ATB: Treasure at 6 Weeks (Day 42 of 63)

The beautiful Miss Treasure continues to look more pregnant with each passing day.  Most of what I have shared previously is still happening just on a bigger scale. Her appetite is very good, I am not mixing half puppy food and have regular food, daily adding a small amount of additional protein such as roasted turkey or boiled liver.  She gets a dollop of yogurt in the morning and then at night I give 3 good squirts of salmon oil in her food.  We just changed from her two normal sized meals (she gets 1 cup in morning, and 1 cup in the evening which is pretty much what we feed most of our crew to keep them healthy and fit) to several smaller ones throughout the day.  I know that in the next 3 weeks the pups will grow rapidly in size and will continue to push all organs aside. I don't want to add to her discomfort by eating large meals that will cause her stomach to be full.

She's still enjoying plenty of exercise however it's been a few weeks since we let her run as part of our crew here. Treasure does love to play and run with Hemi down around the pond and back to the house.  He adjusts his own gait to slow down with Treasure which is really very cute.  I really love it that this 'breeding pair' have always enjoyed each others company.  I tell Hemi that she is 'his girl' and that cute Brittany seems to take his role seriously.

As time goes on I am increasingly aware of how much I am looking forward to this litter.  I am of course curious about how many puppies Treasure will have.  My research and experience indicates that it is the DNA/genetics of the sire that determine the gender of the pups but it is the DNA/genetics of the dam that determine the number. I would have to say that is true for Treasure - she has had 2 litters of 11 pups - each sired by two different dogs. (She has had a litter of 8, which was a repeat breeding.)

Thanksgiving is coming up this week and we'll be preparing for two dinners, one on Thursday and one on Friday.  It will be a fun but enjoyable week. I am ready however to settle into countdown mode very soon with Treasure because I know how quickly 21 days will pass by.  Puppies cometh.

WAITING LIST UPDATE  Your deposit indicates to us your commitment to a Brittany puppy as well as your level of interest. Because there are those on our list we have not heard from we will continue to receive serious inquiries. John and I will never put pressure on anyone or chase a person done, we believe that if you are interested in one of our pups you will make the effort to stay in touch with us.  We understand that the Internet is a tool which can be used in various ways and someone looking for a puppy can reach out to multiple breeders within seconds. On the other hand, we are really only interested in working with folks who have taken the time to become familiar enough with our dogs to know we are the breeder you wish to work with.  There have been situations where we've learned the same people are on the waiting list of several people, or that people are 'shopping' [SIC] by first asking "how much are your puppies?"  All breeders work independently of each other and we all have our own methods, philosophies, and purposes regarding our breeding programs. There are times we communicate with each other in these regards and also times that we'll happily refer someone to another breeder.  To John and I the very most important thing for us to find the absolute best fit for a puppy we may have available. If we are not satisfied this is the case, we will hold back any pup(s) until we have found the best home possible for that particular pup. And in most cases that WILL be a hunting family. Thanks for understanding this and if you are not sure whether you're on our waiting list or not for this litter this would be the time to confirm your level of interest.

Thanks for your interest and as always take care and God bless! John, Ann, and All Things Brittany