J&A's The Story Behind the Story

The American Kennel Club's "Breeder of Merit" program began in October 2010.  In May 2011 John and I became enrolled as a result of meeting the current qualifications. This included:

• A history of at least 5 years involvement with AKC events
• Having bred a minimum of 4 dogs from AKC litters that had earned AKC Conformation, Performance, or Companion event titles in our Breed.
• A member in good standing of an AKC club.
• Certifying that applicable health screens are performed on animals that we breed as recommended by the American Brittany Club
• Demonstrating a commitment to ensure 100% of our puppies are individually AKC registered. 

Recently, we were very proud to discover we qualified for the AKC BRONZE Breeder of Merit, an advanced level of achievement and recognition. The additional requirements we have met for the BRONZE level include:

• Currently enrolled as a Breeder of Merit
• Provide PROOF of American Brittany Club's required health testing on sires/dams of litters
• Met our commitment of ensuring ALL puppies get registered
• Have had a minimum of 10 dogs earning titles with at least 5 of the titled dogs earning a prefix title (champion in all venues) and suffix titles in conformation, companion, and performance events. 

We've always been breeders of close working gundogs.  It's not a catchy phrase to promote our program.  It's who we are, who we have always been. Our preference was to simply stay in the woods and the fields with our Brittanys. We never had a desire to do much more than 'hunt em up'! Until a good friend said to me, if we wanted to be taken seriously as breeders, we should get involved.  

What did get involved mean?  Well, we discovered it meant meeting other Brittany owners and breeders, join the Brittany club, and support it's events. Then we had others say to us, "your dogs are beautiful, did you ever think about showing?" Well no, I absolute had not and had no desire to do so.  I was encouraged to give it a try although at that point in time I couldn't understand the importance of it.  

I jumped in feet first, without any experience or understanding of showing. Oh the stories I could tell of how I felt like a court jester when showing my dog!  And for years (and I mean YEARS!) when I showed, it was basically 'point fodder' for others.  But that is another story and that's okay! I was the one that the judge said he'd never seen anyone so excited to earn a second place red ribbon!  Hey, I earned a ribbon and I didn't care what color it was. 

So you get the picture.  Eventually my dear friend Julie Harris came into my life and between the two of us, we were determined to show to the best of our ability.  I can't tell you how much money and time we invested before achieving much more than a placement. (In time, we made a decision to enlist the assistance of a most amazing professional dog handler, J.M. Coccia.  Joyce finished Julie's BulletMan and shortly after that, finished our Pippin!) Julie and I improved our handling skills and our grit and determination grew stronger. It's a long story, a road full of twists and turns involving a lot of really super wonderful people. If they are reading this, I'm confident they know I'm talking about them.  And those who were not so 'really super wonderful' I bet they know who they are too! 

I am not a fan of showing dogs. But I believe in the purpose of showing my hunting dogs. Having said that, some of the best times with my dogs have been 'dog show weekends'. And now I really miss them. 

While there surely are many other breeders who have achieved far greater and grander accomplishments than the Bronze Breeder of Merit recognition, for me personally this is very humbling, significant and deeply meaningful.  In just 6 years, from 2012 to 2018 seven hunting dogs that we bred finished their AKC Championship, including one incredible girl who finished as a Grand Champion.

Last summer I showed Revere at the age of 12 months.  We only had 3 dog show weekends together. In that time he won Best in Sweepstakes, Best of Breed, Best Bred By Exhibitor, Group 4 Bred by Exhibitor and a 3 point major! And then, I fell in the ring and tore my hamstring. I went to physical therapy until everything shut down. But the story's not over.  It's just on hold. 

John will continue to title and finish hunting dogs. And we even hope to have a field champion someday - with my ultimate dream of a Dual Champion (both field and show). 

Thank you to everyone in our extended ATB Family who has jumped in feet first just like I did and finished your Brittany in any number of purebred dog sports! You found out it was fun to do something with your dog, that you could indeed compete and finish what you started!  YOU are the reason we are Breeders of Merit (Bronze Level) because you believe in our program, you get us, and understand what we're about.  No, we've never forced anyone but it's always ALWAYS been such a joy to see the determination you demonstrate. We have ENJOYED and will continue to enjoy guiding and encouraging others to step into a world beyond bird hunting! We are blessed. And we truly love you all. 

Our 7 champions and 1 grand champion that John and I bred are highlighted in the column over to the right. Someday I'm going to list ALL of our titled hunting dogs. Some really deserve a shout out for going above and beyond. 

(See John and Ann's Brittany Story for more about us)

J&A's Brittanys: Seasonal Reflection

Recovery From Two Short Family Tragedies

Can you believe that it is already June?  I sure can't.  Life has been one big blur since John's massive heart attack, angioplasty (stent) surgery, and his 5 way bypass. Happily I declare with all certainty that his recovery has been nothing less than a miracle. John is back to doing most all of the things that he shares a passion for and of course that includes All Things Brittany.  Try as I may to offer reasonable suggestions about taking it easy, slowing down, listen to your body etc., etc., John is just happiest when he is actively pursuing some type of project. I am so thankful for the strength and determination I see in him and also how he has conceded to the reality of a change in diet, activity level, and the very real need to rest. Above all, we remain grateful to God.

Within days of my previous post back in April, our son's beautiful Katahdin Log Home was destroyed by fire.  Praise God no one was at home at the time as it was Sunday morning and all were at church when the call came in.  But their home was totally burned to the ground.  I was there at church when the call came in to the family. We were just shocked. My heart was broken for them all but our church family pulled together and we saw the love of Jesus in action. This is a very challenging time for all of the family as they truly are displaced. Fortunately they have excellent insurance and will be in a position to rebuild.  Emotionally though, it has been devastating especially because they lost their beloved family pet in the fire, a lovely Great Dane by the name of Stormy.  This has been surreal and very hard for all of them but especially my grandchildren. 

THANK YOU I wanted to take a moment and just say thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support that has come to both John and I as well as to our son and his family.  While the intent of my heart is truly to express appreciation individually I know that may not always be possible.  No gesture of kindness has gone unnoticed and has truly been a blessing. Please forgive us if we have not personally expressed our gratitude.  The support has been awesome and overwhelming, thank you!!

Speaking of Blessings

Our family experienced a very joyful and blessed event last month.  On May 18, 2019 our oldest granddaughter, Nova Marie was married to the love of her life, Chase Stearns.  It was such an amazing day and so full of happiness, happiness that the entire Short family really needed. I had the honor of making their wedding cake. Nova, who has always exemplified true beauty, was just stunning.  My favorite part of the wedding?  The father/daughter dance when they danced to Lavender Blue, Dilly Dilly.  When she was a little toddler, John Jr. always sang that to her. I watched them on the dance floor and my heart melted.  Thank you Lord for your faithfulness, generation to generation.  And soon, it will extend to yet another generation.

I have also been blessed to be back on the worship team at Maine Life Gate Christian church.  Most Sundays I have been on the platform with my other grandaughter and the team.  Brook is an anointed and gifted worship leader and the team in itself is amazing. I can't always be there this time of year but I treasure those Sundays I am.

And Then There's Revere

Revere is 11 months old now and continues to mature nicely.  We have taken several levels of training since December at Inspire K9 over in Alton, NH.  Our trainer is Megan Arey and she's one of the best as far as I'm concerned!  Revere and I continue to develop as a strong and bonded team. He is highly intelligent. Consequently, this means he either needs to be constantly challenged to learn new things or he will be constantly challenging! Right now it's a little bit of both. John and I recognized his potential early on to become an outstanding field dog.  At a very young age he was finding, and pointing upland game. We've been able to take hold of the zest and zeal present in this young puppy prior to introducing too much obedience.  For the first 12 months of a Brittany pup's life I believe that fun, spontaneity, natural desire and instinct are the building blocks to future success. This means little to no pressure or restraint around birds.  There is plenty of time for that.  Revere has a tendency to run big and I have learned it's a lot easier to bring a dog in than to teach them to go out. Revere is incredibly versatile. I do not want Revere to respond to strict obedience commands that results in a mechanical dog who gets the job done but only because of pressure exerted on them. Even so, Revere will turn a year old in less than a month so we have started to increase our expectations of him.  His inherent abilities and strong desire to naturally point, retrieve, back have been proven. Now it is time to polish the rough edges and graduate from kindergarten!

Once I saw the 'run' in Revere I consulted someone who I consider to be the best bird dog trainer. This trainer is more into hunting dog training than training focused on trials. Even so, he's a field trial judge and knows what to look for.  He's handled his own bird dog to a 4 pt major in gundog stakes and has 4 other adult placements with her as well as placements with other dogs he bred. (With dogs 'we' bred. Yes I'm talking about my awesome husband!) John agreed with me that we should give it a try with Revere. 

We brought Revere to grounds used for trialing for a serious run. With a tracking collar on and my heart pounding in my chest we set off.  Revere covered a lot of ground, ranged out and came back in nicely.  He made wide sweeps of open areas while seeking objectives and working the edge. Revere worked nice in the woods.  At one point he was out of sight which was briefly hair raising for me but the GPS showed us he was responding to my call. 

Physically speaking I have my own set of challenges and issues and I am not always up to handling. But I made a decision that day and entered Revere in not only two field trials but also in an upcoming NAVHDA Natural Ability test.  And I'm so glad I did. 

In the Central Maine Brittany Club spring trial Revere did so well.  I handled in two 20 minute puppy stakes both days and John handled him in two 30 minute derby stakes.  He came home with first place in both Open Puppy and Open Derby. Also a second place Amateur Derby.  (Holly also garnered a 2nd place Open Gun Dog that weekend.) Revere earned all his juvenille points towards an AKC Field Championship that weekend! 

The following weekend we left at 4 a.m. in the morning to be at the Sebasticook NAVHDA chapter's Natural Ability Test. (The prior day Revere's cousin Monroe earned his NA title and came to visit us on Sunday to cheer Revere on.) The only other time I'd been at anything NAVHDA was when Revere's mother Toph won a Prize 1 NA title, handled by our daughter. I've never attended any training clinic. So as the testing is based on natural abilities and instincts, I was confident Revere could do what was expected. He did not disappoint.  I handled him in each of the categories that were judged.  In the field he did run a little bigger than I think the judge liked so we were dinged slightly in cooperation and search.  But Revere found and pointed 4 birds and successfuly found a 5th one that was put out just for him.  He had to track a pheasant trail into the woods which he did perfectly.  Swimming is also tested and since he's naturally just loved jumping into our small farm pond that part of the test was perfect too! He jumped off the side and retrieved the two bumpers I sent out.  On the day of the test it was pouring rain on and off. It was quite a workout for me physically and I was grateful for a friend in the chapter giving me a ride down to the water on an ATV!

But I did it myself!

Next up, we will be testing for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Title and AKC Trick Dog Novice title.  I have also entered him in an upcoming dog show and plan on handling him.  I know that he'd do great in the hands of a professional handler but he's stuck with me and I will do my best to make him shine. Which really isn't too hard. Conformation wise, I like what I see in my boy!  I just have to do my best not to embarrass Revere.

Life has changed since John's heart attack and also since our son's house fire.  It's a time of reflection as I try to understand more about what really matters.  Above all it's a time of focusing on the things of the Lord. It's been a few years since experiencing a "refiner's fire" and it's not especially pleasant.  Seasons come and seasons go. I have always felt it was important especially for a woman to be aware of what season she is in in her life. Lately, as I wrestle with heart issues of a spiritual nature, I am nudged by Holy Spirit to remember my focus should be upon "whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." Phillippians 4:8

Most of our beloved Brittanys are senior dogs.  I joke about having a geriatric ward but it's true.  Often it has been a sort of hospice here with certain dogs. That is a side we keep very private and

J&A's Ever Ready Rose of Acton - 14+

rightfully so.  I know that soon we're going to be saying goodbye to at least one special Brittany. All for the love of the dog, both given and received.  I am thankful for the 5 generations of Brittanys we have bred and I will always strive to perfect that which we have been responsible to create, by the Grace of God. As we know the inevitable awaits us, so too we consider all the special ATB families whose Brittanys have lived their lives, those that they have said goodbye to, and those who are (like Rosie) nearing the time of walking over the Rainbow Bridge.

Guess that's enough rambling for now.  Thank you as always for your interest and do stay tuned, check back! Take care and God bless you and yours, John, Ann, and All Things Brittany

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

TRUE - AKC SENIOR HUNTER / More!

TRUE - OUR NEW AKC SENIOR HUNTER My heart is bursting with pride on behalf of John and our "True" puppy.  True sailed through his Junior testing level quickly earning his JH title.  He continued to do well at each successive Senior testing level and likewise qualified for his first 3 legs.  Then it became more of a struggle and we gave him a break from it all. He's always had a nice retrieve and never had a problem backing the point of another dog.  John ran him in a field trial where he won an adult placement in Open Gun Dog but trialing is just not our thing. The handsome True was shown a few times and quickly won his first 4 points in his first four back to back dog shows but was not shown again. Maryann has an interest in learning how to train at the SH level and  insisted this spring we try to finish him.  The first day out he didn't qualify but on the second day when brought back to show the judges he would back another dog he did not disappoint!  Congratulations to True and John, I couldn't be happier about this.

J&A's Keeper of The Stars SH - "True" 

Sire: CH Gibson JH CGC  &  Dam: J&A's Dreams Come True of Acton JH

Breeders/Owners/Handlers: John & Ann Short

True is the third Brittany which we have bred to earb the AKC Senior Hunter (SH) title but the first one soley owned by us.  (Bullet, co-owned with Julie, was the first to finish his SH title as well as our first bench champion.  Wilson (Bullet's son) owned by Pete Sipperly and Kira Lajeunesse was the second to finish his SH title and is also a bench champion.  I should note that Wilson is a NA Prize 1 Brittany also in training for his UT title.  Both boys are working towards Master.)

OUR BOYS SURE HAVE BEEN BUSY
Hemi & Luna's beautiful litter of 10 Brittany puppies arrived on April 19th at Birch Spring Brittanys in North Hampton, NH.  This is a repeat breeding of the litter which resulted in a NAVHDA Breeders Award of Merit for the Thayers.  Pups from the first litter are actively trialed, shown, and of course hunted including our own "Toph" (J&A's Birch Spring Breaking New Ground JH, NA Prize 1).

Photo by Birch Spring Brittanys

Bullet & Brandy's sweet litter of 4 arrived on March 28th, also a really nice repeat breeding. Bo & Christine Longley of Merrymeeting Brittanys in Litchfield, Maine have good reason to be proud of this litter.  Two of the boys, Rocky and Argos, earned their AKC Junior Hunter titles and the majority of pups in the first litter are in active hunting families.

Photo by Merrymeeting Brittanys

TEAM AVATAR HAS A DUAL JUNIOR HANDLER!

On Mother's Day 2014 at 8 years old our granddaughter had her first handling 'lesson' here thanks to our dear friend Julie Harris. I'd just had my first total knee replacement so Julie had taken my young puppy Holly Beth to live with her for a few months. (It was also when Bullet & Thistle's pups were born including Quincy, Zuko, and Ammo.) With Julie's help Alana took Holly Beth around the yard and from the start it was easy to see what a natural handler she was.  Holly went on to be shown by Alana in the Central Maine Brittany Club Specialty show winning their first blue ribbon. Soon she was old enough to show in AKC Junior Showmanship and obtained her pin and number. Eligible now to show as a Junior she presented my champion "Hemi" (Holly and Toph's father) and at her first show won BEST JUNIOR IN SHOW with competition at the Union Maine shows.  Alana took handling classes to perfect her 'craft' and presented both Hemi and her puppy Zuko at various shows.  In the spring of 2015 Alana won her 3rd Novice Junior Showmanship class with competition and moved up to the Open Juniors.  Life happened and she didn't get back into the ring until this spring, this time with her 14 month old puppy "Toph".  At back to back specialties Toph's show debut first place win in 12-18 month catapulted her and Alana into the Winners Bitch competition.  Alana showed Toph in a highly professional and impressive manner.  A couple of weeks later Maryann, Alana, and I had a girls weekend at the West Springfield show.  Alana won her very competitive Opne Junior class of 7 and went on to compete for the coveted Best Junior in Show. Another junior won this but Alana worked Toph the entire time, right up until the judge made her decision.  She also  competed in the adult classes and did really well.  Alana also expressed an interest in learning how to handle in the field along with her mom. We're really excited about this. To make a long story short Alana successfully handled Toph to her first Junior Hunter Advanced leg.  They did so well the hunt test judge called them back to run as the 'bye dog' with another dog that didn't have a bracemate.  This was pretty cool that out of 22 dogs they were selected.  Toph actually finished her JH title at a very young 6 months old with Maryann handling.  Now we are looking further at field trials. Maryann handled Toph to a  2nd place Amateur Derby win when 6 months old.  As I've been saying all along, the best is yet to come!

ATB HUNT TEST RESULTS

The 2016 Central Maine Brittany Club hunt tests have come and gone.  I've completed all of the official AKC paperwork and sealed the envelope.  Now the accomplishments of Brittanys from our breeding program at this event can finally sink in, especially True's accomplishment as AKC SENIOR HUNTER!

NEW AKC JUNIOR HUNTERS

J&A's Heart of Seumas JH

Sire: CH J&A's High Caliber Harris Special SH

Dam: GCH CH J&A's Sisters of the Heart JH

Breeders: Julie Harris & Ann Short    Owners: Julie Harris & John Short

Birch Spring LH White Feather JH, NA Prize 1

Sire: CH J&A's Magnificent Obsession of Acton JH

Dam: CH Birch Springs PC Lunar Eclipse JH, NA Pz 11

Breeders: Phil & Ben Thayer   Owners: Phil & Sherri Thayer

J&A's Jack Be Nimber JH

Sire: CH J&A's High Caliber Harris Special SH

Dam: J&A's Dreams Come True of Acton JH

Breeders: John & Ann Short    Owners:  Dan & Joanne Woodman

J&A's Superior Jack's Rugar JH

Sire: J&A's Apple Jack of Acton JH

Dam: J&A's Superior Nova JH

Breeders: John Short & James Turner   Owners/Handler: James & Lori Turner

ATB Junior Hunter & Junior Hunter Advanced QUALIFIERS

J&A's Birch Spring Breaking New Ground JH, NA Prize 1

Sire: CH J&A's Magnificent Obsession of Acton JH

Dam: CH Birch Springs PC Lunar Elipse JH,, NA Pz 11

Breeders: Phil & Ben Thayer   Owners: Maryann Day & John Short  Handler:Alana Day

J&A's Rubies Are Heaven Sent JHA (she is already finished as a JHA)

Sire: J&A's Soaring White Sequoia of Acton

Dam: KJ's Rambling Molly Rose

Breeders: John & Ann Short   Owners: Roger & Marilyn Gilman  Handler: Tyler Gilman

J&A's High Caliber Shamrock Special

Sire: CH J&A's High Caliber Harris Special SH

Dam: GCH CH J&A's Sisters of the Heart JH

Breeders: Julie Harris & Ann Short   Owners: Roger & Marilyn Gilman

Merrymeeting's Little Rockstar JH

Sire: CH J&A's High Caliber Harris Special SH

Dam: Merrymeeting's Brandy JH

Breeder/Owner/Handlers:  Walter & Christine Longley

It's been a very busy year so far and will continue to get busier! Bullet as well as his son Wilson are working now towards their Master Hunter title.  John has several judging assignments for Junior, Senior, and Master levels of AKC hunt tests coming up throughout New England and New York.  There are several AKC and American field trials we all have an interest in.  Maryann successfully completed her judging apprenticeships. Young Ayden wants to try his hand at showing too. A few dog shows remain on our immediate radar.  We're also looking towards summer and field tune ups for several dogs from our program. Still up in the air about where we will be running dogs but we do have a nice area over in Dayton that has worked out well so far. It's been a lot of fun having Maryann regulary come alongside of us with Toph and Zuko. 

As for puppies we'll enjoy meeting Luna and Hemi's pups in a couple of weeks. Sooner than later Bullet & Brandy's pups will be going to their respective new homes. Julie had a blast meeting them recently!  I have enjoyed sending referrals for both litters.  I am also enjoying my time with our senior dogs to 'simply be' while continuing to look towards the future with an eye on the past.  And the future looks good for J&A's Brittanys on many levels.  I think our boys are going to keep things moving forward. By the Grace of God, it looks very very good. 

As always thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany.  Take care and God bless!  John, Ann and our canine crew. 

ATB: Looking Ahead

Update: We must say goodbye to the fields and abandoned apple orchard where we've taken our dogs since 2005.  Appreciative of the current and previous landowners generosity to train, run, and introduce pups to birds the property will now be used to harvest corn and hay crops.  It's going to be hard to drive by every day knowing that special season has come to an end.  Truly the good times there gave way to a sense of community among family and friends who love their dogs as much as we do ours.  We're keeping our eyes and ears open though hoping to find another place nearby.

2/28/16 Where we run and train
the dogs. No snow!!!

Getting back to what I love.
(Pippin & Treasure)

The weather this winter reminds me a lot of what we experienced a few years ago in 2012. That year we consistently had no snow and the temperatures were fairly mild during the winter months.  We actually were able to run and train the dogs on birds throughout the entire winter season!  I also remember that was when the pain from OA in my left knee would often debilitate me. Today however, I am so thankful to be on the other side of two successful total knee replacement surgeries and so very eager to not just pick up where I left off, but to experience a myriad of new adventures! I've been in the field with dogs running two times now since surgery.  The first time was down to the Kennebunk Plains at the end of January. And the second time was yesterday at the training field. I am so ready to take my focus off of what I can or cannot do because of my knee. Currently, I am still measuring my goals and successes by how strong and pain free my knees are on any given day. It's been almost 4 months since the second surgery, and almost 2 years since the first one. Recovering from total knee replacement has been the most challenging experience of my entire life and I don't say that lightly. I do still have rough days. These surgeries are not for sissies! The fact of the matter is I have two brand new knees to rediscover what it is like to play an active role in my own life!!  The surgeries are behind me now and it's time to make good on my claim that indeed, the best is yet to come! Today my goal and my success will be making the rest of my life the BEST of my life.

So what lies ahead?  To begin with we're very excited working with two established breeding programs and a brand new one which we are supportive of. We're also happy that there are many very happy families awaiting news of these anticipated pups. There may be some availability once they arrive and for anyone wishing more information or might be remotely interested please  contact us and we'll happily refer you to the breeders. As for the next litter that we breed which will actually be born here - we will probably look to Holly-Beth for that honor.  J&A's Carry the Dream of Acton JH NA 110 Prize 1, is OFA Excellent and several names are on Holly's dance card!

Toph wonders about this show debut
stuff and why she lost her neck hair!

Next on the list is the show debut of the incredible J&A's Birch Spring Breaking New Ground JH, NA 107 Prize 1 "Toph"!  She was one very busy little puppy in 2015 the first year of her life and it looks as if she's going to take on 2016 in much the same way.  I am looking forward to seeing our daughter have some fun with her puppy in the ring.  J&As Blue Lightenin' Bolt JH otherwise known as "Zuko" will be shown a little more this year as well. Together he and "Toph" make up the dynamic "TEAM AVATAR".  This grandmother had to research the characters that these two youngsters are named after.  Zuko has been shown a few times by our daughter and our granddaughter.  He has been in the ribbons but they are anxious to see him earn some points of course.  His two brothers, J&A's Shamrock Special "Ammo" & J&As  Heart of Seumas "Quincy"  have done very well in the show ring so it's just a matter of time. 

 I am really looking forward to learning more about training a dog at the AKC Senior Hunter level. I also really like what NAVHDA has to offer.  Regardless, I really look forward to spending more time spent in the field with our dogs than ever before. We do wish to see pups from our program tested in one or both of the hunt test venues at as early an age as possible.  The earlier this is done the easier it is to see the strength of the natural instincts.  Then I like to see the dogs take a break from testing following the junior and NA level, to really work on obedience and compliance to their handler.  I guess that's where I am. Even so, the folks who seek us out are interested in one thing only and that is a close working gundog.  The rest is frosting on the cake as far as I'm concerned.  I don't like to promote our pups as show puppies though despite the fact that pups from our program frequently not only have great potential to be successful in the ring, but now more than ever they ARE!  I am not permitted to run until my 1 year anniversary following this second surgery so no showing for me. I did try it last year but as my other knee was showing off that was quite short lived. It's not really pretty when I show anyway. We'll leave it at that!  There's enough of my family and friends showing our dogs now so it's all good. I will sit ringside cheering, help with grooming, and take pictures for the time being. And be very proud while still believing, the best is yet to come. As always thanks for your interest in All Things Brittany, take care & God bless - John, Ann, and our canine crew.

WILSON - AKC Senior Hunter / Accomplishments

Our newest AKC SENIOR HUNTER

CH J&A's QUIET COURAGE SH, NA 107 PRIZE 1

Sire: CH J&As High Caliber Harris Special SH

Dam: J&A's Dreams Come True of Acton JH

In our previous post I shared that John and I had the pleasure of watching both Bullet and Wilson working at the New York hunt tests with Kira handling Wilson to his first Senior Hunter leg. He finished the title with Dave Molyneux handling him. I heard it was a "performance one would expect out of a Master Hunter." Thank you so much to his owners and our friends Pete Sipperly and Kira Lajeunesse for recognizing all the potential and ability within Wilson and giving him every opportunity to shine.  We're also proud to share the news that his daughter (with Pippin) "Ellie" has been working towards her AKC Junior Hunter title this fall in New Jersey.  Just shy of her first birthday J&A's Desire of the Heart met is halfway to her JH title.  Congratulations to her owners Stan & Linda. Wilson & Pippins daughters Belle and Brooke are also half way to their titles.  (Wilson is available for stud service to approved bitches.)

John and I continued to be very busy following our New York trip (see prior blog-post). Knowing it was a matter of time before my right knee gave out I tried to do as much as I possibly could.  We took a day trip to Smithfield Maine for Sebasticook Chapter of NAVHDA's fall tests. We met Maryann, Ayden and Toph there who was testing for her Natural Ability title. Toph is out of Hemi & Luna. She earned an impressive Prize 1 score with Maryann handling her.  It was Maryann's birthday and her husband surprised her by driving up from Connecticut where he'd been working. We had an impromptu birthday party and cake much to her charging.  David then presented her with her birthday present, a brand new shotgun!  Several of Toph's littermates were also tested by their breeder (and our friend!) Philip Thayer, Jr. of Birch Spring Brittanys. They ALL earned their Natural Ability titles!

The next weekend was divided between hunt tests and field trials.  Toph ran in her first field trial, and placed 2nd out of 7 in Amateur Derby with Maryann handling. Proud mom here.

Thistle gets a shout out too!  Julie handled her to a first place Walking Hunting Dog.  After all Thistle has been through we just have to thank God she's back to being Thistle the Pistol for sure. Way to go Julie!

The very next day Maryann and I headed to Hopkinton where Toph successfully finished her AKC Junior Hunter title with Maryann handling!  That particular hunt test weekend is one of my absolute favorites. It is often like an ATB family reunion.  Over the two days there were about 10 or maybe even more Brittany dogs there that are from or related to our line. Talk about being proud. We all just have so much fun, arriving with our E-Z ups, coolers, dog paraphernalia, and more. I like sharing these times with John, our daughter, our friends.

Such a really fun atmosphere no matter what plus we enjoy everything being with the Northern New England Brittany Club where Maryann, John, and I are members.  Ammo, Dory, and Charlee from Bullet & Thistle's pups tested that weekend with Miss Charlee earning her JH title.  Zuko earned his at 6 months old. Quincy is still working towards his. That will make 5 pups from that litter with a JH title - and it will also earn Julie the AKC Breeder Award of Merit.   Bullet's full brother Lil Jack earned his 3rd leg towards his JH title. He's a really nice boy.  His owners bring him out for the event once a year, they are really lovely people!  I may have mentioned it already but several pups from Hemi & Lunas litter also finished their AKC Junior Hunter titles that weekend. Also, Parker and "Rocky" are working towards his Senior Hunter title and doing very well. Rocky, sired by Jack is out of Merrymeeting Brittanys.  They were all there on Saturday and did very well, Littermates Rockstar Rocky (Bullet and Brandy) and Argos also finished their titles.  It's all about the hunting for us, and we love to encourage owners to get involved with hunt tests because it's a lot of fun and so rewarding especially just before the real deal of bird hunting season. "Woo hoo" let's hear it for our close working gundogs and their owners who support our program!! If you're reading this and have never tried hunt tests think about joining us in the spring 2015, I'd be happy to give you more info about them, especially the April tests in Kennebunk, Me. In the meantime everyone keep up the good work, we are so proud of you all.

I'm proud to say that we have two handsome boys from Bullet & Thistle's litter knocking on the door of their AKC Championship title. Previously I shared Quincy's photo from the Union Me. dog shows when he won Best of Breed.  Ammo has had some success recently as well with two back to back Best of Winners and he is pictured here. (Their brother and littermate Zuko has had limited showing due to my 10 year old granddaughters very busy schedule of Karate & Judo. She recently earned her Black Belt way to go ALana!)  And thank you Roger & Marilyn for doing so much with Ammo and also Miss Ruby.

This picture is Wynne's show debut!  She won Best Puppy in Specialty at the Iowa Brittany Club show.  She is Tophs full sister from Hemi & Luna's litter and also has two second place field trial wins in the Midwest. Shown here with her owners Kendall & Carol Brown. (Due to the busy and hectic schedule of a young family of 5, sister Toph has yet to make her show debut. Still, we are making plans for 2016 and I really look forward to seeing her and Maryann together in the ring.)   

Speaking of pups we do have some very nice breeding plans which we hope to announce soon.  In addition to our own plans, the services of our boys have been requested. We're also looking ahead to 2017.  I would like to encourage you to privately confirm with me now your level of interest as we are getting inquiries every single day.  Our goal is to have a potential litter reserved well in advance of a breeding. We ask for deposits once the breeding occurs.  Prior to that we accept inquiries without commitments and screen for the absolute best possible fit for pups. Of course all health clearances will be in place before a breeding occurs and all official documents and papers are provided well in advance. It's all explained in our puppy reservation policy booklet. I've not had a chance to respond to everyone, please be patient.  And for those generic inquiries who are just contacting every breeder with a web page it's unlikely you'll hear back from us. Sorry about that.

 Bird Hunting! Believe it or not John and I actually got away together with ALL of our dogs.  We have a beautiful new camper which we took to Moosehead Lake for a whole week at the end of October.  Greenville Maine is one of my favorite places in the whole world and it was perfect.  With the help of the dog topper and then converting one of the rooms in the camper for crates it all worked out.  We camped at Lily Bay and had no neighbors whatsoever so the dogs could be off leash a lot of the time. I greatly enjoyed walking through the campsites with them but unfortunately as the week went on my knee just kept getting worse and I could barely walk even with using a cane.  We did get Holly onto some wild birds for the first time ever, she did great finding them.  Even our most senior dogs enjoyed themselves, it made my heart so happy to see them. We know with some of them time is of the essence. It was warm enough for splashing and playing in the water so all of the dogs had a blast running free at Jewetts Cove without any restrictions on them or worries on our part. I am looking forward to many more adventures with our new camper not only hunting, but also at future dog events.

So, it is one month since surgery.  I am going to out patient rehab twice a week now. My flexion was 114 when my physical therapist last measured me.  I can ride the recumbent bike for about 10 minutes.  I'm walking mostly without a cane.  This is a challenging recovery which I sure know from last year. But worth it. When I'm not doing exercises or therapy the rest of my time I am sitting with my leg elevated and my knee iced. I cannot sleep at night so my days are pretty messed up.  Pain is being managed.  I know that I will get out of this what I put into it. When they say expect a full year to recover there is a reason.

As spring ended I was back in the field again with John and the dogs.  Enjoyed the brief reprise from knee pain right through to the fall. It was so awesome to be out there again with my dogs and I really enjoyed the time with John and especially Maryann. Yet, despite the fact it's all come to an end for now, I enjoy the solitude and chance to further contemplate what the future has in store as far as J&A's Brittanys goes. I believe we have been true to keep the program focused on what we always wanted it to be and are readily identified and known primarily for having close working gun dogs. Everything else is frosting on the cake. From what I see I continue to be convinced that the best is yet to come.

Hard to believe it's Christmas. It will be low key this year.  We did enjoy a nice Thanksgiving here with all of Maryann's family, John's sister's family, and David's mom from England too. John took care of things beginning to end, it was just one week after surgery I could not do much.

In closing, please keep the Blackadar family in prayer.  Their beloved Brittany "Henry" was killed instantly this week when hit by a car. We all feel the grief, pain, and terrible sense of loss. There are times where there is no rhyme or reason when no matter how careful we are or what precautions are in place an accident still happens that is out of our control.

That sort of catches us up! We've really had a great year on many levels. Once I actually wrote everything out I realized quite a lot has been accomplished. As always take care and thanks for your interest in All Things Brittanys - God bless you and yours....I've got several Brittanys offering their therapeutic presence to me this night.  Good thing it's a king size bed.

ATB VIDEO: Fun Trial, Holly, Hemi,Toph

Here's a slideshow of a few candid photos of  two out of our three braces taken at the Northern New England Brittany Club Member Fun Day in Hopkinton, NH recently. Results follow. I arrived following Hemi's run so we have no pix of that, but I appreciate Ben Thayer for taking my camera out to photograph Holly and Tophs braces! It was a lot of fun especially seeing Tophs littermates.  Zuko and Pippin were both there but didn't run. Alana and I had been to a show that morning with them. We tried to be two places at once!

August 2 - NNEBC Club Championship 9 Starters

Devil Dog (Poland) Club Champion

Hemi (Short) Runner Up  (Chevy x Pippin)

Adult 10 Starters
Lizzy (Blondin) Blondin 1st
Tessie (Belletti) 2nd
Jasmine (Zuk) 3rd
Aja (Bjork) 4th

Derby 10 Starters

Holly (Short) 1st (Hemi x Treasure)

Proof (Hembrough/Bjork) 2nd

Ruby (Moreno) 3rd

Tyson (Thayer) 4th (Hemi x Luna)

Puppy 2 Starters
Milley (Beauregard) 1st
Sadie (Aucoin) 2nd

ATB: Friday Morning Rambling

Website Update About once a year I like to spend some time tweaking our J&A's Brittanys website.  The update started last week and will probably be ongoing for awhile. So far it's coming along nicely but there's still a lot more work to be done on it!

What's Up It's currently a season of conflicts regarding showing and field events!  Our primary interest throughout the summer is keeping the dogs in good shape for the Maine bird hunting season which opens on October 1st. They are