Birth Announcement

We are very happy to share the good news that indeed, on Day 59, Wish delivered two beautiful Brittany puppies. The first one arrived on Saturday afternoon and is a liver/white female who reminds me very much of Treasure. The second puppy arrived a few hours later and is a white/orange male who reminds me of his father, Gibson. This is the smallest litter that Wish has ever had, but it is also her last. She delivered her first puppy without any help whatsoever. Although we are always standing by, ready to assist if needed, we prefer to let natural, maternal instincts prevail. Watching an animal labor to bring life into the world is a very humbling experience for a human, especially when you are the human responsible for the animal about to be born and the life of it's mother. Wish very gracefully, quietly, and privately whelped her first puppy with her back to me although I was watching closely. She gently tore the sac off first around pups head, severed the umbilical cord, roughly licked and stimulated puppy to move and breathe on it's own then nudged it to a nipple to nurse. Then Wish looked over her shoulder and looked deeply into my eyes, communicating all was well. After awhile I carefully removed the puppy from Wish who anxiously watched every move I made while I examined, weighed pup and took it's first picture. Pictures provide a time stamp for the order of birth and assures we have identified a puppy correctly prior to using colored ID bands. Sometimes pups are born in rapid succession and other times the hours seem endless in between. Such was the case with her second (final) pup! Even though I was sure everything was well, for my own peace of mind I checked in with our vet at home on Sunday evening. He walked me through a little troubleshooting exam and then assured me don't worry about the time in between pups. Wish was resting comfortably with her new puppy nursing at her side. Nursing stimulate the release of more oxytocin which then triggers contractions. Soon Wish began to bear down quite hard, grunt and groan. I placed puppy in the basket (thanks Steve and Steph) where 2 hot water bottles were wrapped in a crochet puppy blanket (thanks Julie) and it was placed under the heat lamp while Wish labored. Her actions showed me this pup may not come so easily - I was worried about size and/or position. At a time I expected to see a placenta wrapped puppy head emerge briefly I saw instead 2 long legs with a tail in between them... This little puppy was going to come into the world backwards. John, Wish, and I then began to work together with the timing of her contractions and each re-appearance of the legs. Eventually Wish pushed and contracted hard enough and we gently pulled puppy from her. Although Wish was caring for his cord and licking frantically, I knew he had fluid in his lungs. Very carefully and gently I used an aspirator to clear them, wrapped him in a cloth, and in a clockwise motion, swung pup slowly downward to emit any remaining fluids. All this time Wish was watching me like a hawk while John was holding her to his side. When I brought pup close to Wish, she gently took him in her mouth as if to show me she'd take over from there. The evidence of Wish' strong maternal experience and instinct was beautiful and amazing to observe. When she was satisfied with the response she was getting from her puppy, Wish gently lay down and drew him forward with her front paws, and pulled him up into the fullest part of the fluffy hair of her coat as if to dry him off and keep him warm. Shortly afterwards he and his sister were lying side by side, nursing and Wish looked like she was ready for a nap! This morning the new family of 3 will be examined by our vet who will also remove dewclaws and dock their tails as is required for this breed. Many breeders prefer to do this at home and although we do know how, prefer not only the vets expertise but also feel it's important for mom and pups to be seen within 48 hours of birth.
I am always cautious about making early puppy announcements because even in the best of situations anything can happen. But so far, all is going very well. For me, there are several critical thresholds to pass over with a neonatal puppy - 24, 48, 72 hours. Monitoring mom and pups, evaluating, weighing, observing are ongoing. Wish is caring for her 2 pups privately but I am nearby and watching. The temperature of the whelping box and the air around the pups is critical. At this age a puppy can become chilled and/or fail to thrive for many reasons. I rarely surface during this time at all.

Both of these pups are going to live with very special families; one of them already has a Brittany from us! The other lives nearby and is looking forward to having a Brittany in their life again, after losing one at the age of 13. Of course there is some disappointment for John and I, Pam and Sam with such a small litter. We plan to evaluate and monitor the pups development as it is the first time they have had the opportunity to do so with pups he has sired and surely we could learn more with a few more puppies! But we are more concerned and happy knowing that Wish is fine and her puppies are healthy and doing well. And they are absolutely beautiful and perfect in every way.

Thanks for your interest in All Things Brittany and as always, God Bless you and yours - John and Ann

Day 58

She usually has pups on Day 59 out of 63 so-o-o-o after having her temperature hover @100 for the past 48 hours, the last time I took it at 4 pm, there was a big temperature drop. Needless to say, I'm all moved in with Wish in what is now the 'whelping quarters'. John's run out for snacks to help make it through the night, the recipe for nursing mother's pudding is on the counter, everything that needs to be sterilized is, including Wish LOL! We washed her belly, feet, and other areas with antibacterial soap, trimmed a little hair here and there, gave her a brand new pad for the whelping area, and a fresh layer of unprinted newspaper! No time to say hello goodbye - just wanted to say - PUPPIES COMETH!
Stay tuned for more from All Things Brittany, while the Jacksons , the Shorts and several wonderful families await the arrival of a very special litter of pups!

Wish - Day 55

We have been monitoring Wish very closely these past few days. Each morning she looks deeply into my eyes as if to try to communicate her needs.

I compare earlier whelping notes including those in my own father's journal from the 60's when he raised Boston Terriers. It was a joy and a blessing to discover that book several years ago when going through some of my mother's keepsakes. Whelping journals contain a wealth of information to refer to, of valuable records kept. Important data such as length of gestation, what day of estrus a girl was in full standing heat, length and/or number of ties, when morning sickness appeared (if ever), appetite and behavior patterns, and most important of all - the day the temp dropped to set everything in motion for the birth of the babies. And then it is hurry up and wait.

We have three dates penciled in for our vet to be sure we get an appointment just as soon as pups arrive. I'm checking our whelping supply list again, although I know it by heart I am always concerned something will be overlooked. The wonderful puppy basket which Steve and Stephanie gifted to us stands ready and all the beautiful puppy blankets crocheted by Julie are neatly folded nearby. A new full roll of unprinted newspaper ends from Jim and Julie has been opened. The Brittany tote bag which Zebs owners gave us hold miscellaneous items. Several extra whelping box liners (indoor/outdoor carpet) have been brought. Aspirators, forceps, scales, heatlamps and emergency items including a stomach tube are carefully arranged. Camera batteries are charged. The night hawk surveillance cameras are in place as well as the in house monitor. Tomorrow the cot will be moved in with Wish and I'll also put together a bag with snacks etc. for the humans. Hot water bottles, books, CD, T.V. (who watches TV when pups are on the way?!) are there too.

All these things are part of the perparations. But the most important part of all - is the time we spend with Wish leading up to her actual labor and delivery. In the next few days, we will be with each other for hours and hours. Some breeders have told me - just "leave the bitch alone, check on her in the morning, the pups will be here". No-o-o-o. That is not for me. We are responsible for Wish having puppies. And we are responsible to make sure everything is perfect for her and for her precious babies. She is a free and easy whelper, a wonderful mother. But if I am not in her sight, she is not comfortable. Not a whole lot gets done around her when pups are due, and less gets done when they arrive! Right now it is a special time for Wish, John, and I and All Things Brittany. And we are very proud to be able to share it with you. Take care and God Bless.

Nash and Starr

Just have to share an update from Nash (Molly/Jack - w/o on the right) and Starr's (Wish/Rylee - tricolor on the right) mom... it's so nice! We are blessed with the friendships of those who own our Brittanys and share their lives and their hearts with them. Thanks Steph... this email was too sweet to keep to myself... - Ann

"Good morning ladies, Thanks so much for the compliments and the well wishes for Nash & Starr, they are two peas in a pod, Steve and I feel so blessed to be able to have two Brittany's in our home, Nash is a very handsome and serious boy with a sweet disposition and a huge heart, Starr is a mischievous little lady whose always on the move, loves to be cuddled, stroked and talked to, I call her "Boogaloo" because she's always "boogying" around the house.....

Starr will be headed to "Bird School" in Rangeley Maine for a few weeks this summer to be trained and Nash will be bummed out. It will be hard getting him to adjust, they've never really been separated, but when they have been, he won't eat, he looks all over the house for her, he sighs like a love sick man, lays around the house and most times can be found sitting atop the couch so he can look out the picture window waiting for his Starr to come home. Once Starr is done with her training, Mr. Nash will go for a "refresher" and then by the time bird season comes Steve, Starr & Nash will be out having the time of their lives!

I'm so excited to hear about Wish's litter, Ann can attest to the fact that the first time Steve and I met with Ann, John and ATB I was immediately drawn to Wish, she gave me great comfort that day, something in her eyes understood exactly how I was mourning the loss of our first Brittany, Spooky, and from that day forward I knew that if and when Wish had a litter, we'd get a very special little puppy, Star was and is that puppy and she was worth the wait.

Nash on the other hand is a perfect combination of his mother Molly-Rose and his father Jack-Dog. Physically, Nash is Jack, he's solid, all muscle, sometimes (ok all the time) doesn't realize his strength, is serious and handsome, I just call him "seriously handsome!" but then the Molly-Rose traits come out, like the way he loves to share the couch with me at night so I can rub his belly, the way he pulls the covers over us when we all pig pile into bed, just more of the sensitive, sweet things he does, it's just remarkable to be a part of their lives.

We had a houseful over for Father's Day and everyone couldn't get over how happy, content and well adjusted they are.

So congratulations Lilli on the upcoming new addition of an ATB Pup, what a blessing that is!

Tammy, have a wonderful vacation!

Ann, please give John, and all the Brits our love (give a little extra to Wish) Steve and I would love to be able to schedule a visit when the time is right, we miss you guys!

Have a great day!

Love & friendship,
Stephanie

Take Me out to the Dog Show

It was a great weekend for all Brittanys in Maine at the Pennobscott Valley Kennel Club at Cumberland Fairgrounds. Rain? What rain? Pictured here is evidence of what fun and friendship is all about, just captured in Pam's face. Despite the fact that she has a broken foot and will spend her summer in a cast and on crutches! Lots of good news from this weekends show including my own pride of handling Bullet in the ring for Julie. He took the blue in his puppy class! Bailey, his sister won a Reserve 3 pt Major. Pams young Brittany Paris, earned her first show point, and another friend Lisa did well with placements for Izzy and Hero too. Even better - it was a Brittany who won BEST IN SHOW! We had two birthday parties over the weekend, a belated for Julie and one for Marissa.

As John and I continue to personally evaluate our own pups on a continual basis it is exciting to see two of them now in the breed ring. Our Brittanys have great records and strong reputations among bird hunters and trainers as close working gundogs. The dogs behind them support great genetics and inherent natural ability which is something that a dog either has or it doesn't. Even so, we've been encouraged and persuaded by other breeders to step into the ring, and it's quite the learning curve! But more often than not, J & A's Brits are not only in the blue but also in the winners circle one way or another. For us the majors remain just out of reach despite how very close we have come. Nothing is predictable about dog showing. And nothing is predictable about those who show. I recently experienced gaiting in the breed ring with Pippin along with one of the top Brittanys in the country and his breeder/owner/handler. His son was also in the ring. It was a humble experience, something to reflect on. That day the best Brittany won Best of Breed. Being defeated by such an outstanding ambassador of the breed is nothing to be ashamed of, (especially when Pippin took Best Opposite Sex.) You win and lose points or awards - but every time you take your dog into the ring, you are a winner - simply by being there and trying.

Silence is golden and speaking of "Everything Nice..."

PUPPIES COMETH and another reason Pam has to smile is not only because of Paris but because Gibson is about to become the father of a litter of pups. Last night, I felt the evidence of life within the womb of our Wish. She lay next to me, pressing against me, as my hand gently massaged her swollen belly. The soft, subtle movement came underneath the palm of my hand... the sign that was missing from Treasure earlier this spring. I can be wrong... but I can believe I am right. We are 12 days away. And this experience for Pam, Sam, Gibson, and Paris - I pray will be a very positive and rewarding one as they look to the future themselves. We are blessed to have several wonderful families awaiting the birth of these pups. And I am thankful for all of you who have an interest in All Things Brittany. Speaking of which, we are looking for a litter name for the pups - having to do with the Fourth of July. A theme for the babies... to identify them in the weeks to come.

Take care and God bless you all, John, Ann and All Things Brittany

All Things Brittanys Meets All You Can Eat Lobster

OMG! Got lobster? YAHHH!

There's a nearby 'restaurant/bar/BBQ' called "Big Daddy's" here in Acton, across from the fairgrounds. John and I go there occasionally to enjoy their ribs and other offerings. Mind you, this is a place that you can call up on the phone, request free shuttle bus service, spend a few hours consuming your favorite beverage, and have the bus return you home. Our local free paper "The Smart Shopper" had a full page advertisement for Big Daddy's announcing their upcoming specials. Before John headed out very early Wednesday morning to work with his brother for the day he told me to check the Wednesday night special out at Big Daddys. Huh??? Ho hum, roll over, sure thing honey, I'll do it when I get up (in a few more hours?!). Later in the day he called on the way home and asked "well, what do you think?" What did I think about what? THE LOBSTER he said. DOH. I quickly ran for the ad which I had forgot to look at (sssshhhh - he doesn't read these blogs) I was just getting ready to throw a steak on the grill and fix a potato salad for him for dinner. My eyes quickly scanned the ad which had, afterall, been laying right there on the table all day! (Did I mention I spent most of the day outside with the dogs?!) WHAT DID I SEE????? OMG.

ALL YOU CAN EAT LOBSTER for $16.99 at Big Daddys. John was still waiting on the phone for me to respond. Oh honey.... can we afford this tonight??? (Please please please) "Well, that is why I left the ad for you to see, honEY... I'll be home in a few minutes, why don't you get ready and we'll go out tonight." YES! The All You Can Eat Lobster deal started at 4 pm, and we arrived about 4:20, the parking lot was full of motorcycles and cars, and the line was coming out the door! We went in and gave our name, discovering the wait would be 45 minutes. Oh no problem, the wait is usually not that long at all when they tell you that. WRONG. One hour later, we had made our way to the front of the line, when finally - we heard the sound of our most blessed name "SHORT" please? We were escorted to a small table for two across from the bar, with Janis Joplin music playing "Take Another Piece of My Heart Now Baby"... in the background. Giggle. Immediately - we were each served a steaming hot lobster, lobster crackers, a bib, and melted butter. We learned this was the 3rd week that Big Daddy's had done this, and word had spread like wildfire drawing people near and far. To put things into perspective, I had enjoyed a single lobster dinner the week before at Teds Fried Clams, for $12.99!!!! Although the first two weeks at Big Daddys, there was no limit to how many lobsters were all you could eat - they had run out the week before, and you could only ONLY only get 6 of them for $16.99.... Is this insane or what?! Fast forward, an hour and a half later. See John and Ann eating their 4th lobster. See Ann put her hand before her telling waitress "NO MORE" please, but thank you for offering. John did eat his 5th one. Several moments later, we learned they had run out of lobsters. We asked how many had been cooked - 600!!!!!!!!!!! (Please do not tell PETA this, they will boycott it next week I'm sure.) When we walked out of Big Daddys, we were totally insatiated, maxed to the full limit, but ohhhhhhhhhhhhh what a way to go! If you have not figured it out by now - lobster is absolutely something I thoroughly enjoy and to be able to sit down to an ALL YOU CAN EAT MAINE LOBSTER fest - woo hoo! (We have very good friends where we used to live who often invited us over in the summer for lobster feeds at their house - he is a lobsterman, but it has been years since John and I have sat down to enjoy eating an endless supply of Maine lobsters. ) On the way out, people were asking each other how many they were able to eat... the numbers were surprising low! John and I were quite proud to reveal he ate 5, and I ate 4 (did I mention nothing fits?!). We returned home to All Things Brittany quite satisfied from All Things Lobster - as in all you can eat! Life is good. And speaking of huge - did I mention WISH's tummy? ! Day 49 out of 63, and we are looking good!

God Bless you all, John, Ann, and ATB

Pippin's First AKC Show Point

Today at the Middlesex County Kenney Club all breed dog show in Topsfield, MA. Miss Pippin won her first point towards an AKC show championship! She placed 1st in 12 - 18 month bitches, won Winners' Bitch, and also Best Opposite Sex. I am so proud of the Pippinator, she really did so well, her drive and reach are amazing. Pippin held her head up so high today and when she gaited, it felt like I had her mother on the end of the lead instead of her! Lisa was kind enough to let us hitch a ride with her to the show which meant I also got to spend time with Izzy and Hero; Izzy used my arm for a head rest all the way home and Hero thought my ears needed cleaning before the show. Lisa handled "Paris" for Pam - who has a broken foot! Paris looked really nice, Pam would have been proud of her girl, who took a Reserve to Pippin! There were some real nice Brittanys there today. Because it is Pip's first point, we took a picture for the occasion. There's a big show coming up this weekend in Maine, a major in bitches on Sunday!

I'd always heard stories of how dogs who have to stay home on a show day, just know it. This was true of Treasure today and I really did feel bad. As I prepared for the show this week all the familiar items came out for packing. Treasure was so excited. This morning it was really hard to walk away from her (although she was in the house with John playing couch potato with her brother Jack). When we came back home, boy! Did I get an awesome Brittany greeting!!!! She jumped up , face level to me and kissed me on the nose - all 4 feet off the ground!!!! Talk about Tiggers!

Yesterday we had a wonderful time at our nieces high school graduation party and cookout. My sister, brother in law, and nephew were up from Florida. It was great to see everyone again and to enjoy the sunny afternoon while it lasted! Today, our son invited dad John to a chili cookoff with our grandson at their church. A good time is had by all.

And Wish is getting big ;o)
Take care and God bless you all from John, Ann and All Things Brittany

ATB: Wish on The Move

On the move? No other way to explain this girl lately! I tried for a half hour last night to get a 'still' photo of Wish but it was impossible. John has let a portion of our "field/front yard" grow up tall and all the Brittanys just love it. Wish especially so. I did get a lot of good video footage, and if there's time will do a youtube video. So here she is, truckin' it through some of the taller grass. She is extremely affectionate and energetic right now and her belly is definitely getting rounder with each passing day. Wish misses running with the other dogs but sometimes we don't want to risk her getting bumped. The other day John released some homers in preparation of upcoming field training. I was in the house and all of sudden heard Wish outside, whining and crying so of course I immediately ran to see what was going on. A couple of the bolder pigeons landed on top of the tin roof that shelters the outside runs, right where Wish just happened to be. She couldn't see them, but with her nose, she knew they were there! Trying to keep stress at a minimum for her, we put her inside and worked on getting the birds back to their "coop". Sorry, Wish! From on on when the homers are released, we'll be sure Wish is not nearby.


Pippin and I are getting ready for a show this weekend. She looks so beautiful. We are hoping to get back up to the bird field with her again soon. The day after the Maine Bird Dog Field Trial we took Jack and Pippin back up to the grounds and she had a magnificent "awakening" experience. Dawn had been concerned about Pippin's lack of confidence at one of the shows and said get her on birds and stay away from the indoor shows for awhile. It was good advice! John and I cut the dogs loose and enjoyed watching the pair demonstrate their inherent hunting skills. There was still a lot of ground scent from the weekends trial. Jack locked up solid so we knew there was a bird nearby. Wanting to take advantage of the moment with Pippin, I brought her back to me and put her on the check cord whil John collared Jack and led him off. Then I released Pippin and let her work the area all by herself and sure enough, she picked up the scent herself - and SLAMMED! into the finest, stylish point I have yet to seen in her! WOW~! CHILLS~! This is what it is all about for me... All the training, yard work, playing, etc... coming face to face with the genetics and the purpose of the Brittany breed itself adding up to that one moment in time. I quickly walked up the length of her check cord to establish some control and stood on it. John quietly approached her from the side so she could see him, and softly said 'who-a-a-a' with his palm held up in front of Pippin. She was all business, quivering, not moving her head left or right... and not budging. The only other movement was her nostrils and her eyes! John kicked and thrashed the brush around the area, deliberately being noisy and finally the bird flew up and away. He fired the blank gun twice. Pippin held steady, and I quickly led her away... not wanting to take any chances she would give to chase - and not wanting to push our luck! Shortly afterwards we released both Jack and Pippin and John and I could see the change in her. To watch the two working together from that moment on was breathtaking. He's a 4 year old finished close working gun dog, Johns buddy, and an AKC Junior Hunter who is a joy to hunt over and live with. She's a little "Pippin" just 14 months old, full of promise and potential which I can only pray we can develop to the fullest. No photos of this day - having a camera to worry about would have only taken away from that moment. Some things are better remembered by experiencing them in the moment and reliving them in later memories. There will be other moments like this, I'm sure!

Welcome Wish!

About a month ago, Wish, John, and I took an afternoon drive for a pre-arranged, anticipated 'date'. We had screened her prospective mate thoroughly, and were quite impressed with his conformation, his background, and all that is important when considering a suitable... suitor! A finished AKC show champion of record, with a Junior Hunter title, a Canine Good Citizen title and known for his starring role as the Brittany puppy in 'the 12 Dogs of Christmas' (filmed in Maine) CH Gibson JH, CGC and Birch Spring Wish Upon A Star are looking forward to the confirmation of her pregnancy. GibbyDog rolled the red carpet out to Miss Wish and his owners (our friends Pam and Sam) made her feel right at home with this 'WELCOME WISH" sign.

It's better not to let our hopes rise too much in the beginning, but John and I have arrived to the point where we want to announce this anticipated litter. We're very pleased and excited. There is nothing like looking forward towards the new beginning of promise, hopes, and dreams - the confidence that the Brittany - a purebred breed, member of the Sporting Group, will continue to live on, to do the job it was intended to do in most instances. But above all, to provide the opportunity to give and receive love among those who wait for their arrival. We share our lives, home, and heart with these amazing animals and awaiting a litter of well planned pups is unexplainable.

Most (all?) pups are spoken for and in some instances families have been waiting for almost a year. Wish has produced outstanding hunting dogs, with sweet dispositions and sound temperament, she is the mother of our own Jack, Scooby , and Treasure. She's also the mother of sweet Nellie and Star, and grandpups include Morgan, Remi, NashDog Son of Jackdog, Dakota, Bailey and Bullet! Each one an amazing Brittany in their own right, bringing joy to their families over the years.

Stay tuned!
God Bless you all, John, Ann and All Things Brittany