Hi friends! Welcome back to another puppy update from Windy Knoll Goldens! Lucy and Henry’s 4 week old puppies are officially the cutest, wiggliest, wobbliest little Goldens ever! If you’ve been following along with Lucy and Henry’s litter, you already know how much has changed in a month. Just a couple weeks ago we were celebrating tiny eyes opening for the first time. Now? We’ve got ten real, tail-wagging, bark-squeaking puppies almost overnight, it seems like we blinked and almost missed it!
Last week was a big one -ears tuned in, and the babies started wobbling around on those new little legs. This week? Everything has cranked up a notch. They’re walking. Not gracefully, mind you. There’s still a lot of tipping over and faceplanting into siblings. But the army-crawl days are officially behind us, and some of the bolder ones are even attempting little hops. They’re playing with each other. This is one of our favorite milestones. The babies are starting to wrestle, pounce, and gnaw on each other’s ears — and it’s hilarious to watch. This kind of littermate play is huge for development. It teaches them bite inhibition, social cues, and how to read other dogs. Basically, puppy preschool. They’ve discovered their voices. Tiny barks. Tiny growls. Tiny play-snarls that sound about as threatening as a squeaky toy. We are obsessed. Their teeth are coming in. Lucy is very aware of this. She’s still nursing like the champion mama she is, but you can tell she’s starting to think about a vacation. They’re starting solid food. This week we’re introducing a soft puppy gruel — basically softened food, that is easy for them to digest. It’s the messiest, cutest event of the week!
Since week four is such a developmental sweet spot, here are some things we love sharing with our families:
A four-week-old puppy’s brain is doing serious work. According to the American Kennel Club, weeks 3 through 12 are considered the most critical socialization period of a dog’s entire life. What they experience now shapes who they become as adult dogs — which is exactly why we do so much gentle handling, exposure to new sounds, and one-on-one cuddle time at this stage. The ASPCA’s puppy socialization guide covers why this window matters so much. Their personalities are starting to peek through. We’ve already spotted an early adventurer, a couple of professional sleepers, and one little chunk who we’re pretty sure is going to be the comedian of the group. We won’t name names. Yet. Goldens are famously social, and it starts now. That sweet, people-loving Golden Retriever temperament isn’t just luck. It’s a combination of genetics (thank you Lucy and Henry!) and gentle, consistent exposure to humans from day one. Every single one of them gets handled every single day. They’ve roughly tripled their birth weight by now. Some of the bigger boys are pushing past that even. Goldens grow fast, which is part of the magic — and part of why we keep Lucy stocked with extra food, she is such an amazing momma!
We’ll keep the updates coming. If you want daily photos and videos, head over to our Facebook page where we post the good, the goofy, and the gloriously messy moments. And if Lucy’s little ones have you thinking it might be time to add a golden to your own family, our waitlist tends to fill up four to six months in advance — so don’t wait too long to reach out. Thanks for following along on Lucy and Henry’s journey with us. These ten little puppies are bringing so much joy to the farm right now, and we love that we get to share it with you!
