Welcoming Our New Golden Retriever Puppies! 🐾
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We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of Poppy and Gus’s new litter of nine beautiful Golden Retriever puppies! This time, we have six girls and three boys, all full of charm and sweetness. They were born at the end of September, and it’s been a delightful and busy time preparing everything for their arrival. 🥰
The Whelping Essentials
Whelping a litter is an incredible experience that requires careful preparation, love, and some special tools. Here’s a look at what we’ve been using to help Poppy and her puppies feel comfortable and safe:
1. Whelping Box
A whelping box is the first thing we set up to give Poppy a cozy, secure area for herself and her puppies. As she was preparing to deliver, she preferred to be in her bed, and not the whelping box. I moved her bed into her box a few days before her delivery date and she would sleep in her box, but other than that she wanted nothing to do with her box. The day of delivery, she was anxious and digging. She wanted nothing to do with her box, preferring to stay by me. I finally decided to moved her to the last location that she delivered, my shower. I put down a blanket and a whelping mat. She settled right down, and within an hour, her first baby was safely delivered. I learned that while I had one plan, she had a completely different plan. She delivered 9 puppies in 5 hours’ time in my shower. Now, you might be thinking a shower? This shower is a huge walk-in shower that makes a good whelping area and puppy nursery. I can easily clean it out, and it gives Poppy and the babies plenty of space during the first few weeks. You can see below just how much room she has.
The babies and Poppy will eventually move to the whelping box in my room. I graduate them to integrate into a household. The first 2-3 weeks are completely away from the other dogs I have. Poppy interacts with them, but the babies do not. After about three weeks, the babies will move to my bedroom, where they will be introduced to Gunny and Bexley at night. Gunny is Poppy’s daughter and is very interested in the babies when she hears them, but she has not yet seen them. The babies will move to this box with a whelping mat underneath to protect the floors and have room to roam around and explore, yet still be safe.
2. Whelping Mats
Whelping mats are a must for any new litter. We use two types:
- Washable whelping mats: These are soft, absorbent, and reusable, so we can keep the box clean and comfortable for the puppies. I just throw them in the washing machine whenever they need freshening up.
- Disposable whelping pads: When the puppies move to my bedroom and then other parts of the house, underneath the washable mats, I place disposable pads for extra protection and easy cleanup. Right now, they are in the shower, so there’s no need for these disposable pads.
3. Heat Source
Newborn puppies cannot regulate their body temperature, so a heat mat below the whelping mat keeps the area warm. We maintain a temperature of around 85°F during their first week, gradually lowering it as they grow. This litter has actually been very interesting. One day I got notifications on my camera that there was tons of movement int the puppy area. I checked in and could see them moving and just upset. I was away from home and couldn’t immediately check on them, but I kept watch on my camera. I decided after 30 minutes to go have my mom check on them, she lives less than a minute away. I had her check the temp, all was good. I finally decided to have her turn off the space heater and heating mat and I would monitor. They began to settle almost immediately. I learned that not all litters are the same and sometimes they like it a little cooler than is the norm. The only source of heat I am now using is Poppy and the heating mat on one side of my shower.
4. Feeding and Hydration
Since Poppy is nursing, she has access to plenty of water and a high-quality, nutrient-rich diet. Nursing requires extra energy, so we supplement her regular diet with puppy food, which has more calories and nutrients to keep her strong and healthy. She also receives four eggs a day, two in the morning and two in the evening. It’s her favorite part of the day. She also gets Oxymomma. This high-quality supplement supports lactating moms by boosting milk production with natural herbal ingredients and aiding in recovery with powerful antioxidants. A comprehensive solution to help helping her recover and thrive post-birth. Poppy LOVES them and expects them when she comes inside from using the restroom.
5. Puppy Collars
With nine puppies, we need to keep track of each one, especially as they grow and develop their personalities. I use two types of collars:
- Soft Velcro collars: These collars are adjustable and color-coded, perfect for tracking individual puppies during daily weight checks and health monitoring. I use these for one-to-two weeks. When they begin opening their eyes, I switch to the breakaway collars.
- Breakaway collars: As they get older and start to explore, we switch to breakaway collars for added safety. These collars come off easily and quickly if they get snagged, making them an excellent choice for playful, curious puppies.
6. Daily Health Checks
We weigh each puppy daily with a digital scale to ensure they’re gaining weight as expected. Regular weigh-ins help us track their growth and ensure that each puppy is healthy and thriving. I use a regular kitchen food scale when they are birth-4 weeks. At about 4-weeks old they are too big for the kitchen scale so I move to a large dog scale and use a basket to weigh them.
7. Cleanliness and Hygiene
Maintaining a clean environment is critical, especially when they’re so young. We change the whelping mats regularly and sanitize the area with safe, pet-friendly cleaners to prevent any infections. Poppy also assists with the puppies’ hygiene, helping them with bathroom needs and keeping them clean.
8. Socialization and Handling
Early socialization is essential, so we start with gentle handling as soon as the puppies are settled in. This helps them get used to human touch and builds a sense of trust. As they grow, we’ll expose them to different sounds and experiences, which is vital for their development and future family life.
Watching Them Grow
In the coming weeks, these puppies will start opening their eyes, moving around more, and exploring the world. It’s such a joy to see their personalities emerge, and we’re excited to share their journey with you!
If you’re interested in adopting one of these sweet Golden Retrievers, feel free to reach out. They’ll be ready to join their forever families in just a few short weeks! 🐶💖