Reasons To Believe

Sarah & Jersey - (Treasure/Gibson pup)

Sarah posted this on FaceBook and I just had to copy it and share it here with those of you who may not visit our ATB FaceBook site.  She and Jason live in Canada and their lives include Miss Jersey, a year old beautiful Brittany girl out of Treasure and Gibson.  A very interesting side note is that Sarah recently returned from Argentina where "WipeOut Canada!" was filmed.  She was selected as a finalist for the Canadian version of the popular television show and will be seen in the spring of 2011 when the show airs at that time. Speaking of Treasure and Gibson's pups - the upcoming repeat breeding is very very close to becoming a reality and the waiting list is nearly complete with a little wiggle room for John and I should we decide to keep a pup to train up as a started gun dog, since we KNOW what this breeding is capable of producing!  Speaking of which, here are two other  photos we were happy to see posted on FaceBook today:

Brandi's score was outstanding for NAVHDAs Natural Ability Test, one of a series of four tests.  In particular, the NA tests are designed to evaluate the inherent natural abilities of young dogs and gain insight into their possible usefulness as versatile gun dogs. It rates seven important inherited abilities: nose, search, tracking, pointing, water, desire and cooperation. The highest score for NA testing is Prize 1, 112 Points.  Brandi's score was Prize 1, 108 points. Congratulations Jim, Lori, Brian, Corey and of course to Brandi and Jersie! (Brandi is full sister to Jersey pictured above with her geese.)

Her grandmother, Wish (Birch Springs Wish Upon A Star) has very deliberate line breeding behind her which earned her breeders several NAVHDA breeders awards over the years.  The evidence of Brandi's exceptional NA score was very, very important to John and I and to the breeders of Wish as well as the many wonderful people who share their lives with a Brittany with these lines in them.  As I  shared in the Breeding Program 101 post, there are specific reasons we have for breeding, and everything has a purpose, especially working together for the love of the dog, both given and received. 

With the arrival of the next J & A's Brittanys pups will come the registration of a litter with NAVHDA. Their specific and primary purposes include 1) educating all interested persons in the techniques of training versatile hunting dogs, to conduct tests of versatile hunting dog breeds in North America and maintain records of such tests for all interested persons, and to promote selective breeding and population control of versatile hunting dog breeds. 2) To prevent cruelty to animals by the use of properly trained hunting dogs. There is a much more detailed profiled available at NAVHDA's website.  

We have been working deliberately at bringing in lines built upon a strong and solid background of not only field champions but of bench champions. (The field lines behind our dogs are stellar and without question.)   Our shift began with the purchase several years ago of Pippin's mother "Chrissy", a breathtakingly beautiful daughter of DC/FC Masked Shoshoni War Chief JH.  A quick look at our next generation page as well as glancing back at Pippin's page with a photographic pedigree of many dual champions there will testify as to the wisdom of  that decision.  (If not for Pippin, a very important friendship in my life would never have existed...)  Another important aspect of this will be Pippin's planned 2011 breeding to CH Tonan-Hopes R U Kiddin Me (Chevy).  Then in the late fall of 2011 or perhaps even early 2012 another exciting dimension will be added to our purpose driven breeding program.  I like to look back and see how quietly God connects the dots in our life/lives here at ATB and the 2011/2012 plans are no exception!

Right now the emphasis continues to be the evaluation of the natural hunting ability and most importantly the temperament of a well balanced, loving companion Brittany. And we continue to move closer to our first AKC show champion.  

So often we have conversations with hunters who are interested in our Brittanys for all the right reasons who eventually let us know they don't care about whether it's a show dog or not. Had that conversation today on the phone.   I totally 'get' what that means; I always have and I always will.  And don't worry, John and I have no intention of making showing dogs a priority in our lives or in our breeding program although our personal goals do include titling a few Brittanys.  But we are interested in being darn sure the dogs we are responsible to bring into this world will undoubtedly give upland game hunters an experience that exceeds their wildest hopes and dreams for a hunting companion.  And - a dog that is equally at home as a loving family pet. And this is something we have most definitely achieved - thanks to so many of you who have supported our program over the years and for those of you who just became part of the ATB "family"!  

We have taken no shortcuts and we have faced our share of challenges and frustrations.  But every single time we hear from one of 'you' about your Brittany - whether it is a picture of how funny Boog looked standing on the door of a loaded dishwasher, a note about Nash and his recent horn hunting expedition, Boomer playing with Ayden,  Zeb loving on Agnes, the antics of the Sassinator and the BulletMan, the amazing abilities of Miss Bailey Bug,  the sweet way Crystal waits for Kaitlyn to come home from school, the way Buddy dresses up for Halloween, Cody playing with his little rat terrier friend,  Woody and Doc, Becca and Durgin, Wylee with his white ear named after his father and his litter nickname,  Dakota, Bodhi who will soon have a young Brittany pup to contend with, Moxie oh love the girl... and on and on and on and how can I ever say thank you to the many wonderful people who make what we do such a joy, such a calling, have purpose and reason and in many cases - share the same love of God as we do?  Each and everyone of you is important.  And then - how about so many of you who come back one, two, three years later or more  - to add another Brittany to your family?  John and I have come to love and appreciate you all and the family grows with each successive litter because speaking of 'getting it'... each one of you absolutely does 'get' what we are about.  We could never go one step further without you. Even those who are waiting now for our first litter in a year, and planning for those yet to come in the distant future... some of you are brand new to the ATB family.  But you won't be a 'stranger' for long, this is true.  You will become part of an incredible network of Brittany owners who love this amazing breed as much as we do.  The journey continues on several levels for all of us here with hopes for several important announcements in the days, weeks, and months ahead.  Take care and God Bless each and every one of you - you're so very important to us.  John, Ann and ATB