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

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....

J&A's Jack of Hearts - 1 Week Old

"If I could make days last forever, if words could make wishes come true. I'd save every day like a treasure and then, again I would spend them with you..." 

The puppies of Jack and Holly are doing exceptionally well as we now begin their second week of life. Their well being at this early neo-natal stage is primarily measured by their daily weight. I like to see at least an increase of one ounce or more per day and the Jack of Hearts puppies has been very consistent in their weight this first week. A good rule of thumb for our puppies is to see an average weight gain of one pound per week and these babies are spot on! Holly is an exceptional mother and keeps her puppies and their 'nest' very clean.  That's how it will be for the first 3 - 4 weeks but after that, she hands the full responsibility over to us so there is much to be done between now and then.  The puppies are under our watchful eye 24/7 as we stay right with Holly Beth.  Our life goes on hold when puppies are involved.  I feel if you can't dedicate the time it takes to raise a  litter of puppies, then you probably ought not to be breeding. It's a lifestyle choice which requires dedication and sacrifice.  It is always a labor of love and all for the love of the dog, both given and received.  Besides, in those first few nights of sleeping next to Holly and her puppies for me, there is also a sense of reverence and of the Presence of God.

The boys.

 A lot of development and growth are occurring already in the puppies.  Their movements become more deliberate with each passing day.  In the beginning they literally crawl and drag their little bodies across the area seemingly without purpose.  Then suddenly one morning you look at see that one puppy is beginning to use their legs to lift their little body up instead of dragging it.  For a few brief seconds they are actually walking until plop!  Down they go again. I was watching one of the pups treat the inside perimeter of the box as a race track.  Guided by the four sides the puppy seemed quite determined to  navigate the entire circumference. The times of being active are short lived as the puppies sleep most of the time. But when they are wide awake they are very busy.

The girls.

Puppy Love

This is the neo-natal stage where eyes are still shut tight.  They are aware of very little and their greatest needs are to be fed, warm, and kept clean. All of the pups are strong nursers.  I observe the puppies closely when they are nursing to be sure everyone is getting something to eat.  When there is a puppy that I feel isn't getting as much time as the others I simply take Holly aside and put that one puppy with her. Speaking of Miss Holly Beth she's always been somewhat of a fussy eater and more so now that she has puppies.  It is of utmost importance that she doubles or even triples her usual food intake because of the demands the puppies place on her. She is being fed Purina Pro Plan for puppies that is served up with either steak, hamburg, or chicken. I'm also feeding her cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and nursing mother pudding.

The rest of our crew here are all doing well.  They are not allowed anywhere near Holly or the puppies. I think actually it is the hardest on Revere because he is accustomed to me being with him.  It is good for him though to spend more time with John. Even so, Revere is still just a puppy whose training needs to be ongoing and not hit or miss. When I've been away from him for any length of time he greets me by running towards me with his pig-pig toy insisting we engage in a game together! If I am with Holly and the puppies John always has the other dogs out and about enjoying the day simply being dogs. They are a very content pack and from the oldest to the youngest, they are all very very happy.

Well I think that's about all that I have in me to write tonight!  I have fallen asleep at the keyboard here and when I woke myself back up another hour had passed. I also had no idea what day it was! Sleep is a precious commodity right now and I am thankful when I can have several successive hours of it throughout the night.  But it's all worth it for this is such a short period of time in the overall life of a Brittany puppy. Take care and God bless!

J&A's Brittanys: Can't Help Falling

Wise men say only fools fall in love

But I can't help falling in love with you!

Holly lays nearby with her beautiful Brittany puppies. There is the most amazing suckling sound coming from one of the nursing puppies. That pup's obviously not going to miss out on lunch! Holly is going over each puppy fastidiously. She stimulates each of her babies to go to the bathroom and cleaning up any evidence that they went. Lovingly Holly Beth ever so gently checks their  tails and dewclaws following her exam with a kiss. The quiet whelping box indicates a contented, warm, fully fed litter. If the puppies erupt one by one into a chorus of protests or some kind we are anxious to find out why. Of course there is always one that is a little whinier than the rest and who seems to be 'crying wolf' a lot. Most pups are overall quiet at this neonatal age. That changes in a couple of weeks! Once in awhile something seems to please a puppy who will respond with one single joyous sound. It is when the intermittent solo debut develops into a full glee club chorus group that we investigate further. The only sounds of the current moment is music by Kevin Kern playing in the background, the hum of a ceiling fan, and the precious sound of nursing puppies smacking away. The pups surrounding temperature needs to be at least 86 degrees so we monitor that closely and have a supplemental heat source just for them. On the other hand we also use an air conditioner to control Holly's comfort. At this age their bodies lack the ability to regulate their own temperature.

Today the pups are introduced to the "Bio-Sensor Neo-Natal Puppy Training." Years ago I learned about the S.M.A.R.T puppy training program and started to use it with our Brittany puppies. Since we always handle our puppies from the first day it made sense to begin to help them awaken to the world around them in preparation for spending the rest of their life with humans who will love them. Holly is mindful in the beginning of the length of time one of her pups is out of her whelping box. That can be challenging when it comes to weighing the puppies or holding them so I make sure she is right there with them. I think she was curious about some of my handling techniques today but I reminder her we'd done this to her and she turned out quite well!


The puppies are  3 days old. The crucial
first 72 hours are behind us and have been uneventful. So thankful. And yes. "Can't help falling in love..." with what will in all likelihood be the very best litter of close working gundogs we have ever purposely bred. I don't mean maybe! In the meantime, John and I remain dedicated to laying the best foundation possible for these puppies as we have done for generations behind them. The inherent influence of both Jack and Holly will be strong of course. I can't wait to see those attributes surface that clearly are Jack Dogs!

Take care and God bless you and yours always.
John, Ann, and All Things Brittany


More Information