November 17

Rebekah sent these pictures of Riff enjoying her first snowfall.   Thanks!  We love seeing our puppies having fun.

November 7

Congratulations to Suzanne Woll!  Montana, Destiny's Showered With Kisses, took Winners Bitch at the Marion Kennel Club (Indiana) on November 1, under esteemed judge Mrs. Robert Forsyth.  Montana now has 4 points.

October 31

Time has flown -  I can hardly believe it's been almost six months since I last updated news for this year.  Holly's puppies left in late June and early July for their new homes.  They were 6 months old on October 19.  Perhaps it's fitting that the theme for registered names is "Time."

Deacon is now Winston, Destiny's Time At 10 Downing Street.  Winston belongs to Matt and lives with his Golden Retriever sister, Sally.  They live near Rochester, New York.  Winston is already working in the field and retrieving pheasants.

Gunnar is now Oliver, Destiny's GoodTime Three.  He lives with John and Karen near Cleveland.  He is a spoiled only dog and is soaking up all their attention.

Rayna is now Rosalind, Destiny's Time As You Like It.  She lives in Virginia with the Adams family and her Golden Retriver sister, Ophelia. 

And Juliette is now Riff, Destiny's Time To Try Defying Gravity.  Riff belongs to Rebekah and lives in Illinois, where she has Rebekah's parents wrapped around her little paw.

May 3

Holly's puppies are 2 weeks old today. They are all thriving.  The girls were quite scrawny at birth, with their ribs showing, but they made excellent progress in gaining weight.  I weighed them three times a day during the first week to make sure they were gaining. While they are a good deal smaller than their brothers, they are proportionally just as round and plump.  They hold their own with the boys when nursing.

Eyes are partially open.  They went from tightly sealed to tiny dark slits, and now they are little triangles.  They probably can't see anything yet, and I'm keeping the room dim as they become accustomed to the light.  Their ear canals are still sealed.  They aren't quite walking, but they're getting their bodies up off the floor as they lunge and stumble around.

Right now Holly is doing all the work of feeding and keeping the puppies clean, so our major chore is to sit in the whelping room and admire them.  We hold and cuddle them several times a day.  During the first week they fussed and squirmed each time we held them, but I would put their face up to my neck and into my hair, so that my scent would become familiar.  Now they settle in and nuzzle my neck.  There's nothing quite like the feeling of a warm puppy asleep on your chest!

April 17

Holly's x-ray on April 11 showed 5 puppies!  The ultrasound picked up only 3, so I'm very pleased.  I'm re-opening applications in anticipation of having one or two available.  Please get in touch via our contact form if you're interested.

This is Day 62 of Holly's pregnancy.  Canine pregnancy is typically 63 days post-ovulation.  She has become a good bit heavier in the last week.  We set up her whelping box on Monday, and she's been sleeping in the box and hanging out in the whelping room a good deal.  When she's confident that the other dogs can't get into "her" room, she stays close to my side.  I've been taking her temperature several times a day this week, in order to detect the brief drop in temperature that signals whelping will be in the next 12-24 hours.  She has become more finicky about her food and is eating canned 95% meat, along with some dry kibble to munch on when she feels like it.  I've stocked up on yogurt and cottage cheese in order to give her a calcium boost during and after whelping. 

March 22

Holly's due date for her litter with Brecon is April 18, 2014.  She had an ultrasound at my reproductive veterinarian's clinic in Suffield, MA (click here for Suffield Veterinary Hospital) on March 14.  It showed three fetuses.  Ultrasound is used to confirm pregnancy rather than to provide an exact count, but this will probably not be a large litter.  Holly had 5 puppies in her first litter, after the ultrasound showed 4.

We'll know more after an x-ray on April 11, a week before Holly is due to whelp.  The x-ray will give a more precise count, and that way I'll know when all the puppies have been delivered.

At this point we have more qualified homes than we expect to have puppies.  If anything changes, I'll be sure to provide an update.

February 22, 2014

CH Destiny's Hershey's Kisses RN has been bred to GCH CH Loreln's Brecon of Cymru.  Brecon has all his health clearances.  He is a proven sire and produces good substance, forechest, topline, movement and temperament.

Puppies are expected around the third weekend of April and would be ready for new homes during the last week of June.

We look for buyers who have plans for lots of training and activities with their dog.  We prefer that children be over the age of 6.  Preference is given to homes with conventionally fenced yards.

If you're interested in a puppy from this litter, read "Destiny Puppy Buyer's Information" and then get in touch via the contact form.

Litter Pedigree