Cottage Doodles

My Pretty Girls

I could not resist having the girls pose in front of the zinnia fields.  

While driving from KS to FL, we have spent a lot of of time in dog parks with them, I figured they owed me a pleasant stroll through some flowers.  They might think this trip is all about them, but I deserve to choose some activities too, right?

Actually, we’ve enjoyed all of the trip, these girls are great companions on the road.  And I enjoy hearing the responses of strangers who see them, and the nice compliments they give these pretty girls.  Especially my Sugar, it is great to hear comments about what a beauty she is, because black doodles aren’t as popular as other colors.  I think some of it is that the pups are harder to photograph.  But in person, they are very striking dogs.

Plus, she is as sweet as her name.

Honey makes gorgeous children!  I can’t wait to see the next batch this spring.  

Doodles in Paradise

These girls might be enjoying the Florida camping trip even more than we are.

We have found the most wonderful  dog park, and when I saw this marker, I wondered why it hadn’t won best every year, because it truly is.

The pretty beach was full of happy families and joyous dogs.  We even met a tiny Labrador pup that Sugar and Honey immediately started cleaning and nuzzling.  They are mamas to the core.  I thought they were going to try to steal that baby from its family.  Which, in all honesty, I wanted to do too.  A very, very young pup does not belong at any dog park, even if it is Dog Paradise.

Traveling across country with three dogs isn’t easy, but days like this make it worth it.  

A very good mama- but if you are squeamish, don't look

Sugar has proven to be an excellent mother.  Honey is all business and works hard with them while they are tiny, then helps clean both litters, and as they get bigger, wrestles and plays with them.

Sugar just snuggles and lays with them all and seems very loving with the babies.  When they were newborns, she would carefully wrap her body around them, and Honey would plop right down on hers.  I lost many nights of sleep from checking on Honey's litter and saving puppies she had laid on. 

Sugar has also dug a puppy sized hole for them to curl up in.

But this is a bit much. She carefully carried a vole that she'd dug up back to give to the pups.

With her golden retriever heritage, she was able to carry it gently without hurting it, to give to the pups as a toy to chase.

But we caught her in time, and I have to say that I was not as gentle as she was. I reached in her mouth and pulled the gross little varmit out and flung it over the fence.

It kinda looks happy there, doesn't it? Like it is cozy and enjoys being carried around? I doubt if it found the flight over the fence quite as much fun.

Sharing

The mama dogs have decided to pitch in and help each other.

With that many babies running around, it seems like a good idea.

The only issue is that the Sugar Babies are a week younger and seem to be smaller pups over all.

Honey is starting to wean her Butterballs, so feeds them less often.  I need to be sure that the itty bitty ones get plenty of milk before Sugar is drained by the big guys.  

Also the older ones play a little rougher and since they weigh more, the teensie ones get overwhelmed.  Although, they are becoming wrestlers too and pretty much hold their own.

So far, it has been a lovely fall, and the pups have been outside a bit. Not as much as I’d like. Summer puppies sure are easier to care for.  
But we have a system for cleaning them up, and they are getting used to being in crates and watching me as I spray out their areas.  I have even had a chance, although not much of a one, to do some crafting.  I gathered the vines and dried flowers to make this wreath.

But 16 babies in chilly weather takes up most of my time.  I won’t know what to do with myself when they are gone!

(Videos of the litters can be found on Instagram at Cottage Doodles)

Celebrations and Dopplegangers

 

We had lots of celebrating this week.  Sugar had her babies, and Honey’s little, round bellied, butterballs of cuddliness just turned one week old.

I made the doggie moms a special treat, of milk, cottage cheese, pumpkin, and canned puppy food topped with chopped Tums sprinkles.

They need lots of calcium and calories, plus pumpkin for tummy issues after giving birth.

And they love it when I sing to them, so they got an off tune “Happy Birthday” from me.

At one week, Honey’s pumpkins have about doubled their weight.  Time to change out the bowl.

Although, it is just right for the newborns.

Speaking of newborns, I am glad I started this sketches of the red pups when they were tiny.  Studying their spots to paint them helped me to learn which was which.  

And the new families they will go to, don’t see them at this age.  So maybe they would like to have watercolor sketches of the first few days.

There are no amount of paintings that will help me with Sugar’s black babes, though! Oh my.  They are very similar.

As everyone grows, it gets easier.  Sugar’s pups seem to have different coat textures, even if they are the same jet black, I’ll know how to tell them apart from that, and a couple white spots.  The problem with the red pups, was that the spots were too similar.

Then I learned that some have freckled bellies, one has angel wings, another a T, one a butterfly.  A couple are blobbity splotches that still throw me off a little.  I have to get my diagrams out when I weigh them.  But once they start showing some personality, that will change.

Sugar babies!

Look at what we have!

Sugar’s pups are 6 days early, Honey’s were 1 day late.  My window of time in between shrank away to, well, not enough.

I had planned on moving Honey into a wading pool and turning the whelping box over to the newcomers.  But after the tragedy of losing a pup, and the fact that they weren’t even a week old yet, I knew they still needed that box with its safety rail.

I was awakened at 6am by the sweetest little squeaky sounds coming from the velvet covered bench at the foot of the bed.  Sugar had her first puppy in style!

She was soon moved to a wading pool with an absorbent liner.  Although, I have to admit, the velvet was also VERY absorbent.  

She quickly had 8 babies, with no fuss, nerves, or drama.

Throughout the whole process, she remained the gentle, gracious animal that she always is.

I felt bad about not letting her continue on the pretty bench she had chosen, since she was being so dainty and sweet while calmly having the babies.

But, she seemed fine with the pool.

In the meantime, my husband the hero, ran to Home Depot, bought some plywood and whipped this beautiful box to tuck them all into once the babies were all here.

And look, it just fits, barely, in our bathroom.  This way, we can keep the two moms separate until the puppies are older and ready to be best friends. 

Then, they all go out to a nursery set up in the garage at night and weather permitting, in the breezeway with the door to the garden open during the day.

But for now, I have a houseful, and I am going to enjoy it while it lasts, they will be gone way too soon.  8 weeks will fly by.

Oh, yes, there are certainly pups coming!

We made a fast trip to the North Carolina mountains before school started, and pups possibly came along.  I knew I’d be tied down for months once babies arrived.

When we left, we were pretty sure Honey was expecting.  While we were gone, she practically exploded!  Look at that full belly!

That is not just a possibility of puppies, that is puppies for sure.

Sugar is about 12 days behind her mother, but she had what looks like a belly blast of growth too.

Possible due date for Honey’s red and white, small-medium F1 golden doodles is Sept 15.

Sugar’s surprise package of colors, of small-medium F1b golden doodles are due Sept. 27.

Looks like I was smart to vacation while I could, huh?  I’m about to be knee deep in furry, little cuties that will take ALL my time.

And I just cannot wait!

A puppy from last year’s litter

This is Alfie, from Sugar’s litter last year.  He is 38lbs and lovable as can be.

He is the 4th dog this family has gotten from us over the years, and they all have seemed to remember me when I visit.  They know their Grammie loves them!

We have bred Sugar with Wally again, so hopefully she will again have pups that are in the 40-45lb range.  
We still don’t know if she is expecting for sure.  Honey was bred with a dog about the same size and we expect pups about that big with her.

And she seems to be pregnant! She is clingy, and wants to be with me a lot, not my husband, who she is typically glued to.  She knows who takes care of her babies with her.  She is also putting on weight and resting a lot.  Sugar is as full of boundless enthusiasm as ever, but it is still early for her.

I am debating getting an ultrasound, but those are only for my reassurance, not of any health benefit, so I’m still considering.

Please check back for more info as time goes by.  Honey’s due date would be September 15, it’s getting close!

 

Pup Pops

To celebrate the possibility of puppies arriving  (and because quarantining means lots of baking - and eating!) we made cake pops in pup shapes. 

Some look like Sugar.  Chocolate cake with chopped up KitKats inside, dipped in melted Geradelli  milk chocolate chips.

And some like Honey.  Hers are peanut butter  chips melted to dip them in. The cake is dark chocolate with Reese’s Cups chopped up in it.

We put some styrofoam with holes punched into it in a cute, golden retriever cup I’d found at the Goodwill a while ago.

Then we wrapped that cuppa-pups up to deliver to Anette at Free State Pedigrees as a thank you for keeping Sugar there for a few days for the with Wally.

 

 

Honey’s update and litter dates

Honey seems to be expecting.  It is soon to tell, but there are subtle hints.  She is 100% my husband’s dog, but when she is having pups, she knows that I am the one who takes care of her and her babies.  She starts following me around and laying at my feet, wanting attention from me instead of staring at Rich and waiting for their next, exciting adventure. 

This will be her last attempt at motherhood, he likes her by his side.  They are true besties and he doesn’t like to go anywhere without her.  It was almost too much for him when she had a sleepover at Anette’s for her date with Felix.

Free State Pedigrees has a great, organized set up and you can tell that Anette loves her dogs.  Honey was in good hands, but the moment we drove off and left her, Rich was asking when we could go back to get her.

She only has had one litter (she is Sugar’s mother).  And one false pregnancy, which kept us guessing til the due date.  
Rich was ready to have her spayed at that point, but we held off for one more attempt. But this will be her last, he cannot take the worries about his girl.

The expected litter (F1) will be ready for new homes probably the week of November 15.  And if Sugar has a batch of babies (F1b), they will be ready Thanksgiving week. 
Stay in touch for updates, and if you’d like a doodle to snuggle, we will take deposits after they are born.