energy – Jema Golden Retrievers

Happy 6-Weeks Old!

Puppies are much more active these days. They LOVE being outside to explore their surroundings!

LOTS of new experiences for puppies this week! Developmental leaps and bounds! Puppies keep us really busy along with caring for our other critters too! All the puppies are eating dry food now. I’m feeding a little over 1/2 cup per puppy three times per day now. When puppies go to their new homes, you will feed about 1 cup per feeding. I doubt they will eat the entire cup of food but you will know they’ve eaten enough (after 15 minutes of feeding or when puppy becomes distracted. Then just pick up the feeding bowl. Puppy has eaten his/her fill.) And again, when puppy shows little interest in that mid-day feeding, you will know you can eliminate that feeding and go to your permanent twice per day feeding schedule. (Usually at around 3-4 months of age).

Pink Girl “caught a tail”! Well at least until the other puppy gets mad!

Puppy poops are firming up more now too which is a good thing! We are in the process of drying up Deja who still wants to nurse her babies. And puppies LOVE nursing on Deja even though they bite her now.

Puppies LOVE being outside! They play hard (and then sleep hard)!

Puppies weight this week has everyone around 8 lbs. Light Blue Boy weighed in at 7 lb 14 oz so he has effectively “caught up” to his siblings. Purple Girl and Dark Blue Boy have both hit 9 lbs (9 lbs 4.6 oz and 9 lbs even respectively). Pink Girl will hit 9 lbs today, I suspect, weighing in at 8 lbs 15.6 oz yesterday! Puppies are usually 10-12 pounds by the time they are 8 weeks old. We are right on target for those weights. And… All the puppies have had their third de-worming, dosage based on their individual weights. This is common practice with puppies to ensure their health. Roundworms are dormant and become “active” during whelping and through lactation. Treating them now as young puppies immune system are being built up fosters their health now. Later, puppies will start heartworm preventaive meds that will continue to prevent “wormy puppies”!

In other news…

Light Blue Boy went to the door this morning to be let outside to potty. I think he is absolutely BRILLIANT! Of course the other puppies went outside also and had to potty too but watching this bitty puppy sit at the backyard door and look up willing it to open/be let outside… BRILLIANT!

ALL the puppies have met my barn kitty! “Gusto” has taught many puppies to respect cats although he is very gentle with puppies!

Definition of a happy puppy? One who can play in the water and dirt!

Black Boy deciding what to do next? He LIKES the shade he’s found!

Pretty, pretty head piece on this puppy!

Yep, she is a little piranha! Those puppy teeth are SHARP!

5 Weeks Old Today

Feeding schedule and other info

And just like that, it seems, pups are growing up! Puppies now go outside several times per day (and are doing a great job pottying outside!) They all have found the “hole” Deja has dug where she only THOUGHT she would have her puppies! Puppies like to dig in this hole unearthing the cool dirt. Fortunately, the area is dry so the dirt just brushes off puppies. This is a really good thing for folks to know… No matter how dirty puppy/dog seems to be, let them dry off and much of the “dirt” will fall off or be easily brushed off. Crate puppy/dog until they are dry and voila… clean(er) dog again!

Puppies learn SO MUCH from each other! One of the most important things learned… bite inhibition! Red Girl is going to tolerate that puppy playing with her unless that puppy gets too rough. Then, she’ll let him/her know… NOT COOL!

If you are going to “play rough”, you’ve got to be ready to get it back in return!

Light Blue and Pink playing… Like kids, they use their mouths for everything!

Puppies have more toys now including a small child/toddler’s slide… They love climbing up the little steps and sliding down the slide! “King of the Slide” IS a thing here! And they now have yet another newcomer to play with… A rather large stuffed tiger that tolerates their tugging, climbing all over, and snuggling with.

Having them outside in our covered dog run is still iffy, in my mind. It really depends on the weather and heat. They are 100% safe in the run with LOTS of room to run and play except for the heat (and humidity). I’m really following the big dogs lead… If they don’t want to go outside, I figure they know best! Regardless, hubby has now put up additional shade clothes over the run to give puppies more shade but really… It depends on the heat! Pups still prefer to sleep on the concrete (cooler) and enjoy the AC in our dog room!

Successful attack of that menacing tree branch!

Pups are in and out of the shadows where it is cooler!

Deja continues to nurse puppies a handful times per day but puppies are getting the majority of their nutrition from solid food. And all are drinking from the water bowl although we still have a few who try to “swim” in the bowl! Regarding feeding, puppies go to new homes eating three meals/day. About one cup of food per puppy per feeding. They will probably NOT eat all of that food so don’t be alarmed if they don’t eat it all. I just figure it best for them to get their fill than leave feeding time “hungry”. You can always re-feed any leftovers at the next meal time.

At around three months of age, they will start showing little interest in the mid-day feeding. They may eat some then prefer to play instead of eating. That is when you will know you can quit that mid-day feeding. Puppy is just not that hungry anymore. That is the time you will go to twice/day feedings; still one cup per feeding morning and night.

I just LOVE this photo of Red Girl! Deja went inside and she is trying to figure out, “where did mom go?”

Moxie has no interest in “nursing” Deja so… she tries to get Deja to play with her instead. Deja is SUCH a good dog tolerating Moxie’s antics!

Regrouping, no doubt! “Which way shoud we go next?”

When your puppy is getting their series of vaccinations from your vet, puppy will be weighed. So often, folks get caught up with the number. A better guide for weight is “how does the dog look?” I’m attaching two guides that I use frequently to gauge weight in my dogs. These guides have nothing to do with a number but more on how your dog “looks/feels”.

VNT1503-Ackerman-Fig2 — The BEST way to describe how fat/thin your dog should be! Use this guide!!

P.S. Sorry for being a day late! Computer glitch and internet down yesterday afternoon! Ahh… the love-hate relationship with technology!!

Puppy Vee

Growing up but she still does things I would rather she not!

Puppy Vee is growing up (she’s now 9 months old!) Where does the time go?

Vee is a very sweet puppy and although still young and “busy”, she is a constant companion throughout most of my day.

NOT to say she doesn’t have her moments! Chewing my new door mat was NOT especially appreciated but… bad me for not supervising her, sigh! In HER MIND, that new rug was a new “toy” to chew and explore (and chew she did!)

Beyond a doubt, puppies are “busy”! Full of joy and curiousity, they can wreak havoc if not supervised. Still, at the end of the day when I’m petting her and she looks at me with those soft brown eyes, I know… I can always buy another rug!

Dock Diving

Competitive Water Sports… For Dogs!

Another sport Golden Retrievers LOVE to do is “dock diving”. For the dog who loves to swim, this is just FUN! Thank you, Michele for sending me this vid of your/our boy, Strut doing what comes natural for him… Retrieving! GOOD BOY, Strut!!

Strut is 4 years old; he is by CH Rooster x Tamale. LOVE how Michele (and Larry) do so many things with their dogs! BEST HOME EVER!!!

It’s The Little Things

Life With A 3-Month Old Puppy!

Puppy Vee has all sorts of toys she can play with but what does she prefer? Shredding newspaper used to wrap some recent purchases. Boxes are a favorite thing to gnaw on too; she can spend quite some time gnawing on the corners of a box that I let her chew (especially if I don’t have the need for the box in the future; why not let her chew on it?)

Another favorite “toy” is empty water bottles (caps removed). Many pet stores sell fuzzy wrapped water bottle that make a “crinkling” sound when chewed on by dogs. My water bottles lack the fuzzy toy material but then again, they are free! Safe, easy toys for a teething puppy to play with keeps her occupied until our next trip outside trying to get her house-broken.

House-breaking… She is doing very good in this area probably because she is only allowed in a small area of the house unless strictly supervised. Take your eyes off puppy for one moment and we are liable to have an “accident”. Some in my family are better at constantly monitoring puppy then others… hence the limited access to the house at least for now.

Now if I could only get her to understand I do NOT want her to jump up on me (in her excitement to see me)! I have several “rips” in my bathrobe where she jumped up on and gripped tightly causing a tear. Well… It was time for a new bathrobe anyways!

Ahh… a tired puppy is a good puppy! But sleeping under my desk… She is NOT going to fit in this space for very much longer!

What A Week!

Happy/sad time as pups leave to their new homes ready for new adventures!

What an amazing week this has been! LOTS happening every day!

First, we had a fantastic visit with Sherry from California as she came out to see ALL the puppies and ended up going home with “Black Boy/Trek”. THANK YOU Sherry for all your help with the puppies entertaining/socializing them every day and helping me give everyone baths. Puppies had strict orders to STAY CLEAN for their new families which, for the most part, they did! It was great to talk “all things dog” with someone I very much respect in the dog world. You kept saying how it was a vacation for you, Sherry, but it was really a vacation for me! I can’t wait to watch Trek, grow up… I/we are so excited about his future!

“Trek”… STUNNING boy!! Love him to pieces!!

On Friday, we celebrated Rooster’s (CH Gaitway-Jema’s Kiss And Tell, BISS, CGC) 6th birthday. He is such a special boy; he means the world to me! His accomplishments IN the ring pale by comparison to the assistance he so readily gives as a Mobility Assistant Service Dog… He just KNOWS when I need his help!

On Friday, Orange Girl (now known as “Westie”) went to her new home. While this starts the beginning of the puppies going to their new homes, I can’t help but feel a tad sad until I see the smiles from the new families. This may be an end to “the puppies” for me but it is just the beginning of their new wonderful lives with their new families! I’ve no doubt they will hit the ground running ready to take on this new adventure! CONGRATULATIONS to all on your new family companions!!

Saturday was the big “going home” day and now… I’m exhausted! We have one more puppy that is leaving tomorrow and then… I will just have my puppy left. It will feel SO STRANGE just feeding ONE PUPPY after “Zoey” leaves!

Black Boy is now known as “Trek”
Orange Girl is now known as “Westie”
Green Boy is now known as “Finn”
Blue Boy is now known as “Ziggy”
Purple Boy is now known as “Eddy”
Pink Girl is now known as “Gracie”
Lime Green Girl is now known as “Charley”
Yellow Girl is now known as “Zoey”
Red Girl is now known as “Vee”

For anyone who has not seen the vid of the puppies playing on the pool cover, they had a BLAST! Talk about getting their “sea legs”! Bouncing around, it was like a Bouncy House for puppies! All of the pups quickly thought this was great fun; another surface mastered by all!

Sunday, August 5, 2018… The blog entry that never ends (LOL!)

I fell asleep at 8:30 p.m. and was up by 4:30 a.m. this morning… Where is the COFFEE! Going through a few more of the photos taken last week and wanted to share:

Puppies play hard with each other but now need to learn you aren’t another puppy for them to climb all over! Gently “correcting” this behavior now will ease your puppy’s transition into your home!

It is easy to forget the pupies are like babies… they “explore” everything with their mouths!

And I “taught” them how to “dig”! If you have an area you can “give” to the pups to dig, they would be so happy! Think of it like a sandbox for a child. It will help them NOT dig where they shouldn’t if they have their own “spot” to “play”.

Our little “water feature” on our back patio where EVERYONE uses as a recirculating drinking bowl! At least none of the pups thought to actually climb into the fountain (I half expected some might try to do that, LOL!)

We LOVE all of our puppies! Thank you, Andrew, for all of your help loving on the puppies!

Thank you to everyone who has followed the puppy journey here on my blog/web site! I hope to continue to add more photos as the pups grow up and to share their stories of their lives with their new families. It has been a wonderful summer experience for us… a lot of fun, a lot of work, and a lot of memories!! Congrats again to the new owners of my precious babies!

Puppies First Car Ride and Vet Visit

Just another adventure!

It was a busy day yesterday for both the puppies and us going to the vet. Puppies took the whole experience in stride; they did great on the car ride and they did great at the vet office and for their individual exams.

Can you just hear them all… “Are we there yet?”!

Of course EVERYONE thought they were simply adorable! I had a few people ask me if any were for sale? And I had EVERYONE want to touch and pet them (and that would be a NO! The last thing I want is for a puppy to get ill from any type of cross-contamination!) So to answer to all of the “can I say ‘hi’ to the puppies?”… You most certainly can but not with your hands! (I’m so “mean”, LOL!)

It was an incredibly well-run appointment with each puppy being weighed, temp taken, examined, and then vaccinations given (DA2P/Parvo plus oral Bordatella). All hearts were normal; normal heart sounds and all boys had testicles palpitated (a good thing!)

Puppies relaxing in a heap of course! These are the calmest puppies ever…even with the commotion going on around them!

Crates on our crate dolly all tied and wrapped and ready to roll!

Of course, we are watching closely for any adverse reactions. Everyone ate well last night and again this morning. Poops look good. No one is lethargic afterwards either… Whew! I’ll keep an eye on them over the next few days to hopefully continue this trend/behavior!

This CAN’T be comfortable but… When it is time for a nap, you just have to close your eyes!

The drive home was again taken in stride by these confident pups and once parked, they were “let loose”! All come when called (they answer to “puppy” so folks… that may help you as you transition them to learning their real names!)

Another milestone achieved in the puppies lives! Good job babies!!