Farmington Valley Golden Retrievers

Well it has been quite a week and quite the day today. Three of our dogs are now in heat.. Emma, Riley, and Lucy. Despite the added mess, it has been several days without a dog fight. It seems now that their cycles have arrived, their tempers have fallen. A very nice change. We have been taking Riley for her progesterone levels. She is now at 2.7. She needs to be over five before her insemination can be done. Barb will bring her again tomorrow for another hormone level check. Riley has been a very good sport at the Veterinary clinic. Always smiling..

We hope the surgical insemination will occur about midweek. Just about the same time as the next storm!

With the arrival of Lucy’s heat we will have to postpone her hip Xrays for a month. Estrogen has been known to cause ligament relaxation, and so the word on the street is not to take any XRays with a heat in progress. This XRay is all important for Lucy’s breeding career, and so we will wait. Here is Lucy relaxing on a bed with Rocky.

This morning we went to Cape Cod to pick up Mulder the lion hearted champion from Berna and Peter.

We had a very nice chat before the return trip from our mentors and friends. Mulder is nine years old, and spends his time now romancing the fairer sex. When we brought him inside our home, the smells of our three receptive females definitely caught his attention. Rocky got to see his father for the first time, and he accompanied him around the backyard. I don’t know if he was paying attention as he watched his dad mark our backyard by urinating at the boundaries. Rocky has an all important appointment at the vet in the AM to be neutered.

By doing the surgical insemination, we are placing our money and hopes not on chance this time, but science. Barb and I have both agreed that 7 Goldens with three in heat and two who are intact males is a little much for our mental health.

To top off the excitement and overwhelming number of dogs here at the moment, my main computer failed last night. I use that one to process the photos, and run the blog as it has the fastest processor. So this blog is short on photos along with my patience.

Luckily one of our neighbors, friend, and client, Ken had sent us a week ago or so some photos of his Rosie showing her skills with Arctic Frisbee. I have never done this sport, but it appears that Rosie really loves it. I will add Ken’s comments after the photos, so if anyone wants to try this, they will have the basic rules..

“Mike –

Thought you might enjoy seeing how Rosie (Lucy’s sister) enjoys this cold weather. She truly thrives on playing frisbee.  As soon as you say that word her ears perk up and she dashes for the back door.  Autumn (Rocky’s sister) is learning quckly too – – but will need a little more practice before she can leap and catch the frisbee like Rosie in mid-flight.  It’s fascinating to see just how strong the retrieving instinct is in these dogs.  When I noticed just how high Rosie was leaping to catch the frisbee I checked with Dr. Feldman to be sure I wasn’t challenging her hips or legs. He gave me his blessing.  If you should ever use any of these pictures on your blog please point out the importance of not throwing a frisbee at a dog to play catch.  There is even a warning on the package. As you can see – – we throw the frisbee away from Rosie and let her chase after it.  She actually out runs it and then leaps to catch it.  About 15 – 20 minutes of this workout and the girls are ready for a nap !

Ken Muccino”

Here is Autumn learning from her bigger sister..

So this upcoming week Barb and I will again be focused on “everything golden”. We hope these dedicated efforts will pay off in the near future for our very patient waiting clients.

It has been more than a trying week here in dogville. We now have Emma and Riley in heat, along with Rocky, a non neutered male pup getting his first smells of the fairer sex. Our two year old Lucy is no longer passive, and instigates these riots at times. She is due for her own heat very soon. Our dogs are blessed in that they have free reign of our home, and only go in their crates for time outs and to sleep. However, that closeness has turned into quite a burden this week for Barb and me. The added testosterone seems to have hightened everyone’s tempers and attitudes. We are averaging about two dog fights a day now. They can erupt at any time without warning. Everyone is napping at our feet and then suddenly, a cross eyed glance, and chaos erupts. The cold weather isn’t helping as you can only let the girls out for so long. Sheesh.

The good news is that Riley’s long awaited heat has arrived. Preparations are underway for her surgical insemination when she ovulates. We have our first appointment with the Suffield veterinary clinic tomorrow. Dr. Huntington there specializes in canine infertility.  We will do a series of progesterone levels to time her ovulation. Berna Welch of Pebwin Goldens gave us the good news that her champion stud, Mulder, is available and ready. Soon we will be making the three+ hour trip each way to pick up Mulder and bring him to Suffield for his part in these proceedings. We will keep everyone appraised of Riley’s progress as we move forward.

Our son, Michael, sent us an email from Florence where he is now working. It seems that a sportswriter for ESPN just lost his beloved golden and wrote a compelling story. Please see this link if you are interested: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090122. Be prepared to shed a few tears.

On a closer note, I would like to acknowledge the loss of a great neighborhood golden named “Bo”. Despite his valiant efforts including the loss of a limb, a cure was not to be. We send our golden prayers and condolences to his family.

We are thankful that one of our pups from Emma’s last litter was there to make his last few months more enjoyable.

I do not want to have this blog totally filled with sadness, so I will change gears and celebrate some of the life and times of our animals. Just as our blog readers have followed and enjoyed the goings on of our dogs, Barb and I get to hear and see the stories unfolding of our friend’s, client’s, and patient’s animals. Here are a few of them..

Lisa recently sent us a photo of her new golden puppy sitting in the recycle basket calm as can be.

Cindy continues to amaze us with the antics of her golden Kati and her feline sidekick Walter. From holding hands to napping in unusual poses, they are quite the pair.

One of the latest stories is from Teresa, a nurse in the Delivery Room. The other night on call she was sharing with me the interplay of her 9 year old 98 pound golden “Chance” with their newest family member. “Molly”, is a three month old Irish Jack Russell. Teresa has horses and needed a better mouser than Chance. I will let the photos speak for themselves..

Don’t worry about the teeth. I am told it was just pretend.. The proof:

The bow they both took at the end of this sequence. This shot is an award winner somewhere!

And notice Molly’s coat. An unusual color and texture, typical of the Jack Russells from Ireland.

Jessica has been sending us photos of her beautiful Dobie “Hannah”. Unfortunately she has been having serious orthopedic issues, and has fought through a number of surgeries with no end in sight. We will say prayers for Hannah as well.

On a different topic.. On a prior blog in the midst of another storm I wondered about dog sledding. I googled the topic and got caught up in some amazing websites of personal quests and adventure. It was the next day that I went into one of my offices and saw some new photos from my partner Maria. There she was having her own dog sledding adventure with her mixed husky. She actually had gone north and taken some lessons about cross country skiing with her husky helping her along. I just had to share them with you..

Boy that looks like fun. There just aren’t enough hours in the day though for some of us to sample all of life’s adventures..

Finally, I have to announce that Rocky our special little puppy, and golden to our son Michael’s family, has lost his claim to being the “perfect puppy”. Barb claims it is due to the corrupting influence of the pack. I think he is just showing his youthful curiosity and teething stage. In the space of about ten minutes this morning, I found evidence of his presence or caught him in the act.

From paper to rugs to wood, everything seems edible to him!

It is hard to stay angry though when the dust and energy finally settles. Then the goldens look angelic and very very cute.

Who would guess from these poses of Rocky and Lucy that they have any devil in them?

Have a great week!

As I left the hospital this morning after a 24 call, I was greeted by another winter storm. The good news was that there was no one on the roads as this is a holiday weekend. I was greeted by our golden fan club at our back door, one and all restless with the storm, and of course wanting adventure. Although my energy levels were flickering, I couldn’t deny them the highlight of their day. So I changed and out we went.

For those readers expecting to see their photos, I intended a different set of stories for the blog this week, but with only fumes for creative activity, I have postponed them to next week.

In the past week, I have taken a new tack when walking the pack. I take three at a time rather than five and then one. My shoulders are doing much better holding onto only 250 pounds of dog rather than close to 400. With three on a leash there is also less chance of a dog incident. So first the three alphas ventured forth… Emma, Solo, and Riley.

I really love seeing their happy smiles against the white backdrop.

After they had their fill of a couple of miles of snow and hills, it was time to get the other three.

Lily, Lucy, and of course little Rocky are more subdued.

They don’t walk any slower but are easier going in nature. Their wide smiles made me know the outing was worthwhile.

I was happy to find my shoulders felt better at the end of our outing. Now the only problem are my knees complaining from twice the distance I had to cover today. Sheesh, aging is best tolerated in little doses..

Earlier in the week, I had taken Rocky out for some individual attention.

As soon as he saw our little neighbor Kayla, he had to go and make her acquaintance. Both Kayla and Rocky enjoyed this little side adventure.

At last, we have some breeding news to report. Emma is in heat. She is Not the dog we want in heat as she just had the last litter in August.  The importance of this is that Riley and then Lucy usually follow with their own heats a few weeks later. So we may be finally approaching Riley’s breeding adventure. Here is Riley again this week, sitting on top of  her favorite chair watching events unfold in the kitchen.

If Riley conceives, then we will let Lucy’s heat pass untested. After all the work and medical complications of the last litter we had, we decided we can only do justice to one litter at a time. So Lucy, if she passes her XRays later this month will be bred after her fall heat. At least that is our present plan, barring mother nature’s own wishes…

It is another Saturday afternoon and every Connecticut Yankee is awaiting the arrival of our latest storm. I think this will be the third blog in a row written with wintry precipitation falling or on its way. The last two weekends brought frigid arctic winds to the fields where we run. Not much bothers these long haired Goldens due to their thick double coat.

So when deciding how cold is too cold to be out, I’ve come up with two simple rules. When I can’t feel my fingers anymore, or don’t have enough feeling to snap some photos, that is rule number one. I stayed out a little too long last weekend, and the pain of rewarming my hands after coming inside was not pleasant. The second rule is triggered when ice starts sticking to their pads. At that point the dogs spend more time cleaning their pads than enjoying the outdoors, so in we go.

Usually my hands give out before their pads ice up, so I have to make sure we keep up a brisk pace to get their energy expended as quick as possible. Not good for me and my “to do list” if they are still rambunctious when we return home.

Why venture outside at all? one might well ask. Well, the solitude is amazing for one thing.

There is absolutely no one else around to impede our adventure and enjoyment of nature’s frozen bounty. The silence, except for the soft whisper of the wind, is such a pleasant change from every other daily activity that seems to involve noise, lights, and conversation. The closest analogy I can make is to find yourself at the top of a ski mountain in a snowstorm where no one else is visible. Just you and the mountain. A feeling of peace steals over you and you feel closer to the earth, the sky, and God.

Of course there is always the danger of falling or sliding out there. And that is not just limited to humans. This morning Emma got careless and slid down the entire hill on her side.

Glare ice beats dog nails any day.

The other news here in dogville, is that Rocky has returned!!

Barb met our son half way between ourselves and Philadelphia (where he was attending MBA classes . It’s amazing that there is a website that will find that midpoint for you). Michael Jr is swamped finishing his MBA, closing out his present job, and starting all the needed tasks to get to Italy and his new position.   Rocky has adjusted very well to the pack, although his mom, Emma,  growls at him from time to time.

Barb thinks he is the “perfect puppy” and won’t let me take him with the rest of the pack to learn bad habits! Last night was his first night back in our house. He slept until 4 AM in his crate in the family room, but then started barking. This, of course, roused the pack sleeping in our bedroom. I got up and let everyone out. Rocky went upstairs with Barb and promptly fell asleep on the bed. Meanwhile I had the five awake and hungry and wanting to run. So I got a lot of work done between 4 AM and 8. We can’t run in the dark with the ice as I will surely fall and break something important.

I took Rocky out by himself after the older girls were done with their exercise.

So there you have our latest news.

I have no clue where Riley’s heat is, now two months overdue. I am sure Rocky as young as he is will clue us in when there is love in the air…

Now a final photo of the dogs waiting for that coming snowfall today…

It is New Year’s Eve day as I write this blog. Outside the snow is swirling, the neighborhood is quiet, and blanketed in white. We have already completed our run for the day, so the 5 girls are sprawled at my feet, their relaxed breathing the only music in my study. The steam from a mug of hot chocolate rises next to my keyboard… Now, how perfect is that for a close to a busy and rewarding year? I read my blog from last New Year’s post, and it was a much different story (Very Disappointing News… Again). We had just learned Emma wasn’t pregnant which completed a trifecta of disappointment for her, Riley, and Solo. This year we were blessed with a marvelous summer litter from Emma using some high tech fertility methods, and we have gained many new golden friends as a result.

This week was our Lucy’s second birthday. The three photos of her above were taken earlier today. In the last one, she was getting birthday hugs from Solo. We have received several photos and notes from her litter mates wishing her well.

First we have some pictures of her handsome brother, Tucker, with her owner Ollie.

Then we got some photos of Lucy’s pretty sister, Autumn from Ken.

Now that Lucy has turned two, we can complete her breeding certifications by doing her hip XRays. We will be scheduling this for later in January when we have a little more time.

This time of year brings many happy times for families gathering together to share in the holiday celebrations.

Thank you Gayle for these holiday pictures of your Emmy and Swimmer.

It is also a very sad and difficult time for some who are remembering friends, and companions who have passed away. The amount of losses one has experienced is a powerful yardstick to remind us that our time here is temporary and that we must use it wisely. Molly sent us a photo of her precious golden, Maggie, as a pup.

It was the pup that chose her son Nick, and thereby chose Molly and the rest of her family. She still misses her favorite gal, but it is very heartening to us that she is possibly ready for a new puppy when Lucy becomes a mom.

We also had our own sad loss here this Christmas. We had to say goodbye to our 20 + year old cat Fievel. One by one his body’s systems shut down. Kristen, who grew up with him from childhood as a special friend, was blessed to be able to come home and share some last quiet, special, but very difficult moments.

Finally, one of our neighbors, Kathy, recently sent us an editorial written by Harvey Mackay, a nationally syndicated columnist. It was on the subject of how much we can learn from our dogs. His ten suggestions for a happier life were simple:

• Never pass up an opportunity for a joyride.
• When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
• Run, romp, and play daily.
• Let people touch you.
• Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
• Be loyal.
• Take naps.
• Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
• If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
• When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Very simple commandments to live by, that if we all followed, our world would be a much kinder place. I will close with a photo sent by Ken highlighting the restorative powers of a nap. Just looking at Rosie and Autumn there brings a smile to my face and peace to my heart.

See you in the New Year..