FAQs & information about
Red Barn puppies
On the Horizon:
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Our current puppies all have wonderful, loving families that are preparing to bring them home. Because of the way we raise our puppies, we begin looking for their families before we even know their mother's due date. We take this time to screen potential families in time for them to be able to watch the delivery of their puppy's litter and follow them as they grow. We want families to have a little time to get to know each puppy so that when we begin accepting deposits, they can choose their puppy more easily.
Below is our outlook for 2024. If you click on the parents' names, a new tab will open up a video of the puppies from those parents paired together last year. This will be Daisy's first litter with Macchiato so we don't have any videos of puppies between the two of them yet. More videos can be found on our YouTube channel. We have them organized in playlists by parents' names.
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Our next litters are going to be from Robin & Missy (fathered by Macchiato). Robin is gearing up to go into heat anytime now. We expect Missy to go into heat in May, and we will update our website here with due dates when we have them. Remy will follow a couple months later.
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Summer 2024
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Fall 2024
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Late Fall/Winter 2024
Daisy x Macchiato
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For a nominal fee we can hold onto puppies for a period of time if you are unable to bring your pup home during the anticipated pickup dates. During this time, we ensure your puppy continues receiving booster shots, dewormings, and continue their training as ESAs to include potty training and general manners.
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We livestream our puppies every day (Visit RBC Live). During streams we do our best to answer questions from families and viewers. We are very passionate about the way we raise our puppies as well as educating families about how to find a responsible and reputable breeder. You can find us on YouTube here: Red Barn Cavaliers.
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For Prospective Families:
We encourage all prospective families to visit our 'About' page to learn a little more about us and our background. Below you will find further information that goes over common questions we receive from families. To be included in notifications of our upcoming litters this winter, please fill out this form.
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Do you have a waiting list?
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No! We feel waiting lists are extremely inefficient and unhelpful for families who are ready for their puppy. We operate on a first come, first-served basis from the time the litter is born. For the time being, please direct all inquiries to this phone number. We ask for a brief introduction, any preferences you may have, as well as 2 personal references not living in the home where the dog will be living. We want to make sure we are a good fit for you and also give you an opportunity to ask your own questions. As we learn due dates and have updates from our vet, we will pass them along to you. We share photos of Mama's growing belly, and we will notify you when we are having the puppies. This is to prepare you for the upcoming puppy selection process two weeks later. Note: We turn the livestream on for most deliveries. Since we operate on a first-come, first-served basis, puppies are selected quickly so we try to give you a heads up. During those two weeks you will have ample opportunity to get to know each of the puppies. We will be sharing photos and videos to explain the differences and what we have gleaned from their personality development thus far. It's also important for you to know ahead of time if you want to have any back up choices, and what they would be, so that you aren't trying to figure it out during reservations. As reservations are taking place, we only accept your deposit when we confirm which puppy you will be taking home. We make ourselves completely available during this process to answer questions, retake photos, send different videos, FaceTime, etc., and overall assist families in choosing their puppy.
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What if I can't pick up my puppy until after 'pick-up week?"
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Not to worry! This happens a lot. We understand that things come up, or more often in this case, plans have already been made during pick-up week (when pups turn 8 weeks old) or soon thereafter. We also understand that it is really difficult (and discouraged) to board your puppy. When each litter is born, we calculate when they will be ready to go home. These dates will fall during your puppy's 8th-9th week of life. We ask for families to pick up their puppy anytime during that week. If they are unable to, we are happy to hang onto and continuing to care for their puppy for $15/day after the pick up week. This includes continuing the same care we have been providing, to include continuing your pup's deworming schedule as your vet would, any booster vaccinations, as well as continuing their potty training reinforcements and manners. We also do this in cases where the family isn't ready for the puppy at home yet, such as if they are waiting for a specific date or holiday.
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Do you ship your puppies, and if not, can you deliver?
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We are working really hard on this one! Because of their age and their vulnerabilities, we do not ship our puppies. However, we understand how cumbersome travel can be and we have come up with an alternative. Generally speaking, for a day's drive the cost looks like this: For a $250 fee (plus 50 cents/mile surcharge) we will drive your puppy to you. If the drive requires an overnight stay, there will be a corresponding surcharge. We work with long distance families to help mitigate the costs as much as possible.
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What happens until I pick up my puppy?
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We keep our puppies with their mom and littermates until 8 weeks because of the important psychosocial development the pups are going through at that age. Research has shown that puppies who stay with their mother and littermates until at least 8 weeks of age demonstrate healthier social skills, brain development, manners, and overall relationships with the members of their pack at home - both human and furry! We nurture their natural desire to learn and mold healthy puppy habits (such as teaching them not to use their teeth to play with people). Every day I spend individual time with each puppy to prepare them for life after leaving our home. We utilize different training methods to prepare each pup for things like toenail clipping, having their ears cleaned, general grooming, and more. We teach commands such as "no teeth," "gentle," "wait," in tandem with positive reinforcement to establish healthy boundaries and manners with people and other pets.
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Beginning at birth, we individualize our 'training program' described above to suit each puppy's personality and their needs. We remain flexible and tweak our training methods as needed for each pup. Before their eyes and ears have opened, which happens between 1.5 to 2 weeks old, our primary concern is feeding and growth. During this period, most of our time is spent teaching them how to nurse, assisting Mom, helping the pups who don't take to nursing naturally, monitoring their daily weights, and more.
At two weeks old, or when their eyes and ears are both open, we can really begin learning who they are! We encourage local families to come visit their puppy weekly (or as often as possible) and for long distance families to FaceTime or Zoom so that Puppy and their family can get to know each other. After reservations have taken place, we ask families to provide us with freshly-slept-in t-shirts for us to wrap your puppy in during video calls. Between phone calls we vacuum seal your items to preserve the scent. Screens aren't what they used to be - your puppy is able to make out your face on screen just as well as in person. Since implementing this, we noticed an amazing change on pick-up day after the pup had gotten to know their family (as compared to previous litters and puppies who did not have an opportunity to get to know their family). In the meantime, we immediately start socializing the puppies with children and our other dogs and pets - in stages. These carefully supervised positive reinforcement exercises are designed to teach the pup that children, strangers, and other animals are another part of life in which they learn how to co-exist without fear. The puppies learning these things this early pays off later - especially if you have children and/or a furry family member at home they are joining.
Between three and four weeks old, we begin teaching them how to play with toys and how to play with people. We use several training exercises and positive reinforcement to teach manners and important commands which help provide a 'head start' of sorts for the family during the "puppy stage" at home.
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Potty Training - How in the world...?
All puppies begin potty training around a week old. We do this on purpose - we want to take advantage of their closed eyes and sealed ears; when their senses of touch and smell are at their highest, we want them to begin associating the pine scent to the act of going potty. Because Mom has to stimulate them to potty, this can be easily accomplished just by bringing the puppy to Mom to potty, right above a small dish of pine pellets that they can smell. We potty them every hour on the hour until after their eyes have opened and they can see the pellets. As they begin to bear weight and stand, we stand them in the pellets so they can adjust to the sensation on their feet. As we continue reinforcing these potty habits, the puppies begin seeking out the trays as they become more independent with their body functions.
These have been beneficial for families living in apartments or smaller spaces, which Cavaliers are also great breeds & often recommended for these living spaces. It's an easy transition from pine training to house training by sprinkling the provided pine in the grass outdoors each time you take your puppy outside to potty. It is important to remember that despite being potty trained, cavalier puppies still have tiny bladders and cannot hold their urine for long. Because of this, we recommend pottying your new puppy at least every 2 hours whether you are placing them in their potty tray or taking them outside to potty.
We have found its greatest long-term value to be its ability to serve as an "indoor toilet" option when our dogs are hesitant to go outside due to weather or other reasons. Some families continue using potty trays entirely, some keep one around for when the weather is bad (downpouring rain, snow, extreme temperatures, etc). This training is convenient for travel (place a tray in the trunk!), or even years down the road, if your dog suddenly needs a quick and easy way to go potty without having an accident in the house, it's like riding a bicycle. You can put your tray away once your puppy is big enough to 'hold it' to go outside, and then pull it out a couple years later and pour some pellets down - and your dog will remember! Not only is pine potty training very useful for families living in apartments but it can be used in combination with a typical house-training regimen to serve as a secondary "emergency" indoor option. Families have reported that their potty trays seem to prevent accidents in the house.
On a personal note, having our dogs pine potty trained has been a life saver for our annual midwest recording-breaking winter snowstorms. Many dogs are apprehensive to go outside to relieve themselves during inclement weather, so having the potty tray option for indoor use has been very helpful! Additionally, the pine we use is very unlike kitty litter. In fact, it works in the opposite fashion, so would not be effective if used in lieu of pine (and is less expensive than kitty litter at about $5 for a 40lb bag). We use a specialized type of bedding for farm animals, which neutralizes all odors and is very easy to maintain. It has an extremely short 'learning curve' to get the hang of and the 'investment' in learning how to use pine with dogs and puppies pays off enormously down the line. We send every family home with a packet of information about how to apply what your puppy has learned in our home to your routine in your home. No family should feel the need to continue using pine; it simply provides a primary bathroom option while serving as an indoor emergency toilet during house-training.
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I am really interested in one of your puppies. How do I choose my puppy and pay the deposit?
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We are very committed to raising our puppies to be exceptional pets, and a big part of that process includes keeping families involved from the birth of their puppy. When possible, we try to find families for our pups as early as we can in an effort to promote the relationship between puppy and family. After seeing the difference these efforts make on pick up day, we have come to believe that one of the easiest tools which make the most difference in a puppy's well-being upon going home, is getting to know their family while they are 'growing up' here with their mom and littermates. Of course, this is by no means a requirement, but for interested families this option had been of great benefit. In addition to puppy and family getting to know each other, the family can also see how their puppy is living, where, and start gathering some ideas on how they want to have their puppy's "spot" set up at home.
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Once the litter of puppies is made available for reservation, we must firmly remain first-come, first-served. Depending on the size of the litter, most of the puppies are chosen within 3-4 days, with the females usually being spoken for within the first day. *There is no extra surcharge for females. Boys and Girls are the same price.
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After you place your deposit, all listings and advertisements for your puppy are removed. We continue sending photos, videos, and updates about your puppy's progress and development. Given how closely we monitor the puppies after birth, we usually have lots of photos, videos, and updates to send! Around 2 weeks old, for interested families, we begin a weekly visitation schedule to allow families to begin bonding with their puppy. We encourage families to bring a worn t-shirt that we can bring out for your puppy to lay on and sleep with while you are not here. We also pull out these items for the pup when families call on FaceTime to visit virtually.
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Why is the deposit non-refundable?
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When a pup is chosen and we receive a deposit, we remove all ads and listings for that particular puppy. We refuse all offers for that puppy to maintain our agreement with you that your puppy is your puppy - you are merely waiting until she's old enough to come home! We promise that the puppy you've chosen will be reserved for you. The deposit serves as a reflection of the commitment Red Barn Cavaliers is making to reserve the puppy you've chosen; and, in return, that you will be providing a home for the puppy when he or she is ready. The deposit goes toward the price of the puppy and is not an additional charge!
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How do you prepare my puppy for coming home to me?
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If and when you choose a name, we begin calling your pup by their real name in addition to practicing individual exercises which reinforce his or her name (using treats, praise, positive reinforcement, etc.). Additionally, you will receive frequent photos, videos, stories, as well as your puppy's progress and development directly to you. The entire litter will be streamed live every day. At the beginning of each stream we talk about the puppies' development, Mom's recovery, any asssessments we've done, and general discussions about what families can expect including important developmental milestones, training exercises, veterinary visits, as well as anything fun we did and the training we've been working on. During the early weeks, there are a lot of weigh-ins and lots of monitoring, so the livestreams are usually very busy the first couple weeks, as we give the puppies time to become stronger.
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Do your puppies come with papers?
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Yes, unless otherwise stated, we register all of our dogs and litters. You will receive registration paperwork for you to transfer your new puppy into your name and receive their registration certificate/papers. We provide a free certified 3-generation pedigree of your puppy for your records - which is an additional $15 charge for a family to request during registration transfer. Once processed, you will receive your registration certificate in the mail within 3-5 business days.
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Can I buy breeding rights?
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We are temporarily suspending the sale of breeding rights. While we primarily sell our puppies as pets, in the past we have offered the option to breed your Cavalier when they are older. If you are only adopting your puppy as a pet, then there's no need to spend the extra money for breeding rights. This will not affect your ability to complete the registration and receive the papers for your puppy. However, if you'd like to be able to preserve the ability to breed your Cavalier and register your future litters for your prospective adoptive families, please inquire about this option so that we can be sure to give your registration paperwork to you with the ability to register future puppies from the dog you adopted.
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We choose our families as carefully as you choose your breeder and your puppy, so when families adopt a puppy from us they become part of the Red Barn family for life. We remain a committed resource to all of our families long after they bring their puppy home!