J&A's Brittanys 7 Weeks & Counting

Holly is approaching her 7th week of pregnancy.  Soon, we will begin to take her temperature daily and do that for about a week.  A dogs normal temperature typically is between 101 and 102.5 but usually it will drop below 100 as labor approaches. We'll monitor Holly's temperature more frequently as her due date gets closer and record it on a chart.  Sometimes temps will fluctuate a few times, but when it drops below 100 and stays there, and continues to drop further we know we can expect to see puppies born within a certain time frame.  There are other signs that take place of course and we will be watching for them all!

Holly has become especially fond of her belly rubs lately.  Maryann sent me a picture of Miss Toph also obviously enjoying them too.  Yesterday, as I was obliging Holly I noticed that the hair on her tummy has started to shed.  It will continue to do so, leaving a hairless belly which makes it easier for her puppies to make their way to nurse. And speaking of puppies, they are ever so subtly making their presence known under the lightest touch of my hand. 

The 'puppy cave' is almost fully prepared. Each night I spend about an hour there with Holly, her mother Treasure, and grandmother Pippin. They all lay down together on the quilts and blankets. Holly seems to look forward to this at the end of the day.  She's very big now and even has a little waddle to her walk! 

I have been enjoying the correspondence with those who will be joining our ATB family.  If the estimate given for the number of Bullet and Holly puppies is accurate, then this litter is fully reserved. We do still have puppy availability for Toph and True's litter but that window is closing too.

We will bring her back for an actual x-ray closer to her due date. This will help us to determine when she has actually finished whelping her last puppy.  When Treasure whelped the litter Holly was born into (sired by Hemi) we thought her mother was finished.  Our vet stopped by the next day and suggested we bring Treasure in for an x-ray.  We did and were shocked to learn she still was carrying one puppy. No one expected that it could still be alive but a c-section proved us all wrong and one beautiful little healthy boy puppy arrived! Thus the importance of the x-ray.

In the meantime, I learned that my sister fell and fractured a hip and underwent an emergency partial hip transplant!  She is in rehab now.  I would covet and appreciate your ongoing prayers for her, for my nephew as he fights cancer, and 

 also for our son, daughter in law, and grandson who are on a Missions Trip to Ghana, Africa. 

As my dad use to say 'today is yesterday's tomorrow' and the clock just struck midnight!  Time to wrap it up.  Take care and God bless you and yours always. Thanks for your interest.  John, Ann, and All Things Brittany

J&A's Brittanys - 8 Days A Week

8 Days A Week because I am a huge Beatles fan and I found myself singing to Holly "Love you every day girl, always on my mind.  One thing I can say girl, love you all the time" and so on and so forth.  Yup. I sing to my dogs. Doesn't everyone?

Yesterday we returned Bullet to Julie, Sassy, Thistle, and his son Quincy. His wiggly butt was so very happy to see them because although ours is his second home there is no place like Home.

It will be awhile before we can or cannot confirm Holly Beth's pregnancy but if she is, then we now have one 7 day week behind us.  We (John and I) spoke about keeping this all quiet until we knew for sure, which is very logical. To share openly from my heart again via this blog  is a little scary to be quite honest.  The reality here is that I've had the hope I held in my heart crushed to smithereens. Sadly,  that is a reality all dog breeders face at times for one reason or another. Another sad reality for dog breeders are knowing some folks passionately thrive on gossip, criticism, and create drama concerning other people's business. Fortunately, our ATB family and friends have carried us through the difficult times with their love, prayers, and support. We're cautiously hopeful as we move beyond a season of sadness.

The ending here is unknown yet we obviously long for a happy one. We've always believed in transparency. Writing is something I have always enjoyed doing.  Remember when I use to fall asleep at the keyboard in past years? I want to do that again by sharing the moments of expectations and inspiration as well as those moments of questioning all things. The what ifs, the highs, the lows but above all I desire to share the potential of the joy that lies ahead.

As I write I am always reminded that God is in control of all things.  And that included "All Things Brittany".  He alone is my inspiration, my source of strength and trust. Not only concerning the dogs although He is the one who led us down this path. But in every waking or sleeping moment.  God speaks to us through His written Word, He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, and He speaks to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior.  There's a lot more to life than our minds can comprehend and our eyes can see.  I am convinced that the God of all mankind who created the universe and all things can also work through His 'lesser creatures'.  Thankfully so! I've seen it and perhaps you have too.

"Aunt Julie" has already made several puppy blankets God love her. If you're new to ATB for many years she has crocheted a puppy blanket for every Brittany puppy born here. The puppy blankets are kept with pups and mom, they are well loved and when a puppy goes home they bring home the scents they are familiar with.

We'll do an ultrasound at the proper time. I'll remain positive by putting together a playlist of 'whelping room' music. Speaking of which, I've found several wonderful new artists to follow including Danny Wright and Keven Kern.  Their music is similar to Doug Hammer.  I am all about using music, lighting and mood for the benefit of momma to be dog and puppies.

So I'll get on with this day. It started with John running dogs at the training field with some friends and their Setters.  Speaking of which, Charlie did earn his first two qualifying scores towards an AKC Junior Hunter title.   We're so proud of him! Ticks are bad this year. We've been picking them off ourselves and our dogs.

The inquiries continue to be welcomed.  Because of the length of time since our last litter in 2014 we just did not expect anyone would wait that long although a few folks have. That in itself is humbling. I'm screening ruthlessly as I always do. That is not a bad thing but I am actively seeking qualified homes so please visit our website so that we can send you the necessary information. You'll get our puppy reservation policy, a copy of our purchase agreement, and a questionnaire to return if you feel we'd be a good fit for you!

As always thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany and God bless you and yours.  John, Ann & the crew

Check our Facebook page "J&A's Brittanys/All Things Brittany" for public photo albums and take a look at our slideshow galleries on the website too!

J&A's Brittanys - Only Time!

So tonight I reached for and dusted off my black whelping journal.  I also looked up my dad's red journal which is a true and priceless relic from my parents breeding program of Boston Terriers.  Not a lot has changed regarding mother nature since the '60's so I enjoy reading his notes! My own journal begins with an entry dated July 6, 1990.  (His begins on January 1, 1962.)   My last entry was written awhile time ago and it says:

"Thus ends my note taking for a very long time..." 

And the next entry, dated April 24, 2018 says:

"Now we hopefully begin a new chapter.  

Holly came into heat two weeks ago and she has naturally 

and successfully been bred to Bullet." 

Counting and more counting!  That's what it's all about at the moment and it began with counting the day of "1st blood" (pro-estrus) as Day One. Before progesterone testing became a normal routine experience taught breeders that the boys usually know when breeding should take place and also that Days 9 - 11 - 13 (estrus) very often are, although not always, optimal times for that to happen.

  We've certainly experienced the complete opposite taking place, even when going by vaginal smears to detect cornification or blood draws to determine progesterone levels. As the article says "conception is most likely with natural breedings having "ties", but artificial insemination (“AI”) using a fertile dog and proper timing and technique can be highly successful." We are fans of primarily natural breedings although there are times when "AI" has been desirable for any number of reasons. What is most important for any breeder to understand is that regardless of method used, there is a time when things do need to happen! 

To a new breeder trying to establish a breeding program a girl dog who is a true hussy around the chosen boy dog is to be desired!  It is equally desirable for her to be an easy, free natural whelper and have strong maternal instincts.  We have been very blessed over the years in this regard, thankfully so.  There are absolute benefits to progesterone testing because the breeder has the numbers necessary to determine the LH surge and decline which indicates ovulation is about to or has occurred.  We've been out training dogs in the field before when the call came from our vet "bring her over to us right now!" for a planned "A-I" trans-cervical insemination. I remember telling our friends goodbye, making a hasty retreat home to get our girl, and rushing over to the vets for the procedure! (Which was, by the way, successful.) 

Counting the days of Holly's estrus now changes to counting Holly's days of pregnancy.  I count ahead 2 months and 2 days from the time of the first breeding and then mark out that entire week on my calendar. When you have tested progesterone levels to determine best time to breed you are certain of when ovulation exactly occurred. Puppies are born 63 Days from ovulation. Otherwise, without progesterone testing, even if I were to say "so and so whelped on Day 60" the fact of the matter would be - the puppies arrived 63 days following ovulation. 

What am I going to be looking for in the next few weeks in Holly? Subtle changes in temperament and eating habits at first. Just around 3 weeks I'm going to looking to find one episode of morning sickness. (As my long standing ATB friends and family know - I do get excited about dog vomit. No eye rolls please.) I'll be watching for some physical changes too. There's several ways of pregnancy diagnosis for dogs including palpation, ultrasound and x-rays.  Palpating should only be done by experienced hands. Not all breeders will have an ultrasound and or x-rays.  Even so, I will especially look forward to confirming puppy heartbeats with an ultrasound at the proper time and stand on the threshold of high hopes, remaining firm and steadfast.  One day at a time. 

Take care and God bless.  Thank you for your interest and for following along.

John, Ann, and All Things Brittany.   

J&A's Brittanys Breeding Announcement #1

Our greatly anticipated breeding between Holly and Bullet has taken place!  And now, the waiting begins. If all goes well, I hope that sometime in May we will confirm that Holly is pregnant.  Assuming this will happen, Bullet & Holly's puppies would arrive sometime in June. Follow this link for pedigree and profile. CH J&A's High Caliber Harris SH & 

J&A's Carry the Dream of Acton JH, NA110 Prize 1

It was E.B. White of Charlotte's Web fame who wrote "Hold onto your hat, hold onto your hope, wind the clock for tomorrow is another day." Well, we're doing exactly that my friends because Miss Toph has also come into heat.  As you may remember we have had plans to breed her to True so this is going to happen soon. This link will bring you to Toph and True's pedigree and profile.
J&A's Keeper of the Stars of Acton SH & 
J&A's Birch Spring Breaking New Ground JH, NA 107 Prize 1

Sharing the journey about anticipated puppies has always been something I've enjoyed so much.  But I remain so overly cautious as John and I have endured our share of heartaches and disappointments on several levels the past 4 years since our last litter was born.

If you're part of our ATB Family, I ask you to remember us in your thoughts and prayers because you know from where within the depths of my heart I speak. One thing for sure, our hearts and our home will be happy and well prepared to welcome our next litter(s) of beautiful, healthy purpose bred Brittany puppies.

We are now actively seeking and accepting serious inquiries from our website at www.mainebrittanysitejas.com but obviously everything is hypothetical at this point in time.

God has brought us through a season of waiting before.  I'm confident He will bring us through this one too! He's given us the desires of our heart before, and also taught us that all things are possible, only believe.  He is truly my magnificent obsession and consuming passion.  I know that when I wait on the Lord, He renews my strength.  I know that He provides the way for me to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint. In all things I will acknowledge God land trust completely that He will direct our paths.  He works all things out for good to those who love Him! Let all that I am wait quietly before God for my hope is in Him.  

So you see, we're doing a happy dance while in the waiting room.  Won't you wait with me? Let's take this journey, one day at a time. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited! Thanks for your interest, love, support.  Stay tuned.  Take care and God bless from John, Ann, and All Things Brittany.

Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle

There's a quote that goes something like this:
 "Not all of the puzzle pieces appear to fit together at first but in time you'll realize they do, perfectly."

EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE
I LEARNED FROM A JIGSAW PUZZLE

1. Don’t force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.

2. When things aren’t going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.

3. Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.

4. Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit bybit, piece by piece.

5. When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to comeback later (see #4).

6. The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook.

7. Variety is the spice of life. It’s the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.

8. Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.

9. Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.

10. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.

11. Take time often to celebrate your successes (even little ones).

12. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can’t be rushed.

Author unknown

Scattering Of The Pieces 

Last fall, owners of two Brittanys from the ATB family encountered unexpected health issues related to serious back injuries sustained in near fatal car accident.  They could no longer provide the level of care the dogs were accustomed to and reached out to us for help. When I learned the dogs were currently being boarded at a reputable kennel in Ohio I wanted to get them out of there right away. I just didn't know how.  John suggested we contact friends of ours who also live in Ohio. Surely God intervened because not only were they more than willing to help but they actually lived fairly close to the kennel!  (April, a vet tech, and her husband Steve operate a game farm and breed English Springer Spaniels. A few years ago John and a friend of ours ran dogs at a NSTRA field trial and stayed at their house.) Despite her own health issues, April immediately offered to go to the kennel, check on the dogs and share her observations. A day or two after the visit, April made arrangements with the dog's owners for them to be released into her care where they enjoyed a few days with new friends.

Assemble The Border

By now, I had let our network of wonderful ATB family and friends know about our re-homing situation. The response was over-whelming and we even heard from our breed rescue organizations who offered to help in anyway.  From the start there were several good potential inquiries. Even so,  I just couldn't get to where I felt it was the best 'fit' for these two special Brittanys despite the interest.

As each inquiry fell short of my expectations for one reason or another, I also knew April could not keep the dogs indefinitely. Then, our friends Pete & Kira, who own Wilson  and Annie, offered to be a 'half-way' house for the dogs. For a few weeks they would happily welcome them into their country home as their pampered guests, love on them, meet their needs, assess them and more.   Soon a plan was in place for the dogs to get to New York.  

When assembling a jigsaw puzzle usually you start with the border. It defines the space that you have to work within. Looking at the scattered pieces you wonder if they will ever fit together. But piece by piece you realize you can connect a few of them. Our friends were helping to complete a border. Both in Ohio and then in New York.

Pieces Start to Fall Into Place

Pete and Kira completely opened both their home and their hearts to "Maggie" and "Charlie".  Their own two Brittanys seemed to understand how special their guests were. Although displaced, confused, and unsure they responded positively to their new situation. Kira provided them with accommodations suitable for guests of a posh B&B. She sent daily videos, photos or updates of the dogs that made me smile.  The love, assessment, care, and attention given provided the framework, and if you will, the "border" for what would follow.  I know there were challenging moments but I also know that a necessary healing began to take place, a healing unlikely to have occurred if these special Brittanys had gone anywhere else.  All the dogs were of known lineage, each one sound and balanced. And all concerned were well aware of normal animal behavior and canine communication was well understood by all concerned. A perfect "half-way house" for two special Brittanys stopping midway on their journey with an opportunity to readjust, relearn, and progress while an abundance of love was poured out upon them as well as necessary vet checks and grooming.

Don't Force A Fit

For awhile it was a matter of trying to MAKE pieces fit together. Have you ever tried to 'jam' two pieces of an interlocking puzzle piece together? It is tempting to do this when they look like they should be put next to each other.

As things progressed it was clear that they were to return to the place of their birth, here to Maine with John, me, and our crew.  Afterall, we are their family in every sense of the word! Although at that point in time no definite plan was in place, by faith my heart still believed there was a special situation waiting just for them. After their wonderful experience with our dear friends in New York, John drove there and back to bring them "home."

Speaking of John, he often compares how salmon know when they have returned to their spawning ground to the way a Brittany born here reacts to being with us again. Based on their reaction to a initial romp around the yard or even to littermates, sire or dam who may be here, often it seems indeed they do sense the familiarity.

One of the first things we did when Charlie and Maggie arrived was oversee a full pack run around the yard with ALL the crew.  Maggie ended up romping with her father.  Clearly we could see her confidence was stronger than Charlies.  It only took her a few hours to feel comfortable enough to jump up into a chair!  It took Charlie a few days longer.  Hemi gave sideway glances to this new boy-dog (son of Jack dog) like he was daring him but was quickly reminded we are the pack leaders of the house.  Consequently, there were no issues.

Although we're completely fenced in and all our dogs run freely for the first few days we only allowed Charlie and Maggie outside if we had them on an extended nylon lead about 20' long. (Speaking of leads - I think extendable/retractable leads should be banned but that is another story.) The next step was to let them just drag the leads but when they did not come when called it was back to square one.  My biggest concern was they would scheme together and escape!

Maggie and Charlie obviously were brought up responsibly and with lots of love.  We had the benefit of personally knowing the breeding behind them, knowing they are not a 'rescue dog' or a 'shelter dog' meant whatever extra baggage they may have brought along, wasn't going to be anything serious. These are both very smart and kept us entertained! They are great dogs.  Completely house broken, participated in agility, passed AKC Puppy programs, and checked out AKC Rally too. They just loved the opportunity to eventually run freely off leash and within no time were running back to us when called. John brought Maggie to our friends outdoor agility course just for fun and she showed them she knew what to do there.

The Pleasure and Glory of 
the Completed Puzzle

Slowly but surely we watched the puzzle come together, yet not in the way we first imagined.  Although many expressed an interest in welcoming Charlie and Maggie into their lives, there were just as many who I knew ultimately would NOT be
the best 'fit'. There are things we learned along the way. I had assumed Maggie and Charlie should be kept together, believing they were dependent upon each other and a strongly bonded pair. I also thought this would best honor their prior owners wishes and we had no plans to separate them. They showed us all that while they adored each other, they also were wonderfully independent of each other. No matter what, we were committed to remain involved with Maggie and Charlie's future, just as if they were puppies leaving us for the first time.  And along the way we realized they could indeed thrive and be happy living separate lives.

Miss Maggie Rose is living the life of a well loved family pet in an active home with two other dogs, one of which is from our program. In other words, she is with an ATB family about 40 minutes away. One of her owners is at home full time! The picture in the completed puzzle above shows Maggie relaxing in her new home. which is in the country surrounded by acres of land. Maggie is doing great and quickly bonded with her new owners upon their first visit here.

And that leaves "Charles" as John affectionately refers to him.  He and John have become very close.  I know this is due, in part, to how very much Charlie and reminds him of our beloved JackDog, Charlie's sire. (I saw a lot of our sweet Molly Rose in Maggie's eyes, daughter of Molly.) Charlie has made himself right at home here and is very comfortable and happy as part of our pack. It took a little while for all the boys to understand Charlie is here to stay but now they romp and play. We have open runs with ALL things Brittany under close supervision. Hemi was so sad for a long time about the loss of his friend Jack so in a very subtle manner, Charles' presence has helped.  John couldn't wait to get him out on some birds to see what to expect and sure enough, Charlie shows a lot of potential. If all goes well once the snow leaves, Charlie will probably be out in the field preparing for an AKC Hunt Test. He absolutely loves to spend time outdoors and he would stay there for hours if we let him. Charlie seems to see something beyond what is in front of him, much in the same way his grandmother Treasure will do. For long periods of time he will stand or sit in one place, just gazing out in such a surreal way.  He can be a puddin' head about coming back into the house sometimes but we're working on that.

In closing, we remain in touch with Maggie and Charlie's previous owners.  They are our friends who we care about.  I keep them in my prayers and am happy to know that all things considered, the future is truly looking bright!  Praise God.

Take care and God bless and as always thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany.  Next up I hope to share about my incredible experience judging the 2018 American Brittany Club Western Futurity.  John, Ann, & ATB

If this story has touched your heart in anyway, or if you feel others would be encouraged please feel free to share it, thank you!

ATB: Breed Standards & Plumb Lines

There is a Facebook page called "Coffee Break With God".  I'm blogging this morning with that in mind.

60 is the new 50 or is it the new 40?   All I know is that when I gaze into the mirror the eyes looking back at me are for the most part very happy, peaceful, and content eyes.  They are brown like those of my mother and my father who have both been gone for many years now.  And those brown eyes love looking into the beautiful blue eyes of the man who I have spent over 40 years of my life with.

 Is silver gray the new black? I gave up coloring my hair about 10 years ago for good. I am often told by others they are thinking about doing the same thing but they don't think they would have the same depth of color, or that my color gray is so pretty and while they like how it looks on me, they couldn't do it.  Another friend insists on calling me a silver fox which makes me laugh! Some days when I look at my reflection in the mirror I feel the gray makes me look very tired and drawn out.  But there are other times it almost seems to illuminate my face.  Despite how often I may say "I think I'm going to color my gray again" I have yet to reach for the bottle again.

Are Browning hunting boots or LL Bean Mary-Janes the new high heel shoe? They are for me. I've never been one to collect endless pairs of shoes. (Okay stop right there.  Proper grammar check.  endless PAIRS or endless PAIR?  Anyone?) I prefer actually to walk barefoot year round.  And I have ugly feet.  Yes.  A childhood friend once told me the 16 year old 'me' that my toes reminded her of a scene featuring the aliens from the movie "War of The Worlds".  My mother wore a size 10 shoe. So does my sister. Many women in our family wear a 9 or a 10.  Sorry about that.  Anyway, despite not being an avid collector of footwear I did grieve and do lament the fact that since total knee replacement I can no longer wear any shoes with a heel.  Not that I wore them a lot but at least I had the option. Recently I recycled and tossed 4 pair of high heel shoes including a pair of true spike high heels. And despite having ugly feet at least I still can wear sandals and am not limited to wearing practical walking shoes.

You have to have a sense of humor about birthdays and advancing years.  Even about your own limitations.  Taking yourself too seriously can be hazardous to your health.  Letting little things add up can also have the same effect.  I am learning that you just have to let go of them.  Sometimes that's not too difficult when it comes to forgetting things.  Wouldn't it be nice if those things that were most likely to disrupt our peace of mind were also the things that were the most easiest to forget and with little effort?