February Puppy Party!
This February, we’ve got our arms and hearts full here at High Desert Family Doodles!
Yose’s litter of standard Bernedoodles are catching their rhythm as they continue to grow and begin to move around. Meanwhile, first time momma Maple delivered her litter of mini Goldendoodles with ease and intention last week. We were also able to confirm Klaire’s pregnancy of mini Bernedoodle puppies. Plus, Belle came into heat this past week, and is breeding with Brownie! Finally, we’ve been doing health screenings on a number of our upcoming bernedoodle and goldendoodle parents. These past couple weeks have been packed, and we’re getting to see these current litters develop and grow.
Yose’s Bernedoodle puppies spend plenty of time sleeping, but they are also continually yawning!
Time for another nap, little puppy…
First, here’s an update on Yose’s classic country litter of standard bernedoodle puppies. In case you missed it, these puppies are all named after some of the most iconic people in country music. Our four females are Shania, Dollie, Reba, and Trisha. Our six boys are Toby (RIP), George, Garth, Alan, Johnny, and Tim. These litter chunky puppies are continuing to eat well as they’re pushing two pounds at two weeks old. We’re currently in the middle of our ENS/ESI puppy curriculum with these puppies. These exposure practices aid with development and early sensory exposure, which will help them develop in flourishing and confident adult puppies. We’re currently awaiting DNA test results on this litter to see which puppies are furnished, and which puppies have a flat coat. We should know the results by the end of the week!
Maple’s mini goldendoodle puppies are so sweet!
Maple’s such a good momma, and we love seeing a dog thrive when they become a mom.
As Yose’s bernedoodle puppies get chunkier and chunkier, Maple delivered seven beautiful parti-coated mini Goldendoodle puppies this week. This was Maple’s first litter, so we were curious about how it would go. However, Maple did an amazing job! She displayed poise and comfort in the birthing process that is similar to some of our more seasoned mommas. Maple is a natural! She delivered four girls and three boys, and all of them have apricot parti coats with wavy hair. The puppies have consistently gained weight over their first few days, which is a great sign. We are just starting ENS and ESI with this litter as Maple gets settled in to this new rhythm.
This little chunky puppy is from Klaire’s last mini Bernedoodle litter.
We recently confirmed her pregnancy, and are getting ready for the upcoming Xrays.
In the words of Klaire’s guardian, she’s really popped this week. Klaire is looking more and more pregnant, and the ultrasound definitely confirms it! While it’s tough to count these mini bernedoodle puppies on an ultrasound, it’s safe to say that Klaire has a fair-sized litter at this point in gestation. For the final weeks of Klaire’s pregnancy, the goal is to keep her well-fed and rested, and she’s growing this litter of mini bernedoodles. We will have Klaire x-rayed later at the beginning of March to get a good puppy count, and then she will settle in with us until her birth. Klaire’s due date is around March 10-11, but many of our mom’s tend to go into labor a little early.
Meanwhile, Belle is in heat. We had her progesterone tested throughout this week to get assess when she ovulated, and her ovulation date is what establishes her due date. Since all signs point to her ovulating this week, she has been bred with Brownie twice, which we believe should be sufficient. Belle will now head back to her guardian home this weekend, and enjoy the wonderful rest, great food, and a home full of love. In a few weeks, we will hopefully confirm her pregnancy with an ultrasound and await her litter’s arrival.
Our hopeful Golden Retriever momma River taking a nap her preferred way; goofy!
We have also been completing some DNA testing for our upcoming bernedoodle and goldendoodle mommas. This testing is important, because it helps us make prudent and informed decisions on our breeding pairings. The turnaround time on the test results are typically a week or two. However, it can be much quicker if the lab already has the goldendoodle or bernedoodle genetic samples on file. That can sounds awfully invasive, but the DNA is typically gathered through saliva swabs. We did some additional testing on some of our adolescent puppies, like Juno and Penny, and some of our new members like Juniper and River.
Our mini Goldendoodle stud Rudy is enjoying this snowy season here in Central Oregon!
February continues to bring novel adventures, while also invites us to pursue beauty and intention through familiar aspects as well. We’ve been able to see a number of puppies grow into new seasons and joys, while also caring for some of our adult goldendoodles and bernedoodles as they get close to the end of their breeding journeys with us. However, these puppy mommas as overflowing with joy, love, and never-ending tail wags. I’m amazed at how a dog can bring so much life and happiness to my world. I’m also going to keep basking in it as well.
Warmly,
Erin and Jay