The Jack and Marie Litter - Week Five

Ongoing Saga of Northrock’s Beach Blanket Bingo Litter – Week Five

Friday August 28, 2020

Dear puppy pen diary,

As soon as the beach bums got the hang of the great outdoors that’s exactly where they have spent a good deal of their time this past week. By Tuesday, Day 32 they had been outside a few times a day enjoying the texture of the deck, graduating to the feel of the grass. Three to four times a day the pups are outside learning about wind in their faces and the feel of dirt beneath their toes, warm sunshine on their faces and the cool shade under the tree.

They met their Adventure Box on Tuesday afternoon. Uncertain at first it did not take them very long to figure out how fun it was to be grabbing the items hanging in their faces or that the clang of the metal wasn’t anything to be worried over.  

Mid-week a ramp was installed over the stairs for easy access to the yard for the pups. It has cleats that run horizontally to give them better grip. It has been very interesting to watch them on their journeys both up and down on that wooden ramp. They sure are getting stronger and much more coordinated as this week rolls along.

Eating 3-4 meals a day now, some of these are being served outside. Their most favourite meal is lunch whether courtesy of mom in their pool or whether being served inside their Adventure Box. After which these little porkers are guaranteed a long afternoon snooze.

Mom Marie is doing beautifully and back to her usual schedule in life. Walks with P!nkie up the hill and goes rock hunting in the creek, she is attentive to the pups when they need her, ever watching them from the deck when they are out on the grass.

P!nkie is having the time of her life and man what a great big sister she is. She loves to play bitey face with them and holds her enthusiasm at bay with magnificent restraint until her zoomies get the better of her. She gets excused from the puppy yard until finished and then is welcomed back into the puppy pen. Just a pupper herself she is the epitome of all that is Barbet. Honest, joyful, gentle and incredibly smart, she is such a fun girl.

Til next week!

Susan, Sweet Marie, P!nkie et al  

These puppies all have special homes waiting for them. If you would like to follow the litter's progress please join us on Facebook and like our Northrock Barbets page to see frequent updates and photos. 

The Jack and Marie Litter - Week Four

Ongoing Saga of Northrock’s Beach Blanket Bingo litter – Week four

Friday August 21, 2020

Dear puppy pen diary,

Such a busy and eventful week we just finished here in the puppy pen. The pups settled into their new digs immediately last Saturday and were right at home in no time at all. By Tuesday they were out of their whelping box and their space had been slightly increased.

Pee pads were exchanged for litter boxes staying in the exact location as their pee pads. Rib bones for 10 minutes a day were introduced on Monday to prepare them to start using their jaws in advance of the introduction of solid food later in the week. 

I must say, the bones went over very well! Pups had their first solid meal late day on Wednesday and as usual they were quite up for their newest challenge. I am very pleased to report those pups ate with gusto, nothing left in those bowls!

How delighted the pups were when they met some puppy people from 2 of their family homes this week. Their first and earlier visit had some charming, sleepy and mellow babies in the arms of their admirers. 

Very much awake for their second visit later in the week they again were their usual

charming selves, especially Mr. Von Zipper as he ripped around the puppy pen doing his best impression of being a “big boy.” Talk about zoomies!!

Their 4^th week ended with introductions to hard interactive toys the morning of their 28^th day, a switch from all their soft stuffies. 

And best of all their outside playground was finished and ready for their first adventure. What a fun time they had even if it was only a mere 15 minutes. They were pretty sleepy puppies after that excursion.

And so ends their 4th week and as they greet their 5^th week there are many more new adventures on their agenda.

Til next week,

Susan, Marie, Pinkie et al.

These puppies all have special homes waiting for them. If you would like to follow the litter's progress please join us on Facebook and like our Northrock Barbets page to see frequent updates and photos. 

The Jack x Marie Litter - Week Three

Ongoing Saga of Northrock’s Beach Blanket Bingo litter – Week three

Friday August 14, 2020

Dear puppy pen diary,

So many new things this past week. Everyone’s eyes are fully functioning and in fact I found Lorelei one day growling at the Mickey Mouse toy that sits on the bedpost of her whelping box.

When I started laughing it startled her and she toppled over. Well that just confirmed all hearing is also functioning, they can sure hear their mom and sister when they are using their outside voices, haha. The pack also graduated to their wearing their big dog collars early in the week.

It’s a daily observation that this bunch are growing by the minute, just look at the whelping box pictures! It is definitely getting smaller by the day. Made even small after I started lining the one side with pee pads. They have been very successful with using these pee pads and by instinct make their way across the space and hopefully get there in time. They are pretty good already, encouraging for the introduction of their litter boxes next.

While they mostly spend a great deal of their days eating and sleeping you can find them playing with each other in that clumsy puppy way. Large soft toys and cat beds have been added to the whelping box to get them more coordinated and for stimulating their senses as they go over and under them.

The finale for this week was their move from the whelping room into the kitchen space so they can continue on their journey where there is a lot more action and noise. They have handled the move extremely well and are completely at ease in their new environment. A much larger space with lots of light and sunshine and of course fresh air. Although still in their whelping box for now, at the rate they are progressing they will be out of that in just a few more days ready to get exploring.

Who knows but maybe they will be outside for some recess play by the end of their 4^th week? Time to get their playground all set up and ready to go.

Mom Marie is doing well, catering to her litters every whim and P!nkie is still enthralled with her siblings yet keeping a respectful distance….for now!

Til next week,

Susan, Sweet Marie, P!nkie et al

These puppies all have special homes waiting for them. If you would like to follow the litter's progress please join us on Facebook and like our Northrock Barbets page to see frequent updates and photos. 

The Jack x Marie Litter - Week Two

Ongoing Saga of Northrock’s Beach Blanket Bingo litter – Week two

Friday August 7, 2020

Dear puppy pen diary,

Still neonates with specific needs, this crew has been fascinating to watch as they develop and you can start to see their own little personalities emerging. From Day 3 through to 16 we have been doing some Early Neurological Stimulation. Basically we introduce them to such stressors as having their feet tickled and being held in different positions. This crew does not like their sleep interrupted to have these exercises done and have made it very loud and clear to me in no uncertain terms just what their impressions are.

However, at the end of the above stimulating exercises is the Early Scent Introduction where I hold in front of their tiny little noses a new scent every day. This calms them almost immediately and cranky pants puppies become very keen and very much awake puppies. They have liked all the scents, were instantly drawn to the blue jay feather and then the coffee grinds. But, the best introduction to scent was meeting their sister P!nkie over the side of their pen.

Marie has let P!nkie into the whelping room all this week but never allowed her to get too close to the pups until just this Friday when she permitted these siblings to meet each other for the first time, even if for just a couple moments. P!nkie was delighted as were the pups at her fresh smell. I am sure many good times are ahead for this bunch.

The beginning through to mid-week eyes were opening and the room had the shade pulled down so as not to damage those wee puppy eyes. By the end of the week we had 14 little eyes gazing into the distance, everything is still out of focus of course but, this will improve over time. Those little ears are well on their way to hearing so maybe in just a few more short days they will begin to hear own barking….yup, they bark already.

Marie is doing well, eating like a horse and is slowly getting her fitness back. We have started to take her on “leashed” walks around the pond once a day. While on these walks P!nkie careens through the forest and crashes through the creek and Marie gazes wistfully at the fun she is having. Poor Marie would love nothing better than to take part in this adventure if it weren’t for that darned “leash.”

Week 3 starts with introducing puppy pee pads in the whelp box to encourage them to start keeping their house a little cleaner but it also is the first step to the use of puppy litter boxes which will be introduced in their fourth week.  This will be their last week up in the puppy whelp room as they will be in need of much more stimulation….much more!

And it just gets more fun every week! Oh and by the way, Lorelei is the first pup to graduate to her “big girl” collar from her puppy collar on her 14^th day.

Catch you next week from the puppy pen. Over and out.

Susan, Sweet Marie and now P!nkie et al

These puppies all have special homes waiting for them. If you would like to follow the litter's progress please join us on Facebook and like our Northrock Barbets page to see frequent updates and photos.