’s growing quite large. Her original waistline was 27 inches (68.6 cm), and this morning she measured 35.5 inches (90.2 cm). We’ve now set up her birthing box—called a whelping box—in our bedroom. We’re all ready for the big day... or should I say night? Dogs often give birth overnight. This preference is rooted in their survival instincts, prompting them to seek out quiet, secluded places—conditions more likely to be found under the cover of darkness. In the wild, they would dig a burrow or find a sheltered spot, typically in a dark or hidden area, to create a safe, den-like space for their puppies. Once the puppies are born, we set up a 24/7 camera so the expectant f...

Olivia looking a pretty as ever. Olivia – Day 49 (Pre-Parturition) Olivia has been visibly showing for a couple of weeks now, and her baby bump continues to grow—currently measuring 32 inches (81.3 cm). She still eats three meals a day and never lets me forget when it’s time! It’s become routine for her to march straight to the refrigerator, sit down, and give me a look—first at me, then at the fridge, then back at me. She’s always right on time when I check the clock! Lately, she’s been seeking extra belly rubs and plenty of cuddles, just like many expectant moms at this stage. Despite her growing bump, Olivia remains her energetic self—playing with the pack and chasing chipmunks in the yard. She hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down just yet! It’s fascinating to note that unborn puppies are capable of sensing touch when their mother is petted during pregnancy, as a dog’s sense of touch begins developing before birth. Studies show that puppies born to mothers who were regularly pette...

Olivia sporting her baby bump.  Olivia - Day 42 Pre-Parturition Olivia has always had a voracious appetite, consuming her meals at a rapid pace. She is acutely aware of her feeding schedule, anticipating mealtimes to the minute. Over the past couple of weeks, Olivia has been enjoying three daily meals, a departure from our typical practice, but one necessitated by her evident hunger. Her diet continues to consist of a healthy regimen of fresh foods, including a variety of proteins, puréed vegetables, farm-fresh eggs, folic acid, and pre- and probiotics. As Olivia's abdomen expands, measuring 76 cm (30 inches), her capacity for food will diminish, prompting us to increase the frequency of her meals while reducing the portion size of each. National Geographic embryo at 25 days of gestation. The provided image from National Geographic depicts an embryo at 25 days of gestation, approximately the stage captured during Olivia's recent ultrasound on day 27. From day 35 onward, the dev...

Tulip’s Puppies Celebrate Their 7-Week Milestone! Another week has flown by, and it's hard to believe these puppies are already 7 weeks old. For the most part, they've been a very quiet litter. Don't get me wrong, they have their moments of boundless energy, running around in circles like little tornadoes. But compared to some of my more "vocal" litters at this age, these pups have been relatively calm. They love attention and cuddles, which is a delight for us humans. The big adventure this week was the trip to the vet for their health checkups. I'm happy to report they received a clean bill of health and were a big hit at the clinic. However, I'm always on guard at the veterinary hospital, as that's where sick dogs go. So we quickly wheeled the crates into the exam room on a trolley, making sure to keep all other dogs and people clear of my pups. This time of year, the threats of kennel cough and parvo are ever-present. The puppies weren't sure a...

  Six Weeks of Cuteness: Puppy Birthday Bash! What a week it's been! The pups are exploring a much larger area now, and Tulip remains as attentive as ever, watching over and caring for her puppies. We've been letting them out into our kitchen or foyer to give them extra space to run around, where we can also engage with each one. The communal saucer they eat from is getting crowded, so we've separated them into two groups, with four pups per saucer. Some moms may want to stop nursing at this stage, but Tulip keeps returning to her "built-in milk truck" multiple times a day. As a special treat, Tulip gets a dehydrated duck or chicken foot daily. She immediately takes it to the whelping box and leaves it for the puppies, but I have to remove it and assure her that it's her treat. Then she'll wander around with it in her mouth until she finds a quiet spot to enjoy munching on it.    At this age, it's important to start exposing the puppies to stimulation,...

Tulip’s Puppies Turn 5 Weeks Old Today – Growing Fast and Full of Cuteness! Wow, time is certainly flying by! It always amazes me how quickly these little puppies are developing. At just 5 weeks old, the puppies are already averaging 8.5 lbs—up from around 6 lbs last week! They’re eating three meals a day, with each pup consuming about 3.75 oz per meal. The biggest change this week is how social they’re becoming. The pup are starting to interact more with each other and with humans. When they hear a human voice or spot a hand, they excitedly move toward it, eager to engage. It’s such a joy to watch their personalities begin to shine! This week also marks the start of housetraining. Puppies don’t like to soil where they sleep, so we’ve introduced a tray with an incontinence pad. About 80% of the time, they use it to go to the bathroom—such a smart group already! Tulip is still very hands-on with her puppies, always staying close to them and offering care, but she’s also taking a little ...

It's hard to believe that Tulip's puppies are already four weeks old! In just the past week, these little bundles of joy have  had so many new experiences . The puppies have recently made the big transition from being in our bedroom to exploring the wider world of the living room. This new, more open environment has allowed them to start truly interacting with their litter mates and the people who come to visit. At this stage, the puppies are learning crucial social skills as they play, wrestle, and communicate with each other using a variety of vocalizations like yips and barks. They learn how to interact with others and start to learn bite inhibition. The puppies' sensory abilities are also maturing rapidly. Their sight, hearing, and sense of smell are continuing to sharpen, allowing them to better perceive and engage with their surroundings. To support this growth, the puppies have been introduced to a variety of toys and an activity center, which they enthusiastically i...

Three Weeks of Puppy Love: Tulip's Little Ones Are Growing Fast! Our "Spanish" Halloween litter is now 3 weeks old! As they enter their 4th week, we're seeing even more changes. The puppies are much steadier on their four paws and are actively walking around, as you can observe on our 24/7 camera. Mom Tulip continues to provide nourishment every few hours. Tomorrow, we'll introduce the puppies to their first solid food - a mix of pure turkey, ground bone, organ and muscle meat, along with goat's milk. This will be a communal feeding, and while the puppies may not know exactly what to do at first, they quickly devour the meal once they've had a taste. We'll start with one feeding per day and gradually increase to three times daily over the next few days. They'll continue on this three-times-a-day schedule until around 6 months of age, when we'll transition to twice-daily feedings. Mr. Broomstick cuddling with momma❤️ In other updates, the puppie...

Many viewers of the 24/7 puppy camera have raised questions, such as what are the pipes running alongside the whelping box. These are called "pig rails" and they are designed to protect the puppies from their mother accidentally lying on them, ensuring the puppies' safety.  Since the puppies are unable to regulate their own body temperature, we use a heat lamp over the whelping box to keep them warm when Tulip is outside the box. However, we turn the heat lamp off when she is nursing the puppies. By 3 to 4 weeks of age, the puppies can regulate their temperature, which should then be in the normal range of 100.5°F to 102.5°F (38°C to 39.3°C). The most significant event this week is that the puppies' eyes have opened. Mr. Devil's eyes (the one with the red collar) were the first to open. Each puppy followed and within 48 hours they had all opened.  The puppies are now weighing almost 3 lbs, and Tulip provides them nourishment at least every 2 hours, often throughou...

Ruly and Tulip Litter - 1 Week Old What a week it's been! The Tulip puppies continue to thrive, gaining weight steadily and remaining fairly quiet. Tulip dotes on her family, rarely straying far from the whelping box. As you can see on the 24/7 camera, she is starting to spend a bit more time outside the box, but she consistently checks on her babies. Tulip currently eats around 4 pounds of food per day, along with calcium and pre-probiotics supplements. As her pups grow, her daily food intake will be gradually increased, reaching 5 - 6 pounds per day by the time the pups are about 7 weeks old. This increased caloric intake is necessary to meet the energy demands of milk production and to maintain Tulip's own body condition. Tulip still believes an outdoor den would be best for her pups, so we are monitoring her closely when she ventures out. The whelping box is lined with padded bedding and clean, white bleached towels on the bottom. The white towels allow us to quickly spot a...