I've recently created this page as the best way I know how to be able to explain more about how our puppies are raised during their time with us & also give a virtual tour of what we call "The Dog House," especially for those of you who do not get a chance to come visit us prior to bringing your puppy home! So, here we go…. 

 All of our Goldens, including the puppies, spend time both indoors & outdoors. I'm a firm believer that this is important for the overall happiness of a Golden - a sporting dog that loves to run, play, retrieve, & swim yet also a breed that adores its family & the bonding that occurs when allowed to spend time in the home.  

Our stomping grounds consist of 4 acres with our house, the shop (including “The Dog House”), the pond, & the woods behind the pond - basically paradise for our 2 little boys & Golden Retrievers!

The puppies are born & raised in what we call "The Dog House." It's a 600 sq ft area inside our shop that we actually lived in for a little over 2 years before we built our house. We designed it to function as “The Dog House” after we moved out. So, of course it’s insulated, air conditioned / heated, with running water, etc.

This picture is the view from our patio. It shows the shop & outdoor kennels which also have a doggie door so they can let themselves inside The Dog House if they choose. It may be hard to see in this picture, but there is a LARGE fenced in area behind the shop. They have full access to it or the kennels if they choose, but RARELY (like a couple times a year) are they locked in them.

Prior to Birth

About 2 weeks before giving birth, our girls are brought into what we call the puppy room. (It's actually out old bedroom!) We introduce them to the whelping box & let them get settled in, while they get to instinctively do their resting & nesting.

We also have a video monitoring system that allows me to keep a constant eye on them from inside the house. I really love this as time gets closer for delivery, & I start to hover over them like an anticipating grandmother. And I have been known to sleep on a cot in the room with them on those nights that I just know “it’s getting close,” & I don’t want to chance missing a thing!

Birth

Even though dogs have an amazing set of God-given instincts that allow them to give birth without assistance, I’M THERE!!

You never know when one might need a little help clearing some of the fluid from its airway, especially towards the end of the litter when mamma dog is starting to get understandably exhausted. Plus, did I mention I’m also a labor & delivery nurse?!...so I have a really hard time just sitting there keeping my hands to myself.

After delivery, mom & pups are off to the vet for a check-up. Mom gets an injection of oxytocin to help make sure nothing is retained that may lead to infection. Plus, it also helps with her milk supply.

1 day old 

After mom has had a good night’s “rest” & even though at this point their eyes & ears are closed, I still like to start getting the puppies into “the routine.” 

Little things like noise & lights during the day then quiet & dark at night, help them learn a typical family routine. So, all day long they listen to “Positive, Encouraging K-LOVE.” Then at bed time, it’s lights & radio off!

3 days old

Leaving no stone unturned in our effort to produce healthy puppies, we also use the Super Dog Program, which is a method of structured stimulation exercises developed by the U.S. Military with the benefits of improved cardiovascular performance, more tolerance to stress, better resistance to disease, & more!

These early neurological stimulation exercises continue daily until the puppies are 16 days old.

10 days old

1^st round of preventative deworming medication. This continues every 2 weeks.

 4 weeks old

Puppies start eating moistened Purina ONE - Large Breed Puppy formula.

Picking also starts. Puppies are picked in the order that deposits are received. For example, the family that sent in the 3^rd deposit for a male, will get 3^rd pick of the boys. 

The puppies also start climbing out of the whelping box. The puppy room has a doggie door leading to one of the outdoor kennels, & they quickly learn to use it so they can go exploring outside. 

There they have a covered concrete area + a grassy area to play / potty....or can come back inside for cool in the summer or heat in the winter. (They're pretty spoiled....so are usually inside )

Using the doggie door has helped a LOT when the pups go home as they already have a jump start on their potty training & catch on very quickly once at their new homes.

 6 weeks old

Trip to the vet’s office for head-to-toe vet check & 1^st round of vaccinations.

7-8 weeks old

Puppies start going home - oh, so bittersweet

I always have a hard time figuring out how to answer the question of where we raise our puppies. Because even though I’ve just given you the official tour of The Dog House, our house is just as puppy proofed. We frequently take advantage of having all concrete floors in the house (easy clean-up). 

Whether in the house with us, outside playing with the boys, or in the Dog House (which is where we spend most of our time anyway, especially during the 1st few weeks of life when the pups aren't getting around too much), the pups are frequently around us!

(Ayden loves being in the whelping box with the puppies & likes them climbing & licking all over him!)

More often, the situation is that I have to tell our boys that we need to leave the pups alone for some quiet time of their own &/or feeding time   

 So, the best answer I have to where we raise our puppies is: “underfoot” - a Golden’s favorite place to be anyway!