J&A's Brittanys - 3 week old Autumn's Treasures Photos

J&A's Brittanys "Autumn's Treasures" - 2 Weeks Old

Each day brings something new to discover about the pups, even at 2 weeks old!  Several puppies of Autumn's Treasure's have started to open their eyes and I suspect by mid-week they will all be open. They always remind me of little panda bears at this stage. It won't be long before their vision becomes clearer and they will start to be aware of their surroundings for the very first time. Their reactions are so funny as they look around. Sometimes they are quite baffled at what they see. 

As the first two weeks of the puppy's life concludes, so will the neonatal stage. They entered the world blind, deaf, and neurologically undeveloped. There is very little difference between their brain activity from the time they sleep or when awake. I have followed the early development exercises which actually help their nervous system mature quicker and also to enhance certain learning skills. 

With eyes opening the Transitional Period begins. This is from 14 - 21 days of age and these pups are on schedule! Right now, coordination is NOT their strong point but that will come with time. That's fine with me though, they are comic relief in a time when it is needed most. All of the puppies are up on all four of their wobbly legs and trying to figure out how to make it all work together. They bump into each other, roll up and over their littermates bodies, and when their energy runs out, they collapse wherever they happen to be. There is increased brain activity right now in contrast to the quiet near reverent first weeks of life in neonatal puppies and their bodies are responding!

Of course one of the best things about having puppies is when you can sit on the floor with them and be in the middle of a puppy pile! They are very close to climbing up and over and I expect at anytime to see a puppy out on the floor. When that happens it's our cue to extend the height of the sides to contain them just a wee bit longer. As the puppies have started to move about more in the whelping box they also are beginning to eliminate on their own. I put a puppy pee pad down today just for curiosity sake in the box. I was pleased to see evidence of a few puppies peeing on it already. 

In about 5 days or so their ears will begin to open. As we approach this period we are mindful of loud noises around the puppies. The first time that I notice their reaction to sound is an exciting one for me! I begin to gently clap my hands to see if they will turn their heads in the direction the sound is coming from.

I have loved the neonatal stage. Spending hours observing the puppy's every move with just the glow of the overhead heat lamp is one of my favorite things to do. Listening to their breathing, weighing them, making sure Holly is settled in her duties. Our care for them will continue increase and Holly will eventually 'hand off' her duties and the real work begins. Even so, it's a labor of love and I knew what I was getting into. I am hopelessly devoted and look forward to each and every stage of the next 6 weeks.

As always thank you for your interest! Take care and God bless you and yours. John, Ann, Holly and pups, and the entire ATB crew. 

Isn't She Beautiful?

Treasure will be 14 years old this June. Several years ago I began to notice subtle changes in her behavior. As the changes became more obvious I contemplated writing a new blog to share and document what was taking place.  Because life happens and time passes by too quickly that just never did happen. 

I know beyond a shadow of doubt that my time with this beautiful Brittany is winding down. She still sleeps with me and sometimes I check to see if she is all right and if I can feel her breathing. As I reach I am aware of the primal scream of denial residing deep in my soul. When I try to squelch the anguish my stomach rolls slightly and I realize I am close to succumbing to silent, powerful, waves of wailing and grief despite relief that she is fine. I truly hope and pray that we have many more days together yet I am preparing my heart well in advance.

Treasure is aging rapidly. The canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD or doggy dementia) progresses. She has good days and bad days.  Mornings are her happiest time of day.  Towards the end of the day Treasure often becomes confused, paces, and appears to be lost. Not every day and not all the time. But more often than not. Senior dogs have unique needs, require much patience, gentleness, kindness and above all love.  They deserve also to be loved for the dog that is in front of us at the moment, not only for the dog they once were. Such as it is with Treasure.

I have known loss in my life. I have experienced the deep grief and loss that results from the death of both parents.  My dad died when I was 11. My mom when I was an adult. Other beloved family and friends have passed on through the years, deaths that had to be accepted regardless of age or reason, tragic or naturally. (Just a little over a year ago I was faced with the possibility of losing my husband due to a heart attack. I thank God he has fully recovered.)  

There have also been animals who were part of my life too that I have grieved over. I know that the Bible teaches in Psalm 30 that weeping may last for a night but joy comes in the morning. I know that the day will come when the Lord will wash every tear away. And I know because of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection that death has been swallowed up in victory. These things I know, trust, believe and confidently consider them regarding my family, friends, and All Things Brittany as well.

Multiple opinions are expressed through articles about the human animal bond. Sometimes the relationships are mocked. Other times  exaggerated to the point of humanizing beloved animals. I'm no fan of extreme anthropomorphizing but I am confident of the unique connection, the understanding, and the deep love that exists between my husband and our Brittany dogs. I'm not a dog mom and they are not my kids. But oh, my dogs most definitely ARE family! 

And as much as I love the uniqueness of each individual Brittany dog we're blessed to share our life with, there are those who for one reason or another I connect with more. This is not to say one dog is better than the other or loved more.  I love absolutely everything about Brittanys because they are so highly intelligent, funny, personable, loving, agile and easy to train to name a very few.  They have shared my heart and my home since 1986. (Many of you are familiar with our story.) They can at times be challenging, stubborn, disobedient, frustrating and difficult. But the most difficult part of all of owning a Brittany is the day your journey together comes to an end and you have to say goodbye. But I am not ready to say goodbye to Treasure, my beautiful liver and white heart dog.

I'm not sure a dog will 'tell you' anything about when they are ready.  Indeed my experience has been anything but.  Because they love us so much, they are so tuned into us and very aware of how much we love and cherish their companionship. I have seen dogs in pain that were so stoic, still wagging their tail and acting so happy simply because it pleased us.  Yet these same dogs could hardly physically move, had lost control of bowels and bladder. They absolutely do NOT tell us when they are ready. In fact they are very good at faking it. No. We have to know and we need to be the one to decide when. (I understand there are unique situations)

I leave you with this link to THE GOOD DEATH. My friend Karra posted this to her Facebook page the other day.  A timely read, easy to relate to and one that has totally blessed me. Treasure and I will cherish each precious day that God gives us to be together. His love and guidance will help me with the hard decision. And I will pray for many, many more happy and healthy days together with my beautiful Treasure!

God bless you,
Ann

J&A's Brittanys - Hanging With Puppies

Hanging out with Beauty, Hawkeye and all the pups.

Tomorrow is opening day for Maine's bird hunting season.  This morning John is helping with the state's pheasant stocking program in Southern Maine, something he thoroughly has enjoyed doing for many years now.  The email arrived from IF&W last week indicating the date, time, and locations.  I was going to go with him but as everyone knows I am NOT a morning person. This is especially so when we have puppies.  Last night I hung out with the Jack of Hearts litter of 9 until midnight. This morning I am working through my pumpkin spice coffee and relaxing briefly while trying to catch up here!

Evenings are a special time when there are puppies. At 8pm I turn the lights down in the puppy area and make sure that the music is set to something relaxing.  During the day when pups are not outside there is always something playing.  They have listened to westerns, situation comedies, talk radio, sound effects, and of course lots of music. Yesterday I actually turned the t.v. to face the puppies because a couple of them were sitting there looking up at the television! As their energy dwindles and their playful, typical mouthing and biting comes to an end they will crawl up into my lap. I will cuddle each pup one by one and gently place them back into their box. Timing is critical as I don't want them to wake up for another round of puppy playtime! At least not at midnight.

Pretty soon photographs and memories will replace the reality of 8 weeks of loving, nurturing, and caring for Arrow, Beauty, Carly, Dude, Eclipse, Flint, Ginger, Hawkeye, and Ike.  As surely as every planned breeding we have ever done is special in it's own right, the Jack of Hearts puppies is even more so.  John and I remain in awe. While Jack was alive, he was a frequently used stud dog not only for us but for other breeders who are focused on a close working gundog.  Everyone always knew what to expect and that was especially so with this pairing with Holly.  Yet even at 7 weeks old we felt these puppies exceeded our greatest expectations. I don't believe there was ever a happier litter.

For starters there was only to be 4-5 pups born according to the ultrasound. We know ultrasounds are just to confirm the pregnancy in most cases.  And because this was an artificial surgical insemination using semen frozen 5 years ago, we didn't expect 9 and our reproductive veterinarian were as surprised as we were. Good job JackDog!

We looked for and identified the desired traits in these pups from the very beginning.  Many were obvious such as natural retrieving instincts at 7 weeks of age. ( I believe in crediting the dogs that are behind these pups.  Birch Springs Wish Upon a Star, their great, great grandmother had incredible natural instincts, strong prey drive and more. This paring doubles up on our Wish.)  As the pups grew and matured they just kept getting happier and happier!  All pups get excited and are happy, that shouldn't be unusual at all.  But it was the wiggly butts with waggin tails that got me.  One of Jack's many memorable traits all hunting ability aside was how joyful he always was and how he made others happy. I see this in the pups. With Jack, all you had to do was gently scratch the base of his tail over his butt and he would immediately turn into a gleeful, happy boy!

Note  Miss Beauty's wet left ear as she sits next to Ginger.

Another thing that Jack always did was to suck on the ears of other dogs. Not just get them a little wet, but get them absolutely soaking wet!  It took me awhile to figure out why the hair on the ears of these pups were often drenched but last night the light went on.  I watched in amazement as a couple of the pups gently mouthed the ears of their sleeping littermates.

From the time they are born up until when they go home our puppies benefit from specific  'extra curricular activities'.  For many years we have used the Volhardt's Puppy Aptitude Testing for evaluation of a litter. I have also used the "Super Dog" (early neurological stimulation) which begins at 3 days old for newborn pups. If you're not familiar with this one here's a great article on it www.royalspaniel.com/health-testing/early-neurological-stimulat.html. I also implement many suggestions found in the book "Another Piece of the Puppy Puzzle" by Pat Hastings as well as use her DVD called The Puppy Puzzle." The greatest benefit?  Well, while this utilizes the best possible use of time spent with each and every puppy it also allows for the human/animal bond to become solid. And above all - what could be more fun than hanging with puppies with a purpose?! Oh how I love these baby dogs.

Carly's reaction to a suspended bird wing for visual response.

We wait until after the P.A.T.s to determine puppy selection. From the start we ask puppy families to fall in love with the entire litter, wait until they  meet them in person to give us their top 3 choices.  Following the evaluations and based on what we know about each family we determine the best possible fit.  While it's true any puppy would be a good choice there are also subtle differences in each personality which a breeder is aware of.  We rarely guarantee a specific color or gender but do try very hard to honor someone's preference. This was a busy week. Microchips, PAT's and well puppy exam and first puppy shots. As of yesterday, everyone now knows which puppy they will be bringing home.  No one was disappointed. For the time being, I will enjoy hanging with the puppies and making sure to make the days count while we count down to the first day of the rest of their lives.

As always, take care, God bless, and thank you for your interest in All Things Brittanys.
John, Ann, and our amazing crew

J&A's Brittanys Awestruck

These are but fleeting moments in the overall life of these puppies

I find myself capable of spending hours gazing at them in awe
What words can I use to describe what my eyes are blessed to see
There are none.  So I simply offer glimpses.

J&A's Jack of Hearts - 2 Weeks Old

Wow it is hard to believe these beautiful puppies are 2 weeks old already!  Our overall average weight per each puppy is 2 lbs. Of course there are those who a little less and those who are a little more. They are up on their feet and trying out their 'sea legs' staggering around like a drunken sailor!  I love watching the wobbly legged young puppies learn how to balance their bodies on their newly discovered legs. 

The stage up until the pup's eyes open is considered the neo-natal stage. If you are reading the books we have recommended you'll be familiar with  this developmental period as noted in "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by the Monks of New Skete.  There are a couple of pups whose eyes are completely open already! There are others whose little eyes can be seen peeking out through the little halfmoon slits where there eye openings are developing.  I almost missed one of them because it was a liver and white puppy whose eyes opened first. Those pups just remind me so much of little baby panda bears in the beginning. For now I keep the curtains drawn for a few days shielding the pups from the bright morning sun. Just think of what it feels like to come from a darkened movie theater and walk out into the sunlight.  That's what it must be like for the puppies.  Speaking of light I have started to reduce the amount of time they are under the infrared heat lamp.  That too is part of their acclimating to the world they will live in. John created a great way years ago to safely use overhead heat lamps.  Ironically, even though it is summertime the pups area I like to keep their area above 90 degrees in the beginning. This is not only to prevent them from becoming chilled but because they cannot generate their own body heat but it also helps to prevent certain viruses from thriving. The puppies behavior in the whelping box indicate to us when the heat lamp needs to be adjusted. 

Holly is such a meticulous mother!  Her 'nest' is spotless.  This will definitely change in the coming weeks.  Holly does not like to be away from her puppies for long at this point in time. It did take her a few days before she'd even lay out onto her dog bed. She would lay under the heat lamp despite her own discomfort. Lately she simply stays within earshot of her puppies. Our whelping area is uniquely set up away from the hustle and bustle of a multiple dog household so she does not have to deal with the curiosity of others in our pack. 

It's been fun to watch these very young puppies respond to the daily specific and intentional handling exercises of the Bio-Sensor puppy program. They are so accustomed to having their paws gently touched that the first time I clipped their toenails there was very little struggling involved.  I begin clipping toenails at about 4 days old and will do it a couple of times a week. Part of this is because I believe it helps desensitize them to the inevitable regular nail clipping throughout their lifetime.  I also do it with Holly's abdomen in mind.  

Those vigorous little nursing puppies use their feet to knead and hold onto Holly's abdomen which inevitable becomes tender as their demand for food increases. It may seem early to be talking about weaning but Holly will cue me as to the best time to start. Weaning is teaching the puppies about a whole new way of eating. Our method is to introduce them to a puppy saucer pan containing a combination of Gerber baby rice cereal mixed with warm water and Goats Milk Esbilac. It's messy but it is fun!  They climb in and get covered head to toe. And then it begins. 

The next day they are offered Purina Pro Plan Puppy food that has been pulverized in the food processor and moistened with warm water. It doesn't take them very long to become accustomed to the solid food and as this is going on Holly will be nursing them less and less. But for right now she is being fed a special diet and allowed to eat as much and as frequently she desires.  The demands the puppies place on her are great and quickly deplete her.  As of late Holly enjoys the supplementation of her meals with steak, chicken, or hamburg. Not bad, HB!

We're truly experiencing the calm before the storm right now!  By this I mean to say things are fairly uneventful with the pups. This will change and very, very soon.  I'm sitting here next to the whelping box and watching as one of the pups is raising themselves up onto the pig-rail.  A pig-rail is a board that goes around the inside of the perimeter designed to prevent a puppy from being crushed by it's mother. It's just a matter of time before one of the pups is strong enough to raise themselves up and over the side of the box.  Consequently, John will attach higher side panels to prevent this.  Holly will still be able to get in and out with ease but pups will stay inside until they are old enough to handle the expanse of the entire whelping area.  Eventually, the whelping box will be removed entirely and the room will once again be transformed.  The puppies will have free access to the entire gated area and they will love it!  This will be where they explore, climb, run, play, and have a ball just being puppies. We will add a litter box filled with alfalfa pellets and they will learn to use it to eliminate, making clean up in aisle 7 much much easier!  Sometimes we also use shavings in the area which keeps pups clean and smelling fresh. That's when they are much older! As the pups grow and mature they will be taken outside and allowed to explore under close supervision.  We have eagles here so it is not possible to just let them out and run free as we once did. But that's okay. There is also a really nice outdoor pen where they can be in covered shade.  As they get older they'll get to have a kiddie pool, toys, and an activity center.

I'll start to put the pups on a grooming table daily as soon as their legs support their bodies fully.  This is a great way to get them ready for vet visits and also for the necessary grooming of the Brittany.  No formal 'stacking' is attempted until they are older.  A breeder can gain a lot of information about the structure of a puppy by observing it closely, especially the way it stands on the table.  Structure, conformation, and a thorough understanding of the breed standard should be important to every breeder.  Knowing why a Brittany possesses this or possesses that goes way beyond the show ring.  

Sometime, when the pups are around 4 -5 weeks old they will be briefly visited by their new families. We really never want to know which particular puppy someone may be interested in until they visit and meet the pups. It's not fair to anyone to make that decision prematurely. We take puppy selection very seriously and ask everyone to simply fall in love with the entire litter! There's always going to be that one puppy that stands out to everyone but that one puppy may not be the best fit for everyone.   We do ask people to let us know their top 3 picks AFTER they've met the pups. At 7 weeks we perform a formal Puppy Aptitude Test, the results of which narrow down the best puppy for each family. John and I review the results of the PAT's as well as the information we know about each family and within a few days, everyone knows what puppy they are getting and are always happy with the results.    

Last but not least, pups will be introduced to bird scent while still in the whelping area.  Then just before they go home we will put a pigeon out to observe their instinct. We know that we will see glimpses of instinctive pointing, instinctive honoring, instinctive retrieving, and strong natural desire surface. 

The 8 weeks truly do fly by.  Right now it may not seem that way especially if you are one of the families waiting for that day when pup goes home!  Speaking of which, if you peruse this blog you'll note that there are pages here specifically geared to bringing a new puppy home. Additionally we have amazing handouts for our new puppy owners to bring home with them. 

Guess that's about all I have for now. That's enough!  Now... back to that delicious puppy breath ... AHHHH....

Introducing the "JACK OF HEARTS" litter

Monday, August 5th 2019 we welcomed the arrival of Jack & Holly Beth's greatly anticipated litter of puppies. We have nicknamed these beautiful 9 Brittany puppies 'the JACK OF HEARTS' litter in honor of their sire.  It is easy to be emotionally overwhelmed at the moment for all the right reasons due to all that is amazing about these puppies. My heart is full and I remain so very grateful to God.

Holly and Jack's first puppy arrived at 3:35 p.m.   Holly and I were heading out of the house together.  I had my arms full of various items to bring into the 'puppy cave' where the pups would be born. Instead of trotting along happily Holly suddenly squatted in front of me. Thinking nothing of it I stood there waiting for her to finish when I noticed that she wasn't just squatting to pee, she was bearing down as if ready to deliver a puppy! Her temperature had only just dropped that morning to 99 so we anticipated Stage One Labor would progress into the afternoon, evening, with pups arriving some time late Tuesday. I never imagined that Stage 1, 2, and 3 would happen all at the same time!

Holly was looking at me as if to say 'what are you waiting for?"  The items in my arms went flying to the ground and I instinctively reached in back of Holly who was still squatting and pushing while staring directly at me. I couldn't see but I could feel the warmth from the amniotic fluid being expelled which was surrounding the translucent bubble like sac safely protecting a beautiful Brittany puppy.  Holly stood up and after another push I knew her puppy would be born right into my hands.

Still attached by the life sustaining umbilical cord, I could actually see the puppy moving inside the translucent sac. Positioned naturally with it's head coming out first I knew that the pup could be left to dangle in mid-air while Holly's contractions continued if I didn't do something. All this time Holly seemed to understand I was acting as her mid-wife as she trusted every move I made. That is not always the case with every laboring dam.

Since this was taking place out on our front lawn there were no forceps or blunt scissors to help with the cord.  There were no towels to help hold a slippery puppy either. By now Holly had twisted around to see how things were going.  As her strong maternal instincts began to take over Holly was becoming more determined to help pull the puppy out.  It was time for me to act and prevent Holly from accidentally hurting her own puppy.

Gently but deliberately I pressed the thumb and forefinger of each hand as if in a pinching position and began to tear at the sac surrounding the pup's head.  As I did the pup moved and Holly wanted to become more involved. I knew one of us had to take care of 'cutting' the cord and so I strategically offered it to Holly while guarding the distance in between the puppy and where she would bite it.

With pup being clear of the sac, fluid, and detached from momma Holly I used my t-shirt like an apron to hold it.  Carefully I began to rub the pup to stimulate it and soon there was the most wonderful sound of a squealing puppy.  By now Holly's instincts were kicked into high gear and she wanted that puppy in her care right then and there. I watched as she pushed once more and the full placenta was expelled!

I really was afraid of slipping or dropping the puppy onto the dirt driveway.  Split seconds passed that seemed like an eternity.  Then. THEN! As if this wasn't enough Holly squatted right in front of the door to the puppy cave and was about to have another puppy! I quickly ran inside, turned the heat lamp on, placed the puppy in the box and returned to coax Holly inside.

Typically I will immediately wipe down and aspirate every pup as it is whelped.  When possible I will do a picture ID and weigh it too.  There is usually time enough in between pups to do this.  That was definitely not the plan for this litter. Fortunately there was time to begin to serve Nursing Mother's Pudding full of necessary calcium to Holly. I had only just made it that morning! She lapped it up.

I'd like to say I'm making a long story short but the fact of the matter is Holly whelped Jacks puppies in less than 3 hours. Did I mention there are 9?  John had left for a brief time for a scheduled appointment before all this happened. We never dreamed Holly would have her puppies before he returned and he wasn't even gone that long!  We stayed in touch through our cell phones  in between each puppy. I made  He was on his way home and when he walked through the door the first 6 of the 9 puppies born were all nursing.

Holly had a brief whelping pause of just under an hour at that point.  I was able to check out each puppy to be sure all was well.  And it was. One thing I was thankful for is that all the whelping supplies were on hand, sterilized, and well organized. Everything was in it's place.

After her whelping pause Holly continued to labor again, quickly delivering three remaining puppies.  X-rays taken on Friday had revealed there would be 9 puppies and sure enough.  As soon as the last puppy was born Holly Beth started to settle.

The pups now are over 24 hours old and just doing so well. They have already started to gain weight. They are indeed strong and thriving.  Holly has been getting pampered. Showered with love, affection, attention, and even spoon fed special foods she is doing well.

Holly is an amazing mother following in the pawsteps of her mother Treasure and grandmother Wish. Likewise Wish followed in her own grandmother's steps. 

There's a roll away bed within a couple of feet of Holly and her puppies.  There is a Pandora Playlist called "Relaxation Radio" playing. It's lovely. It's warm and cozy for the puppies while remaining comfortable for Holly.  There is the adorable sound that newborn puppies make.  In the quiet of this puppy cave there is a sense of peace. All is well. I know it won't be long before the atmosphere is charged with excited Brittany puppies discovering the world around them.  A world that goes beyond their whelping box with momma Holly Beth.

And then there is Jack who, thanks to the miracle of modern science, lives again through these puppies.

Thank you Lord for who You are. For how You work in our lives. For Your faithfulness towards us in every season of our lives. You watch over and protect all that concerns us.  We don't place a greater value over our family upon our  dogs but we do recognize Your hand at work in All Things Brittany.  I do ask also that You will continue to be with us all, and especially as we await the arrival of our great granddaughter in a couple of weeks. There are always needs in all of our lives. Always concerns and worries.  I am thankful that for just a brief time I can seemingly make the world go away caught up in this quiet place.  We are still in the early days of the lives of these puppies and I do realize we must take one day at a time. But as we do, I will always lift my eyes to the hills for I know where our help comes from. Tonight I am weary but so very happy about these puppies.  I am also very tired and my eyes are closing while my words are running on.

Good night all. Take care and God bless.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 

J&A's Our Heart Aches

Really something special. 

A favorite toy, Julie kept an extra bunny-bun here at our house for Thistle to enjoy when she was visiting. 

GCH CH J&A's SISTERS OF THE HEART JH, FD

"Thistle"

May 10, 2011 - September 21, 2018

It was the same kind of phone call that I'd received on May 2, 2007 when the specialist called to tell me 2 year old Timberdoodle had died on the operating table.  Surreal was the only word that comes to mind. On that day I dropped to my knees in my kitchen floor as the words were uttered and sounds of sobbing came from me that I couldn't even recognize. 

On Friday September 21, 2018 it was that kind of call again.  Only this time it was coming from the one who is truly my sister of my heart and John was the one who'd answered the phone.  I saw him coming around the corner of the porch outside.  His face was one of shock and he was in tears. I KNEW something was terribly wrong. He reached to me and I drew closer and in his initial grief he was innocently giving me wrong information, information which was bad enough in itself. Information which caused me to begin to cry uncontrollably as well.  That's how it is when what you have loved deeply suddenly is ripped from you. Human or animal - grief is grief. 

I listened closely trying to make out the actual conversation on the other end from Julie. And suddenly I realized what she was saying. Which was much worse than what I 'thought' I'd heard, although that, as I said before, was certainly bad enough.

John passed the phone to me and I crumbled on the front porch steps, sobbing, howling, crying and the tears fell fiercely and uncontrollably. Pippin was drawing near to me in a manner in which she had never done before.  Could she know? How could she POSSIBLY know? It was her daughter, her beautiful amazing bouncy fun-loving unpredictable intelligent athletic gentle sweet daughter, her Thistle that Julie was telling me about.  And as I reacted to the awful news then Hemi who is Thistle's twin, came and sat next to his mother on the step that I had fallen upon.  John held me as I cried, we listened to Julie and then he had to walk away it was so hard to believe.  I was left on the steps with Pippin and Hemi; Julie and I were sobbing into the phone incoherently. I don't remember what we said if we said anything.  Together our hearts were breaking, they were shattering into a million pieces and our minds were trying so hard to grasp the reality of the news she had received, the news that Julie nor I could have anticipated hearing. 

There is more to say.  I just have no ability to put what I'm feeling now or what I have been feeling into words since Friday.  John and I had to leave for a field trial in Connecticut where he was judging and running Holly (Thistle's niece). The dogs were all loaded.  So while I physically was traveling to a destination we'd planned well for, my heart was longing to travel to be with Julie, my sister of the heart. (Thistle's registered AKC name reflects the friendship we share, a friendship birthed through the mutual love of God and of Brittanys.  A friendship that has grown stronger through several personal life changing experiences including the death of Julie's husband and our friend, Jim.)

Thistle lived with and was loved, cared for by Julie.  I'm co-owner in name only but I am her breeder. I held her first, I was with her when she took her first breath of air, I nourished her, I raised her and I decided that the best person in the world to have this little gift of a Brittany should be Julie. And the best way to describe my reasoning will be to read this blog written by Julie called "How a Brittany Named Thistle Saved My Life." Thistle lived her life to the fullest and I was one of her biggest fans! It was only a couple of weekends ago that Thistle was here and her eyes were bright, she was playful, and oh so very, very happy! So healthy and vibrant. So, so THISTLE!

I spent 3 days in Connecticut at Flaherty Field Trial Grounds with John and most of our Brittanys. Including my puppy Revere. There were a few in the Brittany community who had heard what happened to Thistle and I was VERY appreciative of their support and understanding.  We also had a wonderful visit with several of our ATB family including those who brought along Revere's littermate.  Then I was so happy to see Dawn who brought Miss Bailey (Pippin's half sister).  I was thankful for the genuine love and friendship extended from them all. John was very busy all weekend which was a good thing. And when I wasn't visiting or walking a dog, my grief overwhelmed me. I spent a lot of the time texting about Thistle and thinking of Julie who was up to her camp. Then we had a very good friend who fell off a horse at the field trial who had to go to the hospital. I was worried about her but thankful her injuries were not worse than they were. 

Today Julie and I have touched base a little bit. My heart aches for what she is going through. I feel it too, I feel for her and I feel our own sense of loss here.  Even though Thistle did not live with me, she was always part of me.  She was special from the very beginning. There's a video out there somewhere that I made and I'm singing a song to her when she's like 5 weeks old saying how special she was. Thistle spent plenty of time here with us.  We both absolutely adored her and we both enjoyed every moment with her. 

I could share a lot about Miss Thistle the Pistol.  A gazillion photographs are at my fingertips.  Here's a favorite taken at the dog show where Julie had her on the grooming table and I walked over for a sweet Thistle kiss. There's one where Thistle and Hemi cooperated along with Treasure to dig a humongous hole in the banking here. Videos featuring Thistle in many notable moments, and some hilariously funny! When I think of Thistle the memory is going to bring a smile to my face, eventually anyway. Like when she earned her nickname swirling dervish by launching herself across the room at Julie and I while we were drinking red wine which ended up splattered across the wall. 

Fast forward to this moment in time.  The pain in my heart is almost unbearable. I don't have anything inspirational to share. Please pray for Julie, for John, for me.  

On Behalf of Thistle is a blogpost that shares a little bit more and also includes links. 

A sad bunny-bun...

(See the unedited video of THISTLES CHAMPIONSHIP JOURNEY)