ATB Photos: Pups, Derbies, Trials

Pictured here is 4 month old "Mojo with John who has hidden birds for her to find with her nose. These pictures were taken after only a couple of times with early bird introduction. Her very proud owner (Dr. Flood) is seen in the photo as well. She has found all of her birds, held her point, and been shot over with a blank gun when the bird was flushed.

This is little Jack.  This evening he and his mother Treasure enjoyed being couch potatoes, sharing toys together.

More pictures of little Jack on the day he was reunited with his mother and with his sister.  He enjoys the ATB pond.

Here is little Jack running, finding birds, and holding briefly after flush and shot.

Little Jack at home with his grampa JackDog.  The insert shows Marlin under 8 weeks old still here (with his 10 litter mates) and includes "The Breeder" photo which a lot of you have asked for a copy of!

 

Pups - Early and Frequent Bird Work
Note: I will confess, the main reason I posted the photos above here on the blog is for Dan and Joann, who own little Jack. He's been here for a week now with us and we're having a great time with him. Unfortunately the email with the photos attached were returned to me and they are not on Facebook to enjoy being 'tagged'.   Speaking of Jack's owners, it is really cool because Dan is a 'long lost relative', we share common ancestors back a  hundred years or so.  When he came to get little Jack (J & A's Jack be Nimber) back in June, he brought with him his own genealogy research records and I shared what I had with him.  I thought that was pretty cool! Gives new meaning to the ATB 'family' doesn't it?!

We've always believed that the earlier you can get a young bird dog puppy (in this case our Brittanys) out into the field and on real birds the better.  Moving from using a wing on a fishing rod, to a real bird is like going from pre-school to middle school, there is that much difference if not more.  John and I both get such a thrill out of watching a young pup in our front yard discover the wing on the fishing rod which suddenly dances and comes to life before their eyes. We've seen all kinds of reactions.  I think of the litter Scooby came from - the entire litter stopped and it was if they were all honoring each other!  I remember when JackDog and his litter mate Annie were working with John out in the front yard here on pigeons back in the summer of 2005.  Later that fall her owner proudly presented us with the first pheasant he'd shot over her, a bird by the way which the pup actually retrieved.


It is hard to believe this but people have tried to tell us that you shouldn't get young pups on birds too early or too often.  I suppose there was a time we would have gone along with that but not anymore.  You keep a young bird dog away from birds for any length of time and they are going to have some catching up to do. I do agree you don't want to go shooting over a young puppy unless you know what the heck are doing or are working with someone who does!  Too many dogs have been ruined with wrong ideas about how to teach them about gunfire. Perhaps the most erroneous method I've heard used is taking the young pupster to a nearby shooting range - and either keeping it in the car or walking around the grounds while the shooting is coming from.  Puleeze!!! 


It's easy to go overboard on the wing dancing on a string too. We do that as part of the Volhardt Puppy Aptitude Testing process when they are 7 weeks old. But that is done as part of a sight sensitivity evaluation, and the little puppy points we get are extra. A week or so later, when pups go home with their new owners however, this is repeated outdoors and it is amazing the change in desire and intensity which is seen.

But how much should you really expect of a young puppy the first year?  I am very conservative with my expectations because, even if that little pupster is more than capable of going out for some fun focused bird hunting - that's the thing. The focus should remain on fun.  I cannot stress the importance enough of NOT hunting with other people's dogs, or taking your young pup out with your hunting buddies to shoot over.  One pup, one handler, one shotgun.  That pups got a whole life ahead of them to get serious about bird hunting.  I'm with Bill Tarrant with his philosophy about that first year being all about fun.

And all about fun in my book also means I remember what one of our mentors Frank Pride told me once.  I was greener than green about training for bird hunting and not afraid to admit it. I had a wonderful pup with great hunting lines behind them.  I still have the scrap of paper I hastily wrote all my notes down in response to questions asked of Frank.  In a nutshell he too was saying let that dog run, let that dog have fun, and go easy on any obedience training or you'll break it's spirit before you've even started.

Don't get me wrong. I want a well mannered ADULT bird dog. I want one that will hunt with beauty, style, grace, intensity, and style.  But when I have a puppy in the field - I want that puppy to be allowed to be a puppy in the field.  A puppy is only a puppy for a very short time. I want to hide in the grass with that pup, lay down in a field on a summer day while that pup jumps all over me and kisses my face until I can't stand it any longer!  I want that puppy to know heading into the field is one of the happiest things in their life at that point in time.  And I want that puppy to be introduced to as many birds as is possible as soon as possible. 

My Take on Derby Dogs, Trials, Etc.
John really loves working with the Brittany pups and their owners. The one phrase I hear him say the most in relation to how the pup is doing is "Remember - he's just a puppy".   Even as well as Hemi now does at 15 months, John remains very aware of the need not to put so much more pressure on him, pressure which would place unfair expectations on him.  He's been pointing and holding his birds since he was very very young without any break in his training. Even so, John is bringing him along very slowly.  Nurturing his potential, allowing Hemi to show us when he is ready to move on. In October 2011 Hemi was 6 months old and he did enjoy a fall and winter filled with fun on birds.  Remember the mild winter we had?  This fall however, Hemi will run with the big dogs for his second bird hunting season, which in reality will be his first.  Physically and genetically Hemi is more than able to get his job done.  But a dog that is of the 'derby' age (a term used to describe a level of field trial competiton) is, in my opinion. at a very fragile point of training. When Hemi was but a couple of months old I discovered this amazing quote, a quote which aptly describes my approach to training little britches.   “The desire in an exceptional pup is like a rare young wine, kegged from a proven vineyard. Nurture it slowly to perfection and it will pleasure the years. Tap it prematurely, and you will squander it’s bouquet in infancy”. Mike Gaddis

It reminds me of how easy it is to mess up a dog working to finish their Senior or Master Hunter title by letting them run in a field trial where they are not allowed to retrieve (unless it's a trial with retrieving stakes and I've just not seen any of them in AKC Pointing Dog stakes).  Personally, field trialing makes no sense to me.  The first time out with Treasure I was on the course with her and praised the living daylights out of her when she brought a live quail directly to my hand. For some reason I thought my young puppy retrieving with a soft mouth was the most amazing thing! She sure thought so too as she was wagging her tail and smiling with her eyes.  Talk about a learning curve in regards to trialing.  I was proud of her but I was supposed to be embarassed. 

I struggle with how trialing relates to bird hunting. I mean, in October I don't walk through the woods yelling at my dog constantly.  That is called hacking at a trial. But it does depend on who is doing the hacking at a trial.  It is also referred to as singing.  Well I'm sure there are times that some handlers 'get' the whole importance of a steady vocal connection with the dog and it's actually pleasant.  It's just that I've had my eardrums almost blown out by a handler blowing the whistle excessively or yelling the whole time. Then I remember wanting to go off the course, into the woods where my dog was obviously hunting.  A judge on horseback told me I had to stay on the course and keep moving forward.  That judge said they weren't going in that 'stuff' with their horse.  Huh?  When I am hunting birds in October we don't stay on a trail or a path.  Oh, then there is the foot race with a highly competetive trialer.  Walking through the woods with someone who is so competitive they physically try to push you off the path and are obviously peeved when you physically pass them by.  I have never figured out why judges don't speak to these handlers who, I've noticed, are often in the ribbons.  I shall not speak unkindly about the sport of field trialing itself and I will always support the field trials of our Brittany club.   John may venture out more as some of the younger dogs he's trained continue to do really well at whatever is asked of them - at trials, tests, and most importantly - hunting the birds. I'll be there cheering him and our friends on at every turn. And trusting his decisions as to what is best for our own dogs.  To me, trialing like showing is one more venue available to enjoy time with your dog.  It's not the end all. But winning ribbons is definitely fun, especially blue ones!

I am appreciative of those faithfully remind me we're reaching our goals.  Encouragement and support arrives via notes, cards, email, photos, facebook posts etc. about the relationship with their Brittany. Testifying of their temperament, ease in training, intelligence, beauty, and most often bird hunting ability. ATB 'family' with our Brittanys are the ones that should be awarded ribbons from John and I! Just this week I received a photo of 'Brandy Rose' with the note of how well she was doing, including compliments from her NAVHDA trainer. And earlier in the summer I had a beautiful photo sent to me with an updated note about her sister "Lucy"who has brought indescribable joy to her family. 

Our ultimate goal is to have years of successful bird hunting with our Brittanys and to breed the best bird dog to the best bird dog.  Sounds pretty simple but the fact of the matter it is taking time and years of hard work. There have been no shortcuts for us.  Friends and other like minded dog owners and breeders often need to remind me all the ribbons in the world won't replace that tasty game bird roasting in the oven for Sunday dinner! The likes of which are enjoyed with 'all' hunters involved - canine and human alike. 

Thank you so much for your interest in All Things Brittany. Treasure and little Jack are lying nearby - they want to go to bed. A quick look at the clock (oh my!) reminds me I should do the same. Take care and God bless always, John and Ann, and our fun loving canine Brittany crew!