BLOG

Posted on

Piper’s Adorable Puppies are already Week One Old

One week old already….It is hard to believe that seven days have passed since Piper’s babies arrived. We have had a busy week because raising newborn puppies is a 24/7 job. 

Whelping Day

It was a long night of Piper being restless. I drifted in and out of sleep, checking on Piper. When morning came, Piper went out for a potty break and rested calmly on the couch with me. She wanted outside again, but this time, she went under our deck stairs in the yard and wouldn’t come when called. I put my coat and boots on and headed out to coax her. But no luck, she refused to come out. I finally attached the leash to her collar and, with great effort on my part, pulled her out. 

Piper was now very dirty from digging, and I was exhausted. The plan was to put Piper in the whelping box while I recovered with my first cup of coffee. Then, I would take Piper in the shower to clean her off.  I had coffee with my daughter, and thirty minutes later, at 9:45 am, we headed upstairs to check on Piper.

Part-way up the stairs, my daughter said, “I hear puppy squeaks; she has had a puppy.” We quickly headed to the whelping room, discovering that Piper had delivered four puppies.  

We quickly acted, trying to replace the dirty vet bedding before another puppy arrived. Piper was a little protective of her new babies, so I decided to wait before checking them out. While Piper delivered the next puppy, I took the opportunity to check out her first four puppies. This is when I made a mistake. I had three brown puppies and must have looked at one puppy twice. I recorded four male puppies when, in fact, we had three males and one female. It wasn’t until after I sent the announcement out and we put collars on the litter that we discovered my mistake. 

The rest of the whelp went on very smoothly. The fifth puppy arrived at 10:18 am and the sixth at 10:31. Piper then had a seventy-nine-minute whelping pause. This is a common occurrence in larger litters. It gives the mama a rest and a chance to care for her puppies. Piper delivered her last four puppies, the seventh and eighth, at 11:50, the ninth at 11:58 and the tenth at 12:24 pm. 

It is hard to say how long the whelp took because I didn’t observe the first four puppies’ arrival. However, I do know that Piper did a fantastic job delivering her ten babies. She was so calm and delivered each puppy effortlessly and without a sound—just like her Grandma, Ruska. Well done Piper!

Can you find all the puppies?

Six boys, Four girls

Caring for Piper

It is essential to care for our mamas so that they, in turn, can care for their babies. It starts with prenatal care, which includes feeding high-quality food and continues with postnatal care.

Special Treats

After whelping, our mamas don’t have a big appetite. We want to encourage them to eat to regain strength and care for their babies. 

Their first few meals are boiled chicken breast. We also made a special treat called Mother Pudding. It is full of protein and calcium to give her energy and help her regain her strength. All our mamas love this pudding and are willing to eat it even if they are not ready to eat anything else yet.

Оху Momma

We start our mama dogs on a supplement called Оху Momma, a postnatal Vitamin that supports lactation and recovery.  High-quality food and plenty of fresh water are a must to produce milk to feed her ten babies. Piper made a quick recovery and had a good appetite soon after birth. 

Caring for the puppies

Before puppies are born, they receive immunity and everything they need to grow from the placenta. After birth, newborn puppies do not possess immunity. A mother’s first milk, colostrum, is a protein-rich, nutritious, balanced, and protective food. The special milk provides passive immunity, which can last several weeks and protect them from various infections and diseases. For this reason, in the first twelve hours after birth, the puppies must nurse frequently and build up their passive immunity. (Passive immunity is short-term immunity that results from introducing antibodies from the puppy’s mother. Compare this with active immunity – the immunity which results from the production of antibodies by the immune system in response to the presence of an antigen

Expert Nursers

Puppies are born with their eyes and ears sealed shut; they cannot see or hear. They must rely on “smell” and “touch” to find their mother. Puppies are born with a natural instinct to nurse, but they become more proficient as the days pass. The puppies are now experts at nursing! As you watch the video below, listen to the cute little sounds the puppies make as they nurse – so precious’s

cute little puppy squeaks

Piper is a dedicated mama. She has a large litter of ten puppies and is doing an amazing job feeding them. For the first two weeks of their lives, we weigh them daily and keep records to track their progress. All the puppies are doing very well and gaining weight daily. Good job, Piper!

Keeping the puppies warm

Newborn puppies cannot regulate their own body temperature, so they depend on their mother and littermates for warmth. For the first few days, Piper spent all her time in the whelping box, feeding and caring for her babies and keeping them warm. 

The whelping room has an electric heater that keeps the temperature around 28 degrees. Under the whelping box, there is a large heating pad. This keeps the puppies warm when Piper is away. 

We gradually reduce the room temperature as the days pass. 

Now that the puppies are a little older, Piper will rest on the elevated bed outside the whelping box. She also spends some time downstairs with us for a little break. It is not long before she wants to head back to her babies.

Puppy Pics

 Neonatal Period

The puppies are in the Neonatal Period which is from day 0 to day 14. During this period, puppies spend their time eating and sleeping. On Monday, day 3, we began ENS exercises (Early Neurological Stimulation) which will continue through until day 16. We preform ENS daily during our weigh-in time. Research shows these tiny struggles and stresses in small doses are good for puppies. Research shows that benefits from ENS include greater tolerance to stress, greater resistance to disease, faster adrenal system, stronger heart rate and stronger heartbeat. This is a gift that a breeder can only give their puppies during the 3 to 16-day window.

Puppies continue to receive lots of handling to become accustomed to the human touch. Part of the “Puppy Culture Protocols” that we follow when raising our puppies is socialization. I am blessed with a large family that love to hold our puppies. 

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK TWO

  • Much the same as week one – Eat, Sleep, Repeat!
  • Puppies will continue growing
  • Puppies still crawl; hind legs will become stronger
  • Eyes should begin to open towards the end the week – so exciting !!!
Posted on

Introducing our Up and Coming “Trained Puppy Program”

From a young age, it has been my dream to breed puppies. Ten years ago, my dream became a reality as our first breeding pair, Ruska and Tulo, joined the family. Ruska took a little longer to mature, so I waited until she was three to breed. Since my first litter, I have continued to learn and improve, always with the well-being of our puppies as my top priority. Through reading, courses, and experience, I have strived to reach our goal  — ‘To Raise Healthy, Calm, Confident, Well-Adjusted Puppies.’

Over the years, we have had families ask if we offer extra training for their puppies. Until now, this option has not been available. Next year (2025), we have decided to offer families extra training if they choose. This will be offered for one or two puppies per litter if requested.

Presently, our puppies head home at eight weeks of age. This year, we had the opportunity to train two of Echo’s Puppies and two of Willow’s puppies, which gave us insight into the next four to six weeks of puppy training. We currently have Pink and Orange Collar Girls looking for their forever families. In the meantime, we have been caring for and training them. They are a little older and have learned so much over the past few weeks.

Training

During the past weeks, the puppies have been working on learning to go potty outside, crate training for naps and overnight, walking nicely on a leash, and learning basic commands such as sit, down, come, and stay. Each day, Tom works with the puppies for short training sessions. Practice makes perfect.👏👏👏

Notice how the puppy is making eye contact with Tom. When training, you want the puppy to make eye contact for direction from you.

Commands Used Througout the Day

Throughout the day, as we interact with the puppies, it is essential to use the commands that they learn during their training. This reinforces the commands that they have been learning during their daily training sessions. For example, when the puppy wants attention, they must sit before getting a pat. Another example is during feeding time when they are instructed to sit before they get their food.

Crate Training

The puppies have learned to stay in their crates for an extended period during the day for nap time and Nighttime. They can now sleep in their crates for seven to eight hours without a midnight potty break.

Socialization

Goldendoodles are companion dogs and want to participate in everything you as a family do. Whether going for a walk or joining the family as a soccer or baseball field spectator in the summer. Whatever the family is doing, your puppy will want to join in. This is why training a puppy from a young age is so important. 

On Friday, we took the puppies along to watch my grandson’s baseball game. This was an excellent opportunity to socialize the puppies, as they were exposed to a new environment, people, and noise. As you can imagine, baseball can produce lots of different noises, from people cheering to children playing and traffic nearby.
A puppy is always a magnet for people, both young and old. When people wanted to meet the puppies, they were instructed to sit before getting a pat. After much interaction, the puppies lay in the shade for a nap.

A Trip to the Baseball Game – great socializing for our puppies – car rides, interacting with strangers young and old and lots of different noises. The puppies had many opportunities to act on their commands during this outing.
Posted on

Maui & Willow’s Pups Explore the Yard Together

Busy Week

It has been a busy week and a half. There are so many puppies that need our care, vet visits, and puppy preparation for heading home. Something had to give, and it was our weekly blog. I do appoligize to those of you waiting to see the puppy updates.

Vet Visit

Maui’s puppies visited the vet. Everyone was found to be healthy! They were very well behaved during their exam and brave when they received their vaccination and dreaded microchip. We only had one puppy that gave out a small yelp. They are such brave puppies.

I was pleasantly surprised that the puppies were so quiet for their first car ride. They settled into the crate both when they went to the vet and again when they headed home.

Puppy Call

Willow’s puppies continued exploring the yard while Maui’s puppies joined them. They have had a great time running, exploring and playing together. They love to wrestle with each other, and they learn to have a soft mouth. If a puppy bites too hard, it won’t have any friends to play with. 

This is also a time when we work on recall with the “Puppy Call.” Every puppy doesn’t come every time—puppies need repetition. This is the start of their recall training, a crucial aspect of their development. It’s something that their forever families will need to build on when they go home.

Crate Training

We begin crate training when the whelping box is removed and replaced with crates in the puppy area. The door is left open, and the puppies can enter and explore if they wish. Some puppies like to sleep in the crate, while others go in to play hide and seek with a littermate and come out again. The puppies have started napping in their crate with the door closed this week. We always have a puppy or two in the litter that complain. When we close the door, I will give each puppy a biscuit to distract them. This helps the puppies associate the crate with something good.

A Look Back

The puppies have enjoyed playing and exploring in the big yard. This is when our mothers and other adult dogs teach the puppies and train them to listen and to submit.

Saying Good-Bye

This past week, some of Willow’s puppies left for their forever homes. Saying goodbye is always a bittersweet time for me, but I love to share the joy with their forever families as they welcome their new additions. We wish each puppy a long, happy life full of love and new adventures.

Posted on

Willow and Brinkley’s Seven Weeks Old Cuties

Seven Weeks Old

Willow and Brinkley’s puppies are now seven weeks old. Willow has done a fantastic job raising her puppies, teaching them to behave and listen to mama. She continues to be the strict mama, and you can definitely see the results. With a growl from Mama, when the puppies get too “wild,” they calm down.

This week has been busy. The puppies have mastered going in and out of the house on their own, had their first car ride when they visited the vet, were introduced to water, and had play dates with Maui’s puppies. They have also transitioned to eating dry kibble.

Water Play

This past week, we have been experiencing a heat wave. It was so hot that I had to restrict the puppies’ time outside. I would take them out in the morning for a couple of hours and then bring them back into the house, where it was cool. We would again give them some outdoor play time in the late afternoon.

We added water play to help keep the puppies cool during outdoor play. In the puppy enclosure, we put various-sized containers filled with water and a pool for the puppies to cool off in.

When we added water to the pool, all the puppies were curious. It is essential to let the puppies explore the water independently so they do not have a bad first experience with it. Some puppies were brave and climbed in; some stayed back and watched.

Puppies Meal Time

Newborn puppies get all their nourishment from their mother’s milk. When Willow started weaning her puppies at three weeks of age, it was time to start them on solids.

During weaning, the puppies start solids in progression. First, they eat a ground, watery puppy mush. Second, we soak kibble in hot water to make it waterlogged and soft. Lastly, the puppies transition to dry kibble.

When this happens, feeding time is so easy. No more grinding puppy food to turn it into puppy mush or having to wait while the kibble is soaked in hot water. Feeding time is easy now because I just scoop the dry kibble into the dishes and watch the waiting puppies devour their food.

The puppies are learning to exit the house on their own.

Puppies Visit the Vet

On Wednesday, the puppies had a couple of new firsts. They visited the veterinarian for their wellness check, vaccination, and microchip, and they also had their first car ride.

When we take the puppies to the vet, Tom stays at the truck with them in the large crate, and I take them into the office for their exam two by two. The weather was scorching that day, so we devised a different plan. We would take all the puppies into the office where it was cool. It worked out very well. We put the crate onto a dolly and rolled it into the office. Tom stayed with the puppies in the waiting room while I took each puppy into the examination room for their check-up

Crate in back of truck
Crate on dolly to transport
Puppies meet new people
Weigh in
Wellness Exam
Headed back to the truck

All the puppies behaved well and passed their Wellness Exam “with flying colours!” The car ride home was quiet because the puppies settled in for a nap after their big adventure.

A look back week seven

Looking Ahead to Week Eight

  • Puppies will continue exploring and playing together inside and outdoors as weather permits
  • The puppies will get to run in the BIG yard where we will work on recall 
  • Willow along with our other dogs will continue teaching the puppies dog manners
  • Crate training with the door closed during nap time
  • We will continue to encourage puppies to use the potty area 
  • Puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time
Posted on

Look at Maui’s Adorable Six-Week-Old Puppies

Six Weeks Old

The puppies are six weeks old today. We have had another busy week caring for them and introducing them to many new things. They have grown bigger, and you can see each unique personality developing. Maui continues to wean her puppies while they eat softened kibble. We continue to work on potty training, and we are making progress. Some puppies are more consistent, but all the puppies are making progress.

The Girls

Pink Collar Girl
Orange Collar Girl

The Boys

Green Collar Boy
Blue Collar Boy
Brown Collar Boy
Yellow Collar Boy
Grey Collar Boy

New Puppy Area

We said goodbye to the whelping box this week and started crate training in a new puppy area. I started the puppies with two crates, leaving the door open. This is the beginning of crate training. The puppies explore independently, and the door is always open.

Looking Back At Week Six

The puppies experienced new things. They enjoy outdoor play time with their own litter. We also introduced them to Willow’s litter during some of their outdoor play time.

This past week has been very hot, so we introduced water through various containers and a pool. The puppies loved the water and some were brave and went into the pool

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SEVEN

In Week Seven, we will be working on obstacles. The puppies must use their brains to figure out how to maneuver around them. The puppies will also learn how to go down steps.

  • Puppies will meet their forever families
  • Puppies time spent awake will continue to increase
  • Puppies will begin dry kibble by the end of week seven
  • Puppies will visit the vet for their wellness check-up and vaccinations
  • We will continue to encourage puppies to use potty box
  • Puppies will continue to socialize and learn from each other through play
  • Puppies will continue exploring and playing together outdoor as weather permits
  • Puppies will continue learning from their mama as she disciplines them and teaches them to behave 
  • As always, puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time.
Posted on

Willow’s Six Week Puppies…So Cute

The puppies are six weeks old. We have had another busy week caring for them and introducing them to many new things. They have grown bigger, and you can see each unique personality developing. The puppies have now progressed to eating softened kibble. They enjoy wrestling, running and chasing each other during outdoor playtime. They are doing very well using their potty box inside. We still have accidents here and there, but for the most part, they are fairly consistent.

Puppies in the enclosure. We have kept it small to encourage the puppies to use the potty boxes.

We are working on teaching the puppies recall with our “puppy puppy.” They are alerted and come to me. Right now, we call when I want them to come to the entrance of the puppy enclosure to take them outside and also when it is time for their meal. Recall is an ongoing learning lesson that our forever families will continue teaching their puppies.

We also expose the puppies to grooming, which makes it easier for their forever family to continue when they go home. We brush the puppies daily, clip their nails, and clean their ears weekly.

Willow continues to be the strict mama, and her puppies listen well to her. She has been teaching individual puppies to submit.

Selection Day

There is always excitement on Selection Day. We love sharing this excitement as we introduce families to the puppies. It was great to meet Willow’s puppies’ families and help them choose their puppy.

Looking back on Week Six

LOOKING AHEAD TO WEEK SEVEN

In Week Seven, we will be working on obstacles. The puppies must use their brains to figure out how to maneuver around them. The puppies will also learn how to go down steps.

  • Puppies time spent awake will continue to increase
  • Puppies will begin dry kibble by the end of week seven
  • We will continue to encourage puppies to use potty box
  • Puppies will continue to socialize and learn from each other through play
  • Puppies will continue exploring and playing together outdoor as weather permits
  • Puppies will continue learning from their mama as she disciplines them and teaches them to behave 
  • As always, puppies will continue to get lots of cuddle time.
Posted on

Maui’s Puppies Turn Five Weeks Old

Maui’s sweet babies are now five weeks old and have developed from helpless newborn puppies to the “mini dogs” they are today. The puppies are now awake for extended periods but still sleep most of their days and nights.

Socializing puppies is essential when raising them, which means introducing them to as many new experiences as possible when they are young. This week was packed full of new Firsts. The puppies moved to the main floor, explored outside the whelping box for playtime, walked on different floor surfaces, played with new toys, and started on solids.

The puppies love Maui’s elevated dog bed! Look for Orange Girl returning to play. When I started videoing, she was using the potty box – such a good girl!

We have been working hard on training puppies to use the potty box. This litter has been a little slower than other Willow’s litter. Some puppies are more consistent than others, but they are all progressing. When they are a little more consistent, we will remove the whelping box and replace it with crates.

Meal Time

Nursing

Maui is still nursing her puppies but limits how long and is beginning to tell them “NO” gentle growl!

Solids

The puppies are now eating soft kibble. I soak the regular kibble with boiling water and let it sit, which makes it easy for puppies to eat. Gradually, the water and soaking time decrease, working toward puppies eating dry kibble by seven weeks of age.

A look back at Week Five

Looking Ahead to Week Six

  • Awake time will continue to increase
  • Puppies will continue learning to use the potty box
  • Introduce crates to the puppy area
  • Socialize with each other through play
  • As they walk on uneven ground, their balance will continue to improve
  • Daily Outdoor play time as weather permits
  • Puppies will continue learning from their mama and our other adult dogs as they teach them dog manners
  • As always, puppies will get lots of cuddle time.
Posted on

Five weeks old and learning so much

Five Weeks and Counting

It’s hard to believe Willow and Brinkley’s puppies are five weeks old. They have progressed to eating softened kibble, and they are doing well and getting a little chubbier now. They have had a busy week experiencing new things. The puppies moved to the main floor, where they had more space, lots to explore, and new toys.

Resting after first taste of the outdoors
Red boy found a good headrest

Introducing Crates

We said goodbye to the Whelping Box on Sunday and set up a new puppy area. At first, we must keep the space small. We want the puppies to use the potty boxes, and if the area is too large, potty training will not progress. The puppies’ enclosure has crates, potty boxes, and an elevated bed, which they love. We keep the crate doors open, and the puppies can enter when they like. We don’t want the crates to be intimidating; instead, we want them to look at crates as a comfy, safe space to sleep.

Puppies get comfortable going in and out of the crates. Many of the puppies seep in the crate with a buddy.
The new puppy area is in my front entrance for Willow’s puppies: two potty boxes, two crates, and an elevated bed.

We continue to work on teaching puppies to void in one spot—in the potty box, not just anywhere. Potty training is going well. Some puppies are better than others, but we are progressing.

A Look Back at Week Five

When our litters turn five weeks old, we begin outdoor play, weather permitting. This should have happened on Sunday; however, we had such a rainy day that we could not go outside. So, on Monday, the puppies had their first outdoor adventure. I was surprised this litter was so outgoing when we took them out. Puppies usually explore their new environment cautiously, taking their time to move around. But not this litter. They smelled around for a few minutes and then took off running, exploring and playing. Could it be because Willow is a strict mama and doesn’t baby her puppies?

After a long play session, the puppies had a long nap to recharge.

Milk Anyone?

Willow started weaning her puppies when they turned three weeks old. She still lets them have a short nurse but quickly regurgitates food for them to eat. Yesterday, when they were in the outside puppy enclosure, Maui joined in to give Willow a hand teaching. The puppies soon realized that if Mama Willow wouldn’t provide the milk, maybe Auntie Maui would.

Looking Ahead to Week Six

  • Awake time will continue to increase
  • Puppies will continue learning to use potty box both indoor and outdoors
  • Socialize with each other through play
  • As they walk on uneven ground, their balance will continue to improve
  • Daily Outdoor play time as weather permits
  • Puppies will continue learning from their mama and our other adult dogs as they teach them dog manners
  • Puppies will meet their forever families ❤️
  • As always, puppies will get lots of cuddle time.
Posted on

Eight Weeks Old and Time to Say Good-Bye

Echo’s Puppies

Eight Weeks Old

Eight weeks have passed since Echo’s tiny babies came into the world. Remember how small they were…..We could hold them in the palm of my hand. They have learned so much over these past eight weeks. I have enjoyed raising them to the point where they are ready to join their forever families. The puppies have spent their time outdoors, running and exploring in our yard. Echo has done a fantastic job raising and teaching her puppies. This past week, we have worked on acceptable behaviour, mainly the difference between nipping and kissing. Puppies are not always consistent but have made significant progress in this area. I love puppy kisses!!!

LOOKING AHEAD

Puppies are leaving this week for their forever homes. You have a lot of work ahead of you: correcting, training, caring for your new puppy, and learning. The time and work you put into training your puppy pays off when you have a loving, well-behaved dog that will love you as only a dog can— but be patient; they are still unconditionally. You will be the most important person in the world to them. 

It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to our puppies. I have enjoyed every minute of their care, and they have a piece of my heart. I say goodbye to my puppies with sadness, but seeing the excitement of their forever families brings me joy. Wishing you a long and happy life! ❤️

Maui’s Puppies

Maui’s puppies are growing bigger and more adorable with each passing day! This week, they started potty training; although they still sleep much of the day, when awake, they love socializing with their littermates through play and climbing on my lap for cuddles.

Puppies Start Solids

Maui has done a great job feeding her puppies; they are healthy, chubby babies. Now that the puppies have turned four weeks old, it’s time to start solids.

A look at those adorable faces

The Girls

ORANGE GIRL
PINK GIRL

The Boys

YELLOW BOY
BLUE BOY
GREEN BOY
BROWN BOY
GREY BOY

A LOOK BACK AT WEEK FOUR

Looking Ahead to Week Five

  • Move to the main floor
  • Puppies will continue learning to use the potty area
  • Awake time will increase
  • The puppies will continue to socialize with each other through play 
  • Toys will be added to our whelping box for puppies to explore
  • Enlarging the puppy area, giving puppies room to play and explore
  • Mama will now add the invaluable teaching phase to her caring & protecting responsibilities over the next weeks.