New WC title for Kelly!

 

Delighted to share that our keeper puppy from the Dougy x Coco litter, Kelly earned her WC today at the Flat-Coated Retriever Society of Canada’s Working Certificate test in Merrickville, Ontario.  Kelly was the only Barbet entered at the test and there was plenty of curiosity about the woolly black dog running!  She did great on both the land and water marks.  I am so appreciative of the wonderful job my friend Donna LaHaise did training her and handling her today at the test.  Kelly turned a year old on August the 4th and is now Northrock’s Anchors Aweigh WC !!!!!  What a fantastic way to celebrate her birthday month.

Bowled Over by the Barbet



 ♥ Sophie ♥
UCD CH Neigenuveaux Fleur d'Northock WC CGN

I am often asked why we chose the Barbet as the breed of choice for our family.  It truly was a love at first sight deal for me.  Their dishevelled curly coats give the appearance of being anything but glamorous but their sweet nature is bright and sunny.  The breed has completely bowled us over.  I admit I am head over heels in love with these dogs.  The Barbet epitomizes everything that I am looking for in a canine companion.  Now that I have come to know and love them I cannot imagine ever living without one.


Camping with Sophie

At Bruce's Mill Conservation Area with ♥Mona♥
Bayport's Gem of Northrock

The Barbet is smart and sensitive and faithfully loyal.  Their devotion to their families and affectionate disposition are trademarks of the breed.  Barbets are good natured and fun loving and with proper training can become enthusiastic partners for sport and pleasure. 






I want to share my home with dogs that I can do competitive sports with but who will also be up for whatever activity our active family wants to engage in.  Swimming, canoeing, hiking or just hanging out with us at the kid’s soccer games.  If it’s competition you desire, be it agility, obedience, rally-o or tracking Barbets are up to the challenge.  If given the opportunity they also have the potential to serve as capable bird dogs for hunting or field tests.  



Sophie Retrieving

The qualities that enabled the Barbet to function as an all-around retriever of waterfowl and small game are one of the many attributes that attracted us to the breed in the first place.  I get enormous satisfaction from watching the dogs do what they were originally bred to do and I enjoy spending a day out in the field with them.   It is for this reason that at Northrock Barbets we are committed to preserving the breed’s natural instincts, especially their desire to retrieve and their love of water.

Swimming at the cottage with Mona and Sophie

 Two in the canoe - no problem!



Hiking in the Rouge Valley with Sophie

The Barbet is an active and outgoing water dog.  They are willing to work as a team player but they can be wickedly smart and one does at times really need to be one step ahead of them or they will try to run circles around you!  They can also be sensitive and in order for training to be most successful you need to be patient and happy and remember to keep it fun for them.  I enjoy training my dogs.  Sophie has her Companion Dog obedience title  and her Working Certificate and I am looking forward to putting more titles on her in the future.  We have even tried tracking and I don’t know if we will ever bring home a ribbon but it’s a great way for us to spend time together. 

 

Right now Kelly is working on learning foundation skills that will serve her well in obedience and I’m considering trying agility with both girls.  Although I have heard it’s highly addictive!  Kelly has already been introduced to birds and I was excited about her reaction to them.  I’m looking forward to being able to play in the field with her too.

Lovin' the Chukar

The breed’s enthusiasm for sport combined with their gentle temperament makes for a friendly companion that is ever ready for a long hike or a swim at the beach.  Yet they are easy to live with because when it’s time to relax they are content to lay down by our feet and just “be” with us.  The Barbet is a breed that for the most part is healthy and hardy with few problems.  With a lifespan of 12 – 15 years we look forward to making many more good memories with our girls.

Sophie, Kelly, Quincy
 

After a day field training....

It’s not all a bed of roses however….their grooming needs are high.  If neglected their curly plush coat that is so therapeutic to pet and cuddle up against can quickly become a matted mess. 









Because my dogs regularly spend time in the great outdoors it means they often bring it home in their coats.  However, with proper care and management the benefit to the Barbet having a coat of hair and not fur means far less shedding so with all that cuddling you will never come away covered in dog hair!
                                                


Now with the winter weather on our doorsteps we get to deal with the snow...



♥ Kelly ♥
Northrock's Anchors Aweigh

The Barbet truly is a perfect match for our family.  We have been bitten big time by the Barbet bug!  They are wonderful dogs and we are committed to sharing our hearts and home with their unsophisticated charm for many years to come.

Socializing Kelly

Kelly at the local fire station.

Kelly (Northrock’s Anchors Aweigh) is the puppy we kept from the Dougy x Coco litter.  We are enjoying her immensely.  She is a delightful mix of impish charm and cuddly sweetness.  She makes us laugh and keeps us on our toes, as we are ever watchful that she doesn’t get up to something that she shouldn’t.  Sophie is extraordinarily patient with her since Kelly jumps up and tugs on her as only silly puppies can do.  The two of them are getting along very well.  Quincy too is very patient.  He will usually rebuff her suggestions to play as her “style” of playing is really not to his liking.  She has learnt that an enticing bow and bum wiggle will more often yield positive results with getting him to play as opposed to the full on kamikaze body slam.

Visiting the pet store

Over the last several weeks we have continued to incorporate many opportunities to socialize Kelly to a myriad of different environments and situations.  The secondary socialization period ends at approximately 12 weeks of age.  Up until this point puppies are quite willing to approach new situations, and investigate new people and objects.  It is so important to expose them to as many novel experiences during this timeframe.  A broad range of positive interactions with people and places will help to foster a puppy’s confidence and she will learn that new and unusual things don’t have to be scary. 

After 12 to 13 weeks of age it’s normal for puppies to begin to show more reluctance and uncertainty about approaching something new.  We worked really hard to socialize Kelly lots in the preceding weeks and she has learnt that life and new experiences are fun.  It's not bad if your pup is initially worried about something new. What you want to see is the puppy “bounce back” from initially being afraid and go and approach whatever it is that she is worried about. 

Meeting the letter carrier

Through the years, I have come to understand that it’s our job to help our puppies to work through their trepidation and make sure their new experiences are positive and that they approach whatever it is that they are unsure of - on their own terms. It’s not helpful to coddle your puppy with lots of petting and “it’s okays”.   Puppies take their cues from us so we need to speak confidently and act confidently.  Try instead to say something along the lines of; “wow pup!  That garbage can just fell over, woo hoo let’s go check it out” In a sure and happy voice.  Sometimes it’s more helpful to not say anything at all.  Throw treats on the ground and encourage her to approach and sniff.  What do you do if she doesn’t want to go near it?  No problem.  Just redirect her focus and continue on your walk.  Try to come back to the can a little later and see how she does.  Start giving her treats as soon as she sees the can and see how close she is willing to get to it.  Chances are she will be much more likely to approach the can and check things out. 

Riding the bus

I’m getting better at training my dogs.  It certainly hasn’t happened over night and I will forever be grateful to Quincy for putting up with all of my sloppy handling and all of the mistakes I have made.  For some unbelievable reason he still loves me despite the fact that I am his biggest handicap.  The challenges I’ve had with him have inspired me to be a better trainer.  Over the years I’ve attended many seminars and classes and read tons of books and I’m still so hungry to learn more.

Graduating from puppy kindergarden

Although a critical window of socialization has now closed for Kelly we are continuing to introduce her to lots of new experiences. Our second round of puppy classes begins this week and we are really looking forward to it.  As you can probably tell I’m really enthusiastic about spending the time and making the effort to socialize puppies.  The payout is so worth it when you end up with a well-adjusted and confident adult dog that is a pleasure to be with wherever you are.  Besides we are having a tremendous amount of fun socializing our little puppy so why on earth would we stop?

New surfaces