J&A's All Things Puppy Blankets

Aunt Julie's New Puppy Blanket

Pippin and her mother Chrissy 

Do you have a favorite blanket that you enjoy wrapping yourself up in? Perhaps it is special because of the person who gave it to you. Maybe it just makes you feel warm, cozy, and secure. It is familiar and it is yours. Blankets are especially important to toddlers and young children because of the very real comfort it brings. Blankets are special. Some children hold onto just a corner of their blanket well past their toddler years!  And moms, like me, often tuck their own children's baby blankets safely away.  My own is hidden away in a trunk making it a true antique. Think on these things as I share this little story.

I am blessed to have a dear friend who has devoted hours, days, weeks, and even months at a time crocheting blankets.  If you are part of the 'ATB family' you already are familiar with her blankets.  You brought one home with your puppy on the first day of the rest of it's life. In all likelihood still have it. 

Julie crocheting with Sassy's help.

In July 2006 a very special Brittany named J&A's Sassafras Rose Harris was born to our Molly Rose. (Sassy passed away last September at the age of 13, breaking the hearts of all who loved her although we know she had a wonderful life.  Sassy belonged to Julie (and Jim) Harris. She was my Treasure's half sister.)  In between the time Sassy was born and the day she went home, Julie crocheted a beautiful full sized blanket for John and I as a gift. (We did share this with Molly and Rosie on the couch.) At the same time Julie also crocheted an identical one, puppy size, just for Sassy. Shortly after this, Julie crocheted a beautiful jewel toned blanket for Treasure who was just a month older than Sassy.  

Yes, our primary focus as breeders is on a close working gundog.  The genetics are there. Even so the single most important thing that I personally can do to assure a puppy gets the best start possible are the first 8 weeks of life spent here with John and I.  Everything we do leads up to the day when we take the puppy leash and hand it over to their new owners with the goal to make the transition for each puppy as comforting, secure, and trouble free as possible.  Thus the importance of Julie's crocheted puppy blankets. Sassy loved the blanket Julie had made her!  We also enjoyed ours with Molly and Rosie.  I did try in the beginning to keep it special just for humans but that was an epic fail.  Molly especially loved the blanket and in fact, when Molly passed in 2017, she was laid to rest with it. 

It wasn't long before Julie decided to crochet puppy blankets for an entire litter of puppies.  She understood as I understood the importance of the pups needing something familiar to them in their new homes, to ease the transition. The rest as they say, is history!

Mail from Aunt Julie!

If Julie suspects that we may be thinking about breeding again, she thinks about making blankets again.  Suddenly a text message arrives from Julie that says "I've started on blankets!" My response usually is to say "We don't expect you to do this, you know you don't have to! We know you are very busy."  Then she says "shut-up I love you".  And that's the end of the conversation.

One by one blankets either arrive in the mail or she quickly hands me a bag and says "there's another blanket I finished!"  Each blanket is absolutely beautiful and unique.  Julie is creative in her color choices and very particular about the yarn she uses and how a blanket comes together.  I have known her to rip out rows and rows if she doesn't like the way the blanket is coming out.  Julie crochets with a precise tightness and guaging of each stitch to result in a perfectly dense blanket that is safe for a puppy. 

Puppy blanket repair!

Sometimes, if Julie knows ahead of time who a particular puppy is going to, she will actually ask if they have a color preference. She keeps track of every color combination ever used and in every group of blankets crocheted by Julie, are the identical colors and patterns of the dam's puppy blanket, sire as well if she made one for him! She even offers to repair blankets if needed.

I have pictures of Julie at dog shows, field trials, visiting us here and other places where she is sitting with a near finished puppy blanket in her lap. People say they could never find time to do this. Julie works full time and often on the weekends. She is probably the busiest person I have ever known in my life! Still she makes time. Julie has struggled at times with not only arthritic fingers but even a broken finger!  With great affection and love I say "stubbornness is an independent woman of Scottish descent." I can't tell you how many times I have tried to discourage her but it never works. (Last year Julie showed another friend of ours, Christine Longley, how she made the puppy blankets.  Chris soon caught on and her own pups also went home with special blankets.  Chris blessed me by including a beautiful blanket she had made in with those that Julie sent us.) In addition to all that Julie does concerning the puppy blankets there is also a very special method of quality control involved.  Her Brittanys all test each blanket for comfort and coziness as Julie crochets with blanket and Brittany in her lap.  

Jack x Holly Puppy Blankets

Moms are introduced to the puppy blankets well in advance. Once pups arrive and are old enough, we place them one at a time on a blanket to get them use to a different surface and smell.  It's part of their development. We often take pictures with the pups on a blanket. I don't leave a blanket with the pups until they are older but daily they have a chance to crawl on or take naps on them.  When we introduce each young puppy to a crate before going home, there is a blanket in it.  When the pups are getting use to sleeping at night in an open crate I always make sure there are blankets inside. Sometimes the blankets need to be washed of course! When the first day of the rest of their life arrives, each puppy goes home with a gently loved blanket with the familiar scent of littermates and momma. 

Ready for the first day of the rest of their life!

I am convinced that the love that is poured into each and every one of Aunt Julie's beautiful hand crocheted puppy blanket helps reduce anxiety and stress that may be associated with a pup's homecoming.  I am confident that the familiar scent of littermates and mom influences the well being a puppy not just for those first few days home, but possibly for the rest of their life. Even now, my adult dogs favor their puppy blankets! 

These blankets are like a tapestry of love, threads woven together that are strong and resilient. I end with this quote: "And we became stronger, together.  A tapestry of friendship, woven with grace, knotted with mercy and made beautiful through imperfections."

We love you Julie Harris and thank God for the incredible gift of our friendship that began and continues all for the love of the dog, both given and received. Saying thank you just never seems like enough.

. Quincy & Julie, après dog show.