A Brittany Summer

ATB and the Turner Family

This morning the sun is shining brightly through the office window, the breeze blowing gently across the porch and through this room causing the wind chimes to ring. In addition to the chimes in the background, the sound of crickets, Jays, a car passing by, and the whirring of an insect or two can be heard.  Hmmm...something is missing.  Could it be, that ATB is sleeping in? SShhhhh.... don't wake the sleeping Brittanys!  Oh they don't fool me though. At the first sound of my moving in my office chair, they will all be alert and ready to roll, looking at me to try to second guess what I might be up to next and beating me to it.  This is the same for those in the dog house resting comfortable in the coolness of their breezy, shaded outdoor runs. Their hearing is exceptional and they pick up the slightest sound of my moving within the house if the windows are open.  Our Brittanys do not miss a thing!

The picture above is a collage of our recent visits with the Turner family. We met this past year through their interest in our Brittanys and I'm so glad we did.  They have been up to visit us a few times and John and I have really enjoyed getting to know them, and to have a chance to stay in touch with how Jersey (Molly/Jack pup) and Brandi (Treasure/Gibson pup) are doing. The pictures were taken during their most recent trips to Maine when we got together several times with each other and also with mutual ATB Brittany friends and family. Most recently John and I were were invited to where they were staying at Old Orchard Beach and treated to grilled Elk, lobster, shrimp, corn on the cob, salad and fireworks!  We think their two boys are great, also enjoy the rest of their family that we've met.

As a side note: the Central Maine Brittany Club website has been updated to incude a musical slideshow presentation from the recent Brittany Summer Field N Fun Day.  Click on the active, prior link which will bring you to the club's homepage.  Then look for the "PHOTO" tab in the top navigation bar.  Click on that, and when you arrive at that page, scroll to the bottom for the new pictures. You may find yourself, your dog or someone you know pictured there!

Although the water level in the pond that John had put in last fall has fallen drastically, fresh water still feeds into it and the water quality remains pure and clean. It still sustains the trout John stocked however we have lost some fish.  ATB enjoys their daily exercise and playtimes to the fullest now by spending a lot of time in the water.  The water around the edge of the pond quickly becomes muddied from the dogs but where it gets deeper it is clear and I like to think of it as a swimming hole.  The sides taper down and the ground is solid and eventually it is well over my head.  The waters are very cool and refreshing in the afternoon on these hot days. Each Brittany has their own little routine.  Scooby is the olympic swimmer of the crew and would probably serve me well as a life guard if I so desired.  Happy to swim forever and in the deeper part, he frequently swims out to where I am and checks to see if I'm happy if he's happy.  Which I always am when it comes to Scooby doobah. He is an awesome water retriever.  True, is a Scooby wannabee.  He loves the water but will only go out to his neck.  So, if a stick is thrown that is over his head, True will look for the next closest stick, pick it up in his mouth and bring it out of the water in hopes I did not notice it was not the same one originally thrown.  Treasure, Pippin, and Molly are obsessed with finding anything that moves along the edge and there is now an actual running path extending all around the pond.  They are also the ones who get the muddiest because they are not apt to go in to swim and rinse off.  Wish is funny like Scooby; she will come out with me but not all the way. Her thing is to stare at me and telepathically communicate that she wants me to come back to where she is. Which I will do.  Then she is happy and simply sits on her butt with the water up to her neck, or she will lay down.  Recently she began to dive her head under the water in search of something I have retrieved for her.  She's not one to easily give up a prized object that she has carried in her mouth which can be a problem.  But we're talking about playfulness here and not forced retrieve training. There is a time and a place for that. Piper is just plain funny and unpredictable. Her greatest joy is crouching down in the tall grass where no one can see her (she thinks) the pouncing like a cat upon her unsuspecting prey, which usually means True.  Rosie has surprised me the most in recent days and delightfully so!  She has discovered the possibilty of a frog or two emerging on the surface, something her mother already understands quite well as evidenced by her obsessiveness with hunting them. Rosie saw True gently lift a frog out of the water and bring it up to the shore. (Don't go ewwww - frogs are part of pond life, but in moderation.) She was fascinated!  Up until that point, Rose would happily go into the water but never over her head to swim.  Yesterday all that changed and Rose spent a lot of time swimming around the entire pond as Scooby does, even fetching an occassional stick. She really reminded me of her sister Sassy - who would spend her entire life paddling away if she could!  Sassy loves swimming more than any Brittany I have ever seen!  And no, I haven't left out the Golden Boy - JackDog who also enjoys the water.  Jack however is much more dignified about it all, and doesn't like to make a big deal out of things.  He uses the pond purely for practical purposes and will wade out into the deep water, walk around for a minute or two until he's cooled off, and then non challantly leave. I have been taking a camp chair down to the edge of the pond with intentions to read a book while the 'kids' are playing at the impromptu 'beach'.  Yah. Right.  Think again. The minute they see me try to relax that is their cue to come and say hello.  It is a good thing we have an outdoor tankless propane camp shower!  I like to let everyone romp around the front yard once they are finished swimming, by then everything is nice and shady and I can relax with them further either laying on the grass or once again, trying to get some reading done. It's not all work and no play here - neither is it all play and no work!  It simply is... All things Brittany.

Speaking of keeping dogs clean... the new section that John built inside of the garage for grooming and a new puppy room is coming along great.  There is a door from the outside, and a door that leads into the garage. John has entirely sheetrocked and insulated, and all wired too.  I have a mirror mounted on the wall next to the grooming table which is really helpful and will come in handy for future puppy evaluations as well as current grooming needs. We have a countertop cabinent which holds a lot of supplies. I love that finally there was a place for John and I to mount the framed print of our very first litter born in 1990 to Cricket and Freckles. It looks great mounted on the wall.  I am trying to decide if I display all of our placement ribbons over the past 3 years.  Currently I have some mounted in shadow boxes or in a poster frame on the office walls.  Will have to decide.  Not that I'm proud to show them off or anything!  Part of this new area will be further divided so that we will have a brand new puppy room, something we're both looking forward to. When I asked John for a small work space in the garage for a small grooming area I never dreamed he'd build an entirely separate area. He is the best for so many wonderful reasons.

Well time to get on with the day and do some housework (UGH)... maybe.  John's out with several dogs either running them or doing birdwork. We're very pleased with how the tune-up is going and have targeted specific areas to focus on with each Brittany. I always look forward to the time of day when John returns with the dogs from their morning workout.  Take care and God Bless you and yours, and thanks for your interest in All Things Brittany!  John, Ann and the crew