Farmington Valley Golden Retrievers

It has only been a week since our pups have gone, but there is a new routine developing here in dogville that is more comfortable for all since those first few days. The growls and barks over Lucy’s place in the pack have subsided, and along with it our worries over everyone getting along.

Eating is a short affair lasting just one to two minutes. The big dogs inhale theirs, while Lucy is a few moments behind in cleaning her bowl. I suppose this makes sense from an evolutionary perspective. In the wilds you never know if someone bigger or stronger will take your portion. Still it is amazing how fast they inhale everything we put out.

Emma has begun teaching Lucy how to fight in a playful sense. Again from an evolutionary perspective this is a key to the pup’s survival in the wild. While the photos may look frightening, Emma is careful to use her neck more than her teeth, and she puts up with quite a bit of nipping from her daughter in return. Solo is always close by and doesn’t quite know if this is serious play or not. But you can see from the photo of her and Riley watching that the atmosphere is now calm and peaceful.

Lucy at times wants peace and quiet so she naps under the bed in the crate in the family room.

However most of the time she wants to be in the thick of the excitement or at least watching from a comfortable vantage point.

Like the rest of her littermates, she is one cute puppy!

Introducing Lucy to our big dog family, is like seasoning a stew with spices, best done in small doses and with careful oversight. Barb and I have been very vigilant as the pecking order here in dogville must change and adjust. As I mentioned in the prior blog, Solo has never had close contact with a puppy before. She never wanted to visit the pups in the whelping box, while our Riley was always down there sniffing the puppies. Emma is still very protective and hovers over Lucy when she is out of her pen in the family room. Lucy not knowing better, sniffs everyone and everywhere and tries to nurse anyone with a nipple. That combination has led to more than a few growls and heated barks.

From the photos, you can see some of the tension in the animals. However for the most part, adding a puppy here has raised the energy level here in our home in a positive way, as the playing becomes more routine. In some of these photos you will see Miss Purple and Lucy. Miss Purple was with us until Sunday, and we didn’t want to leave her out of our family life here.

The dynamics of a large dog family are much different that having just two or even three. Everyday is a learning adventure for us all here. The adventures and friendships do multiply alongside the dog hair, cleanup, and expenses.

We will be taking a little break from the blog for a short time. I must catch up with other life matters that I have been putting off for too long. Will keep everyone informed about the clearances of Riley and Solo in March.

Barb and I have really enjoyed the photos our new owners have sent of their pup settling into their family. Keep them coming. I hope to add a website page in the future for everyone’s photos. As for our future puppy owners, please don’t stop dreaming about your own golden adventures forthcoming later this year. Those dreams are only a litter away.

Miss Pink has joined our famly as “Emma’s Miss Lucy of Brickyard”. Having her here has softened the puppy withdrawal that Barb and I and Emma would otherwise be suffering. Our youngest dog, Solo, has never seen a puppy up close before. She was the sole dog from Emma’s last litter. Losing her place as the youngest is sure to take some getting used to on her part. The last photo shows them extending a hesitant greeting to each other.

The last of our puppy children departed today. The whelping box is quiet. If you listen hard enough, you can still imagine the boisterous sounds of the happy litter inside just two days ago. Every story must have an end though, and this book, Emma’s Magical Adventure, has reached its final page. Looking back over the photos from the last eight weeks, it is amazing to me how many different adventures we have had and shared.

Barbara, Emma, and I wish our readers: friends, family, old and new puppy owners, much happiness. Like the traditional Irish blessing that graces many a placque, our golden puppy blessing to you all would go something like this…

May the warm memories of these puppy adventures wrap tightly around your heart and mind. May they shelter you against the frigid chills of life’s difficult moments.

May the love, laughter, and adventures we have shared together, remind us all how the simple lessons are the most important, and that living in the moment is a philosophy that we all would do well to embrace.

Then we might enjoy life as fully as our Goldens do.

But wait… Like the sparks and embers of an autumn bonfire, Emma’s efforts have taken new life to alight and flame into adventures in many new lives. Her birthing efforts now will ripple and grow into individual book sequels that will unfold over the next several years. Here are truly the fruits and blessings of her labors…

Puppy hugs to all.

We just received the notice and applications for the eye, heart, and microchip clinic run by the Southern Berkshire Golden Retriever Club. The clinic is scheduled for March 11th, at the Suffield Veterinary Hospital. We will be having Emma get her updates, as well as first testing for Riley and Solo. Our soon to be named female puppy, and latest addition to our golden family here, will be getting her microchip then as well.

We are getting inquiries about our next litter of puppies already. If anyone is serious about a puppy for the fall, please fill out the puppy questionaire online at our website. The applications are non binding. We will use the date of application however to determine place on our lists.

For those not familiar with our Riley and Solo, here are the photos of each from the last time we had a weekend visit to the wilds of Vermont. Suitable mates will be determined once their conformation testing is successfully accomplished. Riley is two years old and Solo soon to be two.

The judges are coming this Saturday to grade Emma’s litter for personality traits. Will send a blog with the results. Then the puppies will be assigned per everyone’s ranking. Stay tuned for the exciting event to come.