Barbet Puppies at Northrock

At Northrock Barbets litters are planned well in advance. There will typically be one or two litters born a year. A lot of consideration goes into deciding which males to use with my females. With each breeding, I look to select a healthy male with a great temperament whose pedigree as well as his physical attributes complement the female. 

Successful applicants can expect to wait up to a year for their puppy and sometimes a little longer than that. Please note that if colour, markings and immediate availability are a priority, I am not likely to be the right breeder for you. 

I put a great deal of care and effort into the raising and socializing of each and every Northrock puppy. I strive to raise stable and confident pups that will go on to become lifelong companions. I feel obligated to give these pups the best start in life that I can and I do my best to offer them an enriched environment with visual, tactile, auditory and even olfactory stimulation as well as positive experiences with a myriad of different people.  I am trying to promote their neurological and physical development and maximize the development of their social skills.   For me it's an obligation to our Barbet puppies but it is also a passion!

Our Barbet puppies are whelped in our guest bedroom where I sleep for the first three weeks so that I can keep a watchful eye on the dam and her puppies. Then everyone moves downstairs to what would normally be our dining room. This space for the puppies is situated right next to the kitchen and family room and this way the puppies are exposed to the many noises, sights and sounds of everyday household life. 

Check out our blog to see in greater detail how we have raised past litters.

Northrock Barbet puppies are raised using Avidog and Puppy Culture protocols.  I am pleased to incorporate their puppy rearing and training techniques as I feel their programs have much to offer by way of the enrichment and socialization of young puppies.  In addition to lots of gentle handling, Early Neurological Stimulation and Early Scent Introduction are carried out with all of the puppies as well. I especially recommend Avidog's 97 Ways to Create Great Puppies e-book.  

At Northrock Barbets we feed a high quality diet to our Barbets and the pups are weaned onto the same food that their dam is eating.  Nursing and playing with their dam continues after the introduction to solid food. 

At the beginning the puppies eat together communally from the same large dish but as time goes on they learn to eat from their own dishes, different types of dishes and to eat in different locations (crate, outside, kitchen etc..) They also eat meals that are hand fed to them and they experience eating alone by themselves.   

Lots of visitors of all ages come to the house to help socialize the Barbet puppies and the pups also interact with our own family members and the other dogs in the home. At Northrock Barbets our puppies experience going on car rides, sleeping in crates and the process of housetraining is begun. 

The puppies are temperament tested and are structurally evaluated to better enable us to successfully match each individual puppy with their forever home. Before they leave for their new homes our Barbet puppies are permanently identified with a  microchip, given a full vet check up and are seen by a canine chiropractor. They leave for their new homes between 8 and 9 weeks of age.  It's important that I meet the owners of our puppies and require all owners to come in person to pick up their puppy.

Northrock Barbets puppies are sold on a CKC non-breeding agreement or a co-ownership along with a private contract and health warrantee. When new owners pick up their puppy they are given a three generation pedigree, written instructions on feeding, health care, training and grooming. Owners receive a copy of the results of health and genetic tests that have been carried out on the pup’s parents. Our Barbet puppies go home with a supply of food, toys and a blanket that have their litter mates and dam’s scent on them. Our pups will also receive a special offer for 30 days of insurance coverage with Trupanion. This offer waives waiting periods, so each buyer’s coverage goes into effect immediately upon activation. We are here for the lifetime of our dogs and are committed to supporting our families long after puppies go home.

If you would like to know more about how we do things at Northrock Barbets, if you think you might be interested in one of our Barbet puppies or if you would like to learn more about this wonderful breed please do not hesitate to contact me. 

At Northrock Barbets there are only a limited number of puppies born each year. Our small breeding program does not enable us to accommodate everyone who applies. If you are interested in being considered as a home for one of our puppies I strongly recommend reaching out ahead of time as often our litters are spoken for before they are born.