Regalgoldens Golden Retrievers

“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 ...

Ice cream bar is always open! “Velcro” Faith is in line to earn a trophy for “best mom”. At this point in time, most moms have long since abandoned the notion of nursing their pups due to each one’s 28 razor sharp teeth. Not this gal. She selflessly obliges them and is always at their beck and call. Once in their presence, they seem stuck to her like Velcro. They were impervious to the cold and the wet snow which dotted their furry coats. It was as though Faith’s brood was training for the winter Olympics and you couldn’t find a happier group of youngsters. An epic outdoor festival from start to finish, the gang played chase, practised ski jumps, tobogganing or luge, went hiking and exploring or worked on the igloo that their mom was desperate to have. Ever the good sport, Faith spent the better part of her time providing the group with libation. The little ones were tireless as they raced around and even gave us a workout as we attempted to collect them to put everyone back...

Miss Powder Puff wants to go outside in the snow! “Cabin Fever” Cabin fever. We’ve all felt it at one point in time or another. It even happens to six-week-old pups and now they’re old enough and smart enough to do something about it. One day while Mr. Orange Blossom was having a snooze in front of the entrance to the whelping box, Mr. Bulrush used his brother as a step stool to launch himself over the opening into the vast expanse of the living room so he could enjoy some private time with his mom. On another occasion, Faith inadvertently compressed all the slats which normally block the entrance so that the entire group escaped for an unscheduled walkabout. Despite the mountains of snow that have accumulated on our property this past week, we were able to clear off an area on the patio to allow the pups to experience their first taste of both the great outdoors and winter. Some litters initially find the experience a bit overwhelming, but this bunch was unfazed. They wasted...

It's all about playing this week! “Things that go bump in the Night” The sun had long since bid farewell. The moon was full but unable to penetrate the cloud cover leaving it quite dark in the house. Wind noisily pushed its way through the trees and tiny pellets of icy snow careened off the windows. Off in the distance a coyote was announcing his presence. In the far corner of the house, we could hear a commotion. Did we remember to lock the living room door where the puppies were sleeping? Had the door blown open? There it was again….a thump and then another one or two in quick succession. We quickly made our way down the hall to investigate but as we approached, the situation became quite clear. The puppies were wrestling and when one of them landed on top of the turtle with the pressure activated music box in its shell, a chorus of “London Bridge is Falling Down” began to play. We were all safe and sound after all. The dynamic in the whelping box is evolving. This is ...

We're growing bigger by the minute! “Roll Call” We did a count and then a recount, but there were no puppies missing. We were convinced that since Mr. Bulrush tipped the scales at 6 ½ lbs. he must have swallowed one of his siblings. Fortunately that was not the case; like the rest of the gang, he just has a good appetite. To aid in the puppies’ campaign to bulk up, they were introduced to gruel or mush:  a healthy concoction of oatmeal, honey, goat’s milk and vitamins to supplement the feedings they get from their mom. With their inaugural bowl, no one needed a second invitation. Miss Sweet Pea was the first one in, both literally and figuratively followed by Mr. Periwinkle, after which the concept of etiquette went out the window as everyone looked like they’d been in a food fight. Mealtime became a source of entertainment as the puppies were lacking in table manners or bedside manners since Mr. Orange Blossom among other took turns falling asleep in the bowl. To their c...

Bow-wow! “Hang Gliding” He was one of the last puppies nursing before Faith decided to go on her break and he sure was hungry. Mr. Buttercup must have had greater suction than a Dyson vacuum cleaner because when Faith got up to exit the whelping box, he was still attached. As a result, he was subsequently deposited on the living room carpet. As bewildered as he appeared, we’re sure there was a part of him that said, “wow, what a ride!” Now that their vision is established beyond simply being able to detect light, dark and movement, the puppies are becoming increasingly curious about their surroundings and each other. As they are beginning to get acquainted with their littermates, they can often be seen standing in a group gently colliding or rubbing their noses and heads against one another whether awake or asleep. This is the beginning of a key period for the puppies as they are developing rudimentary social skills. They are testing each other’s limits and learning the diff...