Current, Future and Past

Currently my days buzz with excitement as I get all my ducks in a row and make rows for all the ducks.

Nursery panels get erected as the suncatchers lay their first rainbows on the first whelping box that was snugged into the corner.

Music fills the air as I move around the dogs and they look at me with a curious gaze of “is it time?” Neema sits in the middle of it all

Simply not giving much care to the bustle and hustle and just loving all the commotion around her.

Floors get washed with vinegar water, walls get scrubbed from top to bottom and even more supplies get added to the prep pile.

Tonka and Neema check out their new home sweet home away from home with great eagerness “It’s camp kid!”

They will temporarily stay in the secondary yard and outbuilding for the time that the babies are here to keep the energy in the main house at a minimum. 3 mamas and their broods are just about enough without an eager boy and a rowdy toddler bolting in trying to kiss the babies whenever they want. Not to mention that I don’t want the mama’s security of their safe space invaded and have them on edge all the time thinking their wee ones are going to be gobbled up.

Tonka and Neema have been ‘at camp’ for 2 days now and are loving every minute of it! Didn’t take but one day to establish their new routine… their new liver snacks I do believe held weight in this enthusiasm!

I started the nursery prepping at the beginning of this week to make sure everything was all set up and ready so the mamas have at least a week in their new space bustle free and quiet so they can relax and nest. Isla and Leia are a bit behind Meiko but everything will be organized at the same time so nothing is crashing around in what is supposed to be their peaceful safe space. It was a bit of an ordeal but everything is now organized, everything has a spot and everyone is cozy and very much ready.

The polka dotted ribbon collars get taken out and mamas names get written on the inside just in case the pups get mixed up. On purpose or by accident!

We’ll play it by ear depending on how many pups show up and how the mamas do with everyone if I decide to blend the litters or not once they are older. The big kid collars get brought out, counted and lay ready in anticipation for the rapid growth that is ahead.

Meiko is gaining size at an incredible rate and it’s very apparent she is once again probably going to bless us with her standard 9 or 10 pups.

Isla is also picking up the pace on her growth so we’ll see where she is in a few more days. She still has 2 more weeks to go and most of the rapid growth happens within this timeframe.

Leia is creeping up on the both of them, starting to round out every time I turn my back. 2.5 more weeks for her still to get pudgy and chubby. Looks darling on her!

I will not be doing x-rays this time round for puppy count. At times puppy count is correct and at other times 1, 2 or even 3 extra pups  

will show up out of the wood work. X-rays can only be done around 8 days prior to birth so very late in the game. I had to bail out of my last x-ray appointment mid procedure as my mama was so uncomfortable with the whole scene that she started to get incredibly agitated with the whole process. I was not going to push her any further as the stress that it was causing her was really not worth why we were there in the beginning. The level of stress on their bodies is not worth the count. I stay with my mamas the whole time they are in labor and for many hours afterwards to make sure they are 100% finished with their birthing process. So, this time round puppy count will be left up to the day of earth side. I am excited for the puppy count to begin!

 For now I take another peek in on the babies via ultrasound.

Families are starting to contact me sharing their itchy excitement and asking all the right questions on how to prepare early for their furry new addition.

I love all the eagerness and am more than happy to help families wrap their head around what is ahead for them. Files will start to go out once pups show up but a few have flown out the door already upon request. I have also posted a ‘Puppy essentials’ amazon link on my FB page for anyone who wants to browse over that.

Future – Jumping forward a bit…Once one of my girls enters into their breeding window of the next couple of years ahead for them, I have to start at that time to look into the future of a new breeding prospect pup to fill their place once they retired. Always rotating between managing the current but always the future and the past as well. Gorgeous little Neema is up next to hopefully take over once one of my girls retires out. I’ve been planning on keeping back a Leia pup as well as another breeding prospect once another one of my girls retires out, hence why I bred her out to Winston this

Go round. Very much looking forward to growing up a little sister for Neema! Leia and Isla are only 3 mths apart themselves and were the best of friends growing up. Neema and I took a field trip out to the vet office this week to get her 16 wk. vaccines to complete her 3 set series. First time riding as a big girl just in the back of my rig vs. in a baby crate. She did absolutely phenomenal and I heard not a peep out of her. She’s only 28 lbs. so still kind of manageable to carry in but that won’t last very long. Everyone loved her and she was sweet as the dickens. Got home and took a walk to warm up the baby stroller before heading down for a nap. Big sister jobs ya know!

Past – Looking back I always hope that each and every one of my pups is thriving in their new homes. My dreams for them all are massive and I wish them

All the best in whatever and whomever they are loving and loving them back. I hope and wish for them that they are adventuring high and living with enthusiasm and extreme happiness with their people. Often times many of the families stay in touch with me, 1, 2 or even 3+ years down the road and more. I love all the photos, updates and stories immensely. I know these pups have the ability to change lives and to love hard forever. Unfortunately, their forever is not always with their first designated families.

This part of what I do is not the dreamiest, not the happiest and not my most favorite BUT each and every one of my pups are my pups for life. Yes, they are

All required to come back to me at any point they can no longer be cared for by their original families but I also welcome them back with open arms, a huge snuggle

And under no judgement whatsoever towards their family. The stories are heavy, thick and often filled with complications and heart ache that are hard to face.

Recently amongst my current and my future planning I’ve also had to handle a couple of past stories in between. 2 of my pups recently came back to me here and I welcomed them both with open arms. Happy tails spinning, oblivious to their next chapter ahead. Not knowing what was ahead for them they tear around just happy to be here. So resilient, so thrilled with life, it’s hard to break the news to them that they will have new people soon. Their smiles flash up at me calming me, letting me know ‘it’s going to be ok’ ‘I can love again’ ‘I am all heart’ What amazing creatures. The turnaround for rehomes is always very quick which makes the transition easier into a new home. Young children sink their fingers into wiggly bodies and eager to play big little pups. Eagerly jumping into the back of the new families rig like they have done it from Day 1 warms my heart to no end. “I’m ready to go!” Not giving much thought to the fact that this is round 2 for them.

It’s not that they don’t care, they do, they hold stress beneath what we initially see. It’s just that their hearts are bigger than ours, hold so much currency for love

That I’m inspired to be more like them every day. They are resilient and know that they can pull through. Adjustment will have to take place, routine will change,

House rules will be different, at times old habits engrained will need to be replaced with better ones and new people will be there to bond to once again. It takes times but goldens are magic…they work this beautiful magic and are able to adjust just fine and love again with gusto and determination to succeed. Both dogs are now thriving in their new homes.

So as my current moves forward and my (2) little 4 legged futures are in process, my past pups learn to live and love again, I bask in it all and throw my tentacles in every

Direction to manage it all.  

1, to 2, to 2.5 (ish) weeks, give or take until my current is very much current up front and center, happening very quickly. These pups are just around the corner and the itch

is very very real. Once pups are earth side, time flies by very quickly. I’m kicked into overdrive with working with the mamas, the families on board and then soon after that my schedule with the pups.

Hold on everyone! Your forever after future is going to become your current very soon. This is going to be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.