April 2015 – Elkhorn Mountain Saints

Hi! We’re happy to announce the arrival of……11 puppies! Goldie gave birth yesterday to 8 males and 4 females, all now healthy and thriving. Unfortunately, the last puppy didn’t make it, but we are grateful for the 11 others that did. Goldie is doing well but is tired and worn out. I’m hoping that tomorrow she will have gained back some of her energy as well as her appetite, which has understandably diminished these last few days. Her labor lasted around seven hours, beginning at four in the afternoon and ending a little after one in the morning. It was a long night and long day full of laundry and feedings, so hopefully this will be a restful night for us all! We’re so happy that we have found perfect homes for these puppies, and I’m looking forward to helping Goldie raise them for the first eight weeks of their lives and to meeting their future owners. Thanks!! Tess

This was before they were all born:

We like to use a heating pad underneath a towel in the basket for the puppies. Especially good for calming down anyone crying or antsy!

Here’s the full brood nearly a day old.

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Hi! It looks as if the very end of Goldie’s pregnancy has arrived. Each day she becomes more and more distressed and anxious, with increased discomfort and varying temperatures. Hopefully before the week is out we will announce the birth of the litter. As I mentioned before, it looks as if this litter will be larger than her previous one, based on her bigger size alone—I’m thinking at least 10, if not 12 puppies, which is a perfectly normal-sized litter for St. Bernards. Thankfully, I have already found good homes for the puppies, so now we must simply play the waiting game! We’ve finished the whelping box, and Goldie has been spending her days sleeping and resting in front of a box fan.

This photo was taken at least a week ago, if not two:

Now, days later, you can clearly see how much larger she’s grown. Also, she has shed most of her fur on her tummy for easier nursing when the puppies arrive.