The Beau x Rizzo Puppies: 6 Weeks Old

"Tongue out Tuesday"

Every week it seems is a wonderful week with the puppies.  This is an especially fun age where they are active and engaging and enormously entertaining.

They have been exposed to different sounds that we play on a speaker for them but they have also been hearing outdoor noises coming through the windows and when they are spending time in their outdoor pen.  The weather has been quite nice so now they hear sounds of lawnmowers and other power tools, roofers and motorcycles...

Summer playing with the puppies.

The puppies also spent time with the other dogs in the house and that was very sweet to watch as they were quite gentle and patient with the little ones.

The pups are given new objects to investigate such as the musical mat which makes sounds when they step on the keyboard.

Another learning experience for the puppies! Here they are playing with the adventure box.  They become accustomed to objects bumping into them while they play and some of the objects are quite noisy so it helps them to associate these sounds with having fun.

I hope that following the development of this litter will bring you all much happiness. I invite you to like our Northrock Barbets Facebook Page where photos and videos will be posted on a regular basis for you to enJOY.

The Beau x Rizzo Puppies: 5 Weeks Old

 Oh we have had a fun time with these puppies during the past week. They are truly becoming little dogs now and their yips and growls and assorted vocalizations are very amusing.  They have the most beautiful little faces and I admit to being completely in love with each and every one of them!

Rizzo is a tender and loving mama to her pups. We couldn't be more pleased.

Although their indoor pen is still fairly small there are interesting objects for them to engage with and they enjoy time exploring outside of the pen as well.   

We've also started going outside with the puppies and with the warmer spring weather it's been so nice to have them experience the feel of the sunshine on their fur, the sounds and smells of the outdoors and the grass beneath their feet.

Watching these puppies play has been a great source of joy for us.  We hope you are enjoying them too.

 I hope that following the development of this litter will bring you all much happiness. I invite you to like our Northrock Barbets Facebook Page where photos and videos will be posted on a regular basis for you to enJOY.

The Beau x Rizzo Puppies: 4 Weeks Old

Well the pups are now four weeks old and the last week has been a week of big changes for them.  They now have a new space that's located on the main floor of our home in a busy area of the home next to the kitchen and living rooms.  They can hear all the sounds of family life, smell food cooking and it won't be long before they are venturing outside into the yard.

The puppies are now out of the whelping box and into a wire pen that they can see out of.  They have a sleeping area and a well defined potty area which they are using quite successfully.  

We continue to rotate different soft and safe toys for them to explore and are playing the radio as well as desensitization sounds on a regular basis.

Rizzo is doing an excellent job nursing her puppies and we have not introduced solid food to them yet.  That will come next week.  They are in great weight and their coats are healthy and shiny. 

Their coordination is improving although they are still very much toddlers. More and more they are interacting with one another, their mother and with their environment but next week is when we will really see their play and engagement take off.  Stay tuned!

I hope that following the development of this litter will bring you all much happiness. I invite you to like our Northrock Barbets Facebook Page where photos and videos will be posted on a regular basis for you to enJOY.

Pure Dog Talk Podcast #383: Barbet: French Water Dog, Not A Doodle

Photo credit: Anne Plomp, Nuphars Barbet

I'm so excited to share this wonderful podcast about the Barbet. I hope you'll enjoy listening to Laura Reeves interview Judy McMaster Descutner of Hickory Tavern Farm Whippets and Barbet as much as I did. I have appreciated the Pure Dog Talk podcasts for so long and I'm thrilled to have the Barbet featured during their Rare Breeds month. This is an informative and engaging look at this terrific breed. 

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE PODCAST!

The Beau x Rizzo Puppies: 3 Weeks Old

The puppies have now finished up the Transitional Period which runs from day 14 to day 21.  During this week their ears opened and combined with the fact that their eyes recently opened they really do seem like little dogs now. 

Once their eyes opened I began to hang things above the whelping box for them to observe.  I also continued to rotate soft toys in the box for them to explore.

Here Merry is checking out a novel object in the box.  A large plastic tube that she was able to tunnel through.  She seemed to enjoy the experience for after going through it once she turned around and went back through the way she had come!

We finished up the Early Neurological Stimulation and Early Scent Introduction exercises on day 16 but continue to handle the puppies multiple times a day and everyone in the family is enjoying having puppy cuddle sessions.



We started potty training the litter this week by introducing pee pads to the whelping box.  The puppies have an innate desire to be clean and will move away from their sleeping area to eliminate away from their "bed".  Putting down pee pads helps to define a clear area for elimination and contributes to cleanliness habits and a maintaining a clean whelping box and later puppy pen.

The puppies are better at moving around and are beginning to interact with their mother and with each other.  Rizzo's gentle play with her offspring is wonderful to watch. 

I hope that following the development of this litter will bring you all much happiness. I invite you to like our Northrock Barbets Facebook Page where photos and videos will be posted on a regular basis for you to enJOY.

The Beau x Rizzo Puppies: 2 Weeks Old

The puppies are two weeks old now and have entered the Transitional Period of development.  They are beginning to get their legs up under them now and although wobbly, they are definitely more mobile.  Their eyes have all opened and they have limited, blurry vision which will improve as the days and weeks unfold.  


Soft toys, pillows and different footing are rotated in their whelping box as we feel that this offers an enriched environment for the puppies, albeit on a small scale.

When the pups need to pee they are now beginning to move away from where they were sleeping. I've now added pee pads as a defined potty area which is a small, first step towards potty training.

This litter is such a joy and we are all benefiting from being able to sit in the whelping box and experience lots of "puppy therapy" by way of cuddles and gentle handling.  Rizzo is an excellent mother to her puppies.  Keeping her little ones very well fed and clean.

I hope that following the development of this litter will bring you all much happiness. I invite you to like our Northrock Barbets Facebook Page where photos and videos will be posted on a regular basis for you to enJOY.