Just 365 days ago tomorrow, January 6, 2024, Holly’s litter of 12 puppies were born. I remember it vividly as Irene and I were already expecting the arrival of Holly’s puppies however we had miscalculated her date of conception. This made the birth date ‘earlier’ than we expected.

Early Saturday morning and I was at work in the office and on our home computer. Enzo suddenly got up from his sleeping spot at my feet and went into the hallway just staring down the hallway off to the right. He looked very attentive. Thinking he had simply ‘heard something’ I quietly called over to him to come back and lay down. Since it was earlier than Irene’s wake-up time and I knew Holly was resting asleep in the bedroom I didn’t want Enzo to wake anyone up with his loud, bellowing woof.

Enzo, who is very obedient, was not listening to me and I could see him slowly making his way down the hallway, head-up, toward our bedroom. I continued intermittently calling his name and he continued to ignore my calls. As this type of self-satisfying behavior was unusual I got up from my seat and took a peek outside the office door. I could see the only the back end of Enzo as he had turned the corner into our bedroom and just stood there. I kept calling his name, only now with greater force. “Enzo, get over here.” He did not come.

Slowly, I walked down the hallway and into the bedroom and looked toward the same direction as Enzo, to the right. There was Holly, standing up on the dog bed and stepping in circles in and around a puddled mess that suddenly sprang beneath her. She was clearly upset. I then heard tiny squeaking sounds that came from behind Holly and under the nightstand at my side of the bed. Oh no, there’s a newborn puppy under there!

Not knowing what to do next, I hurriedly shook Irene to awaken her with “Irene, Irene, wake up.” Being suddenly woken from sleep she was not too happy, opened her eyes and annoyingly said “What?” My reply, “Holly just had a baby!” Her reply as she sprung out of bed was, “Oh sh*t!” Irene ran into the whelping room and called for Holly as I scooped up the puppy. Scurrying into the room, I handed the puppy over to Irene who knew from research, exactly what to do.

By this time Irene had already put Holly in her large pen, equipped for puppy delivery. Irene rubbed and rubbed the puppy and cleaned the puppy from its placenta goo, then put her on Holly’s tummy so that she could start to nurse. From that point on Holly continued to birth her puppies, one about every 20-30 minutes.

It was a very long day that led into the late night as Holly gave birth to seven surviving golden retriever puppies. Unfortunately, three of the puppies were stillborn in non-consecutive order and we had to take Holly to the Emergency Pet Hospital for what turned out to be the delivery of two more still-born puppies hours later.

A litter of twelve is rather large for a Golden Retriever, Holly, Irene, and Rosemary did a great job with the delivery of seven surviving and thriving puppies.

Over the course of ‘puppydom’, Irene tirelessly worked with Holly to make sure the puppies were well cared for with all of them adequately nursing and growing day-by-day. It was a ton of work for Holly, Irene, and Rosemary but with all those sweet little puppies around it was an effort worthwhile.

Five of the seven puppies were found great homes outside our own. Irene named two of the seven puppies and we decided to keep them both, Winston and Rosie. Irene left me a beautiful blessing with those puppies, and they always remind me of her. Such a gift, thank you Irene.

Today, Rey, Winnie-Poo, Dixie, Kylie, and Mia all live in wonderful loving homes, and with friends we know well.