…celebrating our Dreamkeeper pups and mums to be…
Dreamkeeper Goldens warmly welcomes you to the PUPPY CHRONICLES… and a special “golden” welcome to all our Dreamkeeper friends and families-in-waiting. Here you will find a blog dedicated to recording the progress of our “mums-to-be” and their beautiful babies. Please feel free to leave any comments or additional observations. Enjoy.
Yes, even a broom becomes an extremely fascinating toy of endless worth when you are an 8 week old puppy!! The pups have had a busy and good week! They have had lots of fun being curious little explorers and have kept me on me toes in the bath department. They seem to have an incredible knack for finding the dirtiest little corner of the yard and turning it into an amusement park! Oh puppies will be puppies.
This is the part of being a breeder that is bittersweet… It has been a beautiful privilege and honour to raise these little darlings for the last 8 weeks and we have had some amazingly wonderful times together. They are all so good-natured and easy-going – they make any day a good day. They have enriched my life in so many ways… but by 8 weeks of age the puppies have really reached a point where they need their own full-time family and I cannot give all 8 of them the complete amount of time, energy and affection I would like to!! Needless to say – this is the part of the story where the puppies head off for new horizons.
The pups are ready for this – even if I am not. Best part is that there are SUPER families waiting for these pups! Some of them have been waiting for well over a year and a half…. So these pups will be loved and treasured – and I know they will bring joy into every life they touch. Many of these pups will be going on to special therapy and service roles – so it makes my heart full to know that they will be making the world a better place for many people!
I can hardly wait to hear of all the adventures these little ones will have! Ivy and Hugo are very proud of these little beauties.
Ivy is already missing her pups as they begin to leave us…. We will do the best to cheer her up with long walks, lots of food and endless cuddles. And the pups’ big half-sister Phoebe (shown in the photo on the left) is going to really be at a loss for playmates!! She was growing quite fond of them!!
WE will miss each one of these adorable faces…. but we are thankful for the friendships we have made through our puppy families and thankful to know that the sky is the limit for these little ones and the best is yet to come!!! Fare thee well sweet puppies.
The puppies have had a great week!! For the most part the weather has been sunny and moderately warm so it has allowed for lots of time outside, playing and romping through the gardens and the great outdoors. The pups are at a very curious stage now and leave no twig, bug, bucket, crook or cranny untouched. The busiest time is always first thing in the morning when they have all the energy of a full night’s beauty rest to burn off. They wait for me to let them out of their indoor play area and then zoom around the yard full speed for a good 30 minutes before breakfast is served. With the morning dew on the grass these days it makes for lots of wet and messy pups – so please pardon the extra dirt in this week’s slideshow photos.
The pups had lots of visitors this past week and were always great ambassadors on each occasion! They especially loved Robee’s visit – as young boys seem to be in short supply around here now that my number one puppy helper and son Josh is all grown up and getting ready to head off to university. There is just something about puppies and kids – and the pups LOVED every minute of having Robee here to crawl on and even maybe chew on a little bit. You will see Robee in our 7 week puppy video – he is the handsome young boy in the green shirt covered in puppies!
The pups are all starting to emerge as their own individuals – the entire bunch is very friendly and confident – of course there are little things about each one that are now becoming more solidified into their personality. Fortunately the easy-going and cheery personalities of both Hugo and Ivy seem to be stamped on each one of them. 
We did have a few rainy afternoons this week which meant that some of our time was spent indoors or under the covered porch – interchanged with a quick exercise break outside whenever the rain would let up. Fortunately the pups don’t mind the rain one bit – I was the one who didn’t want them getting soaked. But then again – if they find swimming in their water dish fun, I shouldn’t be too concerned about a few rain drops.
The pups are all growing well, weighing between 11 and 13 pounds – with most of the girls being closer to 11 pounds and the boys on the larger side. This week we will cut back to 3 meals a day to try and prepare them for their new homes next week.
We will have a busy week ahead with more visitors, baths, microchipping, a car ride and our trip to the vet for our first round of vaccines….. and our family will be trying our best to savour every last day with these sweet little babies before they head out for new horizons.
It has been an action packed week for the puppies. They graduated to a larger fenced play area down on the lawn as well as daily adventures through the garden areas to romp and explore to their heart’s content. They are entering that stage where their curiosity is in full gear and they need to check every new sight and scent out to its fullest. Every little stick, leaf, flower and bug needs to be examined and re-examined.
Ivy is still very much participating in her pups’ lives…. she still insists on offering them a little drink at the milk bar 2-3 times a day and when not doing that she is keeping a watchful eye on them or engaging them in a friendly game of tag. The rest of the time she spends back in the pack with her adult dog-friends…. But her latest trick is to grab a “present” for her pups (a ball, a toy, a bone) and then deliver it whenever the mood strikes for a visit.
The pups are still eating 4 meals a day – but it is less like mush now and usually consists of their kibble that has been soaked for 10 minutes with either egg, fresh meat, goat’s milk, or a some tinned whitefish or duck. They are all tipping the scales now around 10 pounds…. so there are no lightweights in this bunch!
As personalities emerge a little more each day I will be watching the pups carefully to compare notes with our temperament evaluations that will take place next weekend. The puppies all have very happy and friendly dispositions – there is never a tail that isn’t wagging. They all continue to shine in the cuteness department… Not sure if we should thank Hugo or Ivy for that — but they definitely are sweet pups.
We will look forward to more adventures in the week ahead… More time exploring the grounds and more time meeting visitors and friends. I don’t see any dull moments in our forecast!!!
For a slideshow update please visit
Let me introduce you to my daily morning welcoming crew!! (well part of it). What a joy it is to see these happy faces at the dawn of every day…. Usually all 8 are close to the whelping box gate – awaiting snuggles and breakfast and time outside. Our routine now has us heading outside by around 7:30 am. (even though the pups and I are usually up by 6:00 to get the day started…) It is warm enough that the pups are quite comfortable and it is actually the coolest and nicest part of the day lately. I get the pups settled in their area of the covered porch and then prepare their breakfast which soon follows. Later this week we will move to a bigger, fenced, grassy area – but for now this area has been just perfect for the pups and has kept them entertained, safe and happy. This morning in particular was beautiful with a breeze blowing and birds singing and happy tails wagging everywhere. One of the cutest moments of the morning was watching Mr. Blueberry chase his shadow on the stone wall…. The sun was still low enough in the sky that it could peak in under the overhanging roof and it cast very distinct shadows on the wall which Mr. Blueberry was quite intent on catching. Oh, the things that can amuse a puppy at 5 weeks old!!
The pups are more active this week and love to scamper, play and wrestle for longer periods of time. One of their new favourite activities is playing in the water dish!! But who can blame them with all this hot weather. They seem to find all kinds of things to amuse themselves with…. and we continue to introduce them to as many sights and sounds as possible.
We also graduated from the community dinner dish to individual bowls today. The pups haven’t completely bought into this yet and seem to wander from bowl to bowl but it is a work in progress and eventually they should be able to stay in their own dish for the most part. The pups are receiving 4 meals a day and Ivy is still quite intent on providing snacks and finishing up whatever they leave behind… Ivy continues to be a great mum. She is spending more time back in with her regular possy of adult doggy friends – but she is constantly checking on the pups and continues to care for them impeccably.
The puppies are all now weighing between 8 and 9 pounds. The girls are all closer to 8, the boys all closer to 9. It is really quite amazing how quickly puppies grow at this age – that is why nutrition is so very important. They seem to all be doing very well on their diet of kibble, goat’s milk, yogurt and rotating fresh meat sources…. Much to Ivy’s dismay there is never much of anything left over after meal time.
We will look forward to another week of exciting adventures as we move to a bigger play area with more room to romp and explore. A great week of puppy bliss awaits!!
Hard to believe that these little darlings are 4 weeks old already!! As you can perhaps tell from this photo, the pups are spending more time awake and playing these days. They are a good-natured bunch and love nothing better than to have a good little wrestling match with a brother or sister and chew on a neighbour’s ear or even their face every now and then!
The pups had their first outdoor adventure yesterday and spent the afternoon on our covered deck. They weren’t quite sure what to think for the first 30 minutes and cried just a little – but quickly warmed up to their new environment and quite enjoyed their time in the fresh air. There was enough of a breeze yesterday that their little spot in the shade was just perfect for their liking. They also had an afternoon visit from the Thakur family which tuckered them out completely for the rest of the day!! A big thank you to Wendy Guy for also stopping in this past week to give the puppies some snuggles (which they can never get enough of!!) Puppy socialization is so very important at this age –every visitor plays an important role in their development. 
Ivy continues to be a great mom. She doesn’t spend much time in the whelping box these days as things are pretty crowded in there, but she frequently stops by to give the pups a nutritious snack and is usually close by with one eye and ear always open! The pups are currently getting 4 meals a day of puppy mush which now has some ground kibble added in. The pups are good eaters and love meal time no matter whether it is Ivy’s menu or mine! They are all weighing in at just over 6 pounds.
They still like to wear half of their dinner as they eat it – but their dining skills are becoming a little more refined every day. They are walking with a little more stability and spending more time in their play area which we will make larger yet again this coming week.
The whelping box is pretty small now for these 8 little chunksters – so we will be spending more time outside in these coming days to make sure the pups have room to run and explore. Today has also been a cooler day which the pups visibly like better than the heat and humidity of last week.
We will look forward to another adventure filled week with these beautiful babies!!
Lots of new experiences for the puppies this week…. As you can see they are growing in leaps and bounds and are quite curious about everything and everyone in the world around them. One of the biggest changes this week was the addition of an extra play area for the puppies (as the original whelping box is becoming much too crowded for these little cuties!) They aren’t using the extra area regularly yet but every so often they get adventurous and decide to explore the new space. Over the next week they will certainly spend more time there as their activity level grows.
The pups are all gaining well and are now tipping the scales at just over 4 pounds. The litter is quite uniform and there is only an ounce or two in weight difference from one to the next – girls included!!! Looks like Ivy is doing a great job of keeping everyone fed… although we are now introducing that fine delicacy known as “puppy mush” to make sure that everyone continues to get enough at mealtime. Puppy mush consists of goat’s milk, yogurt, egg and oatmeal… as time goes on we will add in some real meat and some ground up puppy kibble. Have to keep those tummies full!! At the same time it will take a bit of the workload off of Ivy… now that the pups are getting their teeth in – the milk bar isn’t much fun for her anymore! Not to mention the fact that things are getting a bit crowded with 32 pounds of puppy hunger depending on her…
The puppies are spending more time awake and sure love any and all attention they can get! I am pretty sure that there is nothing in this world that puppy snuggles can’t cure! They are getting more and more adorable with each passing day — even if their faces are covered with puppy mush now half the time!
We will look forward to the week ahead as the puppies continue to explore their world and their little personalities blossom a little more every day. Many adventures await!!
Ivy and her pups have had a great week. It’s been a hot one here – but thankfully the last few nights have been a bit cooler which just seems to make life easier for everyone! The puppies made it clear earlier in the week that they were not a fan of hot temperatures…. but we have worked out an arrangement now where they are quite content as long as they have a fan blowing a gentle breeze across their little chubby bellies and a cool pad that they can escape to if need be. They are all gaining weight in leaps and bounds and are quite enthusiastic and hearty eaters. The boys are especially competitive when it comes to seating at the milk bar (which is getting pretty crowded these days) and try their hardest to push the girls out of the way. That’s where I get to referee and ensure to the best of my ability that everyone gets their fair share. Ivy usually sleeps and rests outside the whelping box now, and every time she enters, regardless of the time of day or night she is greeted by eight squealing, hungry mouths! I don’t think these pups would ever turn down a meal! Ivy continues to be a great mum, but she is allowing a little more space every day between herself and her pups. All part of regular puppydom.
The biggest news item of the week is that the puppies have opened their eyes!! This is always one of the most exciting milestones in puppy development. Of course they can’t really see much beyond blurry shapes and shades at the moment – but just to gaze into those sweet puppy eyes is pure bliss. They always look at me like they hear and understand every word I am saying…. (and I’m sure they do 😉 Such smart puppies!)
The puppies are increasingly more mobile – we have had a few adventurous souls that have already climbed out of the whelping box – so we will be putting up the first little mini gate to keep everyone safe and sound for now. It won’t be long and we will add an extra section onto the existing structure to give the pups more room. But for now they are happy to waddle, stagger, crawl and scurry a few steps at a time in their nesting area.
We look forward to the next seven days wherein the pups will become more and more aware of their surroundings, of our voices, our touch, our time with them and life in their world. As they grow in curiosity we will add toys and other sensory objects to their play area so they can experience as many different sights, sounds and smells in their early days as possible. We will be enjoying every minute watching these beauties unfold like flowers blossoming in the summer sunshine. Such little miracles, each and every one.
Happy Canada Day to all of our Canadian families!!!
The pups have had a marvellous first week of life!! Their days are spent doing what newborn pups do: eating, sleeping, crawling a few steps, and then eating and sleeping all over again! At this point their eyes are still closed and their hearing is not yet developed – so their nose is their number one sensory communicator right now. Their nose KNOWS when and where to find Ivy for every meal. If she has stepped out of the whelping box for a potty break or a meal, they scurry very quickly to find her when she returns…. guided by that powerful sense of smell! Interestingly enough, the part of a dog’s brain that is allocated for analyzing smell is 40 times greater than ours!! I can only imagine the information they glean from one single sniff!
Ivy continues to be a great mum. She spends most of her time laying in the whelping box with her pups, although on a few of the warmer days when all the combined body temperatures make things too warm in there, she finds a cooler spot just beyond the walls where she can still hear the pups and watch their every move. Although Ivy loves spending time with her pups I am convinced that her most favourite part of the day is meal-time…. With the added responsibility of feeding the pups she is offered an endless supply of tasty delicacies all day long. Ohhh goldens sure do LOVE their food!
The pups are all gaining well and have doubled in weight. They are all weighing around 2 pounds now. The milk bar is getting pretty crowded at mealtime with so many chubby bellies lined up in a row. As you can see, the dark pigment of their nose (and paws) is also developing and they are starting to look more and more like puppies than the somewhat prehistoric creatures they resembled when they were born!! They are cuddled and handled many times a day so that they will develop into confident and secure pups down the road.
In the week ahead their eyes will open and they will be able to hear – huge milestones in their development and an exciting time for all of us!! We look forward to every wonderful step of their journey in the weeks to come!
It’s been an exciting few days here!! Ivy spent most of this past Sunday morning and afternoon panting and pacing and…. digging. Yes, digging. Ivy had found a couple of “perfect” spots out in our yard where she figured she would build a den, settle in and give birth to her pups. I did finally convince her that the clean, snuggly blankets and a cozy spot indoors might be better suited for what lay ahead! She continued to be very restless well into Sunday evening and finally, just a little after midnight the first puppy was born, a strong healthy baby boy. Within 20 minutes another pup appeared and for the next 4-1/2 hours Ivy concentrated on delivering her new family into the world. 8 beautiful pups in total. This is Ivy’s third (and final) litter so she is a pro when it comes to motherhood; I’m sure after the long day she was extremely tired but she settled right into her role, cleaning and caring for the pups and making sure everyone was within sight. As soon as one puppy would start to crawl away from her she would become quite concerned — so my job right now is to make sure everyone stays close to her and she can account for each little pup. My other job is to make sure she gets LOTS of food as providing milk for 8 puppies requires a lot of fine dining on her part. Lastly my job is to make sure blankets and bedding are kept clean and warm and that Ivy feels safe and comfortable.
Pups are born with their eyes closed and no ability to hear yet – and they remain this way until they are around 10-12 days old. Their number one sense at the moment is their sense of smell. It is amazing how even only minutes after birth they can find their way to Ivy simply through their amplified sense of smell and begin nursing for their first meal.
The pups are all doing well and are gaining weight nicely. At birth they were all around a pound each, with the boys being slightly larger than the girls. We welcome our new kids on the block: Mr. Blueberry, Mr. Kiwi, Mr. Plum, Mr. Tangerine, Miss Watermelon, Miss Cherry, Miss Pineapple and Miss Peach. We look forward to spending time with these little ones over the next 8 weeks as they begin the biggest adventure of their lives!
Ivy is heading into the last 7-10 days of her pregnancy and is probably enjoying the fact that this has been a cooler-than-usual spring. Her favourite hobby these days is to find the coolest spot on the tile floor and relax (usually never far from my side). Of course her second favourite hobby is seeing if there is some extra food hiding somewhere…. even though she gets 3 very generous meals a day 🙂 Her tummy has become visibly larger and she is now carrying around approximately 20 extra pounds in puppy weight… She still has a happy bounce in her step when we go for a walk – but our walks are shorter these days and we try to take advantage of the cooler parts of the day. In terms of puppy progress – as I mentioned in the last post, organs and puppy anatomy are all in place – at this point in Ivy’s pregnancy these will just continue to mature and develop and the pups will start to grow hair and look more like baby puppies. Their eyes will remain closed and don’t open until around 2 weeks after they are born. When Ivy is resting you can feel the pups moving and I can only imagine that it is starting to get crowded in there!
This week we will set up the puppy room and the whelping box where Ivy’s puppies will be born. We will get all the birthing supplies ready, towels and blankets washed and everything prepared for the big day. And we will keep trying to keep Ivy as comfortable and pampered as we possibly can. We can hardly wait to meet Ivy and Hugo’s family and it won’t be long now!!!
The PUPPY CHRONICLES 