Goldador Guide Dogs Litter Puppy Service Dogs

Rocco/Libby Litter 1: Week 5 Summary for 2026/08/11

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All weights are in pounds.

Puppy (Collar)Week 4 (2026/08/04)Week 5 (2026/08/11)% Change
1 – Ms. Ruby (Red)4.326.0740.45%
2 – Mr. Emerald (Green)4.055.4634.65%
3 – Mr. Sapphire (Blue)3.655.3145.44%
4 – Mr. Onyx (Black)3.645.0438.46%
5 – Ms. Pearl (White)3.294.7644.79%
6 – Mr. Amethyst (Purple)4.616.4940.72%
7 – Mr. Gold (Yellow)4.005.5137.74%
8 – Ms. Topaz (Pink)2.873.9738.34%
Average (This Litter)3.815.3340.08%

Weight Summary:

Mister Sapphire takes the week at 45%. His female counterpart is Miss Ruby at essentially the same 45%, just slightly less than he was. Mister Amethyst continues to lead the overall. Last week, it looked like he was going to pull away from the rest of the litter. The overall female leader is still Miss Ruby and she is putting up a fight in second place in the overall and will not let Amethyst pull away. She is staying in striking distance for the overall lead.

It was a very good week for the pups. They were all, including Miss Topaz (“Little Bit”), able to make considerable gains after going through all the adjustments of moving over to more real food from the prior couple of weeks. Food transitions in week three and four tend to slow puppy weight gains.

The highlight was that Little Bit was more in the middle of the pack for the week and is looking real good.

Mama is still making visits every few hours with the pups and is doing incredibly well. She is beautiful.

Puppy Development:

The puppies have been separated into smaller groups and are getting crate exposure, as was demonstrated in some video clips we posted yesterday. They have yet to be isolated in a crate on their own however. They are not sensitive to noises or things that go bump in the night.

They have been adapting well to different textured sensations, sights, noises, smells, and heat and cold. This group tends to run a bit warm in my opinion. They prefer the room be kept cooler than most other litters. It was only two or three days after birth before they needed warming turned off, as they were very quick on developing the ability to regulate their own body temperature.

Of considerable note is that this litter is very olfactory driven. They know everything going on in the room by their noses.

They have had exposure to meat for the first time and they liked it. They have had beef and beef liver.

Upcoming:

For week 6, some time spent desensitizing to isolation in a crate, a few initial short car rides, and a photo shoot (not sure where yet), are all in the plans.

Have a good week and God bless.

Goldador Guide Dogs Puppy Service Dogs Training

Rocco/Libby Litter 1: First Crate Exposure – Video Clips from 2026/08/07

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Crate Training Starts Early

Introducing puppies to crates before they leave for their new homes is an essential part of our litter separation process.

In the video clips below, you’ll see two groups of four puppies encountering crates for the first time. With the door removed, the pups are free to explore at their own pace. A small amount of cheese was used to encourage curiosity—and none of the puppies showed any hesitation.

Why Crate Training Matters

Whelping facilities and new owners alike should work to make the crate a “happy place” for the dog, even if the primary goal is simply to facilitate future safe confinement when necessary (such as during travel). When a puppy arrives at its new home, the crate should be used frequently throughout the day as part of the adjustment period. This gives the pup a safe retreat amid a new environment filled with unfamiliar people, sounds, smells, and possibly other animals, with which the crate can be used to control the new interactions.

Building Positive Associations

As the dog matures, we recommend establishing a consistent habit: always feed meals in the crate. Occasionally offer treats and rewards that are exclusively given inside the crate. When paired with a cue like “kennel up” or “crate,” puppies will willingly enter on command—with no resistance—because the crate becomes associated with positive experiences alone.

Important: The crate should always remain a safe haven, never a place of punishment or timeout. It should be integrated regularly into the dog’s life.

Crate training also serves as the primary tool for housebreaking—a topic for another time.

We hope you enjoyed the video clips!

Philosophy

Arthur Schopenhauer and His Dogs

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Arthur’s quotes on dogs:

  • “Anyone who has never owned a dog can’t know what loving and being loved mean.”
  • “To anyone who needs lively entertainment for the purpose of banishing the dreariness of solitude, I recommend a dog, in whose moral and intellectual qualities he will almost always experience delight and satisfaction.”

The famous German philosopher was fond of Poodles.