Puppies are getting visitors for early, gentle handling socialization and new smells!

The pups are officially one week old, and it’s already fun to see how much they’ve changed in just a few days! They still can’t fully regulate their temperature like an adult dog, so they pile together or snuggle up on Mallow to stay warm. It makes for the cutest interactions. They’re also little sniffy buggers since they still can’t see or hear — you just hear their tiny noses going as they try to get to wherever they want to be.

I’d say Fluffernutter and S’more, our big boys, seem to be ahead of the game when it comes to trying to stand. We’ve seen them both raise their chubby bellies off the ground instead of just scooting around. Some of the pups have already tripled their birth weight — including our tiny girl, Snoball — which is absolutely wild to me because they still feel so small. I am starting to notice, though, that they take up way more space on Mallow!

Every day, we do brief Early Neurological Stimulation where we hold the pups in different positions, tickle their toes, and introduce them to something cold. The research behind ENS is still developing, so I don’t view it as some magic recipe for producing a certain type of dog. I use it as one small part of a broader goal of giving the puppies early, gentle human handling and safe, novel experiences.

I also wanted to share one fun little feature of this litter that you may have already noticed: several of the puppies have some pretty extensive white markings, from their chests and toes all the way up their faces. It’s incredibly cute and pretty unique, even among field-bred Goldens. I’m not too surprised to see it, given that Zeus has quite a bit of white on his chest and Mallow was born with some white on her forehead that faded as she grew.

For those curious about the breed standard, the Golden Retriever Club of America allows a small amount of white on the chest, while more extensive white markings are considered outside the standard. That said, the standard also emphasizes that the Golden Retriever is, first and foremost, a hunting dog, and that overall appearance, balance, gait, and purpose should be given more emphasis than any one individual feature.

When I planned this litter, my priority was temperament, health, versatility, and working ability. White markings don’t really affect much of that, so I’m pretty happy to let these little guys be their adorable, unique selves.

Wow wow wow I cannot believe our precious bunch is here! I have been dreaming about the possibility of this litter for 4.5 years, and I cannot believe we are here. I love these little guys more than anything. In fact, sometimes the weight of responsibility toward them is almost crushing. I only want the absolute best care for them at all times and I am doing my best to research everything I could possibly give them.

We have started Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS) and give the pups many kisses on their heads every day. We sleep next to the whelping pen to be there if anyone needs us and we religiously track their weights. The pups were born small (Snoball was 6.2oz at birth), but they sure are growing fast. Everyone doubled their weight by Day 6, and some even grew at a rate of 20% a day!

There’s lots of white markings in this litter from white chests to kisses on their heads to toes and even a nose or two. This is not perfectly to the golden retriever standard, but sometimes happens when we focus more on temperament and working ability than unimportant things like coat color. I think these pups will end up being very gorgeous and unique. Well, I already know they are special.💛

On Tuesday we got our official puppy count x-ray and the vet saw 9 little tiny skulls and back bones all tucked up inside Mallow… plus a lot of poop haha.

Now, puppies are likely coming within the next 36 hours. We are thinking that their birthday will probably be September 28th! This morning, her temperature dropped, and now she has just started Stage 1 labor. She’s currently “nesting” in the rose bush in the backyard, where she has dug a perfect burrow for the babies. Don’t worry, though, her whelping box inside is all ready. I just read somewhere that it’s good to let mamas dig a little if they want.

We have a camera set up but have not figured out a good way to stream the babies yet. However, we should be sharing video with our future puppy families. Additionally, I have just finished up my deposit and sales agreement – so we can officially start taking deposits for these sweet little marshmallows.

Wow I cannot believe we are down to two weeks before Mallow’s due date! I have so many things left to buy… With this being my first litter, I am slightly overwhelmed by the checklist of items you need to have on hand. But I am also enjoying nerding out about the science and research behind raising healthy, happy puppies. I have collected everything from surgical scissors and feeding tubes, to ball pits and tunnels!

We are dedicating our guest room as the newborn room, at least until 3 weeks old… then we will consider moving to the bigger basement! For now I have some newspaper and blankets in the whelping pen to help encourage Mallow to “nest” in there.

We will get the full puppy count on x-ray in one week. I was hesitant on x-rays because I’ve heard that they aren’t always particularly accurate, so why subject your mom to an extra vet visit. But speaking with local breeding mentors, they strongly encouraged radiographs as you get one more opportunity to check on puppies before they’re born! So we will be posting a better puppy count one week from today.

Mallow had a little “morning sickness” where she wasn’t super interested in her breakfast during the second trimester—but now her appetite has come back full force! And she is extra noisy about everything. She makes little moans when there is food nearby… or if she wants you to pet her… or if she’s just happy… or even in her sleep. She is starting to waddle like a giant penguin a little bit, and I did not think her belly was even that big yet. But then she saw a bird at the park today and broke out into a full, agile sprint. So she’s still got it in her.

She definitely seems a little extra sleepy, as you can see from this photo of her sleeping on the chair during our camping trip in Colorado last weekend. That was probably our last fun “big” adventure before the babies come, although she still loves our daily hikes and walks in this lovely cooler weather. I am so grateful that the puppies are coming during my favorite season and not in the extreme heat of summer. That means we’ll get lots of outside time when they are old enough.

This week, the puppies are growing FUR! That makes me wonder if some will have zippers on their noses or white patches on their chests like their dad. (Some white on the chest is allowable under the GRCA/AKC Breed Standard.) Mallow was born with an “angel’s kiss,” which was a little white dot on her head—but it has disappeared over time!

With her litter size, I am expecting her to grow exponentially over the next three weeks. And thanks to our friends at Betacoil Curlies, we have a really cute belly-band ribbon to take belly bump photos with… so expect those coming soon! Overall, I am very happy and impressed with how Mallow has taken her first litter in stride, maintained her positive attitude, and continues to be her happy, active, healthy self. I couldn’t have asked for a better first-time mama.