Billy x Lexi Puppies 8 - 10 weeks

Our special time with the Billy x Lexi litter is coming to a close.  I am so grateful for the opportunity to have lived with these little ones for their first nine to ten weeks.  I absolutely adore these puppies and their dam Lexi has done a wonderful job caring for them.

The past few weeks have included their temperament testing, structural evaluation, chiropractic appointment and veterinary visit.  They have had multiple car rides and visits alone and with their littermates to new environments and have made lots of new friends. 

A fun trip to a friend's house

Ballon fun on their 10 week birthday

 

Hermione was especially relaxed at the vets!

 

A special gift that came all the way from the Netherlands
from Billy (Nuphar's Everything Zen) for Lexi and their puppies.  

The weather has been really nice this past July and the puppies have spent a great deal of time outside. Playing with the toys in their outdoor pen, splashing in the pool and running around the backyard.  I am really happy with the promise that these puppies are showing.  They are typey, sound and have delightful personalities.  I have fallen deeply in love with them all!

Lexi and her family 

We are so thankful to Delia and her family for sharing Lexi with us.  She is a joy to be around and our time with her seemed to fly by.  Of course these puppies would not be here with out the cooperation of Billy's owner Olav van Schie and breeder Anne Plomp - it's been a team effort with beautiful results.  Thank you all.

Billy x Lexi Puppies - 3 and 4 Weeks Old

The Billy x Lexi puppies are now four weeks old.  My how the time flies!  When they were three weeks old they made the big move to the downstairs puppy pen which is located in our dining room adjacent to the kitchen and living room.  The puppies are now right in the main part of our home and are exposed to all of the sights, sounds and smells that come along with family life.  

Their whelping box also moved downstairs with them and they would spend the night in the box but periods of time in the larger play space with lots of new toys to explore.  They were also introduced to the potty box and litter training is going very well.

Nap time with their big stuffed tiger

With the weather being so warm we are able to keep the windows open so in addition to classical music playing on the radio and the various different sound c.d.s, the puppies also hear the children playing in the school yard that backs onto our property,  announcements over the loudspeaker, the school bell, lawn mowers and power tools and the many other sounds of summer and neighbourhood life.  They have even experienced some pretty loud thunderstorms and slept right through them!

Hanging out in the "lower deck" of the puppy pen set up.

Over the next two weeks many visitors will be coming to help socialize the puppies and we enjoy these visits so much.  Lexi is pleased to show off her puppies and is quick to take advantage of the extra attention for herself as well.  

 Trips outside have also begun and the outdoor puppy pen will soon be filled with tunnels and step stools, wobble boards and many toys to further the enrichment of the puppies.  In the early days simply being out in the fresh air for "al fresco" meal times and cuddles with people offer further opportunities for sensory development with the feel of the breeze, the warm sun, the different surfaces to walk on and the many smells and sounds of the great outdoors.

Outside with momma Lexi

We are delighted with this lovely trio of puppies.  They are a constant source of joy for our entire family.

Please visit our Facebook Page Northrock Barbets for frequent video and photo updates of the Billy x Lexi pups.  We will also be providing updates via the blog, just not as often. 

Boomer x Ellie Puppies 3 & 4 weeks

Lots has been happening with the Boomer and Ellie puppies during the last couple of weeks.  We've watched them grow from neonates into little puppies that are quick and co-ordinated.  They can see and hear and are making all sorts of vocalizations from little puppy growls to yips and woofs.   

Here are the puppies at 3 1/2 weeks of age

They made the big move out of the guest bedroom downstairs to the dining room which has been converted into a puppy play pen.  They are enjoying their larger space which includes lots of toys that are rotated regularly, a sleeping area and the potty boxes.  I'm quite pleased with how quickly they have taken to consistently using the potty box to eliminate.  It makes clean up so much easier and helps to establish clean bathroom habits from the start.

The puppies are now eating solid food 4 times a day.  It's a mixture of ground turkey with bone and goats milk and today we have introduced ground beef with goats milk.  They very much enjoy their mealtimes however, they are still nursing throughout the day from their dam.



Lots of visitors have been coming over which is so very good for puppy socialization.  We are playing noise c.d.s for the puppies which also helps to acclimate them to the many sounds of the real world in addition to the sounds inside our home such as pots and pans clanging and the vacuum cleaner running. The puppies are also having a grand time playing with their adventure box and exploring the space outside of their pen. 

The puppies enjoying their adventure box

  

I hope you enjoy our blog posts about the Boomer and Ellie puppies.  If you would like to see more photos and videos of the pups I invite you to like our Facebook page Northrock Barbets where I try to post photos of the little ones on a daily basis.

Winston x Sophie Pups Leave the Nest

It has been a busy last couple of weeks with the "E" litter.  The puppies have grown into inquisitive, happy, active, playful and friendly Barbet puppies and we couldn't be more pleased.

Eating lunch on the patio

We've been fortunate to have had a mild winter so far which lasted up until the pup's 9th week.  As a result the pups were able to spend lots of time playing outside.

Duke and Minx

Rogue

Duchess

Lady - helping with the laundry

Minx

Duke

Lady and Marie

We temperament tested the puppies last week and as always it was a great experience that gave us more information as to how the pups behaved in new situations.  It's also a great opportunity for the puppies to meet new people and try new things.

Structural Evaluations for the puppies also occurred last week.  It's a lovely consistent litter. They are nicely put together puppies and I'm pleased with what Winston and Sophie have produced together.  I look forward to seeing how these puppies mature. 

The litter was introduced to whole birds in the form of pigeons.  It's always nice to see them as babies doing what the breed had been developed to do.  The Barbet is a very old, and versatile French breed of water dog. One of it's functions was used to locate, flush and retrieve birds shot by his master, primarily waterfowl.

The puppies have all left the nest and have started the next chapter in their lives with their new families.  Here they are in order of departure with their new families;

Rogue now lives with Robyn and Craig. 

His registered name is Northrock's Evian and they call him Beau.

Duchess went to live with Delia and Matthew and their two boys.  

She's called Lexi - Northrock's Eureka

Duke now makes his home with Leonardo and Michael.  

He is Northrock's El Magnifico Theo and goes by Théodore.

Minx now lives with Lise and Les.  

Her new name is Ellie and her registered name is Northrock's Eau de Joy.

Lady is now Northrock's Elouisa Belle and her new family calls her Lulu. She lives with humans Sheila, David and Ethan and has a canine buddy Lincoln.

Saying bon voyage to these puppies was bittersweet. I enjoyed them so very much and will miss their happy wagging tails.  They have such lovely personalities and are such delightful little Barbets.  I have come to know their new owners and I know these pups will be deeply loved and well cared for.  I'm thankful for the new opportunities their families will give them and I look forward to updates that share with me how the chapters of their lives are unfolding.  Huge thanks to Winston's owners Denyse Rousseau, Isabelle Auger and Derek Duguay for helping to make this litter possible.

The Winston and Sophie Puppies are 7 Weeks Old

We had a wonderful week with the puppies.  The weather cooperated and we had several trips outside where they were able to run around the yard, explore the shrubs and hedges and play with the big dogs.  They also enjoyed playing in the pen we have set up outside.

Having a quick snack

Their indoor space has lots of toys for them to play with, especially things to chew and gnaw on as they have been busy teething.  Here is a video of the pups playing. 

New experiences continued this past week for the litter.  They continued to have meals in different rooms in the house. 

Dinner in the laundry room while the dryer was going didn't faze these puppies.

There were more visitors and car rides, they were tattooed and the puppies also had their first baths this week. 

Their personalities are really emerging and it's been fun watching them interact with one another and their environment. They are curious and delightful little puppies and it is such a joy getting to know their individual temperaments.

The Winston and Sophie Puppies are 6 Weeks Old

This week just seemed to fly by!  The pups are growing by leaps and bounds.  Their teeth have erupted and they are busy chewing on anything they can get their mouths on.  Consequently they have been provided with some nice bones to gnaw on and a variety of appropriate chew toys.

Duchess

Rogue

The puppy pen continues to expand as new and interesting articles are added to it.  The puppies are very interested in climbing and exploring and despite a huge dumping of snow we received earlier at the end of the week we managed to regularly get outside with the puppies so that they could romp around the yard.

Minx

Interactions with the other dogs in the house are fun to watch.  The older Barbet girls just love the puppies and I enjoy seeing them play bowing to them or gently licking their little faces.  We are looking forward to the week ahead with Sophie and her pups.

Duke

Lady