J&A's - Revere at 4 months Old

On Sunday little pup-pup will be 16 weeks old. Born on July 8 in a litter of 10 to Holly and True, "Revere" is my keeper puppy.  I'm not sure I was thinking wisely when I decided "Awaken The Dawn" would be his AKC official name though.  Perhaps " Awake AT Dawn" might have been more appropriate! Even so, years ago I composed a worship song by the name Awaken The Dawn. The lyrics were based on the words found in Psalm 108:2.  I use to play it on my guitar. Here is the verse:

"My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing and make music with all my being. 

 Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn.  

I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing Your praises among the nations..." 

The past (almost)t 4 months have flown by.  Of course the first 8 weeks of his life John and I were busy nurturing all the puppies. I waited until after Revere turned 7 weeks old and we'd had the entire litter evaluated using Pat Volhardt's Puppy Aptitude Test  to decide which pup to keep. I was determined not to select our puppy based on gender, color, markings or even cuteness factor. The personality really matters in a young pup coming into an established pack of adult dogs. I knew that I didn't want a feisty, over the top, dominant pup but neither did I want one that was hesitant or insecure in any way.  I was screening each pup in the litter for the best home, and that included the most perfect fit for us! Being personally familiar with most of the dogs in the pedigree behind the pup I had the benefit of knowing what to expect. Some people think it's a crap shoot and maybe in some ways it is. But like most breeders, my hopes, dreams, and goals come into play regarding what the future will bring. It would be nice to go back about 20 years to be able to  physically pursue some of them based on what I now know, that I didn't know then.

In the meantime, every day is a new and fun adventure for Revere.  We're not taking anything for granted and getting the most out of life that is possible at this age.  The best puppy advice I ever was given is the same advice I pass along now.  Let the first year be all about fun, fun, and more fun! I like to play a little with a young pups natural hunting abilities at the youngest possible age though and that's exactly what's been going on with Revere.  There is plenty of time to polish a young Brittany's style and manners. Second only to the importance I place on the first 8 weeks of a pup's young life, I believe it is critical for the majority of early bird dog training be based on what we as owner/handlers/breeders observe in the most natural settings of their first experiences, what we expose them to.  This transfers over to preparing for the ring too as well as the field. Revere shows me moments of brilliance in both of those venues.

Revere appears to be a very serious, deep thinking dog.  He retains so much of what he is shown.  I am relying on clicker training in short bursts for informal obedience training. I've discovered that ongoing crate training throughout the day sets him up to succeed and that following the Day In The Life schedule still works for him.  Revere is most apt to become an uncontrollable, naughty pup when he has played hard, is very tired, or if I have not spent that all important one on one time with him. Although he loves to initiate play with the older dogs he can't handle the resultant overstimulation. At regular intervals throughout the day he enjoys time-outs in the privacy and quiet of his crate with a Kong stuffed toy or bone.

We all know that Ann is not a morning person 😏, right?!  Unfortunately, Revere hasn't grasped that fact completely but he is doing much better.  I went against my own advice and put his crate in the bedroom.  It works though as the location is convenient for quick early morning outings.  When he comes back in I simply toss a handful of kibble in and he's happy to 'go back to bed.'  In recent days Revere has been allowed up on the bed to lay down with me as I teach him the art of sleeping in, much to Treasure and Pippin's chagrin.

One thing anyone with more than one dog has to learn is not to rely on the other dog(s) to become the pups leader or greatest influence. At times it's easier to let them all out together and you know pup will get exercise and activity with them as they play, inside and out. But if the pup doesn't have the one on one time with their owner it can be a challenge to teach them to respect and obey all humans. I'm a fan of using a spray bottle to interrupt any unacceptable behavior from Revere.  I simply keep the bottle out of his sight but if a situation requires intervention, I yell NO (or LEAVE IT) and spray a steady stream directly at him.  He then is startled suddenly which is all it takes to change his focus to redirect his attention to what I am asking of him. ( By the way, I never allow any play between two dogs to physically escalate to where they are both standing on their hind legs, biting at each other's neck. They can enter into a dangerous zone of no-return where they are no longer playing.)

Training, socialization, and learning is ongoing especially for Revere at 4 months old.  It requires lots of patience as this is a very busy time in his life. Here's a glimpse:

Exposed to wild birds as well as pen raised

Finds birds and holds a point until they are flushe

Carries a dead bird

Retrieves

Loves the water

Pointed his first grouse

Understands sit, down, wait

Comes fairly reliably when off leash

Learning leash manners

Introduced to show lead and accepting it

No issues with nail clipping, baths, or light grooming on table

Understands and reacts to "Kennel Up" by running to crate

Does a nice free stack

Enjoys outings to local mall, sidewalk, stores accepting dogs

Rides for several hours without any problem crated in car

Introduced to many different dogs and strangers

Doing well with housebreaking (no poop ever, peeing different story, working on it)

Accepts new experiences with confidence and boldness most of the time

Even when wary of something, he will return to investigate and not run off

Was a proper houseguest in two new home situations for a weekend and for a week

I always love hearing from our ATB family.  The photos that are shared on Facebook or via email mean the world to me.  Staying in touch with families who love our Brittanys is total enjoyment but I won't intrude or pester. Some of you are faithful with an annual check in which is okay. There are a handful of folks though who don't seem to understand the importance and while that is definitely not okay, I have learned many lessons through those occasional situations. The very best part though is sharing the journey beginning to end with the majority of you in the ATB family for you are amazing friends and family now. I get busy too though and don't stay in touch as you may like but it doesn't mean I care any less! In the meantime, I hope you enjoy hearing about Revere as much as I enjoy hearing about your Brittany(s). And don't you think it's time to share some new hunting photos with me?! 

As always take care and God bless you and yours - John, Ann, and our wonderful canine crew