Black Friday for Any Puppy

Naia and her puppies are settling in and doing well. The puppies are fattening up wonderfully, everyone is eating and pooping appropriately, and Naia is being a great mom while also getting some rest.

Meanwhile, the rest of us are gearing up for Thanksgiving and Good Friday. We are thankful for all of you who have raised your own Red River Retriever and are coming back for more, or who are eager to start your furry parenting journey. We always feel so good about sending “our babies” to their forever homes.

If you are wanting to do a little Black Friday shopping in preparation for your new addition, I thought I could offer a few good suggestions.

This is just an example, but look for any “Maze Bowl” for large dogs. Puppies can use the big bowl and grow into it. Labs are notorious for eating voraciously (and getting overweight easily). This type of bowl is something we recently discovered, and it really helps them slow down.

Look for a Rope Bone. Any kind will do. Or several. They are durable, throwable, and basically Lab-proof. And puppies chew A LOT.

This kind of stainless steel or aluminum food/water dish is tip-proof, washable and chew-proof.

Well, a training collar (pinch collar) may not look that friendly, but it is the gentlest, most effective way to teach your pup to walk on a leash. Only use them to walk, and remove afterwards.

Leash: short, soft nylon (not the extendable type).

Dog bed: start with something washable.

Dog Crate/kennel. Either something like this wire kennel or else the hard plastic type. Either start with a small one and plan to trade for a large one later, or get the type that comes with a divider so it can expand.

Puppies need a crate big enough to stand up, stretch out, and turn around, but not so big that they could use one end as a restroom and the other end as their bed.

Plush toys and squeaky toys are fun and encouraged, but need to be used under some supervision, because the can be chewed up and consumed. We don’t recommend raw hide bones until your dog is older.

A Kong is a good ball choice. They claim to be indestructible, but for a Lab that isn’t quite a guarantee. They are still better than the competition, however.

Meanwhile, the babies will be dreaming of all their future presents…

Early Puppies!

Naia is in labor! This first-time mama started labor yesterday, a little earlier than we expected. Then she relaxed and went to bed like usual, only to wake up at 3 am in full-swing active labor.

Early labor is noted by absent appetite, anxiety, panting, and nesting behaviors. Active labor involves more intense panting, anxiety behaviors like pacing, frequent restroom breaks, and trembling. First time moms are always so nervous. They don’t understand what is happening yet. Just like us human moms.

Naia had her first puppy around 5:30am. And within 7 minutes 2 more pups arrived! It was pandemonium there for a few minutes with them arriving on eachother’s “heels” (tails?) like that. She didn’t love the birthing pool at first and only condeded to use it when we put the first three puppies in it and her girl climbed in too.

We were surprised when the second puppy was chocolate! We were not even expecting the level of possibility to cross our fingers and hope. Even 19 years in, there is always something unexpected.

Naia has settled well into mothering and the puppies keep arriving. We will post again when we know the final count. (Btw, the first chocolate is reserved, so the likelihood of available chocolate puppies is still low.)

They are healthy and medium-sized so far, and we are naming them after Harry Potter characters for now. Don’t worry there are no Voldemorts or Dobbys.