Meet an Adorable CCI Litter
Patty Daniel, a Breeder Caretaker, let us in on her a litter of ten Canine Companions for Independence Golden Retriever puppies. The father of the pups is a CCI breeder named Gibson and the mom is Piniella. This image above of the pups, who were approaching 8 weeks of age at the time (August 2004), was created from a photograph taken by Chris Kittredge of Auburn, California's Tudorgraphics. As I couldn't fit the huge photo of ten puppers in a row, I did some creative graphics to create a wonderful double your pleasure, double your fun image!

Patty has provided a little history about this very special role:

"My husband, Dennis, and I are volunteer breeder/caretakers for Piniella, a Golden Retriever. CCI has contracted with us, allowing one of their breeders to live with us full time. When she goes in season, we take her to CCI, where she is bred to the sire of their choice. She comes home at the end of the season and whelps her puppies in our home, then we have them for about 8 weeks before taking the pups back to CCI to be distributed to volunteer puppy raisers around the country. The breeding program is centered around Santa Rosa, CA where the National office of CCI is located. They have a vet on staff who is associated with the breeding program and a vet for the dogs kenneled there in advanced training, etc.

So far, Piniella has whelped three litters. The first was a litter of 9 Goldens, the second, a litter of 11 50/50 Lab/Golden crosses, and now, the third, a litter of 10 Goldens. The father is Gibson, also a CCI bred and raised dog.

CCI helps their breeder/caretakers by having frequent seminars and supplying much of what we need during the 17 week process of gestation and puppy rearing. It is a true joy to be able to have a great mom-dog in our home and to whelp these litters, knowing that they are all going to wonderful homes where they will be trained with high hopes for a life of serving a person with a disability.

Our volunteer breeder/caretaker job is really a family affair. We have two teenage sons, Jon and Chris, who are very helpful in many ways. We are also puppy raisers and the puppy with the red scarf, Natoma, has come back home to live with us and be a CCI puppy in training.

The puppies are, in birth order, red (Natoma), blue (Nyak), purple (Nassau), neon green (Naya), neon pink (Nichols), brown (Niles), light pink (Nimbus), turquoise (Nordo), orange (Norlene), and dark green (Newton)."

Here are some more enjoyable family photos to enjoy of the puppies with mom and also both parents.

"Boy, are we ever hungry Mom!"

"Hey, guys, that really tickles!"

"We're a pretty handsome family, don't you think?"

"Hey, this dude looks a little different somehow!"