Females
Itty 16.5 oz
Bitty 12.8 oz
Thimble 14.3 oz
Pebbles 13.7 oz
Males for reference: Buttons 16.2 oz, Snippet 14.2 oz.
Six pups total, whelped in about three hours.
Weight Gain Benchmarks (the early tiebreaker)
– Day 1: up to about 10 percent loss from birth weight is normal. More than that, flag it.
– Day 3: back to birth weight or better.
– Days 3 to 10: roughly 5 to 10 percent gain per day.
– Day 10: about double birth weight.
– Weeks 3 to 8: steady climb. Watch for small pups closing the gap (a good sign) and leaders holding on.
Photos
– Weeks 2, 3, 4 and beyond: straight-on and profile head shots of each female, same distance (1 to 2 feet) for all pups.
– Week 8: stacked side and front photos on a table. Same setup per pup so comparisons mean something.
– Weekly photo of the weight chart.
cedarrockgoldens.com | CedarRockGoldens@gmail.com | 623-258-5030
Cedar Rock Golden Retrievers
Breeding Prospect Scorecard | Litter: Nonnie x Tonka (Hoekema Homestead)
Week 1 Checkpoint
Vigor and weight are the only meaningful data. Structure is not readable yet.
Score each item 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 3 = acceptable, 5 = excellent), or note in ounces where marked.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble Pebbles Weight (oz), day 7
| Regained birth weight by day 3 (Y/N) | ||||
| Daily gain trend: steady / flat / falling | ||||
| Nursing vigor: strong latch, pushes to a nipple | ||||
| Activated sleep (twitching while asleep, healthy sign) | ||||
| Warm, round, quiet (crying pups are hungry or cold) |
Red flags at this age: persistent crying, falling behind littermates, limpness, chilling.
Week 2 Checkpoint
Eyes open around days 10 to 14. Still no structural reads. Trajectory is the story.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble Pebbles Weight (oz), day 14
| Doubled birth weight by day 10 (Y/N) | ||||
| Eyes opening on schedule (Y/N) | ||||
| Crawling with purpose, strong front limbs | ||||
| Reaction to handling: settles vs constant distress |
cedarrockgoldens.com | CedarRockGoldens@gmail.com | 623-258-5030
Cedar Rock Golden Retrievers
Breeding Prospect Scorecard | Litter: Nonnie x Tonka (Hoekema Homestead)
Week 3 Checkpoint
Eyes and ears open, walking starts, pigment begins filling. First personality glimmers.
Score each item 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 3 = acceptable, 5 = excellent), or note in ounces where marked.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble Pebbles Weight (oz), day 21
| Walking, first wobbly play (on track Y/N) | ||||
| Nose and eye rim pigment starting to darken | ||||
| Startle and recover: reacts to sound, then resets | ||||
| Interest in people when they enter the pen |
Temperament note: at 3 weeks you are watching for normal neurological development, not personality verdicts.
Week 4 Checkpoint
Heads start taking real shape. Request the standardized head photos this week.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble Pebbles Weight (oz), day 28
| Head: width across back skull emerging | ||||
| Head: muzzle broad and deep, not snipey | ||||
| Pigment fill: nose and eye rims (mostly dark Y/N) | ||||
| Curiosity: approaches new object in pen | ||||
| Recovery after startle (fast / slow / hides) | ||||
| Play style with littermates (bold / middle / soft) |
Track whether Thimble’s early blockiness holds now that the skull has actual structure,
and whether Itty keeps her size lead or the litter compresses.
cedarrockgoldens.com | CedarRockGoldens@gmail.com | 623-258-5030
Cedar Rock Golden Retrievers
Breeding Prospect Scorecard | Litter: Nonnie x Tonka (Hoekema Homestead)
Week 6 Checkpoint
Structure previews are honest now. Temperament is emerging for real. Socialization window is open. Score each item 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 3 = acceptable, 5 = excellent), or note in ounces where marked.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble Pebbles Weight (oz), day 42
| Eye set: wide apart, forward facing | ||||
| Stop: defined, neither slight nor abrupt | ||||
| Muzzle: approaching 1:1 with back skull | ||||
| Overall balance standing: square, off-square | ||||
| Front: legs parallel, some forechest showing | ||||
| Rear: hip and croup width vs littermates | ||||
| Coat: ear color preview (adult shade indicator) | ||||
| Pigment: nose and rims fully dark (Y/N) | ||||
| Comes when called or clapped for | ||||
| Follows a person walking away | ||||
| Retrieve instinct: chases and returns a toy | ||||
| Sound test: pan drop, reaction and recovery | ||||
| Handles restraint: brief hold on back, settles |
English cream note: very pale is fine for the program goal, but the standard faults extremely pale.
Ear color at this age is the best preview of adult coat.
cedarrockgoldens.com | CedarRockGoldens@gmail.com | 623-258-5030
Cedar Rock Golden Retrievers
Breeding Prospect Scorecard | Litter: Nonnie x Tonka (Hoekema Homestead)
Week 8: Full Stack Evaluation (Pick Day)
Evaluate at 8 weeks, within a few days. Stack each pup on a table, hands on, same order every pup. Score each item 1 to 5 (1 = poor, 3 = acceptable, 5 = excellent), or note in ounces where marked.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble Pebbles Weight (oz or lb), day 56
| Size vs litter: middle preferred, not largest | ||||
| Eye distance: set well apart, dark, kind expression | ||||
| Stop: well defined, not abrupt – dip located between the skull (forehead) and the muzzle (nose bridge) | ||||
| Muzzle length: near 1:1 with skull, straight, blends | ||||
| Muzzle depth and underjaw: blocky, not weak | ||||
| Bite: scissors, no overshot or undershot | ||||
| Head overall: feminine but strong, no fine bone | ||||
| Neck into shoulders: smooth, decent layback | ||||
| Forechest: visible prow, front fill | ||||
| Front legs: straight, parallel, good bone | ||||
| Spring of rib and chest width – roomy and round | ||||
| Body length: 12:11 ratio, slightly off-square | ||||
| Topline: level standing and moving | ||||
| Hip and croup width: broad, near front width | ||||
| Rear angulation: bend of stifle, low hocks | ||||
| Feet: tight, cat-like, not flat or splayed | ||||
| Pigment: nose and eye rims fully dark | ||||
| Movement: reach and drive at a trot, tracks true Reach means the front legs stretch forward well. Drive means the back legs push the body forward strongly. Tracks true means the rear paws step directly into the prints of the front paws in a straight line. | ||||
| Tail set and carriage: level, no gay tail – not carried too high, pointing upward or curving over the dog’s back instead of lying flat or horizontal in line with the spine |
cedarrockgoldens.com | CedarRockGoldens@gmail.com | 623-258-5030
Cedar Rock Golden Retrievers
Breeding Prospect Scorecard | Litter: Nonnie x Tonka (Hoekema Homestead)
Week 8: Temperament Test and Decision
Test each pup alone, in a new area, with an unfamiliar person if possible. Score before comparing notes. Score 1 to 5 where 3 is the ideal middle: social and willing without being pushy or fearful.
What to check Itty Bitty Thimble PebblSocial attraction: comes to tester readily
| Following: trails the tester walking away | ||||
| Restraint: rolled on back 30 sec, settles | ||||
| Forgiveness: friendly right after restraint | ||||
| Elevation: held under chest, accepts calmly | ||||
| Retrieve: chases crumpled paper, brings it back | ||||
| Touch sensitivity: toe pinch, mild response | ||||
| Sound: metal spoon on pan, orients and recovers | ||||
| Sight startle: towel jerked past, curious recovery | ||||
| Energy level overall (calm / moderate / busy) |
For a breeding and family program you want the resilient middle: recovers fast, forgives,
wants to be with people. Avoid both the pup that hides and the one that never settles.
Decision Summary
First choice:___________________________________________
Second choice: ________________________________________
Reasoning:____________________________________________
cedarrockgoldens.com | CedarRockGoldens@gmail.com | 623-258-5030
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