GOLDSMITH BLOG

Classic Rock Litter Gloria x Oz

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 size and then there's the "peanut"  He was the smallest at birth and was having difficulty gaining weight - mainly because he was getting bumped off the nipple he was latching on.  I have him lapping puppy replacement formula several times a day - he is loving it and gaining properly.  I have no doubt in a year's time he will be at the same size and weight of his littermates.  As small as he is, he's also very resourceful and finds a way to escape the whelping box they're in.

 

D Litter - Jazz x Oz

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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Jazz x Oz D Litter

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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Gloria x Oz Classic Rock Litter

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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Jazz x Oz D Litter

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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Gloria x Oz Litter

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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Jazz x Oz Litter

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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Classic Rock Litter - August 5, 2012

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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Gloria - Day 59

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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Jazz & Oz litter

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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Gloria - Due date August 4th

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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D Litter - 1 Week Old!

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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D Litter Jazz x Oz Jul 20, 2012

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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Jazz/Oz Litter - They're here!!!

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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Summer Litters

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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July 20th litter

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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2 Summer Litters

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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When life gives you lemons instead of lemonade

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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Canine gestation calendar

December 29, 2011
Canine Gestation Calendar
WeekChanges
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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Expanding waistlines

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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