We are patiently waiting for our next heat cycle to begin. I know you have all been anxious to hear but Mother Nature has to take her course. So we wait......In the meantime we are keeping busy with training, testing and learning more about the breeding and raising puppies!
I so love the breeder community and all the resources that are available to me so I can continue to evolve and learn to improve our program. I have taken several course from Bad Ass Breeder, Jeanette Forrey. Author of 2 books that I refer to often and regularly.
Big Hearted Breeders just had a 2 day seminar with speakers that included invaluable information about nutrition, whelping, health testing, essential oils, raising neonates, etc. I am so blessed to have Cinnamon Hoekema from Hoekema Homestead Goldens as my mentor. Revival hosts seminars with Dr Marty Greer that are always eye opening. I am prepared now for many things that I hope I NEVER encounter but knowledge is king.
I have partnered with nuvet to provide what I believe to be great supplements for our dogs and puppies. This is a program will provide a small kick back for me but that is not why I did it. I started Magnolia on the joint supplements when her first OFA hip exam came back as fair. Fair is passing and "Ok" but I wanted better for my program. After a year on the supplements, her final OFA improved to "Good" which is good! And I love NuVet plus for their immune system and digestion. I give it to the adults and puppies so we have nice solid (easy to pickup) poops! When you have alot of dogs, that is big deal!!! I also have refined some of the ingredients in the meatball recipe I add to improve their kibble. The dogs love the meat balls and it so good for them!
On to health testing. One of the biggest parts of being a responsible and ethical breeder is to ensure our breeding dogs have clear health records for everything we can test for that might be hereditary. In Golden Retrievers, hip dysplasia is an issue so we go to great lengths (and expense) to only breed dogs with good hips (and their parents.....we go back 5 generations). Elbow dysplasia is also a test we do along with heart and eyes. Genetic testing is important as well. Eyes have to be recertified every year and unfortunately there is not an opthamologist in our area so we have to go to Boise next week for their tests. Part of what we have to do to make sure we are producing the healthiest puppies possible. I wish we could test for more but we do everything available!
On to the fun part!!! Our little Sasquatch puppies are 4 months old now!!! They have all had their vaccines so they can move about the world. Learning all the sights, smells and a sounds of the outside world. They are growing up so beautifully. I feel like a very proud Gramma!!!!
Top left is Ryder, right is Jake, bottom is Finn. All families report they are growing like wildfire, always starving and getting their grown up teeth! Maybe someday they will grow into their ears and paws.......
My children bought me a new iphone for Christmas and I am currently taking an iphone photo class so hopefully that will help my skills in communicating to all of you how special the journey is with new puppies!!! Special thank you to my niece Lauren Little for sharing her instagram expertise.
We are currently meeting new families and accepting reservations for our anticipated litters. It is running a little later than we had hoped but still should be able to put new bundles of love and fur into the arms of waiting families by June. There is much anticipation of beautiful things to come around here! Do your "Heat" dance for us......we can't wait for the next round of gorgeous little one to bless us.
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