Hoekema Homestead Goldens

Well, folks… we've officially moved beyond the puppy countdown and into PUPPY WATCH! Isla isn't technically due until Thursday, and she could very well decide to keep those precious babes tucked away until next Sunday, BUT… she could just as easily surprise us and decide earlier this week is the perfect time to make her grand entrance of her wee ones here. She has gotten exponentially bigger from last week to this week so I am thrilled beyond thrilled that I am going to be ab

The countdown is officially on! We are just 12 ish days away from welcoming Isla's newest little crew, and things are beginning to get busy around here once again. Isla is getting quite big, but doing wonderfully. She's still enjoying her favorite game of ball catch with just as much enthusiasm as ever. Apparently, a growing belly isn't going to get in the way of her favorite game. We have also turned it into a game of ‘wall ball’ which brings back fond childhood memories.

As more and more families move forward with confidence and anticipation and join us on this amazing journey towards a new pup, others find themselves pausing, pondering, and contemplating the wait until that special pup lands in their arms. You've done your research, made the commitment, have confidence and faith, know all the details and timeliness of litters planned. Understand how mother nature controls the outcome and you accept it all. I completely understand, this

Not a whole lot to report this week as things have slowed down drastically. Everyone has taken a breath and is enjoying the calm stillness that is in the air. Fall has officially arrived here, bringing brisk mornings that give way to glorious afternoon sunshine. The leaves are changing around us by the minute and falling at even a faster rate. This morning, the heater in the Doghouse was finally turned on, a sure sign that cooler days are here to stay. Of course, the dogs d

Selection Day is one for the books but Gotcha Day tops it all by leaps & Bounds! Families arrive with all the excitement, anticipation, and nervous energy. We attempt to get through the paperwork, review the final details, and make sure everyone is prepared for their new adventure before that gorgeous bundle of fluff comes running full tilt around the corner because at that point all paperwork is thrown to the wind. Hands are reaching, tails are wagging, smiles stretch fr

And just like that… 7 weeks have come and gone in a blink of an eye. The final countdown has officially begun, and there are now six very lucky families sitting on the edge of their seats, waiting for the moment they finally get to scoop up their new cream puff and start this next chapter ahead. At seven weeks, these babies are extremely BUSY! They are curious, confident, playful, opinionated, and increasingly convinced that the entire world was built specifically for the

Noni's LITTLES - Six weeks old… and this week, the personalities came out in full bloom and blossom. At this point, they are no longer simply six LITTLES who look REMARKABLY similar, they are their own little individuals, and I now have a pretty good idea of exactly who each one is. Don’t take their collars off on me just yet though! They are all wonderful in their own way — but they now all have their own little personalities about how life should be lived. Some settle qui

Five weeks old already… and suddenly my little squishy squashy potatoes are looking and acting suspiciously like actual little dogs! They are interacting exactly like puppies should — playing, wrestling, chasing, exploring, learning, investigating absolutely everything… and, of course, occasionally doing things they absolutely shouldn’t be doing. Which, naturally, we love. At this point, their little personalities are really beginning to blossum and shine, and I'm soaking up

Four Weeks of Wonder have flown by already...the Littles Are Growing Up Fast Somebody please tell time to slow down. I blinked, and suddenly these tiny, round-bellied babies have gone from sleepy little potatoes to curious, confident, busy little explorers with places to go, things to investigate, and absolutely no intention of wasting a single minute of their day. Four weeks old and their little personalities are definitely blossoming, their bodies are becoming more coordi

A Whole Lot of Growing, Exploring, and “Look What I Can Do!” this week! Three weeks old. THREE WEEKS ALREADY! Itty weighing in @ 4 lbs. 8 oz. Bitty 3 lbs. 7 oz. Buttons 4 lbs. 3 oz. Thimble 4 lbs. 2 oz. Snippet 3 lbs. 15 oz. and Pebbles 4 lbs. 3 oz. Somehow, we have officially reached that little LITTLE turning point where Noni’s once-tiny, sleepy, squishy babies are beginning to look less like squashed soggy potatoes and more like actual little puppies with places to g