Puppies – Page 4 – Jema Golden Retrievers

Happy First Birthday Puppy Vee

Happy Birthday, Vee (and to all of her littermates too!)

Time seems to have a mind of it’s own; I can hardly believe it is almost JULY!

With all the talk about upcoming puppies (and puppies sired by Rooster who is a very proud daddy), I neglected to wish Puppy Vee, and all of her littermates, a happy first birthday (6/11/19).

Sweet, beautiful Vee (the puppy I kept from the CH Journey x CH Deja litter)

Vee celebrated her birthday on Saturday, 6/15/19, by attending her first Health Clinic. We attend this specific health clinic every year where ALL of the dogs get their annual health testing. Am very pleased that again this year, all of my dogs passed their eye tests for breed specific congenital/genetic eye diseases. Yeah!!

Not only did Vee pass her eye exam but she also passed her cardiology exam too. “Puppies” need to be over a year of age for this test to count for their permanent health clearance so four days after her first birthday, Vee now has both her eye and heart health clearance! Super yeah!!

Puppy Vee: She has beautiful, effortless movement! (And she is a joy to live with too!)

Thanks goes to the organizer of this health clinic. She does an amazing job keeping everyone organized both in scheduling the vets for this clinic and the dogs/owners attending this health clinic. Again this year, the vets, from CSU, volunteer their time to do their specific exams. They are very much greatly appreciated. I specifically appreciate the continuity of care having the same vets do their exams who have seen my dogs in previous years. Health testing is the cornerstone of any breeding program because that is really the goal… to breed healthy dogs first and foremost!

As an aside, Vee’s litter brother, Trek, who now lives in California ALSO passed both his eye and heart clearance! I am SO HAPPY for brother Trek, and his owner, also!!

Happy Two Weeks Old!

LOVE when breeders keep me updated on their/our puppies! Rooster is a proud daddy!

CH Rooster x CH Fizz puppies: two-weeks old today!

LOVE these puppies!!

Good job, momma Fizz… Look at those “plump” bellies!

The Big Day Approaches…

Pregnancy x-rays shows a LOT of puppies!

Well, the big day will be next week! We have opted to do a scheduled C-Section on 7/5/19 for several reasons. First off, Deja has at LEAST nine puppies seen on her pregnancy x-ray! It is possible there may be a 10th puppy hiding… It’s possible! That is a LOT of puppies to whelp!

Screen Shot 2019-06-27 at 6.07.47 PM.jpg — Can you count puppies? Remember for each skull, you need to trace the corresponding spine!

The second big reason… we are heading into not just a weekend but a HOLIDAY weekend! This means that “vet help” is greatly reduced/non-existent! IF Deja were to have any whelping problems, my only option for “help” would be the vet E.R.

I’ve been down that road before and what happens is… IF Deja were to have any problems delivering her puppies and we were to go to the vet E.R. for help, Deja’s health would not be a concern per se. That is how the emergency triage works. They don’t recognize a “puppy-to-be” in distress as “living” as long as Deja is not in mortal danger. I can’t bear the thought of “losing” a puppy because, to me, every one of those puppies IS living (all you have to do is hold her hand against Deja’s tummy to feel movement!)

Deja likes lying on the cool concrete! She is carrying a LOT of extra weight with all those babies!

So… Just waiting to hear back from my repro vet as to what time we need to have Deja there?

Meanwhile, we’ve started taking Deja’s temperature (frequently) throughout the day. For those not aware, progesterone levels (which is what maintains preganncy in all mammals) will drop indicating impending labor. That drop in progesterone can actually be monitored via temperature… Deja’s temperature will drop a few degrees below normal which corresponds to her progesterone level dropping signifying impending labor.

Now this drop in temperature isn’t an “exact” science. What that drop in temperature/progesterone really means is… labor is impending in the next 24 hours! If whelping naturally, you want to catch the time of that drop and if you do NOT start having puppies within 24 hours… another cause for concern! Even with a scheduled C-section, we will continue to take Deja’s temp monitoring for that drop because it is possible for her to have puppies on her own a day early, 7/4/19 especially because she is having a large litter.

A “cheat sheet” counting those skulls and spines! That is a LOT of puppies!

It is definitely going to be an exciting week coming up!

Breeding Update:

Puppy plans for the summer…

As the CH Rooster x Charlie puppies are being sent off to their new homes this week, it makes me think about getting organized (ready) for MY upcoming breedings! Many already know this but if you subscribe to this blog, I figured I would update everyone here…

Ms Pink Collar girl from the CH Rooster x Charlie litter

Doodle has recently been bred to CH Tulo. She will have an ultrasound 30 days after being bred to confirm pregnancy. This will be when we increase/change her food to support growing puppies. Assuming she is pregnant (and there is no reason to think she wouldn’t be), her puppies would be due 6/19/19.

Doodle (8 points towards her CH title but really… She LOVES to hike and hang with us!)

As of yesterday, CH Deja is in season. We plan on breeding Deja to CH Elton. If I’m going to be “home with puppies” anyways then I will be HOME WITH PUPPIES! This is also a contingent plan because Mother Nature may have ideas of her own? If all goes as planned, her puppies would be due early July.

Meanwhile, CH Rooster has bred a lovely girl from Nebraska. I recently received confirmation that this girl is indeed pregnant. Her puppies are due May 26, 2019.

Rooster has been busy! He is the sire of another local litter. If she is pregnant, her puppies are due a week before Doodle’s puppies (6/12/19). It is likely that having this girl here to breed to Rooster has stimulated my girls to come into season now also. It is the “dorm effect”… when one girl comes in season, they all do!

LOTS of dog planning going on with trips to the vet for progesterone timing and Rooster “dates”. This is going to be a fun summer with LOTS of puppy breathe. I can hardly wait!!

The End… And New Beginnings

So tempted to keep one of these puppies!

Puppies will be leaving for their forever homes this week. It is the end of watching these babies grow and develop but the beginning of their new lives in their forever homes. I feel very fortunate to have been invited out to play with puppies frequently and watch these babies grow. Such a consistent, healthy litter!

I’m so very proud of the CH Rooster x Charlie puppies… I know they will bring much joy to their new families!

CH Rooster x Charlie Puppies

I’m so proud of these puppies out of Miss Charlie and my boy, Rooster

Time seems to have flown by (especially since I’m not the one caring for the puppies)! The Rooster x Charlie puppies will be 7-weeks old next Monday (4/22/19); I can hardly wait to see them all one more time before they all start heading off to their new homes.

Puppies were born March 4th: 5 boys and 4 girls.

I did get to go see puppies when they were two weeks old. Darling, darling babies!

Charlie with her babies… All NINE of them!

Puppies did a lot of growing in just a few short weeks. Out to “play with puppies” again on April 3rd when they were 4.5 weeks old:

Learning to drink from the big dog water bowl

At this age, pups play hard then nap. I had three napping with me feeling their little heartbeats. Such a special day!

And before you know it… Puppies are 6 weeks old! These are VERY pretty puppies but I may be just a tad biased? I’m so excited for the new owners who also have been out to meet all the babies. Pups will go to their new homes in just a little over a week now. Fortunately, I’m going to see them one more time before they leave their Momma and first home. And take more photos, of course!

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!

Puppy Breath!

Working together for a common goal… preserving and protecting our breed

Ahh… Puppy Breath! What could be sweeter than playing with an 8-week-old puppy? NOT MUCH!

Mr. Camo (colored collar) was my “pick” boy from a fellow breeder’s litter. I just loved everything about this puppy when asked to come out to see/evaluate the puppies at 49 days of age. Today, a week later, he came to visit me hours before going to his new “forever” home. His breeder wanted me to double check to see if I could feel both testicles; to determine if both had descended? I felt both although one had not fully descended or better put… It kept moving up and down which can be common in 8 week old boys.

Puppy had so much fun playing in the snow.

After poking and prodding, Mr. Camo got to run around my yard and even had a “meet and greet” with my barn kitty who is very used to puppies and pays them no mind. What a great way to start the day… Playing with this puppy before he makes some family incredibly happy who have, no doubt, waited quite some time for their new fluff ball of joy!

Gusto, my kitty, is used to puppies. He does his best to ignore them! Puppy was very cautious and polite in his greeting.

This is what fellow breeders do to help each other. We evaluate each others litters objectively realizing NO puppy is “perfect”. We share information we’ve learn with our litters and experience to help each other realizing that if you do this long enough, you will eventually have a problem you know nothing about. Collectively, we offer support, compassion, and of course… share that puppy breath.

Even with the snow, this puppy’s movement and foot timing is easily seen. LOVELY reach and drive as he makes his way through the snow!

But most of all, we share our love for our breed… the Golden Retriever! While there isn’t anything cuter than an 8-week-old puppy, it is the breed, as a whole, we care about most. It is our love for the breed that binds us all together.

Miss Purple Collar sharing a moment with her breeder.

Gratitude

Gaddy, the Duck Dog! I couldn’t be prouder of the handsome hunting companion he is growing up to be!!

On this week of Thanksgiving as we count our blessings, I am truly grateful to have received photos from the CH Rooster x Trevi litter born just over a year ago (10/30/17). Thank you, Sandy, for bringing your lovely girl to my boy, Rooster, for this litter!

Now truly, there is nothing better than seeing a Golden Retriever do what s/he was bred to do… To be a gentleman’s (or woman’s) hunting companion of upland game and of course… to be a “retriever”!

Gaddy looks like he is a swimmer too! Good boy, Gaddy!

Breeding can pass on genetics of conformation and ability but it truly takes dedication and hard work of each and every owner to bring out the best in his or her dog(s). Jon and Jennifer have done this with their dogs! And, well, like the saying goes… A picture tells a thousand words!

Patience and perserverance… Kudos to Jon & Jennifer for all they do for their two Goldens!

Thank you Jon and Jennifer for including me in “Gaddy’s” journey on becoming the hunting dog you envisioned. I am SURE there have been up’s and down’s in his training. Still, it is through your commitment in sharing this sport with your dogs, that Gaddy is progressing to be a “duck dog”! It is that dedication and perserversance that will make Gaddy an outstanding hunting companion. Of that, I have no doubt!

LOVE Jennifer’s pretty smile! And those two dogs… they are not taking their eyes off of those ducks! These are two very lucky dogs indeed!!

“Eddy”

I LOVE hearing stories about “my” puppies!

I love getting photos of “my” puppies in their new homes. And I love to hear how well they are doing; how much that puppy is loved. I recently received news about “Eddy” and how well he did on a family trip… I just had to share a few photos.

Eddy playing in the water and exploring rock climbing

Great photo of Eddy and his boy. I’m sure they will have many adventures together!

I’m very fortunate to stay-in-touch with many of my “puppy people” hearing about their adventures as their puppy grows into a dog. Seeing them grow up brings back many memories of the time they were with me. That time always seems to go by very fast. Looking back… SUCH great memories of “how I spent my summer!”