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. 

J&A's Brittanys A New Journey Begins

Current Mood: Happy Dance!

I read a quote which said our journey in life is delightful when traveled with a dog.  I completely agree, especially today.  I am so very happy to say that Holly Beth has been successfully bred with Oly! 

If all goes well, Oly and Holly puppies will arrive around September 18th, which is our daughter's birthday. We will have hopeful anticipation with all faith believing, praying as we wait and including an ultrasound at the appropriate time to confirm pregnancy. 

I want to share again about Oly and the breeding behind him. While for the most part the lineage behind Oly is new to our program it is definitely not unknown and includes a line breeding on 32X NSTRA and 6X American Field Champion Nolan's Last Bullet.  

Pronounced "Oh-lee" this handsome orange and white Brittany is loved and owned by Morris and Monica Pollard. Oly shares his home with another Brittany named Gracie who finished her AKC Field Championship title last year! John and Mo (Oly's owner) are friends who have hunted, trained, tested, and trialed together. We know Oly personally. He's a sweet boy and very handsome as you can see from the photos I posted in the prior post last week.

Pippin still has this puppy blanket.

Our dear friend Julie Harris has had the pleasure of grooming Oly from time to time. Speaking of Julie, we had a long overdue visit with each other recently. It was so good to see her.  And wouldn't you know, she's already crocheting puppy blankets! Holly Beth loves her Aunt Julie and actually lived with her for awhile when I had my first knee replacement surgery. 

Oly is an outstanding medium range bird dog. Titled as an AKC Junior Hunter, he's spent the last five falls in the north Maine woods hunting upland birds, specializing in grouse. His owner Mo is a Maine State Guide who has successfully guided numerous bird hunters in various bird covers in the Rangely, Maine area. Last fall alone Oly had over 225 grouse finds of which hunters shot over 85 birds.  Oly is a strong, well conditioned, biddable dog who can be counted upon to hunt 6 days a week during the hunting season.  He has an exceptional nose for grouse and staunchly points with intensity. 

Oly's sire is NGDC/NACDC/VC/AFC Peter Gunn and recognized as "one of the most talented and decorated, well rounded bird-dogs the Brittany Breed has to offer with an outstanding lineage of highly talented and proven dogs."  Pete made Brittany history as being the only dog to hold both the National Open and National Amateur Gun Dog Championship titles.  He was also awarded the National 2010 Magnum's Masked Man award for having the highest amount of gun dog field trial wins/points of any dog in the country. 

Oly's dam, Sling Blade's Trade, is a level headed, moderate range gun dog with an incredible amount of bird drive and hunting instinct.  Sling Blade's Trade is sired by the renowned American Field Champion, 15X NSTRA CH Beeline Bullet's Bravado (Brave) a son of the afore mentioned 32X NSTRA CH, 3X Grand National CH, Nestle Purina Dog of the Year 2003 and 6X American Field Champion Nolan's Last Bullet (Buddy)! 

AVAILABILITY

At this point there is very limited availability, if any. I'm still waiting on a couple of confirmations. Otherwise this litter is fully reserved with families who currently have or have had a J&A's Brittany. They are privately updated via email prior to anything being shared publicly. Several on this list have been waiting for well over a year for their next puppy!  (Love our ATB family) It's possible once pregnancy is confirmed and when number of pups are known that there will be some availability. 

There is a litter of pups sired by Hemi due within the next two weeks in the Fryeburg Maine area. We are referring qualified inquiries to the breeders.  

Additionally, there will be a repeat breeding at the end of the year of True and Toph. We our building a waiting list now. 

Please reach out to us through our website at www.mainebrittanysitejas.com   

Stay tuned! Thank you for your interest in All Things Brittanys.  Take care and as always God bless you and yours - John, Ann, and our wonderful crew. 

J&A's Brittanys: This Is Us

Best way to spend a July morning!  

J&A's Keeper of the Stars SH ("True") on point.  CH J&A's Magnificent Obsession of Acton JH ("Hemi") honoring True's point.  They know John is looking for and about to flush the bird that True found and is pointing. They will hold and be steady to wing and shot.  One of the dogs will be sent to retrieve and the other will (should!) remain in place. Training is ongoing throughout the spring and summer, usually several mornings a week and sometimes on the weekend if friends would like to gather together with their bird dogs.

The picture above that our friend Paige took just a few days ago is a perfect capture of the genetics behind our puppies.  Truly it also just opens the door for a shout out to the Brittanys related to our puppies! True is sire of Toph's pups and shares the same mother as Holly.  Hemi is the sire of both Holly and Toph. The pups are our 4th generation of close working gundogs. True is a Senior Hunter and Hemi is a Junior Hunter at the moment. Sire of Holly's pups CH J&A's High Caliber Harris Special SH ("Bullet") is also a Senior Hunter.  Bullet is also the sire of our first and currently only AKC Master Hunter, CH J&A's Quiet Courage MH, NA Prize 1.   Both Holly and Toph are NAVHDA titled with NA Prize 1 awards.

We encourage people to, at a minimum participate in an AKC Junior Hunt test or a NAVHDA Natural Ability test.  Hunting season is such a short time.  Maine's bird season begins in 77 days. Our dogs will be ready.  Field trials are another great field venue with a more competitive edge as are dog shows.  (Although those who contact us are most interested in their next bird hunting companion and those seeking a "show dog" look to other breeders, our Brittanys are many times indeed 'show quality' and we're always looking forward to finishing our next champion!  I have a dream that one day a Brittany from our program will achieve the coveted title of Dual Champion, both a field and a show champion! Time will tell but in the meantime, it's all about birds, birds, and more birds!)

A Brittany is versatile and of such high intelligence they are capable to be trained for most any venue of dog sport.  It's fun to train and work towards a title whether in AKC, UKC, NAVHDA or other recognized organizations in the of seasons.  We're always available to help support and guide. So for those of you looking forward to your puppy, I hope this awesome photo will be your inspiration.  Even if you've NEVER done it before!

As always, take care and God bless, John, Ann and All Things Brittany