BABY! It's COLD outside - Br-r-r-r-r

How can it be that at 4 a.m. this morning it was warm enough to wear a wool shirt and not a jacket, but this afternoon it's FREEZING, with gusts of wind and snow keeping me chilled to the bones even though I'm all bundled up?  I am thankful that there is the slightest length of daylight though lately. Good thing as John and I are becoming quite the couch potatoes just about the time Glenn Beck is on in the evening.

I'm listening to True who is having his afternoon 'time-out-nap- in the crate.  NEVER have I have heard such funny noises from any puppy before!  I was warned and I do know Gibson personally who has been known to be vocal a time or two!  True isn't howling or whining, it just sounds like he is trying to say words and yawn at the same time. It is so hilarious I have all I can do not to respond or encourage him!

Pippin is looking beautiful after a much needed bath, despite the cold.   You see, Miss Pippin discovered the pile of black ashes and soot where John had cleaned the woodstove last weekend.  At first I thought she'd had an encounter with some oil but thankfully it was not so.  Thanks to the shampoo and conditioner we use on her she cleaned up quite nicely. 

The dogs are still getting in their daily exercise but admittedly their run times are much shorter.  They take a half dozen laps around the house, enough to get their hearts pumping and stretch the muscles and then voluntarily stand in line to get back into the warmth of their house!  It's nice having the coffeemaker down there now because I can heat up some hot water for hot cocoa for me, and to mix in with their food to make it warm.  I like it because when I get down there I can take my winter coat off, hang it up and hang with whoever happens to be there.  I've also moved the grooming table back down there as the garage is not yet heated.  It's kind of neat.  Rosie and Scooby both love to jump up and lay down on it.  So I make sure that the table is used not only for grooming, but also for hugging and snuggling. If they can't all be in the house at the same time, at least I can be with whoever happens to be there. I do think Wish wins the snuggliest prize of all, but Pippin is a close second, in bed or on the couch LOL. 

True is becoming more independent as he explores more and more outside.  He has adapted to his schedule quite well, going nearly all night in his crate with barely a peep and no accidents.  We had to figure out what to do in the morning as I'm not an early riser these days and John, who is, does enjoy his coffee undisturbed.  Tried having True come in with me first thing but he's wired for sound.  Also experimented with the X-pen in the kitchen but he is happiest in that during mid day.  So, we decided simply to put him in his crate with his breakfast until I get up a little later and it's worked great. 

We have received some really nice pictures of some of his littermates.  Once I get them in the files I need them to be in I'll upload.  Everyone has emailed us and give updates. We've even been able to put some other people in touch with breeders who had pups available which I always enjoy doing because a lot of times we are also on the receiving end of referrals. 

I'm really happy that I've heard from a very good friend from my childhood.  We grew up together from the age of about 4 or 5, went to school together, and always stayed in touch up until a few years ago.  It's funny, when John and I moved to where we are now - she and her family moved to the town we had lived in!  Not too far away from each other though, and I know that to reach this stage of life and still have such a connection with someone who probably does know everything about you and still loves you anyway - is a blessing.  We may not be in each others daily life - but we are forever in each others heart.  We met when I set up a "Kool Aid" stand across the street from her house, and she let me know in no uncertain terms I was invading her territory LOL!  It feels good to be in touch again. The town I grew up was a magical, safe, and wonderful place to be as a child and we share those memories of long ago.

Well - I'm freezing, that's all there is to it. I'm going to hunker down in front of the woodstove.  It's definitately a 5 dog night - If I could get away with it that is!!  Unlikely... but maybe 2 or 3...LOL!  John and I need a king size bed, you think?  Ever lay down with your dog and find you are cemented in place all night long, and wonder why you can't move in the morning?  (Yes I tell people not to sleep with their dogs...but I do not always practice what I preach in those situations!)

Today is a special day for John and I... he's bringing home a special delivery which we have both been anticipating for a very long time...!   More on that soon.

Hope you and yours are staying warm where ever you are... and if for some reason I don't get back here in time to say it - Hope you Have a Wonderful New Years!  Take care and God Bless, John, Ann and ATB 

Third Day of Christmas....

OUR FAMILY

It's not often that our son, daughter, son in law, daughter in law, 3 grandsons and 4 grandaughters are all together in the same place.  That is one of the greatest blessings of Christmas for John and I when they are. It was a wonderful celebration together from beginning to end.  No matter how much work and preparation goes on behind the scenes it is all worth it when are able to simply laugh, love, and enjoy each others company for the moments we are afforded to do so.  I was telling our oldest granddaughter one reason Christmas photos are so important to me is because from year to year, they mark the growth in and of our family.  Last Christmas we had two very little babies, and this year those two boys are toddling around.  Our youngest grandaughter started school this year.  And so it goes.  Nearly 35 years ago, our family consisted of 2 people - John and me!  In the past 10 years both of our children were married, and each new family of 2 has also grown significantly.  It is hard to believe we have 7 grandchildren, each one a uniquely wonderful, enjoyable, loving child in their own right.  7 sweet personalities and each one incredibly intelligent and gifted as the child they are intended to be.  We're also blessed with our son in law and our daughter in law, each one means the world to us and we love them as if they were our very own.  All families have "stuff' to work through from time to time and ours is no exception.  But this Christmas there was no lingering "stuff" as we gathered together, relaxed, enjoyed each others company, good food and the special time around the tree. And yes of course ATB was an important part of our celebration of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I will forever look back at this photograph above with a smile on my face, proud of who our children have grown into and also still madly in love with the man I share my life with, and who has always been a great father but an even better Grandpa.  The last couple of days we've kicked back and relaxed around the house but today we are getting back on track.  Afterall, it is our Brittanys that we share our day to day lives and activities with at this point in our life.  But Christmas lives in our hearts and our minds long after the celebration of the day itself.  Having said that, we'll be posting some new pictures of the dogs, True, introduce the latest member of our family ;o), and hopefully have some more good news in the near future!  We hope that you and yours had a wonderful Christmas, thank you for the many cards and photos, and please know we didn't send any greetings out this year, but maybe we'll do better next time!

Take care and God Bless you always!  John, Ann, and All Things Brittany

Day Before Christmas Eve, Eve

This is a lovely litter of pups that Jack recently sired in New Jersey.

Wanted to share this beautiful Christmas Card we just got!

Thankfully the packages I had been waiting for were delivered today by UPS.  I'll get them wrapped tomorrow.  Today I prepared a few goodies for Christmas Eve.  We have always had an informal buffet at our old home and our daughter and family now are carrying that on.  John is truly the Grampa Claus this year, and has made sure everyone is taken care of in our family.  He absolutely loves to shop for the most unusual and simple items for helping Santa fill stockings.  This afternoon he had the socks all laid out across the couch and I took a picture of him filling each one with care.  Of course I decided to blow in about that time with Jack, True, and Treasure but quickly averted a disastor!  Later I blew in with Rosie and Molly while True and Treasure break up their routine a little by hanging back in the dog house.  I had fallen asleep on the couch down there oops!  The fudge I made didn't set, but the Mexican Bean Dip came out great, have beans soaking for baking, and will make some pie crusts tonight.

I simply want to tell you all that we hope each and every one of you have a very wonderful Christmas.  It may sound like a cliche - but Jesus is the Reason for the Season, and however you choose to celebrate that, let your heart be still, long enough to look up into the sky on Christmas Eve... and for some, that may bring thoughts of Santa riding through the night with 8 tiny reindeer... but for others, it may remind you of the Bethlehem Star.  In 2000 I had the honor of being in Israel with Aglow International, a ministry I was heavily involved with.  One of the highlights of that trip was being in Bethlehem.  I can remember looking up into the night sky, and imagining what would it have been like for those shepherds tending their flocks of sheep, to suddenly look up and see all those angels, lights, music, sounds and more!!! WOW!  Oh Holy Night!  Take a peek into the sky on Christmas Eve, set your mind and spirit free to be receptive to all that Christmas is and always will be.  And as you do, let His love fill your heart anew, or for the very first time!   Oh Come Let Us Adore Him!!!  Merry Christmas and God Bless you and yours, John, Ann and All Things Brittany

"On the 12th Day of Christmas, good friends gave to ATB..."

Do you recognize this handsome face?  This is "Kasper" formerly known as Arnold,

 and he is seen here with his new best canine friend "Milo"! Thank you Melanie, Jeff and family!

On the 12th Day of Christmas

 The Harris family gave to ATB...

Handmade fleece tugs

lovingly made for every Brittany!!!

THANK YOU for everything!!!!!!  

Favorite Things!

Homemade Chocolate Fudge, Lindt Truffles, Teapots, Surprises, Brittanys!

The lyrics in the song from the Sound of Music called "My Favorite Things" could easily be replaced with the above 'favorite things' as far as I'm concerned!  We were pleasantly surprised yesterday afternoon when the Poulin family gifted us with some of our favorite things, including a visit with "Remi"!   Not only did we enjoy our time with everyone, but we also placed "Patch" in the arms of his new owners and said goodbye, thus beginning the first day of the rest of not only his life - but that of "True" as well. 

Once again we have taped "Example of a Day in the Life of an 8 week old Puppy" to the refridgerator and started to make notations as to what True's schedule will actually develop into.  Ironically, we picked right up at the 7 pm schedule and have followed it right through to this morning.  The schedule is one I developed when we brought Timberdoodle home back in 2005 and has been used successfully for several years by a lot of people.  True quickly demonstrated his signs for needing to go out and do his business and also claimed a spot outside nearby.  No accidents in the house 'yet'.  Treasure's ability to read her pup and help with training amazes me.  At about 7:30 he was clearly tired.  So-o-o-o Treasure went into the crate and lay down.  Treasure NEVER voluntarily does this!  True followed her in, and with the door open, cuddled up next to her. 

We have had a lot of people write to us about the YouTube video of Treasure introducing her pups to birds and tell us they have never seen a smarter female Brittany!  I actually hadn't thought too much about what happened last night until I began to write about it just now.  After True fell asleep, Treasure came out into the living room and I simply closed True in.  He slept  until 3 a.m. this morning.  We went out and he did both kinds of his business.  We came right back in and he was kenneled again without any protest.  Not a peep until @ 7 am this morning.  Our day began with  'outside', followed by breakfast, supervised playtime, another 'outside' and then into the X-pen while John and I were nearby working etc.  We walk by him in the X-pen but don't interact very much with him while he's in it.  It's almost time for this period to be over, and he has spent a couple of hours happily content to play with his toys, rest on his blanket and watch what is going on around him. Even with Treasure and Jack walking by, he's not complaining at all.  In a few minutes, he'll go outside, then come back in for supervised playtime and some training, 2nd meal of the day, outside again, and about 1:30 he'll have some more crate time.  I'm curious to see how much adapting I need to make to the original schedule. So far so good!

At the advice of several friends, I have started to do some clicker training with True.  I'm amazed at how quickly he catches on!  But this is the developmental period where a puppys mind is like a sponge, just waiting to soak up all that they possibly can.  I don't want to miss a thing... Although I'm interested in eventually showing him, the life skills we are teaching him now are the most important ones for shaping his behavior. He's posing well on the table, doesn't mind grooming, being handled and loves everyone. 

And on that note - he has just woke up!  God Bless you, John, Ann and ATB

Christmas is Almost Here!

This is 3 1/2 year old J & A's Diggin Durgin of Enchanted, owned by Dee and Linda. 

Christmas is indeed almost here!   And as I type we are anticipating a major snowstorm on the East Coast. Whether or not it reaches us is yet to be determined but we are in the 'snow belt' and usually can expect substantial amounts when they are forecast. Just not sure if this storm will make it up this far. 

Tomorrow "Patch" will leave to begin the first day of the rest of his life with the family who already are enjoying sharing their life with "Remi".   Remi has enjoyed a successful season of bird hunting and we know that Patch will be trained to do the same. 

I think most of the shopping is done here although there are a few more items I'm watching for to be delivered.  I hope they make it in time!  John finished most of the wrapping last night so there is little more to be done.  We hope that everyone will be happy with their gifts... oops I did just remember there are a few more things left on one of my lists.  Well, I'll wait and join the last minute shoppers during the week. 

Patch and True will be 10 weeks old tomorow, can you believe it?  They are both learning a lot of new things every day, their little minds are like sponges and they are so excited about every lesson.  At this age, training consists of a few minutes several times a day on very basic puppy behavior.  True is doing well on the grooming table and is also learning to watch me.  Scooby has taken a special fondness on of True and last night True fell asleep laying across Scooby's neck, kissing his ears.  Too cute.   We continue to get very good reports of Treasure and Gibson's pups.

We've not sent any cards out yet this year - the fact of the matter is we haven't even bought any...

Thinking that is about it for now.  A quiet Sunday afternoon, perhaps even time for a quick nap!  John has enclosed the open ends of the outdoor runs so that no snow can blow into them.  The dog house itself is a comfortable 62 degrees inside, thanks to our Christmas present from 2 years ago of a pellet stove.  The crates in the inside runs now have both blankets and hay, making for snuggly sleeping.  I have a quilt there on the loveseat, so pull a pillow out, put the t.v. on, make some hot cocoa and let the dogs all run amuck inside.  Every night they all wonder who will come up into the house... well I wish every single one of them could, but that is why they have the dog house too.

Hope everyone has a wonderful day today, and is looking forward to the celebration of Christmas at the end of the week!  Take care and God Bless you all, John, Ann and ATB

Growing Old With Dogs

GROW OLD WITH DOGS

Author Unknown

"When I am an old woman... I shall wear soft gray sweat shirts... And a bandanna over my silver hair..... and I will spend my social security checks on wine and my dogs.  I will sit in my house on my well-worn chair and listen to my dogs' breathing.

I will sneak out in the middle of a warm summer night and take my dogs for a run, if my old bones will allow... When people come to call, I will smile and nod as I show them my dogs... And talk of them and about them... ...The ones so beloved of the past and the ones so beloved of today.

 I will still work hard cleaning after them, mopping and feeding them and  whispering their names in a soft loving way. I will wear the gleaming sweat on my throat, like a jewel and I will be an embarrassment to all... Especially my family... Who may have not yet found the peace in being free to have dogs as your best friends.... These friends who always wait, at any hour, for your footfall... And eagerly jump to their feet out of a sound sleep, to greet you as if you are a God.

With warm eyes full of adoring love and hope that you will always stay, I'll hug their big strong necks... I'll kiss their dear sweet heads... And whisper in their very special company.... I look in the Mirror... And see I am getting old.... This is the kind of person I am... And have always been.

Loving dogs is easy, they are part of me. Please accept me for who I am. My dogs appreciate my presence in their lives... They love my presence in their lives......When I am old this will be important to me... You will understand when you are old.... If you have dogs to love too."

~Author Unknown

A Princess!

Pictured here is Brandi, (aka "Dottie") in her new home.  It definitely looks as if Christmas has come early here doesn't it?  I asked her new owners if I could have her back now after looking at this picture - she looks just like Treasure doesn't she?  Now 9 weeks old, I would say she's become a very pampered Brittany !  Brandi is destined to be trained and enjoyed as a close working gundog however for the rest of the time, I'd say she is going to be loved and enjoyed as a very special member of her new family of two young boys, mom, and dad.  I had to share this photo and hope you enjoy it as much as I have!  As always God Bless you and yours, John, Ann and All Things Brittany.

And now we have one....

 Patch and Cone sliding - no kidding!  Cone is with his new owners. 

See update below regarding PATCH.

Yesterday we had a lovely visit with a couple we've been working with for awhile now. I noted with interest how 'Cone' was especially drawn to Tiffany. In all of our aptitude tests etc. he has shown the same amount of independence as True has, which meant he was happy to receive attention but also quickly left to continue exploring. Some pups love to be held, others not so much and Cone has been right in the middle. Yet out of True, Patch, and Cone - yesterday he was absolutely thrilled to be held on his back and enjoy gentle belly rubs, and lifting his little face up to kiss this new person. John and I felt that we'd probably be working with this couple for awhile when they left, as they originally just wanted to check us out and vice versa! This morning, I was sleeping in (John would say what else is new LOL) and heard him on the phone telling the caller I would call them. Okay for the nine millionth time I'm not a phone person so yes, I was a little grumbly before I had my first cup of coffee.... but I returned the call and heard a very happy, delighted voice on the other end of the line say if Cone was still available, they were very interested in him! Well, John and I had already decided that they were a very good 'fit' for one of our pups, now or in the future. Of course I had a few questions I wanted to ask before saying YES... but it was a no-brainer. Everything serious and important had been done on behalf of the pups and this couple over the past few months. John and I had commented well into the evening how Cone had been so taken by Denis and Tiffany. To make him available to them was obvious! Earlier in the day (Saturday) we had placed Smoke into the waiting arms of his new owner who delivered him to the rest of his excited family waiting anxiously in New Jersey. A referral from another breeder, this family also has another Brittany which is great for Smoke (now Rugby) who was especially close to Treasure. Well, a couple of hours ago we said goodbye to Cone (now Riley) and very happy that he, like those who have gone already, is beginning the first day of the rest of his life too. And I want to say there really are times when a certain puppy with pick their new owners. With it being Christmas we have made it very clear from the start - these pups are NOT Christmas presents, no surprises or gifts, and worked with wonderful people who have been planning and preparing, many for quite awhile. But because it is Christmas time, John and I also understand that the pups will bring an extra measure of joy, excitement, and celebration to all of these families who have come into our life. The mandatory well puppy visits have taken place already and/or appointments made for them this week. Reports have been great! Many have already signed up for basic puppy classes of some kind. We've loved the updates about the first 24 hours and on, the photos of pups in their new environments. John and I are taking a deep breath, relaxing a bit more, and very happy with all that we have heard and seen. Treasure is doing so well. She has spent time with each pup just before they left. Some say mother dogs are just glad to be rid of the pups. Not Treasure. We sent the video around of her training the pups with the pheasant wing and received great compliments, including someone saying they had never seen such a smart puppy mother before. I concur. She's been in on the pup's departure. Maybe that's silly, and maybe that doesn't work with every litter. But it was part of Treasure's experience.

So this morning I returned two phone calls. One about Cone. And the second to give first refusal for Patch to a family who we already know is perfect for one of our Brittanys, as evidenced by their outstanding care and training another Brittany from us. Bit the timing has to be perfect. We have a waiting list of several well qualified families and we're never in a hurry to have all our pups leave just because they reach 8 weeks. In fact these past 9 weeks have flown! So Patch may be here for awhile with us, or not. However it works out, is going to be just fine. No one expects 11 puppies at once, and I wonder if few are really prepared! I wonder if anyone realizes how blessed John and I feel knowing that all 11 pups - have been spoken for in one way or another since before they were born. I apologize to those who we have not gotten back to, but we will and we know you're willing to wait. Which we appreciate. And in the end, when you prefer not to, many of you know - we will refer you to breeders we enjoy working with as referals work both ways.

So I've rambled again... and we'll be making at least one phone call about Patch later. UPDATE!!!  Patch will begin the first day of the rest of his life with his new family on Sunday, December 20th. 

I have a migraine from too much sodium/salty foods at a Christmas party last night. But oh it was fun - except that the Yankee Swap gift I was hoarding was snatched by the person who had #1 LOL!! Well, it is snowing heavily, Christmas songs are playing, wood stove keeping us warm, and most Brittanys in our life are taking a nap - which I'll be doing shortly.

I hope you enjoyed the new Christmas Family and Friends video I uploaded to YouTube. Also posted in yesterdays Blog.  ALL our new ATB families are added to it, and it may be updated one more time. I'm beginning to 'feel' a bit like Christmas, but of course that is a feeling you can embrace each and every day of the year - the celebrations just enhance it when you remember "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"! As always thank you so much for your interest in ATB - we are so blessed in many ways and enjoy sharing times with you here. Take care and God Bless, John, Ann and ATB.

Our Christmas Family and Friends Album - 2009

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Left to Right:  Jack, Pippin, Treasure

Well we have managed to get our Christmas Tree up in the last 24 hours. Actually, this is one of those situations when the 'we' is actually a 'he' as in John.  But he did get some help from Jack, Pippin, and Treasure as you can see above.  Jack was not thrilled to have to wear the reindeer antlers but it was a trade off for being able to help out.  They were also his official taste tester for the gingerbread cookies he made in the shape of (you guessed it!) Brittany puppies.  No I'm not kidding.  You know, we probably all have years in which we just don't have the usual excitement about Christmas coming, and this year it is "she" who falls in that category.  Fortunately, John has more than enough of it, understands I'm working hard to be sure all is well with the puppies and has made sure we at least get a tree up.  I am negligent in that I do not yet have our Nativity up.  In our family through the years, that was always the first and most important Christmas 'decoration' to go up.  In 2000 I took a trip to Israel and brought back 3 hand carved olive wood Nativity Sets from Bethlehem, one for each of our children and one for us.  Even if the candles don't get up in the windows this year, our Nativity will soon be set up.  Well, John even went out and met Santa Claus the other day and they talked about what gifts the grandchildren might like.  Our dining room table is now overflowing with wrapped and unwrapped gifts.  And our kitchen has an X-Pen in the middle of it, with a crate, and a paper covered floor where now 5 Brittany pups enjoy a good part of the day.  And we wouldn't have it any other way! 

Just a couple of hours ago the new owners of Bert arrived with their 9 month old grandaughter.  It was an enjoyable visit as he begins the first day of the rest of his life. In the meantime John is outside working so hard to remove snow, de-ice the walkways, and all that goes with the winter wonderland we suddenly find ourselves a part of.  Yesterday we received about 7 inches of the white stuff.  As much as I love a White Christmas well I may be getting a little Bah Humbuggy in these recent years because it is not quite as important to me as it once was to have a foot of snow on the ground!  But the puppies sure did have a blast playing and frolicking and John and I had just as much fun watching them.  This morning Bert followed right along after John as he walked with him outside.  Too cute.  We have heard great reports from all the new families about the puppies, good vet visits, succesful trips on the ride home, ease of housebreaking, and fairly uneventful first nights spent in crates.  A couple of situations of older dogs not quite sure what to do with the new baby in the house but that should work itself out in time.  Cone and Patch are our two remaining boys but folks are coming tomorrow and this weekend to visit and several other people have contacted us as well.  All of our families have either had Brittanys before and/or are bird hunting families. 

We will take a little break from puppies as I am planning to enjoy some upcoming dog shows in New England soon and perhaps venture into New York, something new.  But the planned repeat breeding of Molly and Jack will also become a focus for us in the near future.  We also have a surprise to share soon. And last but not least, we are even looking into the Fall of 2010.  What amazes me is the way people find out about us.  We already have several folks waiting for Molly and Jack pups, and beyond.  Through hunt clubs, word of mouth, other breeders, etc. it is such a humbling experience to us to hear the compliments and receive the encouragement that comes our way.  People who understand what we're about and why.  So, I hope 'you' always know how much we (he and she) both appreciate the interest you have in our Brittanys and in our lives.  Once again, we want to say God Bless you and yours, from John, Ann and All Things Brittany. 

J & A's Keeper of the Stars (Call Name: "True")

Just want to thank so many of you for helping us come up with a name for our new male puppy.  Between private email, comments here and on Facebook we have had so many great suggestions.  We kept going back and forth with AKC registered names, and then finding an appropriate call name that fit.  What is funny is those with Treasure and Gibson pups are also comparing  new names of your own!  Our first purebred AKC dog together ever was an Olde English Sheepdog way back in 1975 - and we named her Missy, thinking it was a great name. When the registration certificate arrived we realized that a lot of O.E.S. names were just like ours - hers was Missy XXIV  - very impressive - NOT!!!   (That's actually one of the reasons we like to have our pups named with the J & A prefix.)  It's interesting anyway to learn how people arrive at a particular name and a lot of thought often does go into it.  Some breeders have themes.  I've always liked to name a dog to somehow bring recognition to those dogs behind it, even if we're the only ones aware of that. I saw this a lot in the Birch Spring lines we use, there are some really cool names there. If you've been following our blog or our website for the past few years, you saw us through two very significant naming decisions in J & A's Heartfelt Legend of Acton (Pippin) and J & A's Soaring White Seqouia of Acton (Scooby).  You may know why those two are named accordingly... and it needed to be that way with Treasure and Gibson's pup.  You also may remember that a synonym of Treasure is "Pride and Joy", a line we have always stayed very close to.  (By way of review and a matter of history, the first Brittany we ever bought was in 1986, a nice Pride and Joy bitch out of Buschman and owned by Linda McCartney Roy.) Suffice to say Treasure's call and AKC registered name is meaningful and it probably belabors the obvious to mention those particulars again.

We were down to J & A's Treasure Keeper of Acton but I told John about how a couple of suggestions came in about Keeper of the Stars, and that it actually was one of Gibby's owners favorite songs.  I also thought it was nice that John's cousins, Stanna and Randi,  liked it too!  So I looked the lyrics up and found the video on YouTube.  The moment the song began to play, the name game was over as we listened to this beautiful ballad from the 90's.   We had our 'official' registered name but what about our puppies call name?  So we really are a little overboard here but I practiced calling some that we'd been considering.  With Pippin - it just happened - she is a little pip!  Scooby, his call name stems from his father's behavior.  But what of Treasure and Gibsons male puppy?  After awhile, it was John who spoke the one word, the new name that goes along with so much and takes in a lot, and the name fits... and I think it's going to be perfect for our new puppy.

I love our boys, Scooby and Jack.  We will also love our new boy, who will be called "True".  True because Dreams do Come True.  And True because we believe that Jesus Christ is the True North, a strong and steady light, who never leaves us alone, the absolute compass for our lives. True will be registered as
J & A's Keeper of the Stars of Acton.

J & A's Brittanys & Hills Brittanys: Something to Brag About

We love to receive photos and updates of our Brittanys and this morning was no exception when our friend Dawn (Hills Brittanys) sent several along in her email.  This picture was taken at the Central New England Brittany Club members fun field trial yesterday.  It is Hills Catch'n the Wind (Miss Bailey) who was the top puppy in the trial. She could also have placed well in the adult stakes too I am sure!  Dawn said Bailey was awesome.  Bailey is out of our Jack (J & A's Apple Jack of Acton JH) and Chrissy (KJ Requets Bouncin Crsta), and Miss Bailey is just under 15 months old.  We've highlighted her on the blog in other places. I think this is a grand photo which shows her intensity and style while holding for the bird which Paul is heading into flush right in front of her.  Dawn also sent two other pictures of her dogs, including a real nice photo of Pippi's father Jac (CH Hills Blazn' Jac) and also of Nic (CH Hill's Swiftriver  in the Nick of Time JH). The pictures certainly testify of the nice points that went along with the great bird work of all three dogs.  "Congrats to Paul and Dawn from All Things Brittany and thanks for sharing such great news and photos." 

God Bless, John and Ann, Pippin, Jack and the rest of the crew here including... soon to be named little puppy boy! 

Pippins father: Jac

Nic

For the love of the dog... both given and received

Yesterday we said goodbye to 5 beautiful Brittany pups while 5 wonderful families said hello to them, and welcomed them into their hearts for the first day of the rest of these puppies lives to begin.  We are often asked how we feel on the day a puppy leaves ATB, when the final goodbye kiss is planted on their little muzzles, and one more exchange of puppy breath and human breath occurs between us.  I can share the truth of how happy we are for each pup, who are eage and ready to experience the adventure of life with the people who will love and care for them.  People who we have personally selected each puppy for. We can honestly share about the wonderful friendships that have developed over time as a result of this.  And we can smile and say it is all for the love of the dog, both given and received which is absolutely true.

It was an amazing day yesterday!  Beginning at 8 a.m. and going through until 4 p.m. our home was flooded with puppies and people.  It was wonderful!  Smiles and bright eyes were evident from new puppy owners of all ages.  Tails wagged, toys were shared, romps through the house, puppy barks and yup of  course a couple of minor accidents.  We have heard from most everyone this morning and the ride home and first night of pups has gone very well with little issues.  One pup slept all night long in their crate.  Another traveled to their new home in a crate and slept the whole way. There were a couple of unsure situations for the pups of course but all in all, excellent reports abound, making this heart glad.

John and I were pretty tired by the end of the day and with double the chores hanging over our heads decided to go out for dinner nearby (Big Daddys - my favorite!)  We enjoyed a prime rib dinner together, picked up more pellets for the puppies stove, and headed back home returning to ATB.  I enjoyed an extended playtime with the remaining pups who will say goodbye throughout this week and into next weekend.  It was interesting to watch how the dynamics of the 'pack' change.  There is not so much energy spent on vying for top dog, they actually seemed a lot calmer.  I was wondering how Sweet Pea would be as she's the only girl left now but she was absolutely content and she is clearly loved by her brothers... something I'd not noticed before.  The pups were outwardly affectionate with each other, visibly licking, pawing at each other!   They are more focused on me now and instead of worrying about what the other pups is doing, will wait for a pat, a hug, a kiss some kind of interaction from me.  And now it's important for me to spend one on one time with these pups so they begin to rely on humans for leadership, and for their behavior to be stamped with that impression instead of that of a canine.  What a nice litter of pups and as we leave 8 weeks behind and merge into the next 'season' of development a whole different perspective of their needs must be recognized.  At this age a young puppy, even if with other dogs for companionship, must be separated on a regular basis.  As you know we're keeping one pup, holding one back for future evaluation, and one is left yet waiting to confirm a serious inquiry.  It does not necessarily get easier now, even though there are 6 instead of 11 to care for. 

I am wandering away from my original intention of writing this morning which was to explain how I might feel emotionally about saying goodbye.  As I write, I realize there is no time to feel anything sad! Instead I am full of hope for many reasons  - today we'll get our Christmas tree, better late than never.  Christmas music is playing, the woodstove is keeping the house warm, snow is on the ground, the new pond has iced over and is beautiful, and so... I"m avoiding saying one thing...

I deeply miss the 5 puppies who left yesterday.  I believe Treasure does too.  We have gone through this together in many ways.  And I saw John shed a tear yesterday as he held Arnold close to him. I won't dwell on that here, there is simply no time.  A lot of people say they've had large litters before and they hope they'd never have that many again.   I say I would not have missed this for the world. The full time 24/7 job I've had over the past several months now takes a new direction.  I'm ready for it.  Although I will miss what we once had here with Treasure's first litter and all that it brought to our lives, we do have another future hopeful to enjoy.

 Are we where we want to be?  In many ways - it couldn't get any better.  In others, there are always doubts about decisions made, second guessing of one self.  But it doesn't matter.  I've realized we do what we love, and love what we do. Most of the time we get it right.  Sometimes we don't.  And the bonus in all of this - John will work with several of the pups again next summer when they come back for some bird training!  In the meantime... it is time to look to this Christmas (NOT HOLIDAY) season.   To remember the reason for this season is Jesus.  That wise men and women still seek Him.  And to acknowledge Christmas for what it is.  Tell people you miss hearing them say "Merry Christmas"!  And if you offend someone... simply apologize graciously.  I'm tired of political correctness, of people being afraid to speak about what matters to them most when it comes to their faith and beliefs.  Of schools banning any reference to Christmas, of towns being sued for nativity scenes. I feel sad for businesses where employess will be fired if they don't say Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas.  It annoys me that even the Christmas card boxes now say Holiday Card.  Come on America.  Enough is enough!   So what does this have to do with  ATB?  Absolutely everything... it is who we are, always have been, and always hope to be.  Christians... !

Take care, God Bless and thank you for being such an important part of our lives.  Those who are new to ATB - we welcome you into our hearts too!  John, Ann and the crew

Our New Male Pup

Name that Puppy!

Hey there, I need some help naming a white and orange Brittany male puppy!

Parents:
J & A's Dreams Come True of Acton (Treasure)
Gibson (Gibby)
Pamela and Sam Jackson
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Definitions:
KEEPER
Something worth keeping.
TREASURE
A thing of highly estimated value.  Matt. 6:19; 19:21;
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First Round:   What's your top 3 choices here?
John has a list and I have even more!

Treasures Keeper
Dreams Alive
Treasured Dream
Gibbys Dream
Gibsons Treasure
Follow the Dream
Keep Believin
Believe it or Not
Walkin on Air
Jackson Dream
Dream Keeper
Star Gazer

COMMENTS?????

This is Now...

That Was Then...

Good morning! It feels to me like it is Monday and that we should still be in the month of October somewhere but OMG - it is Tuesday, DECEMBER 1st and this year is almost through! WOW!   Although I sit with a calendar on the wall in front of me, another on the computer sidebar with a clock, it still seems that time has just flown by.  I always remember the older people in my life saying it gets that way as the years come and go however how can it be - I'm one of those who say the same thing now?!   Well, I'll pour another cup of coffee and see if I can come up with something that has a bit more intelligence to it rather than complaining.

 In just a few days John and I will place several beautiful and well loved Brittany puppies into the arms of their new owners, who are happily awaiting the opportunity to give Treasure and Gibson's babies the 'first day of the rest of their lives.'   For an understanding and a glimpse into how we are feeling about this, you may want to take a second look at a video made in the fall of 2008 (Jack and Chris 7 weeks Old) .  The picture above is of course our own Treasure, taken when she was about 9 weeks old.  There are absolutely no words that can describe the affinity that both John and I have for not only Treasure, but for each of our Brittany dogs here.  This breed and our specific animals belonging to it, are so intelligent, beautiful, enjoyable, and truly enrich our lives.   A breeder's responsibilities must be taken so seriously in the pursuit of wanting first to improve and build upon your own lines, and then eventually contribute to the breed itself. It has been compared to the reason an architect continues to design and build better structured buildings, line upon line, precept upon precept.  But in the case of these loving and well loved Brittanys - wanting others to enjoy their worth also comes into play.  First and foremost we are interested in meeting the need for quality bird dogs for those who enjoy the sport of hunting. That Brittany must also be of sound temperament for it will be living the rest of it's life among humans, and very often children.  Also of great importance is the overall structure, type, conformation of the Brittany because if it is not sound or balanced, it will be difficult to perform the job as perfectly as it was bred to do.  We have always emphasized the love of the dog both given and received and everything that may happen to include and mean.   In recent years however, I have particularly began to work to bring in lines specifically known for it's outstanding conformation and therefor, success in the show ring.  Whether or not someone is interested in so called 'show dogs' is not the issue.  The issue is that John and I understand now more than ever how very important it is that a Brittany is physically and structurally capable of doing it's job. 

Temperament and hunting skill has never been questioned in any of our Brittanys.  Often people testify that they 'hunt right out of the box'!  And yes, we do hope that all of our pups are given that opportunity but in reality, it simply is not that easy to guarantee that will be the case.  We emphasize the importance of daily, adequate and sufficient opportunities to express their energy.  A run thorugh a field or enclosed area goes a long way in keeping a Brittany and the family happy and often makes the difference between a stressed out, over anxious, poorly behaved Brittany and one that is content to rest at your feet. 

So, with Treasure and Gibson's litter comes yet another opportunity for John and I to learn more about the breed, and more about our breeding program.  To begin with, in all honesty I could put a blindfold on and select any one of these 11 pups and absolutely know for certain we would be well pleased with every thing about it.  I would proudly take any of these pups into the show ring while knowing their inherent hunting skills and instincts are strongly instilled in them.  As we continue to evaluate these pups every day to the breed standard, to other lines, and most importantly compare them to previous pups we have had - I'm confident that we are indeed, building line upon line, precept upon precept.  Today we will get a more professional opinion of our pups, from a neutral source, and one which will be more objectionable.  Two friends both heavily involved in the dog community, each one a breeder (not of Brittanys) will look at our 'babies' here.  Many have given guidance over the past 7 weeks and I am very interested in how my opinion and that of other breeders and friends compare with what is discovered today.  My choice of a keeper puppy will be very difficult but at today's end, I should know beyond a reasonable doubt!  And I'm very excited!

On another note, as I have already blogged earlier Pippin did allright at the Fitchburg shows.  John and I met Julie early Friday morning on the Maine Turnpike and handed Pippin over.  Julie transported her along with Bullet to the show where she met Pam (Gibsons owner).   The Central New England Brittany Club Specialty was Friday, and two other shows followed over the weekend.  Again, Bullet did very well - he won one more point towards his AKC Championship title by going Winners Dog and also had a Reserve Win.  He additionally went Best Opposite Sex in Sweepstakes!  We were ecstatic! Miss Pippin had a good day Friday,  Saturday she was a twit, and on Sunday she placed first in her class. Julie handled her for me as I opted to stay home with 11 pups, did not think it was right to leave them although John is quite capable of holding the fort down.  As in my last blog, I hadn't known at the time of writing about Pippins Sunday placement, Julie handled her very well.  Pam was  happy with the way that Paris showed herself.  Pam and Julie called me every night to share the events of the day and I felt like I was there.  I told them it was nice to be missed! John and I enjoyed Julie and Bullet's company as they stayed overnight.  Julie pitched right in on Monday morning with helping me with the chores and of course we had ample puppy time while she was here.

In a couple of hours my kitchen gets transformed into a puppy play room.  The two 2-X-pens will be joined together to create a fun environment for them. One of our new puppy customers left an extra puppy size crate here for us which is very helpful.  We have a couple but with 11 pups every bit helps! Speaking of pups in the house, I have another friend who has wall to wall carpeting.  She puts a piece of plexiglass cut just a little bit bigger than the size of the an X-Pen down over her carpet and covers it with appropriate absorbant material, and enjoys her litter (smaller breed) that way.  This week our babies will be separated into smaller groups and then individually crated overnight in the house.  We will also put a quail out for them to work with and they will be wearing puppy collars (under supervision) and introduced to a leash.

NOTE: If you haven't already, those who are bringing home pups are reminded to let me know you have scheduled your well puppy visit and have made plans for basic puppy training classes in the future.  I have emailed home puppy take home check lists to some folks, please let us know if you need one.  Bringing your puppy to your vet for a well puppy visit within days of them leaving here is very important to us.  The pups will see our vet this week for puppy shots, health eval and certification. If all goes well we should have some very nice photos of all the pups today and we will also send out the actual results of the puppy selections, choices, etc.  I believe this will put smiles on a lot of faces!.

Time to let the dogs out, check on pups, put on another pot of coffee, and greet the day, which still feels like Monday!  As the so - called "Christmas Season" begins, we hope the feelings of gratefulness and thankfulnes perhaps expressed last Thursday on Thanksgiving will carry over into December.  Each day brings us closer to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.  No, December 25th may not be the actual day but it is one day that this entire planet sets aside to remember the greatest gift of all that "God so loved the world, that He GAVE...His only begotton Son..."  No matter what your belief system may be, we hope that the reality of the life of that little babe born so long ago, makes an impression upon yours as it has done on so many millions of others over the centuries of time.  Me, being one of them.... Take care and may God Bless you and yours, John, Ann, and All Things Brittany   Happy Monday -errr... Tuesday that is!!!