Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, April 4, 2019,
It's been a while since I've posted anything...its been pretty quiet around her for the past year. In August 2018 Blanka whelped a small litter of 2 - The Double Litter. February 25 Blanka started her heat cycle and we were waiting for the timing to arrive to mate her to Dominic. I did progesterone testing to make sure we would get the timing right and in case we needed to artificially inseminate her. Dominic arrived in Canada February 1 and this is our first time asking him to perform his...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, April 27, 2018,
In 21 years of breeding goldens, we have come across many situations. We've always known, the longer we breed, there will be more new situations to deal with. I am on several breeder forums and read about the different experiences breeders go thru - we have many more to experience. There was another first this past week. Juno was about 5 weeks pregnant - seemed to show all the signs of carrying pups - starting Wednesday she refused her dog food....she always has a big appetite so this was...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, December 9, 2017,
11 days old - Blanka is doing very well as a first time mom. She is spending less time in the whelping box and feeds as necessary...this also means that if you snooze you lose. I weigh the puppies every evening to make sure each puppy gains a decent amount of weight. 10% of their weight per day is a guideline - but the weight gains can differ daily. There are tummy upsets and this has been the "poopiest" litter I've had in a long time. 10 puppies are 10 poop factories and Blanka's milk i...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, December 1, 2017,
The Ice litter has made its arrival, not without some excitement and angst though. I learn something new with every litter - something new/different happens, mostly negative, and you learn about it, deal with it and move on. There was a first with this litter....first born was delivered in the back of my Ford Edge! We need to go back a day to start from the beginning. Blanka had a temperature drop Monday Nov 27 mid evening. When the thermometer dips below 37 degrees, you know you should ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, August 28, 2016,
It's already 6 days after the arrival of the much awaited Glitter Litter. I thought Juno had started the labor process on Sunday...but Monday came around and there was no progress in the labor. Just heavy panting on and off and so very uncomfortable - couldn't sit it one place for more than 2 seconds...she was also fairly whiney which was not like her. I stayed home from work to observe her and as the day grew longer i was getting concerned that we may have to make a trip to the vet. At 8...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, August 21, 2016,
Today is the due date for the Glitter Litter Juno & Bingley All week I thought she wasn't going to wait until due date and here we are. Her temp dropped this morning to 36.7 C - this means puppies should be born within 24 hours - if this is a textbook delivery - so very likely she'll start tonight - almost never fails - litters are normally born during the night - i suppose going back to their ancestors birthing during the night because it was safer. I've only whelped a few litters duri...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, June 17, 2016,
I am really wondering where the last 4 weeks went! Can't believe the puppies are 28 days old! Such changes in the past week. They've experienced a few firsts:
1. We expanded their living area from a 4 x 8 whelping pen to a 12 x 12 room. They were ready - was amazed how steady they were on their 3 week old legs.
2. The had their first outdoor adventure. I think I had more fun than the puppies. They were a bit tentative...weren't sure about the tickley grass underneath their paws. It wil...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, June 8, 2016,
I know what you're thinking...it's about time she's blogging! You're right....don't know if I can really explain the delay....just wasn't feeling it. Go back 3 weeks ago.....
May 19.....still had 5 days to go for Georgia's due date....the morning started out normal...until I was going out the door to work...let the dogs out one last time and noticed something dark on Georgia's back end. Thought it was just a twig...when I bent down to take it off, realized it was dark green discharge. As ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, October 19, 2015,
It was a whirlwind of a weekend...puppy pickup started on Thursday and ended Sunday afternoon. It's almost an empty nest..Ms Orange is still with us. It was great meeting the families in person - seeing the joy in their faces as they were leaving....it all makes sense in that moment why I am a breeder. It is a process I love from start to finish....I'm often asked if its' hard to see the puppies go. Yes, in simple terms. However, I am a realist and know that at 8 weeks the puppies need to...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 11, 2015,
I am very thankful for many things in my life...my husband, children, grandchilden, my job, friends,my life, and the freedom we enjoy living in Canada. Am also very thankful for the Designer Litter. They have been an easy litter to whelp and to raise...it doesn't get better than this! As a breeder, we deal with many different situations - from still born pups; pups that have been laid on by mom; cleft palettes, water head, puppies born with no eyes, puppies that don't grow in first 4 we...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, October 9, 2015,
We are in the home stretch with the Designer litter. Almost 7 weeks old and growing like weeds. At puppy selection weekend, I mentioned to the families that the puppies would be 3-4 pounds heavier when they picked up their puppies at 8 weeks.
They love their outside time - the bigger space to run around - chew on leaves and twigs. Jayda continues to be attentive...she will do this until the last one leaves. Still nurses them a few times a day along with their 4 square meals.
They've been de...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, October 5, 2015,
It was a great but busy weekend....families came out to pick out their puppy - I had the great fortune to meet some very nice people today. I really don't think there was bad pick....the fact of the matter is that someone had to be picked first and inevitably someone had to be last pick. The puppies had a good time with their visitors and slept soundly once the day was over.
Something I forgot to mention in my last blog when I was talking about what a good litter this was. When I was transp...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 4, 2015,
This litter rocks! Not to jinx myself, but this has been one of the easiest litters to raise. The delivery was uncomplicated; I have not supplement fed one puppy; no health issues, and now, their vet check was as close to perfect as you can get.
The main concerns are heart, eyes, hernias and knee/hip joints, and teeth....perfect checks for all of them. For the boys, the vet checks if testicles have decended..just Mr White's have not....not a concern as he will be a pet puppy. This litter d...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 28, 2015,
The last 5 weeks have gone by so quickly. I am so in love with these puppies...it's been a while since I've had a trouble free litter...knock on wood. We have a ways to go but am very happy with everything so far.
The puppies are big and appear to be very healthy. Weight gains are very good - they are now on 4 square meals a day and Jayda still feeds them when she feels it necessary. By 6.5 weeks I'll start limiting her time with them so they are mostly dependent on solid food. By 7 week...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, September 24, 2015,
Playing with the puppies is definitely my happy place! They are so much fun right now - very interactive and so excited to see me. They are pure sweetness right now...that will change as they get older and more aggressive.
The outdoor play periods have been really good. Today, they moved around with little fear - explored a big part of the yard - of course they were very curious about the two big dogs behind the gate on the deck.
Eating hasn't been the greatest...don't think I've ever had a ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 21, 2015,
4 weeks old...half way there. Apologies for no blog post on Wednesday. The week got away on me. The puppies had some major "firsts" this week. I was away Monday-Wednesday for work and the puppies were in the capable care of my husband Bruce. When i left, the pups were not very mobile - unsure of their bigger space we gave them. I got back Wednesday evening and what a change! I walked in and they were moving around, fighting, obviously very comfortable with their space. It was as thoug...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, September 13, 2015,
The designer litter is on the move....still quite wobbly but game to manoever their way around their room. Up until yesterday their world was a 4 x 8 whelping box - we have now opened it up so they can explore their room - about 10 x 10.
Some are more advernturesome than others...some show their insecurities by growling a lot...all and all they are embracing the extra space. They can still go to their box - can lie on the blanket that's on the floor....we put shavings on the floor to help k...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, September 10, 2015,
Its a new world for the puppies with eyesight and hearing intact. They get animated when mom is around and when they hear my voice. Mr. Orange likes to seek me out when I'm close by. Some are giving a little woof when they hear my voice - its too cute to describe. Their little tails are starting to wag.
While they still sleep most of the day away in between feedings, their periods of being awake have increased. They are starting to mouth at each other...gum a littermate's fur. Teeth will...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 7, 2015,
2 weeks old and their eyes are open. I'm sure they're not seeing everything yet, but it is exciting that the eyes are open. Their hearing is improving too...they are responding to noise, especially where it concerns their mom. Jayda is very attentive and very concerned when I hold a pup....today I tried cutting nails while she was in the room with me...don't think I'll do that again...she kept on nosing the puppy or my hand...think she wanted me to put it back with the others. Puppies are...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, September 3, 2015,
Not much has changed in the last post other than the puppies' eyes are almost open - by Friday they will be looking up at me and wondering who the heck is that. It's been so hot this week so its been difficult to keep the temperature where they are comfortable, yet not too cool that their lives would be jeapordized. They are still not panting, so that tells me they still can't regulate their own body temperature. Jayda is looking very skinny trying to keep up with the puppies' constant de...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, August 31, 2015,
That was a fast week! I was home with the pups for their first week. Can see their growth quite easily...the weight gains have been decent. I weigh the puppies daily and a lot can be learned by handling them when I change the blanket in their whelping box. It has been a hot week - the puppies have been sleeping spread out instead of a heap....Its a temperature controlled room and I normally have a heat lamp on the first 2-3 weeks...the heat lamp has only been on sporadically the last two ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, August 26, 2015,
When you are responsible for the well being of a litter, you take roll call every time you're with them - which is many times a day and night. Your heart stops temporarily when 1 is unaccounted for. Normally you'll find it in a corner, or under a blanket and all is good. And as often as you check, something can still happen. Yesterday I walked into their room at noon and Jayda got up to greet me - I did a quick count and saw that a puppy was motionless with mouth wide open (sorry for th...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, August 23, 2015,
It has been a whirlwind of activity in the last 3 weeks...from finding out Jayda (Philomena) was pregnant - to receiving her 1 week later after a long trip from Serbia. Ultrasound showed 4 puppies with a date of birth Aug 29. Jayda was growing but not nearly the size (width around her girth) that my other girls had with big litters. I thought the ultrasound was probably close to accurate - maybe 6 puppies. Because of her estimated due date I carried through with a work trip to Vancouver A...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, August 15, 2015,
We're within two weeks for estimated due date for the Designer Litter. Philomena arrived pregnant about 10 days ago - she has made the transition with ease and grace. She is a very happy content golden. Her belly has grown 3 inches since she arrived....a good appeltite to say the least. 4-6 pups are expected...fingers crossed that they will be strong and healthy and Philomena will whelp them with no trouble. As for the name Philomena, it just isn't rolling off my tongue like I hoped...P...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, August 1, 2015,
Philomena is Golden Romance Femme Fatale
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, July 27, 2015,
It's been a while since I've blogged and even longer since we've had the pitter patter of puppies around. Well, that's about to change, barring no mishaps during the next pregnancy. We are happy to announce that our girl Philomena (Golden Romance Memory for Sleepy Song) is confirmed pregnant! We've been waiting for her to cycle and by our accounts, she was over a month late....she did things on her own terms - had a silent heat which means no bleeding and chose her own mate, which I approv...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, January 5, 2015,
It's a new year...full of promise, adventure and of course the Canadian litter going to their new families in a few weeks.
We are in a very good place with litter. Everything is going well- every meal time is met with hunger and gusto. I gauge a lot of things by their poop. When I notice there is something other than firmly formed poop, I start worrying. So the scoop on poop is that everyone's systems are working the way they should.
Puppies are very playful...only Mr Orange bullies now and ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, December 29, 2014,
Christmas has come and gone...it was celebrated and enjoyed and is now in the rear view mirror. Life is back to normal, other than I am on holidays this week. Time to catch up on blogs and taking and posting pictures of the Canadian kids.
Scroll back a few days - specifically to Dec 24. I had made a 4 week appointment for Ms Purple....I just wasn't happy with her growth, or lack of it. The vet confirmed my fears - that she was afflicted with some kidney related problems...blood tests were ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, December 22, 2014,
1st puppy mush was served up Saturday....and it was a messy one. Don't recall a litter ever getting so dirty while eating. The first feeding was a few days earlier than usual....the slower weight gains told me that it was time. I'm not sure if Dion's milk supply is diminishing a bit...or the fact she is feeding while standing up and the smallest two cannot reach her when standing on their back legs. They get their own time on mom - I am also giving them milk replacement formula which is b...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, December 19, 2014,
Sorry for the late post - this week got away on me. A few Christmas functions behind me, with a few to go.
Overnight, the puppies went from sleeping in piles for the majority of the day to walking around trying to bite(gum) someone's tail or ear. Mr Blue is becoming my favorite - I am dubbing him "the clown" of the bunch. I love how he stares at his front foot - gives this mouth opened look of glee, then pounces on it with his mouth,trying to bite it or lift it and shake it. It's a new worl...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, December 14, 2014,
The puppies' senses have heightened during this past week. With eyes open they are noticing more things, including me....Mr. Orange likes to find me and snuggle once he sees/senses I'm close by. When I hold them close to my face I love how they look back in total wonder. Of course they try to sneak in a few licks on my chin and nose.
I've mentioned in several posts in the past year that I always learn or experience something new with each litter. With this one, the plugged teat on Dion has ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, December 11, 2014,
Well, it's been two weeks since the birth of the Canadian Litter and I'm happy to say that things are going very well. Puppies are gaining weight nicely and all are on mom's milk only - no supplementing. I make sure the 4 smallest ones get their own time with mom. The big 4 are gluttons!
Their eyes are open and it's a new world....they are reacting more and more to noises and movement - of course they always know when mom is close by.
This next week the puppies will start walking on all four...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, December 8, 2014,
11 days have gone by quickly....the puppies are gaining nicely. All but two (Ms Purple & Ms Green) have doubled their weights. They are now all over 300 grams..Ms Green was the last to reach this milestone...I am still supplementing when necessary - she still seems to get tossed around when they're all trying to get a spot at the milk bar.
Their eyes are part way open - will be wide eyed in a few days. They are moving around a bit more in the whelping box, especially when they're trying to ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, December 4, 2014,
1 week already! Wow, that went quickly. I am happy with how the Canadian Litter is thriving. The big 4 (Ms Orange, Ms Pink, Mr. Orange and Mr Blue) have been gaining at a fast rate from day 1. Ms Yellow and Mr White had a slow start but are now gaining at a good rate...i supplemented for a few days and they are now good without my help. Ms Purple and Ms Green are still needing me to supplement every 3-4 hours. I am syringe feeding them about 60ccs daily and also giving them extra time o...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, November 30, 2014,
Well, they're here! Due date was Dec 1/2 but once again we are humbled that we can't control situations like these. Dion lives with a caregiver in my home town and I got this message Wednesday noon that Dion was not acting normal...she hadn't slept all night - very restless and was panting heavy. I picked her up at 7 that evening and it appeared that she was in first stage labor. I was concerned because puppies cannot be born too many days early...hoped she was going to last till the we...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, November 18, 2014,
Ms Dion is getting big with puppies! Visited her on the weekend and her girth is measuring 40+ inches or 102.87 cms!
She is looking very good....definitely has that certain pregnant breathing...she must be feeling uncomfortable. We've increased her food intake to keep up with the developing puppies' demands. Dion has always had a good appetite so she will have welcomed the extra rations. I have her on Performatrin Grain Free turkey, duck and salmon. My intentions are to feed the puppies t...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, November 9, 2014,
While we've enjoyed a nice break in between litters, I am starting to get excited about the upcoming birth of the Canadian Litter. With Dion living in my home town, I can stop by weekly to check on her pregnancy. I measure her girth weekly and she is growing nicely. Girth measure 38 inches or 96.52 cms. This is an interesting measurement as her previous pregnancy of 11 puppies had her girth at about 38.5" at full term. Dion and Romeo come from the same kennel in Ontario - hence the choi...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, October 17, 2014,
At 7 weeks old, we're in the home stretch with the Love Litter. 7 weeks goes by quickly and it's an amazing 7 weeks when you look back at pictures from August 29 and compare them to now. Very proud of these puppies...big and beautiful and healthy...cannot ask for more.
I don't think this group of puppies has had an off day or off meal...every feeding is met with such gusto and they eat as though it's the last meal of the day. They are nursing only 2x's a day - will go down to 1x daily thi...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 12, 2014,
Great week for the Love Litter...vet appointment on Thursday went well...not perfect but still good. They are all healthy and weighed in heavier than any other puppies I've raised to this point. Ms Pink has a Grade 1 heart murmer...hardly there...vet predicts it will be gone before the next vaccinations are done. Mr Green's testicles have not descended...lots of time for that to happen...does not affect his life at all. My vet was very pleased with the puppies...her first remark when she ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, October 9, 2014,
It's been a good week so far - weather has co-operated so I've been able to take the puppies int he back yard to play. How they love to explore and race around! Can't get over how fearless they are - very willing to explore any part of the yard...curiosity gets the best of them. Jazz is starting to play fight with them - quite cute to watch - she's very gentle but playful.
Big today tomorrow - their 6 week checkup at my vet in Winkler. After the appointment I take them to a fellow breede...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, October 6, 2014,
How did we get to this point - the Love Litter has gone from little needy puppies to big beautiful pups! What a lovely bunch of pups....they had their first outdoor adventures this week - weather and my schedule delayed that first outing...as a rule they see the outdoors at 4 weeks of age. What a difference a week makes...at five weeks they are off and running around - exploring every leaf that moves....tearing around the yard. At four weeks they are hesitant to leave the blanket i put on ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, October 2, 2014,
My how they've grown! Puppies are really thriving and developing into stunning puppies. Their personalities are just starting to show....they are confident outgoing puppies. Mr. Orange seems to be the most outgoing at this point.
It's been a busy week so I haven't taken them outside...the plan is tomorrow, weather permitting. First great outdoor adventure.
Puppies are on a 4x a day feeding schedule...7 am, 12 noon, 5 pm and 9-10 pm...very important this schedule is followed in their new...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 29, 2014,
Big week for the Love Litter. They said goodbye to their sister; their living area was expanded in a big way; and they were started on softened puppyfood. That's lot of change in one week. They are loving their extra space...they are now very steady on their feet. They loved the food the second their noses dipped in to try it..a little tentative at first but all it needed was one taste! They aren't drinking as much water as I would like...they seem to be a bit wary of the big silver shi...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, September 26, 2014,
This is a tough post to write....it's not the way I had envisioned for Hope. 4 weeks of nurturing around the clock and needed to make the decision today to say goodbye to Hope. She had a 4 week assessment today and she still had no eyesight. Highly likely she was born with no eyes. There was also strong suspicion that she also had hydrocephalus...with all these things against her, it was obvious she would not have quality of life. It did not make sense to keep sustaining her life with a ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, September 25, 2014,
Almost halfway there! The Love litter is turning 4 weeks in two days.
Puppies are very receptive to me and my favorite place in the world right now is to sit in their box and let them crawl all over me...nibble at my shoelaces, pantlegs and of course fingers. What a nice litter of pups - very even tempered...playful...gentle. Little Ms Blue picks her fights and is quite feisty...growl and squeals come out of her when she's trying to hold her own with her brothers and sisters. Weight gain...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, September 20, 2014,
The journey of hope continues...our special girl Ms. Blue had a 3 week evaluation yesterday. She was a hit at the vet office. Two vets examined her...cleft lip/palette has grown some but was still deemed repairable. Neurologically she checked out perfectly....the concern is her eyes that haven't opened. The vets couldn't make a satisfactory assessment as it was hard to check the closed eyes...because she was thriving in every other way they asked me to give her another week and bring her ba...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, September 18, 2014,
What changes happen in a puppy's life with each week! A week ago puppies mainly slept, ate and pooped, not necessarily in that order! There periods of wakefulness are longer and there is definitely some playing going on...mainly trying to fit an entire mouth or jaw in another puppy's mouth...no teeth yet but they will appear in the next few days. They are also more vocal...cry when they think their mom should be feeding them. They are growing steadily and all but Ms Blue have tripled thei...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, September 14, 2014,
We're at 17 days and now the fun begins. Eyes opened a few days ago, with the exception of Ms Blue, the cleft palette girl. They are starting too...she needs a bit more time. With the eyes opening, they start reacting to things they are seeing...they look up at me in puzzlement and probably wonder what planet did I come from. They seem to be a gentle group so far...a few of them seem to play the role of protector/big brother by wrapping themselves around Ms Blue - quite tender to watch - ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 8, 2014,
We're at day 9 in the lives of the Love litter. In some ways it seems like a long time and in other ways I blinked and now here we are. Puppies are gaining weight steadily...some more than others...but all in all I'm happy with how things are progressing. The eyes are becoming slits that will open soon. They are sensitive to light...I take many pictures and they react to my camera flash. By Wednesday I expect the eyes will be open.
Today's weights:
Ms Fushia 926 grams; Ms Purple 890 gram...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, September 4, 2014,
It's been a quick 5 days since the birth of the Love Litter. My days are divided into 4 hour intervals...every four hours around the clock, I hand feed Hope, our cleft lip/palette girl...it's been a bit of trial and error as to how fast/how slow I should feed her..how much is enough and how much is too much. Have found the right formula/method. Syringe feeding is slow but by using it I don't get formula in her nasal cavity..she is very squirmy and impatient as I have to reload the 9mml sy...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, August 31, 2014,
We;re 36 hours into the life of this litter and there's been significant improvement. When a c section is involved, the first 24-36 hours can be tricky...mom just had surgery...wakes up and is expected to tend and nurture these squealing squirming puppies...because she did not delivery any naturally, she did not release any of those hormones that account for maternal instincts. Left on her own, she would not have fed, cleaned or even looked at her puppies until 24 hours after. I supervised...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, August 30, 2014,
Well - they're here! The Love Litter arrived in fine style - with a little bit of help with my vet.
Friday morning it was obviou.s around 10:30 am that labor was in full swing...the panting became more intense with each hour. By 5 pm it didn't look like things were progressing...no contractions so I packed her up and took her to get checked by my vet. Xray confirmed 6 puppies and that their position was still high up - none had started the journey down the horn to the birth canal. A last...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, August 24, 2014,
I've been gently reminded that I have not made a blog entry about our upcoming litter. She's right! Have been enjoying the summer by staying off my computer and spending more time outside.
Due date is drawing near - The "Love" Litter is due Tuesday Aug 26. This is a repeat breeding for Jazz and Duke and fully expect the puppies to be as great as the Dream Litter.
Jazz has been growing steadily - today she is 39.5" around her girth. This compares with the last two litters were she had 9 pupp...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, July 14, 2014,
It's fairly quiet around here....with only 2 puppies around. Ms Red, Mr. Brown, Ms Blue and Ms Orange left last weekend.
Mr Green, aka Bentley is staying until this Sunday and will head to his new home in The Pas. Ms Pink aka Ziva may just stay with us. The two of them have become best buds...have walked them separately with their mom but yesterday tried walking them together...what a gong show...someone should have been taking a video! Underfoot, crossing under each other leashes, running...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, July 4, 2014,
It's a bittersweet time for us...the time when puppies from the E litter join their new famlies. Sad to see these little guys go but know that they are going to be a part of some great families! Ms. Red left this morning - on her way to Regina, SK.
Mr. Brown and Ms Blue will leave Saturday morning and Ms Orange on Sunday. We'll be able to enjoy Mr. Green for an extra two weeks and then he'll make his trip to The Pas, MB. Little Ms Red was not so little anymore...although still a few pound...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, June 27, 2014,
Easy going is one of the best phrases I can come up with for the E Litter...just so happens to start with an E! I admire them for how they transition with changes...the car ride to the vet....introducing them to the outdoor puppy area....no whining..no whimpering..they take it all in and enjoy it. Every litter is different and I must admit this is one of the easiest I've had...6 puppies in itself is more manageable than 11.
Their growth rate is very good. A lb every 2-3 days...so those smal...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, June 22, 2014,
Big week for the pups. They had their first car ride on Thursday afternoon - the 6 week check up - my vet is 1/2 hour away. I believe this is the first litter that did none of the "3Ps" No puke....no pee...no poop there or back - I'm always armed with papertowels, washcloths, towels because it always happens. They were such a well behaved group - hardly a peep or whine to and from the vet....I also made the trip to the person who tattoos the puppies - so quite an afternoon for them....they...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, June 17, 2014,
I am guilty guilt guilt of not posting any blogs. Apologies...the time got away on me. 5 weeks old and getting livelier every day. They're pretty sturdy on their legs and try running when they're in the back yard. They are interested in every weed and leaf - for carrying, chewing or just swatting at. This is the week when I have that "ah ha" moment..the moment I see that they are bigger. This is also the week where I increased their food intake...they went from not finishing everything ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, June 8, 2014,
4 weeks old! This was a big week for the E litter. On Wednesday I introduced them to puppyfood that was put through a blender and soaked in hot water to make a nice fine mush. They loved it! Typical feeding - noses down - the smaller ones climbing on top of the dish for a better angle...groans of being full after the frenzy...then licking the morsels off each other faces and paws. Gloria comes in to finish off any leftovers and they seize the opportunity for a few sips of milk. I fed ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, June 3, 2014,
It's amazing how much developing a puppy does in 21 days. From blind
and deaf and totally dependent on mom to seeing and hearing and
responding when i walk in to walking around and play fighting. The
process amazes me every litter.
Puppies will staying in their
whelping box 1 more e week - on the weekend I will move them to a
bigger room. On Thursday I will start feeding them puppy food that has
been soaked in hot water and put thru a blender...will resemble a very
fine mush which t...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, May 29, 2014,
The E Litter is on the move..which makes my visits so much more fun. Up until now the pictures have been of sleeping puppies...namely because that is what they did the first two weeks...aside from eating and pooping. Their awake periods are longer and more frequent and they are in a frenzy when their mom walks by.
My favorite moment so far was on Monday...they were awake and moving around in their box so I climbed in and got on my knees with head at their level....they looked at me and fou...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, May 25, 2014,
Two weeks old! Eyes are open...they are reacting to noise. They are traveling across the whelping box and we had some escapees this last week. One of them was little Ms Red....so size has nothing to do with it - it's all about determination. Have raised the door to the box to keep them contained...too young to be venturing out of their safe area. And there's puppy breath...wonderful smelling puppy breath...nothing quite like it!
Weight gains have been mostly good...there's the odd day when o...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, May 22, 2014,
How do you measure 10 days...by hours..by minutes...by visits to the puppies...that seems to be how I am measuring time and progress. 10 days old doesn't sound like much but then again May 11th seems a distant memory. When the puppies get to 10 days I worry less about their well being - still attentive and observant - just not fussing over every squeak and whine. They all feel strong and some are down right chunky. I continue to give Ms Red her special time with Gloria - when you're
that ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, May 19, 2014,
8 days have passed since the birth of the E litter and I'm very happy to say that everyone is doing really well. Gloria has made a good recovery from her c section and spay procedure. Was concerned at the beginning of the week but she has that gleam in her eye and spring in her step again. Quite satisfied with all 6 puppies' weight gains. Again beginning of the week it was a little concerning but now they all look like they've grown a lot. Ms Pink weighs 694 grams; Ms Orange 612 grams; M...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, May 14, 2014,
E Litter is on Day 4 and all is well. Last night weigh-ins showed weight gain by all puppies. There are always some greedy ones that gain by leaps and bounds and then there are two where you are just happy they are doing some gaining. I have supplemented Little Ms Red and Mr Green several times and that has made the difference - given them strength to fight for that spot at the milk bar. With only 6 puppies there should be plenty of milk for everyone but the c section and spaying procedur...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, May 12, 2014,
Well - they're here - 6 members of the "E Litter" made their entrance in the wee hours of the morning of Mother's Day. Stage 1 labor started Saturday morning....my thought was - great, pups will be born during the day. Hour after hour went by - lots of panting...glazed eyes...bathroom breaks....labor just didn't progress -sat with Gloria for most of the evening, waiting for the contractions to start. By 11 pm I was very concerned...she should have been pushing by that time...I called the ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, May 9, 2014,
We are waiting...waiting for the birthing process to start and to welcome the E Litter. Gloria gained another 1/2 inch putting her measurements at 39.5 inches or 100.5 cms. She is the same size as Jazz with her Nov 30 litter. Gloria is in good spirits - resting a lot - eyeing the shrubs in the backyard as well as under the deck...scouting out a good place to have her pups. She'll have to be okay with a nice soft bed in the house for her puppies. Today is the first time in a long time tha...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, May 6, 2014,
A bit of growth in the last few days - 39 inches or 99.06 cm...starting to doubt my prediction of 6 or 7 pups! We're still going for slow short walks..Gloria is eating less at meals - occasional vomiting - all normal at this stage in her pregnancy - pups are taking up a lot of room. This is my favorite time - love to feel the puppies, move, squirm and kick...validation that there is life in that large mid section. Will start taking her temperature this week. It will help me understand wha...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, May 2, 2014,
Lots of growth in the last week. Gloria is measuring whopping 38.5 inches around her girth. Starting to look really "full"
Our walk today was half the distance and half the pace...she's still excited about the walk so we'll do it for a few more days. Trying to be very careful with her to not get bumped by Dinnye - Gloria likes to go in and out a door before Dinnye...a hard bump could cause labor to start early...something we can't afford...puppies would most likely not survive being born a...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, April 26, 2014,
We are in the home stretch. Today is Day 50 of Gloria's gestation period. Day 63 is the target date for her litter...should be within a day either way since we have exact dates of mating. Gloria measures 37" (93.98 cms) She was 37.25" with her litter in 2012 with 9 pups. She is still enjoying our daily walks...1 mile is still a good distance though our pace is a little slower than usual and she's quite tired by the time we're back home. Maintaining her muscle tone is very important to t...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, April 21, 2014,
Happy Easter! Lots to be thankful for. Gloria is growing weekly - her girth is now 36.5 " (92.71 cms) Gloria has a shorter body so she shows fairly quickly and bulges outward. She is looking very pleased about herself.. I'm pretty sure Dinnye is not pregnant...unless there's a single puppy - she has not grown in girth...her personality is a bit different than normal and that's why we were holding out that she may be pregnant. It is disappointing...I guess she just wasn't meant to be a ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, April 11, 2014,
It is with 98% certainty that Gloria is pregnant! 5 days ago I wasn't seeing enough signs that indicated the breeding had taken. There were a few things - she was resting more - stretching out on the living room floor and sleeping. Normal for her is sitting by our livingroom window and watching the neighbors and street activity. She ate very little last week - she normally has a good appetite. Even a rustling of a bag did not pique her attention enough to check to see if it meant food. O...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, January 28, 2014,
Pretty quite around here with only 4 puppies remaining. The other 5 littermates left last week and I am grateful I got to meet some great people in person. I have heard from everyone that all of the puppies are doing well and adjusting to their new surroundings. Mr Blue Green and Purple fly to Yellowknife tomorrow and Mr. Red flies to his new family in Vancouver. These are early morning flights - I will be leaving my house at 3:15 am for the airport. Mr. Orange is going to hang out with ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, January 17, 2014,
7 weeks is coming upon us...where did he last 7 weeks go? Not ready for the puppies to leave yet...went a bit camera crazy today....have posted many pictures on the Goldsmith Facebook page...will also post them on the Dream Litter page.
Puppies range from 9.75 lbs to 13 lbs....with most in the 12 pound range. Jazz is now feeding them only twice a day...will reduce once daily on the weekend and be totally done by mid week. This past weekend she let me know that she needed to do less. Mom alw...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, January 11, 2014,
Be sure to check out the 6 Week Portrait page. This was a solo effort - used the timer on the camera - most of them turned out okay. Today was a big day for the puppies. A lot of firsts....first time going outside...first time riding in a vehicle....first vet visit...first vaccinations...tattooing. They were real troopers...everyone handled it with ease. Perfect bills of health for all puppies...this has not happened in the last while...the combination of Jazz and Duke is looking to be ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, January 6, 2014,
5 weeks old and growing daily...just weighed them all - I am recording their weights about every 3-4 days...necessary so I know that every one is eating a proper ration...lack of weight gain could mean something wrong...so far every meal time the puppies are so ready to eat - heads down until the last bit has been eaten...and looking for more. Jazz is still feeding at will....by next weekend I will start limiting her visits...is the time to start weaning them at that point.
Mr. Green ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, December 31, 2013,
Puppies are now on 4 square meals a day with Jazz still nursing them througout the day. They love their food! Every meal is greeted with great enthusiasm and they don't stop until the last morsel is eaten. We have expanded their area now to include the entire room they are in - they can still go in and out of their whelping box, but they are loving the extra space. Blue/Green boy likes to try out his legs - running around cutting corners...he's a bit of a clown. They are playing more now....
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, December 26, 2013,
The Dream litter is growing up so quickly. Today was the first day I fed them solids. They were very ready for the extra food. Jazz was producing milk but it seemed like it wasn't enough anymore - the gains had slowed down somewhat and they were a bit whiney. I have some litters where I have to coax some to eat - smear food on their lips so they know that it's food. Not with this litter - noses in the dishes - some of them climbed right onto the dishes to get the best angle on the food. ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, December 22, 2013,
Three weeks old and big and healthy. The heaviest puppy is 1.56 kgs (3.43 lbs) with Mr. Red the lightest at 1.06 (2.36 lbs) Mr Red has been a bit smaller from day one - have no doubt he will catch up. The puppies are very alert - they raise their little heads when they hear me - some bark because they're startled. I like to get down on their level and talk to them...they all are curious about me and very accepting...they like to sniff me and lick my hands or suck on my fingers. Their tee...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, December 15, 2013,
Here we are - 2 weeks old. Eyes are open...starting to move around the litter box more....coats are getting longer.
All puppies have more than doubled their weight,which is right on schedule. Heaviest is 1.11 kg (2.44 lbs) and lightest is 796 grams (1lb 12 oz)The pictures seem to show the puppies with more color than what they have...think it must be the lighting in the room. Looking forward to the development this week - they will become more curious and explore their surroundings. I sit...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, December 11, 2013,
Puppies are 12 days old and growing so big. Some will have doubled their weight by this weekend. Eyes are starting to open and they are beginning to move around more in their whelping box. Jazz continues to be an excellent mother..tending to all their cries and squeaks. Their ears will also open and will start reacting to the noises they hear.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, December 6, 2013,
This post is in memory of Mr. Blue. He was first born on November 30th at 400 grams - a very healthy weight. To our eyes he appeared healthy. Day 2 he was a bit of weight loss...it wasn't abnormal as Jazz wasn't producing milk at full capacity. When he lost a bit more on Day 3 I was concerned....I was supplementing him but he wasn't gaining...he went from strong and vigorous to limp and weak. I supplemented him again on Day 4 - he was eager to receive the milk...but continued to lose wei...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, December 1, 2013,
Well, after much anticipation, the Dream Litter has arrived. Not exactly how I envisioned it happening, but happy to say everyone is doing well. First puppy arrived at 5:35 pm - right during supper time. Jazz had a hard time delivering it and needed our help. 6:53 - 2nd puppy born - a big boy - again she needed help. I was a bit concerned at this point because it was taking huge energy to deliver these pups. The 3rd one came along at 9:30 pm...again needed help so after a consultation w...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, November 30, 2013,
11:00 am Nov 30 - and we're waiting...spent the night on watch with Jazz...her temperature dipped to 37.2 in the evening so we thought this past night the birthing would start. Her temp went up a bit during the night....she is definitely in the first stages of labor...uncomfortable and heavy panting. All we can do is keep her comfortable and look for the next stage to start...contractions are visible so that is what I am watching for.
Tomorrow is December 1 and that date has memories...Dec 1...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, November 25, 2013,
Just a quick update..this is the week we are expecting the Dream Litter...as early as Wednesday and as late as Sunday...I will be on standby! Started taking Jazz's temperature so I have an idea of what is normal for her...finding that her normal body temperature is around 38 C...almost 1 degree cooler than Dion's was. When I see a dramatic drop - close to 37 I know the time is near. Jazz continues to grow...39.5 inches (100.33 cms) around her girth...she is starting to show discomfort...I'...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, November 22, 2013,
The Dream Litter due date is drawing near! Jazz is getting so big...she measured 39" (99 cm) around her girth...I think this is the biggest my girls have ever measured...a lot of pups or very good sized pups. We may get xrays done so we know what to expect. Jazz's appetite has waned somewhat, though she is always ready for some kind of human food. She is needing more cuddling and coddling now. She is still checking out the perfect place to have her pups...top choices appear to be behin...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, November 17, 2013,
Only 2 weeks to go until Jazz's due date. She is starting to look uncomfortable - has been growing steadily. Her girth measured 96.52 cms (38 inches) - this is very much the size she was last August when she whelped 9 puppies. We are so looking forward to this litter - the expectations are high. This is Duke's first litter and we are so curious as to what his contribution will be to his offspring. In the next week we should start feeling the puppies move...that for me is the final confi...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, November 2, 2013,
Well, we're pretty sure Jazz is expecting! She had a poor appetite for about 10 days...starting at about 3 weeks into gestation. She was also very affectionate and clingy...In the first 4-5 weeks you don't have much to go by other than subtle changes in behavoir. We chose not to do an ultrasound, knowing that if we were patient for an extra week, pregnancy would be obvious.
Jazz's appetite is back and her teats are growing..She measured 33.5 inches at her girth...will continue to measure ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 13, 2013,
Well, it's been a few weeks since the last puppy left our home. It is quiet...maybe too quiet. If our mating of Duke to Jazz was successful, then we will have a litter of pups to tend to around December 1. We are very happy that Duke was able to achieve 2 natural ties with Jazz...something has not done in the past. We gave him 1 year and a half to mature and it looks like that was the right thing to do. This combination should produce outstanding pups and I predict they will be on the la...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, September 14, 2013,
I have a great update for the upcoming Dream Litter - Jazz started her heat cycle on Friday so I anticipate and end of September mating with the handsome Duke. That would make for end of November/beginning of December puppies.
Jazz (Bonett Bride British Flame)
Duke (Tramin Karnaval Valik)
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, September 14, 2013,
Wow - what a change - we've gone from a herd/gaggle of goldens to a duo! Still noisy though because Ms. Pink is still here - she's been the most vocal one of the bunch. I've had a wonderful time meeting the new puppy owners - my pleasure! 3 were flown to BC on Thursday and I've heard back from all of them - everything went well. Ms. Purple leaves tomorrow and Ms. Pink leaves next weekend.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, September 10, 2013,
These days are bittersweet...5 puppies are living with their new forever families. Sad to see them go but also glad that they are starting the rest of their life. Bittersweet. This picture is of Ms Orange aka Escape Artist. Picture taken just minutes before Allan and Cathy picked her up. She has been amusing to say the least. I sat with the remaining 6 puppies this evening and still marvelled at how beautiful they are...what a great litter. 1 year from now I'll be posting their 1 year...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 2, 2013,
Another big day for the pups. We choose to identify our pups by tattoing their right ear...a breeder friend of mine has the equipment and has been tattoing my litters for many years. Today was the day - pups got another car ride - they did pretty good - just a couple of whiners on the way there. As I post pictures this week, you will see some spots of green ink from the tattoing process - it comes off eventually. The ear will have: ENF A Numbers 1 - 11 will be in between the ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, August 31, 2013,
Wednesday was an eventful day as the litter had their 6 week check up at the Winkler vet. My SUV holds 2 large dog crates which fit 11 puppies quite nicely....that is my criteria when I shop for a vehicle - must fit 2 crates. It was a noisy ride in - it was a big adventure for the puppies. Being put in a crate...away from their comfort zone and driving in a moving vehicle. About 4 of them made constant whines and barks...can't imagine the noise if all 11 were vocal! The appointment took...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, August 25, 2013,
6 weeks old and a lot of fun. I liken them to a "herd" They are very tuned in to noises - when they hear the gate that leads into the dog area I can hear 44 feet scampering to their door waiting for me. Sitting with 11 puppies is also very interesting - they all want a piece of you - some immediately start nibbling on my shoes, pulling at my t-shirt or shorts...some climb on to your lap, some jump up, and some sit and just look at you. Thankful there aren't any real biters (yet)
6 week p...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, August 21, 2013,
We are definitely in the fun stage with the puppies. Lots of play fighting going on - all good natured...once in a while I hear more intense growls but for the most part it's all in good puppy fun. They all participate in the fighting - sparring partners change all the time. They tend to play right after a meal....feeding schedule has been 7 am, noon, 5 pm and 10 pm..food is only soaked for 10 minutes down and will be reducing that until they are on dry puppy food..I am now controlling Dio...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, August 13, 2013,
Hard to believe 4 weeks have passed by! The puppies go thru the most changes during that month. I'm very pleased with their development - this is a great litter of pups. Although there is some size difference, there are many similarities...they all have the same type of coat - full and long. They're all curious, brave, and adventuresome. Sunday was the first day I had them all outside on a blanket...there have been previous litters that are scared and won't step off the blanket...this lit...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, August 9, 2013,
Today was the first day I fed a gruel of puppy food. They didn't need any coaxing or smearing on their lips - they knew exactly what it was and what to do with it...well, sort of. Heads were down, lapping up the gruel...they also stood in it....lay in it....sat in it....they were a delightful mess of full, satisfied puppies. Their area has been expanded so they can stretch their legs - parts of it has straw, which you'll seen in pictures. We find the straw keeps things clean - is easy to ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, August 5, 2013,
I have found my happy place...it's sitting in the whelping box
surrounded by the puppies. They are so aware of everything around
them...first to bark was Mr. Orange. Ms. Orange, the smallest puppy,
continues to escape from their pen. Their teeth are now erupting from
their gums so they will start using those teeth while playing. Tuesday
will be the first day I feed them pureed puppy food. This next week I
will also start taking them for outdoor sessions in our back yard. At
three...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, August 1, 2013,
Nothing beats puppy kisses! Puppies are 17 days old today. Totally aware and responsive to every sound in their room. Dion is able to come and go from the puppy area and they certainly know when she's lying around just out of their sight and reach. Lots of wobbling around - they have just started to play fight. This is when I really take note of who is bullying; who is crying or whining...waiting for the first puppy to bark at me. Mr. Orange is most likely going to be my escape artist -...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, July 27, 2013,
Almost 2 weeks old....puppies are growing and developing on schedule. Eyes opened in the last 48 hours and are starting to travel in the whelping box. Some are very mobile and fearless and then there are a few that start whimpering and whining as soon as they get to far from their littermates. I have a baby video monitor set up so I can check on the pups - they are a noisy bunch!
Dion continues to be a great mom and keeps their living quarters very clean...as long as the puppies are nursing...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, July 19, 2013,
6 days old - what a good week. Puppies are growing and gaining weight at a good rate. Their pigment is changing to black. They still cannot hear or see...by the next weekend eyes will be open. They're a pretty content bunch...a lot of eating, pooping, and sleeping. Dion keeps their area very clean.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, July 16, 2013,
It is fabulous being able to be home with the puppies this week. I must admit there isn't much to do at this point - Dion does it all. I change blankets, make sure Dion is drinking and eating enough to produce enough milk for them. But I do like to sit in their area and just stare at them. Already their pigment is changing from bubblegum pink to black. There's a picture to be taken every time I enter their room....between my grand daughter Chandra and the puppies, my camera is always rea...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, July 15, 2013,
What a great day. With Dion on day 64 of her pregnancy, I must admit I was a bit concerned. Had visions of an emergency c section, which thank goodness, wasn't needed. The night was uneventful...but Dion was a bit different in the morning...I had slept on the couch in the sunroom with a blanket spread on the floor for Dion - I was determined not to miss any births. At 7 am I left the room for a minute and when I returned, Dion was lying on the couch, her head on my pillow. She was hard t...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, July 13, 2013,
Day 63 for Dion...her actual due date. It's slow going. At 4 am last night her temperature was 37 and I thought ok, now it's starting. Was back up to 37.4 at 7:30 am. I established a few days before that her normal body temperature is 38. When a pregnant dog is close to whelping her litter, her body temperature will dip below 37. It's common for it to fluctuate which it has been doing all day.
She's at 37.2 currently. She is doing more self grooming, which is another sign. Her breathing ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, July 11, 2013,
We're in the final stretch...a few days to go. I'm sure Dion is counting down the days also. She measures at 38.50 inches (96.62 cms) around her girth. Her temperature is steady at 38. This is her normal temperature...normally a pregnant dog's temperature will dip well below 37 - once that happens you know that delivery is only hours away. She's a bit more clingy...underfoot all the time...no appetite for 2 days, which is also normal for this stage.
When it comes down to where she's going...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, July 7, 2013,
Only one more week to go - today is Day 57 for the Dion x Oz litter. Today is the day Dion told me in no uncertain terms that she was not walking further than a few feet. I guess it's just too uncomfortable. Her breathing is certainly different this evening..more labored. It's too soon - she needs to hang on for a few more days. Gestation period is 58-63 days - our girls are always closer to 63 days. Lots of movement of the puppies - love putting my hands on her sides and feeling the m...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, June 26, 2013,
I always measure the pregnant girls to monitor the growth of their girth. Dion measure 36 inches (92 cms) with 18 days to go. 37 inches usually means 8-10 pups. I found an old post I'm going to share - some information on the female's gestation period which is 60-63 days.
| Week | Changes |
|
Zero to One
|
*Breeding takes place. *Within a few days, the sperm reaches the eggs and fertilization occurs.
|
|
Two
|
*The fertilized eggs make their way to the uterus for implantation. *You
may notice behavioral... |
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, June 24, 2013,
We're excited to announce that Dion is pregnant and expecting around July 13. This is great news after 2 failed breedings earlier this year. Dion is carrying the extra weight and back to her better than average appetite. She usually has her head in her bowl before I can even set it on the ground. A few weeks ago she went a week of not being interested in her food...can be a sign of pregnancy. Her appetite is good again and she is steadily gaining weight. Will take some measurements so I...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, October 30, 2012,
Last two puppies left this past weekend so we have an empty nest. The last male from Gloria's litter went to a great family in Brandon - the only puppy from this litter to stay in province! The others went to Regina, Calgary, Montana, Victoria.
Ms Yellow also was picked up by her family from Fort Frances, ON. She had a great reunion with Lucy (Ms. Purple) who came along for the pick up. Ms. Yellow is now Des (Short for Destiny) and will be a great addition to their family. She was a very ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, October 17, 2012,
Ms. Yellow is doing just fine! She is 19 lbs and a solid girl. The scarring above her nose is moving upwards so that suggests that her face is growing somewhat. Prognosis by my vet is that her bottom jaw will grow at it's normal rate, but her top jaw, because of the front bone being removed, will not grow, causing a noticable underbite. While I am very attached to her I would place her in someone's home with for no cost. Is there a risk? No one knows how she'll look 6 months from now......
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, October 17, 2012,
We have a few less furry mouths today - Mr. Blue was chosen by a young family in Regina who made the drive out on Regina to pick him out and take him home. Today our little Nugget "Nuggie" is going to meet his family - he is being brought to Brandon and met my his new owners. We will miss both pups but especially Nuggie, who managed to nuzzle his way into our hearts. He is the first in the food bowl and the last - he still has some catch up to do. The 3 remaining boys had their 2nd set of...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, October 6, 2012,
It's a little quieter around here these days - 4 from the Classic Rock Litter have gone to their new homes. Ms. Braun went to Stanton, ND; Mr. Black flew to Victoria on Thursday and Mr. Yellow's owner flew to Winnipeg from Calgary to pick him up and fly back that same day. On Friday Ms. Orange was picked up in person by her owner from Montana and flew back home with her in cabin!
That leaves 4 boys and Ms. Yellow from the D litter. Beautiful puppies - Nugget has grown so much that you ca...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, September 30, 2012,
I've had several emails and phone calls with people asking about Ms. Yellow - out of concern for her well being.
She is doing marvelously - what a trooper! Her wires were removed on Monday - she was put under again - the top bone in her jaw is dead so the dead bone was cut out. The upper jaw will not grow any more and with the bottom jaw continuing to grow, she will not have the classic beautiful golden retriever looks. Her bottom jaw will protrude giving her more of a bulldog profile. She ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, September 30, 2012,
8 weeks old - what a fast 8 weeks. Ms. Brown has joined her new family. Ms. Orange travels to Victoria on Thursday and Mr. Yellow travels to Calgary, also on Thursday. 5 boys still looking for their forever home! They continue to be a quiet litter - I can have them in their outside pen all day long and hardly hear a noise - once in a while I hear he playfighting - but there is no whining or complaining - a really well behaved bunch of pups.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 17, 2012,
6 weeks old - can't believe we're at this point already. What a nice group of puppies - quieter than the D litter - pretty content. They're in the big puppy pen now - they can come and go inside and out - hardly hear anything from them. Ms. Red and Ms. Yellow from the D litter are with them - blending quite nicely. 6 week pictures have been posted under Classic Rock Litter - also weighed all of them - a lot of variance in weights and size - beautiful temperaments - they will all make some...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, September 17, 2012,
2 puppies left - Ms. Red will be going to California at the end of the week - what a sweet heart - so calm - so laid back - very easy to have around. Ms. Yellow will be with us a few more weeks - her Dr. appt is Sept 24 and we'll get an assessment as to how her jaw has healed and if there are any long term effects. She's feeling pretty good now - teasing the smaller puppies - lots of energy. The best part of raising litters is the part of meeting new people - adding more people to my circl...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, September 12, 2012,
For those of you who have been wondering how Ms. Yellow is doing, she is doing well - to my eyes that is. Swelling is down on her face - nose is back to normal size. Won't really know the prognosis until her upper jaw wires are removed on Sept 24 - the moment of truth! She still sounds a big garbled with her breathing - but since her upper jaw was pretty much pushed into her sinus cavity, she is doing well considering. She lost 1 lb during her first 3 days after surgery - since then she ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, September 12, 2012,
The puppies are growing by leaps and bounds - being on 4 solid meals a day puts on the weight and size quickly. The litter is still all over the map when it comes to size and weight. If I could fast forward to a year from now, I've got a feeling there will be very little difference in their adult sizes - just now we have the range from the large Ms. Orange and Mr. Yellow to the little boy I've dubbed "Peanut" - he's less than half their size - he's a perfect little puppy - just quite small....
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, September 12, 2012,
Bittersweet week - puppies are now 7 1/2 weeks old - quite the personalities - lots of biting..playing...sleeping and eating. It is obvious that they need their forever families now - that one on one attention that will help them grow to be big strong confident pets. The first 4 puppies leave tomorrow. One is going to Kenora; one to Red Lake, On, one to Winnipeg and one to Arborg. On Friday, Ms. Red flies to California and Ms. Multi goes to her home in Minnesota. Saturday, Ms Purple's ow...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, September 1, 2012,
4 weeks old tomorrow! That has gone by very quickly - later today I will have the first puppy food feeding with them - puppy food softened with water till it's the consistency of mush. Puppies have their teeth and will be more than ready to experience solid food. Gloria is a wonderful mother and will still want to feed them and attend to all their needs. We had them outside in the backyard yesterday and they did very well. The puppies are in different sizes - 4 are big - 3 are a medium s...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, September 1, 2012,
Very eventful week! Puppies are 6 weeks old and thriving - averaging 6.5 to 7 pounds in weight. Thursday was their vet visit where they were checked, given vaccinationsm dewormed and given a clean bill of health - someone you always wish for of course. From there I took them for a tattooeing for identification purposes - the ride home was very quiet!
Later that day, Ms. Yellow was in distress - obvious trauma to her face to I took her to the vet and upon examination - she suffered trauma to...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, August 28, 2012,
How soon you forget from one litter to the next the biting stage of the litter. At 5 and 1/2 weeks, we enter the excessive biting phase - anything and everything is fair game - and that includes my hands, toes, ankles(gives true meaning to the term ankle biters) my nose, face or whatever body part they can latch onto. The pups are very adventuresome and brave - now walking and running all over the back yard. Most of the time it's because they spy one of the adult dogs and give chase - so...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, August 21, 2012,
Two weeks old! Eyes are open - they're still sleeping most of the day, but definitely are moving around more. Gloria is a mother hen - attending to their every need, squeak, or yelps of distress. Gloria is smiling all the time - she enjoys being a mother - she loves to check out Jazz's litter several times a day too. Will post pictures on the website in the next day or so and start an online album on facebook. Puppies really vary in size. Biggest puppy is a female - could not be called ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, August 21, 2012,
Oh my - checked my last post and see that it's 2 weeks ago - wow, did time fly! Apologies for the gap in posts - have been a tad bit busy with 2 litters. The puppies are beautiful in every way - long fluffy coats, black pigment, large heads, dark expressive eyes and that true golden temperament - fun loving and affectionate. Two females stand out with their personalities - blue collar girl is feisty and playful and assertive. No fear - she's the first one to be done with a feeding - it's...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, August 7, 2012,
Sunday seems a long time ago...but in actuality the puppies are only 48 hours old! It's early, but I'm very happy with how things are going. Gloria is an excellent mom - she smiles as she nurses them. Puppies are strong and vigorous - very pale in color - their weights after 24 hours ranged from 340 grams to 439 grams, Cooked up some chicken and gave Gloria the broth - she usually has very good water intake - wasn't drinking alot so I was able to fool her into drinking more. Worked for J...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, August 7, 2012,
I have found my happy place again - sitting in the whelping box with my eight furry friends climbing all over me, sniffing me, licking my leg, tugging on my shoestrings and of course that wonderful puppy breath. And the play fighting has begun! Fun to watch them interact - see if there's a bully...who likes to bark at everything. They are so alert - at attention as soon as we enter their room. Jazz is spending more time away from them but is still attentive to their needs. Took some beau...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, August 6, 2012,
I'm happy (and tired) to let you know that The Classic Rock litter has made their Debut Album, singing back up are 6 bass and 2 sopranos! Gloria, the lead singer, (also tired) is doing well. What a day - started with me staying up all night with her because it seemed like she was in early stages of labor. After noon she started having contractions and the 1st puppy was born. An hour later and boy arrived - then everything stopped - no contractions in the next 1 1/2 hours - concerned, I ph...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, August 4, 2012,
Gloria is bursting at the seams - she is now officially under 24 hour puppy watch - she was caught digging a big hole in her outdoor pen today - I have a much nicer place in mind for whelping her pups! Her breathing pattern is more panting now so I believe she may be in the very early stages of giving birth. I really hope she waits until Saturday during the day - don't think I've recovered from the all nighter I pulled with Jazz. I'll be setting my alarm tonight to make sure I don't sleep ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, August 4, 2012,
It's like it happens overnight - puppies change from pink noses and pink pads on feet, blind and deaf to black noses, pads - eyes wide open and reacting to noises. They look like little dogs now - the coats are coming in and they are moving around their whelping box. The flash of my camera, which goes off alot, gets a reaction from them. There's a photo op every time I walk into their room. At two weeks, I can let the whelping room get a little cooler - they can now regulate their body temp...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, July 27, 2012,
Gloria is 8 days away from her estimated due date of August 4th. She is really bulging at the sides - a bit of a comical shape to her - reminiscent of her Oct 2010 litter. Took her for a walk this evening - thought we'd walk a slow mile - turned back sooner than planned - she was really waddling - no more walks for Gloria. She has been very jealous of Jazz having pups and very curious towards the pups - I let her sniff them every day - she knows that she will have her own soon. Her girth ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Friday, July 27, 2012,
1 week old! Unbelievable! Puppies are now chunky, which is a very good thing! I've had my fears about Jazz not producing enough milk to sustain the puppies. I also had fears about her not taking proper care of them. Those fears have subsided with their good weight gains and from just sitting and watching her with them. What a difference from 4 days ago - she is very attentive...cleans them diligently and is concerned with every squeak.I think with Jazz, the maternal instinct kicked in a...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, July 24, 2012,
The eagerly anticipated D litter is here! Our last litter was March, 2011 so we were going thru puppy withdrawal.
It's been a rollercoaster ride so far - 4 days old - feels like a week! Once the litter was born, Jazz showed some hostility to the puppies - growled at them as I put them on her for their first full feeding. I scolded her, made her lay down - stayed by her head while they nursed. I suppose the last thing the princess wanted was to take care of her puppies. We repeated this ev...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, July 24, 2012,
2:55 am - first girl was born - but let me back this up a bit. July 19 - Jazz was restless - lot of heavy panting - looked like the first stages of whelping. Her rectal temperature kept normal so I thought, okay, I'm going to be able to sleep all night. The mother-to-be's temperature drops significantly in the hours before she starts contractions. We got her comfortable and i went to bed at 12:30 - Paige had first watch - at 2 am I got out of bed - hadn't slept- something just didn't seem...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, July 16, 2012,
We're down to one week to Jazz's litter. Can hardly wait! Have missed the puppy breath! Jazz is 37 inches in her girth - I would expect around 8 pups. Gloria, who's due date is August 4, measures a svelte 33 inches. I swear she is gaining by the hour!
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, June 30, 2012,
Just confirming that Jazz is definitely pregnant! We decided not to do the ultrasound and wait (impatiently) for Jazz to start blossoming. She looks great - definitely is carrying "a load" for Jul 20th - Confident she will be a natural at motherhood.
Gloria is due two weeks later, and knowing Gloria, she will be jealous of Jazz. Gloria is a great mother and will be very proud of her own pups when they're born.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Monday, June 11, 2012,
We are pleased to tell you that we are expecting 2 litters this summer. Of course, that is, as long as nature takes the course we hope she does! Jazz, Dinnye and Gloria started their heat cycles towards the end of May. Because of the uncertainty of Duke being able to perform his duties, we made the decision to mate Jazz to Oz, a very nice English golden owned by a breeder friend of ours. It appears the matings were successful and we estimate the date of birth will be July 20th. We put Du...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, December 31, 2011,
This is a tough one to post. We were handed a huge disappointment - or more accurately - 3 disappointments with the ultrasounds yesterday. Vet confirmed that there were no puppies. Moving forward, we will try again with their spring cycle.
Dion will start her heat around middle of January - we will try Duke again, working closely with our vet to ensure our best chance of a litter. I have sent emails to people on my waiting list asking to transfer their spot to Dion's litter. If I did not e...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, December 29, 2011,
Canine Gestation Calendar| Week | Changes |
|
Zero to One
|
*Breeding takes place. *Within a few days, the sperm reaches the eggs and fertilization occurs.
|
|
Two
|
*The fertilized eggs make their way to the uterus for implantation. *You
may notice behavioral changes in your dog. She may become moody or more
affectionate.
|
|
Three
|
*Implantation has taken place and the embryos begin to develop. *Your
dog may begin to display mood swings, appetite changes and breast tissue
development.
|
|
Four
|
*Fetuses ca... |
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Posted by Delores Smith on Tuesday, December 27, 2011,
Measuring the girls' waistlines is something we do until due date - gives me reassurance that there is a pregnancy and subsequent growth of the puppies. Gestation would be an average of 63 days.
Dinnye 33 inches or 84 cms @ 46 days
Jazz 29.5 inches or 75 cms @ 42 days
Gloria 31 inches or 78.74 cms @ 41 days
Each dog is walked about 1/2 hour daily at least 5 days a week - it has been a perfect winter for this. They should not be gaining weight or size unless they're pregnant - each h...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Saturday, December 24, 2011,
Merry Christmas Everyone! Beautiful balmy 5 degress celsius in Manitoba today! No snow...I could get used to this!
The jury is still out on whether to girls are pregnant. Dinnye is day 42....Jazz day 37 and Gloria day 36. They all LOOK pregnant but I'm just not sure. Just measured all their girths and they all gained...they get daily exercise so I tend to think it's not from overeating or being lazy. We will most likely take Jazz and Gloria for ultrasounds next week...if anything just pe...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, December 11, 2011,
It's been a while since I've blogged! Not a whole lot to update yet. Dinnye, Jazz, and Gloria were all exposed to Duke during their heat cycles in November. Too early too tell looking at them physically. I don't think Dinnye is pregnant - don't think Duke had "figured things out" with her - we're quite alright with that as we were hoping 2 out of the 3 matings would take place. Physically Gloria and Jazz both show small bulges, pink enlarged nipples so we are hopeful. Will make a decisi...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Wednesday, June 1, 2011,
And we wait for Dinnye to show us that she's going to deliver a few puppies. Tomorrow June 2 is her due date...if she doesn't have puppies by the end of the weekend, I will have to accept that either this was a false pregnancy....or she had puppies at the time of the ultrasound, died and were absorbed by her. Out of our hands at this point...all we can do is be ready in case there are puppies. I am taking her temperature 3x's daily. Mornings have been consistent at 37.3 Celsius...afternoo...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Thursday, May 26, 2011,
Are we really at this point again! With the last puppy from our C litter gone only for a few weeks, we are now 1 week away from our much awaited D litter to be whelped. This is a litter that has been in the planning stages for over a year. I had frozen semen from Dewmist Silver Diamond sent to me in April of 2010. A series of events prevented us from using it on one of our females at the time, so it has sat in it's frozen state waiting for the right opportunity. Dinnye is the lucky recip...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 22
Where
did the week go? This is a dream litter - all are healthy, feeding
well - most are content - a few noisy whiny pups - complaining when the
milk doesn't flow fast enough. Chunky! That was the word that came to
mind this morning when I was changing blankets in the whelping box. 75%
of the puppies have such a solid weight to them. They're travelling
all over the whelping box - eyes are starting to show slits - should
be open by the time they turn 2 weeks old - on Oct 26...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 17
Always
amusing when we define time by how old the puppies are. Tuesday seems
like a long time in the past. Puppies and Gloria are doing very well.
Puppies are gaining weight steadily.
weights: Females:.416 kgs; .498; .444; .492; Males: .560; .468; .570; .526; .540
The
weights are on the light side - especially when I compare them to
Dinnye's May litter of 4 pups. I know they will all make up for it by
feeding regularly from Gloria - she's eating a lot of food these days to
ke...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
2:00 pm what a day (so far) 9 puppies! 4 females & 5 males -
everyone's doing great! Gloria is pooped and I can only hope she is
done!
Quick update: noon 4 girls 2 boys so far more to come possibly started @ 9:20 am
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 12
6:38
am Good Morning - still no babies but we are getting closer. Gloria
has been "leaking" for a few hours and just had a good gush of fluid.
She's concerned and surprised the fluid came from her! Hopefully I'll
have something tangible to report on in the next few hours. Already
told work that I was on puppy duty.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 11 Thanksgiving Monday
6:25 pm: tick tock tick tock nothing to report other than heavy breathing
4:30
am Gloria's temperature dropped to 36.6 Celsius (was 37.5 at 11 pm)
Currently 9:00 am and no puppies - I let her outside briefly and during
that time she managed to squeeze herself under our steps and burrow -
sure sign that puppies are on their way. Check back later - hopefully
I'll be able to blog on how the puppies are doing!
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 10 noon
Last
pictures of Gloria being pregnant. I believe the first stage of labor
has begun. Gloria is still moving around but visibly shivering. Hard
to say how long this will go on but safe to say that it will be in the
next 24 hours. Then again Gloria doesn't do anything "by the book" so
stay tuned! Will post again when the 1st puppy is born.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 9 7:40 pm
Today
is D-Day - but no sign of puppies arriving anytime soon. Gloria's
temperature was 37.6 mid afternoon - still normal. She still has a
hearty appetite. She measured another inch of growth - can feel
movement when she is resting. She has a hard time sitting in one spot -
shifts her weight every 2 seconds - just can't seem to get
comfortable. Her resting mode these days in flat on her stomach with
back legs stretched out behind her. What day - got my new whelping...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 6
Happy
25th Birthday to our son Vance! 25 years ago we had a huge snow storm
several days after he was born. It is a beautiful 20 degrees today!
Gloria is continuing to "grow" Girth is 91.44 cms (36 inches) Another
inch! Her shape isn't so comical anymore - she's filling out now so
it's a little more uniform. She is starting to be a bit uncomfortable,
though is still game to retrieve a ball in the backyard. Her
temperature was 37.7 Celsius (99.6 F) at noon today. I am goin...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Oct 2
What
a beautiful day here in Southern Manitoba. Just back from a walk with
the dogs...this is Gloria's last day of mile walks - around the block
plodding until she whelps. Her pregnancy shape was quite humorous today
-tried to capture it with my camera - just doesn't do it justice. She
gained another inch since Wednesday - grand total of 88.9 cms. It looks
like the weight has started to shift towards her back end - maybe
explains the comic book character like shape. We're now...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Sep 29
2.54
cm (1 inch) growth this week. - grand total of 85.86 cms aroud Gloria's
girth. Day 51 of gestation. Her abdomen is very hard - I've been
feeling for movement but haven't detected any yet. Gloria looks very
pleased with the process - like she has this big secret. I've reduced
our walks to 1 mile - all Gloria can handle right now - our pace is
slower than normal - it's now more of a casual stroll. Her appetite has
increased and she's a little more content just laying arou...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Sep 23
7.62
cm (3 inches) in 8 days - pretty good growth - Gloria has lost that
svelte feminine figure and has really bulged out - 83.32 cms - Day 45 of
gestation. In face, during our walk yesterday I think she was walking
differently - would even dare to call it a waddle! She chose not to
swim in the River on Sunday - was just happy to watch Dinnye retrieve a
stick from the water and take it from her at the shore - standing knee
deep in water.
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
Sep 15
Amazing
what a week can do with a dog's pregnancy. 1 week after the sonogram
and no physical evidence of the pregnancy, Gloria is showing signs! We
were on our daily walk and it was very obvious today that she is bulking
up. I'm sure she understands me when I ask her if she has puppies.
She smiles and looks very pleased - maybe it's just the tone in my
voice? Today is Day 37 of gestation - her girth measured 76.2 cms (30
inches)
Here's a tidbit not related to
the pregnancy. ...
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Posted by Delores Smith on Sunday, October 24, 2010,
We are very happy to report that Gloria is pregnant!....but let me go back a month in time:
Sep 7
Gloria
doesn't do anything normal...normal for a golden retriever that is.
Exterior is beautiful like a golden...but she thinks like a human - and
has emotions of a human. She smiles, she gets frustrated; she has
crowned herself Queen of the yard; she gets jealous; she does payback by
chewing up things belonging to the person she's upset with; she's
guilty when caught; thinks it's beneath...
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