New Beginnings, Tender Farewells, and Somehow Oatmeal Cream Pies

January 7, 2026

Some seasons arrive quietly carrying hope and heartbreak in equal measure.

After a tranquil holiday season filled with quiet moments and the gentle hum of anticipation, we returned to work and school knowing something extraordinary was on the horizon—two litters of puppies, nearly ready to arrive. May, our steadfast Bernese Mountain mama, and Wren, our petite Goldendoodle, both moved more slowly as their due dates approached, conserving energy for the work ahead. With their due dates so close together, we prepared for the possibility of overlapping labors. Whelping carts were stocked, towels folded, sheets cleaned, formula ready, and calcium tubes within reach. We even managed a few good nights of sleep, knowing rest would soon become a luxury. Temperatures were taken twice daily, carefully logged, and watched for that telltale two-degree drop that signals labor is just hours away.

Anticipation has its own rhythm—measured in temperatures taken twice a day and hearts holding their breath.

Before leaving for school on Monday morning, May’s temperature read 98.2. I smiled and told my son and husband, “Today could be May’s day.” Wren’s temperature was still hovering around 99.8—she would likely wait another day. At school, I leaned fully into productivity, preparing lessons and welcoming students with focus and intention. Once puppies arrive, everything else pauses. Caring for mothers and their newborns becomes the center of the universe.

At noon, my son Jordan called. “May’s water broke.” I left school immediately. When I arrived home, May was in active labor and pushing hard. After an hour without progress, concern crept in. The vet advised waiting another hour, but as May strained to exhaustion, laboring in my arms and meeting my gaze with pleading eyes, my heart sank. I knew she needed help. We called the clinic and rushed her in.

Even the most careful preparation sometimes leads us somewhere unexpected.

Gentle, trusting, and brave – even when everything felt uncertain.

Preparing for the work ahead, hoping for the best

At the vet’s office, the staff were taken by May’s gentleness and grace. Despite the discomfort and uncertainty, she offered grateful kisses, as if she understood that everyone there was working on her behalf. A C-section was necessary, and soon seven beautiful puppies were safely delivered. We celebrated right there in the waiting room, relief and joy washing over us.

Caregiving often comes with wisdom… and occasionally with cookies.

When I asked about continuing calcium supplementation, the vet and staff surprised us with an unexpected recommendation: Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies. For reasons still somewhat mysterious, they can help boost calcium levels in nursing dogs. We’ve used oral supplements, cottage cheese, even ice cream—but Oatmeal Cream Pies? Why not. After May was alert and steady, we loaded her and her precious basket of puppies into the car and headed home, stopping along the way to pick up a box of those now-famous cookies. It was a joyful ride, full of gratitude and relief.

Great highs and terrible lows often arrive hand in hand.

Later, as I recounted the day to a colleague, she reflected, “You experience such great highs and such terrible lows with breeding dogs.” As if to underscore her words, we later lost one of May’s puppies—one who struggled from the very beginning. The sorrow was sharp and humbling. Heartbroken, we turned our focus back to May and the six thriving puppies she now tends with devotion, choosing gratitude even in grief.

Some of the most beautiful moments arrive while the rest of the world sleeps.

By Tuesday morning, Wren’s temperature had dropped to 98.2. With cameras positioned and round-the-clock care arranged, I returned to school once more, fueled by that same determined productivity. If I needed to leave, I was ready. When I arrived home that afternoon, Wren didn’t greet me. She stayed in her whelping pen, nesting quietly. My husband shared that she’d spent much of the day digging and settling in. I curled up beside her, alternating between cuddling, brushing her soft coat, and working on my computer. That night, I slept beside the pen and woke just after midnight to the sound of a puppy’s first cry.

In the hours that followed, Wren delivered ten perfect little cream and reddish-brown nuggets—quickly, calmly, and with remarkable ease. It was one of the smoothest labors I’ve ever witnessed. The puppies, in shades of cream, apricot, and red, reminded me of milk and honey. And as I opened an Oatmeal Cream Pie to offer Wren, it struck me—the litter looked just like a box of those cookies. Wren happily devoured most of it (I may have stolen a bite or two) and promptly asked for more.

Effortless, Instinctive, and full of grace.

Names help us love deeply, even when time is short.

May’s litter will carry a New Year’s theme, their names chosen to begin the bonding process that makes the next two months so meaningful. The girls are Dawn, Promise, and Eve. The boys are Nova, Chance, and Alba—Latin for “new.” Wren’s guardian family is still choosing a theme, with a Percy Jackson-inspired option on the table. I love that idea and can’t wait to see what they decide.

New beginnings and grand finales—both sacred, both hard.

Though we’ve been here for some time, Doodle Patch Farm is experiencing both New Beginnings and Grand Finales. May and Wren are new mamas, and two more dogs will soon join our program. At the same time, several beloved dogs will be retiring and placed with carefully chosen families. While this is a joyful transition for them, it carries a quiet ache for us—a reminder of the bittersweet nature of ethical breeding.

The new year doesn’t promise ease—but it does offer hope, resilience, and the courage to begin again.

The new year arrives with hope. We hope for health and contentment for our animals and for the families who will love the puppies we cherish for only a short while. We hope for resilience as we navigate life’s great highs and its inevitable lows. And we hope to greet each new beginning—and each gentle farewell—with gratitude, grace, and maybe an Oatmeal Cream Pie or two

Six thriving lives – each one a quiet miracle.

Doodle Patch Farm is an ethical dog breeder located in Southwest Ohio, specializing in AKC Cream Golden Retrievers, Goldendoodles, Aussiedoodles, and Bernedoodles. We are conveniently located near Germantown, Ohio—just minutes from Dayton and within easy driving distance of Cincinnati, Columbus, and Indianapolis. Our puppies are thoughtfully raised with a focus on health, temperament, and lifelong family placement, and are now thriving in homes across Ohio, Kentucky, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida, Arkansas, and beyond. To learn more about our breeding philosophy, explore our website. To see current and upcoming litters, and available pick lists, visit DoodlePatchFarm.com and scroll down our home page. Details and pricing can be found on our Bring One Home page, and we invite you to read real experiences from our puppy families on our Reviews page.