Finally - Gaylan's Max Litter

Of course many of you may be thinking that "Finally" refers to Peach delivering her pups.  Alas, I am referring to the Max Litter blog getting started!    

Gayle, Lise and I have jokingly said over the years of breeding together that the first rule of breeding is if you plan a big event months in advance your bitch will be sure to add a little stress by either coming into season or going into labor.   Corey did it for the Wind litter and Peach did not change that rule!  As some of you may or may not know, Gayle, Lise and I (Marcy) launched a new business, Avidog International LLC (www.avidog.com), at an event in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada this weekend.   So we were getting ready for the launch and for the arrival of Gaylan’s Max litter at the same time.  Now that things have settled down a bit, I finally have time to write the blog.

So here's the story:

"Jack

Last June Gayle and I discussed breeding Peach with Al and Irene Lamphere (Peach’s owners) and decided that we would breed her on her next season, which was supposed to be around Thanksgiving.  The search began for Mr. Right and we decided on Karen Hollender’s wonderful boy Jack - Marathon’s Being Just Jack MH MX MXJ WCX VCX ADHF CCA.  Thanksgiving came and went and she still had not come into season.   Was Peach going to time this so Ottawa would be a problem?   She came in a week or so before Christmas and we did the breeding during what is traditionally known as the Christmas break.   Peach and I spent a few days with Peter and Karen Hollander during that time and I have to say that Christmas in New England truly is beautiful!!  They were wonderful hosts and I left with new friends and fingers crossed.

Peach

Now the waiting begins - first for the ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy at the end of January and then for the delivery at the end of February.  Peach spent the time between the breeding and the whelping with Al and Irene.   Two weeks before her due date Lise and I met Irene in Pennsylvania to pick up Peach.

  

We expected Peach to deliver sometime last Wednesday or Thursday.  Her temp dropped early Wednesday morning, so Gayle, Lise and I all settled in at Lise's house for the delivery.  We spent lots of time preparing for the weekend in Ottawa while we kept on eye on Peach, who clearly was in pre-labor.   On Thursday night we called our good friend Cindy Groveman to let her know we were going to take her up on her offer to help with the whelping, since it looked like Gayle and Lise might have to catch a plane either before she started, but certainly before she was done.

At 4:30 Friday morning Peach’s water broke.   By 6:30 the first pup had arrived.  A few hours later Cindy arrived to help me as Gayle and Lise left for the airport.   Peach delivered her 8 pups in 7 hours.  Nature is an amazing thing - despite the fact that Peach has never had a litter before, took no classes, read no books, when that first pup came out, she was not sure what to do at first, but figured it out quickly.  By the time puppy number two arrived she had the hang of it! 

Gaylan's Max Litter

So please join me in welcoming The Max Litter:



Mr. Blue, born at 6:30 am - 12.1  ounces.


Mr. Black, born at 6:47 am - 13.1 ounces.


Miss Red, born at 7:42 am - 13.0 ounces.


Miss Yellow, born at 8:03 am - 8.7 ounces.


Miss Purple, born at 8:34 am - 11.75 ounces.


Miss Green, born at 9:43 am - 13.1/2 ounces.


Miss Rust, born at 10:46 am - 13.1 ounces.


Miss Raspberry, born at 1:19 pm - 13.1/8 ounces.



Al and Irene arrived Friday night and Peach was very excited to see them and introduce them to her babies!  


Saturday morning we took the litter in to see the veterinarian for a checkup.  We knew that little Miss Yellow was small, and she had lost rather than gained weight and we were not sure why.  Sadly Dr. Cummins found that she had a severe cleft palette, so we loved her up, let her spend some time with her mom and let her go.   Although it is hard to lose a puppy, we focus on our blessings  - seven wonderful puppies and a mother totally focused on caring for them. 

I will be uploading photos and video and will be posting as often as I can.   For those who are on Facebook, be sure to “Like” Gaylan’s Golden Retrievers so you can follow their progress there, too.