J&A's Weekend Wrap Up

And a good time was had by all!  

It would be silly to say it was a busy weekend because what weekend ISN'T busy around here lately? My brief recap would include a visit from Maryann and Ayden who brought me a lovely essential oil diffuser for my birthday which was Saturday.  Usually the whole family gets together to celebrate but I told John let's just put that off for awhile.  I have wanted one for awhile as I use lavender essential oil a lot of ways and it works especially well in the puppy room. That was nice.  Ayden enjoyed some one on one puppy time.

Over in Hopkinton NH there was a training day for the upcoming fall AKC hunt tests offered by various dog clubs around New England.  Our friends Christine and Bo of Merrymeeting Brittanys were there with their beautiful Skye and stopped in to visit the puppies on the way home. Skye is a daughter of Hemi and Luna, she's full sister to Toph but is white and orange. Because of the rain we couldn't go outside to the puppy play yards but we had a good time inside.  Chris was especially attentive to Miss Toph who loves to be the center of attraction! They both  enjoyed all the pups. Chris surprised me with a beautiful beaded bracelet for my birthday which she had made. It was very thoughtful of her.

Later that evening John and I went out to eat at "Ted's Fried Clams."  I enjoyed a scallop dinner and he had shrimp.  It was a splurge for both of us as we have made major changes in how we eat and fried food is a rare thing for us.  We even had onion rings!  It was perfect.  Saturday night Toph's pups had their second full solid meal. They are doing
great on the Purina Pro Plan for Puppies.  When they go home they

will have a sample size bag courtesy of Purina along with Purina Puppy Kits full of coupons and lots of good information as well as a way to keep track of records. The puppy gift bag is full!

Weaning is actually going well for both litters.  I could say Holly's pups are fully weaned at 6 weeks of age but she will still give them a snack.  We let the mothers make the decision when it comes to a cut off point.  Unlike Toph who is still with her pups the majority of time, Holly is only with hers at night and there is not much nursing going on, just cuddling, playing and also a bit of discipline as only mother dogs can do! Especially important is for them to understand bite inhibition. They figure it out among themselves when they rough house.  I rarely intervene in their squabbles.  They learn from each other that biting is painful. They also learn it from me because I will gently correct them when I get nibbled on and I don't mean maybe.  

We de-worm at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks.  We use Pyrantel Pamoate for all but the 4 week de-worming.  I like to use Panacur at that time.  This way we cover all bases.  Pups' stool is evaluated courtesy of our vet on a regular basis. Mother's are dewormed prior to breeding to help reduce the risk of passing any parasites on to the pups. I know, I know this is gross stuff but it's normal! 

Today John took Toph's whelping box out of her puppy area. We use indoor/outdoor carpeting as a base over linoleum that is covered with absorbent puppy pads.  Every other day a new one is put in. We power wash, disinfect and hang the one we've replaced out in the sun to dry so there is always a new and clean one for the puppies. But they were peeing gallons or so it seemed and after awhile you just can't keep up.  As Toph (like Holly) has reached that stage where "okay, they are all yours now!" our focus is on keeping the puppies and their surroundings clean.

Tonight a litter box filled with alfalfa pellets was added to Tophs side. We've been extremely successfully with Holly's pups so hopefully we'll see the same results with Toph's!

The best part of the weekend for me came early Sunday evening.  We'd been trying to figure out an easier way to get the pups to the puppy yard.  You see, we have so many eagles and hawks here where we live that it's way too risky to do the fun thing and let them run wild in the yard.  That's why we have set up things the way they are!  Nothing I love more than playing catch me if you can with puppies but we just can't do it anymore.  So tonight we introduced them to traveling in a car by crate!  It was only across the front yard but it worked and saved us a lot of time and energy.  Carrying 19 puppies back and forth in high humidity is not fun for anyone!

One side there are tunnels and mazes and an big area to run.  The other side has the fort and the activity center.  I lay a blanket down on the ground with Toph's

pups and they all came over to me. They snuggled up and even fell asleep next to me.  I could have dozed off myself!  The Patriots are beginning to wake up to the reality of how much fun life can be.

This time has passed way too fast though.  It always does.  This week brings the beginning of visits to Toph's pups and also the microchipping of Holly's puppies.  Their final health check is also scheduled as well as their Volhardt Puppy Aptitude Test after which time puppy selection will be determined. I know everyone is waiting for that! 

In the meantime, we're in good shape despite the busyness.  I believe the saying is don't be so busy that you forget to stop and smell the roses.  Well, in this case it's don't be so busy you don't stop and inhale puppy breath or make time for puppy snuggles and kisses! 

And that's a wrap!  As always take care and God bless you and yours - John, Ann and All Things Brittany

J&A's Saturday Morning Ramble

Zuko (Bullet/Thistle)  Summer 2014

The puppy room is truly a flurry of activity!  We've managed to sleep through just a few nights lately as long as you don't count the midnight and 2 a.m. puppy check.  It's all good and some breeders will say they can't wait until the puppies leave, that's certainly not the case here.  Years ago I complained to one of our vets how totally exhausted I was by the time pups reached 6 weeks of age.  Well let me just say he was NOT sympathetic and said 'Well, Ann... you brought this all on yourself!"  Humble pie hit me right smack dab in the middle of my face.  He was right.  And breeding is not for the faint of heart at least not if you plan to take full responsibility for a litter of puppies. This responsibility begins long before the actual breeding does take place.  The scout motto 'be prepared' surely applies to all things dog breeding!  There is a specific purpose for bringing two animals together and it sure helps to personally know the background of the dogs involved several generations back and not just on a paper pedigree. Pedigrees tell you a lot though and all of that information is important.  I shun away from those who tell me they don't care about the pedigree or if a dog is to be registered.  Some believe that you should only breed show champion (CH title on pedigree) to show champion. I do want to see titled dogs and health information listed in a paper pedigree though. And for our own program, I strive to see a CH title more often than not because it does us to remain true to the very important breed standard.  We have produced 7 champions and 1 grand champion in our gundog program since in the last few years. I'm happy to say that a pup from each of the litters will be shown, and maybe more than one!

Why is the breed standard so important?  Love it or leave it, the standard is the plumb line as to whether a dog is truly built well enough to sustain the demands and the rigors of what it is expected to do, how well it does it's "job".   Do all of our dogs meet the standard?  Well, you can look at our crew and figure that our yourself.  We started with strong field trial lines and (some may not like this) but when there have been few show champions in a field line, my experience is that often they are going to be bigger unless it's a dual champion. Their height will be near the top or over the 21 1/2" limit for Brittanys. ( It's a fact and all anyone has to do is look at the cover of some, not all,  American Brittany Club magazines to see some very extreme examples.) Even so, one thing we've deliberately done in our own line is work to improve conformation where it needed improvement. Actually, every time you breed you should be hoping to improve upon what is already there. We've been successful in our endeavors and once again, it shows.  There are clearly several pups in each litter that are show quality and I am thankful for those who are willing to give showing a try as well as those who already have.

You do know by now that our primary focus is on the natural inherent hunting instincts that surface at a very young age in our puppies. Our program is purpose driven!  This is why we want our puppy people to test them in AKC Junior Hunter at the age of 6 months and not older.   It's why we encourage participation in NAVHDA.  Hunters and non-hunters alike can have fun with this and also with field trials.  We're here for those new and also for those who need refreshing. In fact we're here from the first breath to the last breath of a beloved Brittany. Let's get these pups ready for those tests!  They've already been introduced to grouse scent, and the older litter to a live bird.

So this is just an early Saturday morning ramble.  Enjoyed with a cup of coffee as I try out a new laptop. I have yet to decide if I'm keeping it or not but time will tell.

Puppy families can expect another email to come out this weekend indicating the schedule for the next month here.  We'll outline and remind everyone of the timeline.

I am looking ahead myself to new adventures as I consider and contemplate whether or not I keep a puppy.  Lots to think about!

In the meantime, have a great weekend, take care and as always God bless you and yours.  John, Ann and All Things Brittany

ATB - As Time Goes By...

Timeless Treasures meet the Patriots, so cute.

Timeless Treasures graduate to the obstacle course, what fun! Great grandma Pippin sits nearby.

Well, we knew the time was going to fly by but sure didn't expect it to pass this quickly!  The Treasured Dreams pups of Bullet & Holly are going to be 6 weeks old this weekend, and the Patriot pups of True & Toph will be 4 weeks old.  As crazy busy as it has been here for all the right reasons I would like to freeze these fleeting moments in time just so that they would last a little longer. 

Personalities are clearly seen and recognized in Holly's pups. Toph's puppies daily show us who they are.  Each day is a new adventure to make sure there is something fresh, new, exciting and fun for them to discover.

While I know there are some of you who do not use Facebook and understandably so, that is where the most recent photos have been uploaded. This is because my laptop had to (once again) go in for repairs. I have loved Dell Inspirons for years but the honeymoon is over. Consequently my most recent photographs have all been shared on the All Things Brittany Facebook page. Alana was here for a few days to help us out and we took a nice group of photos showing body and faces of the pups for easier identification.  

All of the new families that are getting a puppy from Holly's litter have visited us.  It was a wonderful sort of busy over the past 2 weekends.  There were reunions of ATB Family as well as very enjoyable first time meetings of those who we have just been getting to know.  I know God's in this because already I feel so close and drawn to the new puppy families. You know who you are! Next week we will begin to get together with the families visiting with Toph's puppies. I'm not naming names but along with those getting their second J&A's Brittanys is one of our veterinareans.  Blessed with several great relationships with vets in the area, this just puts a smile on my face.  

And speaking of vets, our pups just had their first in house well puppy exam.  This was for eyes, ears, lungs, heart, testicles (boys), and general overall health.  They passed with flying colors.  They will be seen again when they are vaccinated and microchipped at 7 weeks. Wow - that's not too far away for Holly's pups!

Tonight both litters were in the puppy pen albeit not together.  The older pups have graduated to the tunnels and impromptu obstacle course. What a riot!  It didn't take too long before Polly, Beth, Dudette, Dude, Legend, Dolly, Mo, Star, and LJ were chasing each other through the tunnels!  The younger pups enjoyed their second time in with the Little Tykes play fort and the puppy activity center.  Patriot, Hamilton, Betsy, Spangle, Banner, Rocket, Sam, Hope, Franklin, and Revere may look sleepy in the photos but boy oh boy - do they come alive when introduced to something new!

Thanks to Alana loaning me her CD player I have been able to incorporate the Library of Sounds Sound Effects into the pups development focus.  There are streetcars, horns, people laughing, applause, horses, tea kettles whistling, train, gunshots, etc.  I play this CD when the pups are eating.  We have also been shaping the pups a bit for clicker training.  As we bring their food pan to them we click several times in a row before setting it down.  Then, as each pup begins to eat, they get one click.  So now they associate the sound of the click with something positive, in this situation food!  Many pups are not food motivated but for just the basics with pups this young it works.  Tonight with Holly's pups I took it a step further.  Without a food pan involved I went in and simply stood over the pups to see what type of behavior they would offer. After the initial jumping up on me they began to sit down, one by one.  Up until now I had been ignoring those who jumped but patting and praising the ones who sat quietly.  Tonight however, as they sat down I clicked and treated! It amazes me how intelligent pups this age can be because within just a few minutes, and I kid you not, they were sitting and expecting the click/treat!  Next? I'm going to teach them "watch me".... eye contact with me will be the behavior that gets rewarded.  

Is clicker training new to you?  It can be used in just about if not all training situations.  I highly recommend that you look into it.  There's a lot of information. Karen Pryor is one of the founders and that's where I started to learn about clicker training a litter.  YouTube has many videos on the subject.  Clickers are not expensive at all.   Check it out!

I'm tired (wonder why?!) and I know this post is boring and seems to drag on. I have so much I'd like to share but I do prefer to have photos to go along with it. I'm just happy that weaning is going so well for both litters, that the puppy pen WAS a great idea, that our new families are all I could have hoped them to be, and that all is well.  

I'm enjoying the correspondence, the questions, the feedback and just knowing that everyone is 'doing their homework.'  Don't forget John is such a wonderful resource and one thing for sure - he loves to get together with anyone who can be at the training field by 7 a.m. on a weekend morning! (Or weekday for that matter).  

And with that dear ones, I shall have to call it a night. Or, a morning as it is just 10 minutes to midnight!  Please take care and God bless - John, Ann, and All Things Brittany

J&A's Visitors & New Puppy Pictures

We enjoyed another 'reunion' first thing Sunday morning when Sarah, Jason and their sons traveled down from Canada to visit with the Timeless Treasures.  When Sarah and Jason got their first pup from us their children had not been born yet so it was such a pleasure to meet them. They come from a family of farmers and they have their own goats and sheep so were well experienced being around baby animals. A rainy day, we gathered in the puppy room.  Both Toph and Holly were happy to have the company. Holly's pups especially enjoyed the time with them and we'll be looking forward to seeing this ATB family again in about 4 weeks to bring their new puppy home.

Last night I had fun trying (key word 'trying') to get some nice 4 week old pictures of the Timeless Treasures.  I have been putting them on the grooming table regularly so they are pretty use to it.  But getting them to stay still long enough to show off their nice conformation is quite challenging! I tried the trick of using baby food to get their attention for a split second.  It's hard to do on your own anyway and there were many outtakes!  I have a photo ap on my phone that works with my Canon camera for remote picture taking so I set the camera on a tripod and tried to do my best. At this point in time my pictures are mostly for identification purposes, putting a name with a particular puppy, but still it's fun to try to 'stack' them. It's good practice too as at least one of the pups will most likely be shown!

It was pretty easy to take pictures of the 2 week old Patriotic Litter who, by the way, were visited by most of their family yesterday!  Maryann, Alana, and Ayden watched them for us as we had to leave for a couple of hours.  I think the puppy therapy was good for all concerned.  The problem I have when taking any group of pictures truly is making sure I don't take pictures of the same puppy twice and evidently that's what I did with the group of their photos.  So it looks like Banner missed the photo shoot!  These pups are climbing out of their whelping box now too so John is working on additional modifications.  At least one of these pups will be shown as well so they are starting to get regular time on the grooming table as well.

The grooming table work is not limited to dogs that will be shown.  It should be for all puppies! I think it's just one more experience for them to be handled and manipulated, in a position that is out of their control. They will at times in their life be on an exam table at a vets and also they'll need to be groomed. Sometimes people say "oh I'm not showing I don't care what the pup looks like standing."  Well, I do care because each puppy should be structured well enough to have a balanced stance, learn where it's legs should go and be aware of their entire body.  And early on, it also illuminates any (unlikely) structural problems. I learned a lot about the importance of this practice through the DVD by Pat Hastings "The Puppy Puzzle".  And besides, when you're in a competetive event, hunt tests, or even in the field with pups first bird - you want your dog to look STELLAR in those braggin' rights photos!

What follows are the pictures that were taken last night.  The first group are the Timeless Treasures and the Patriots follow!

I hope you enjoy these pictures!  Take care and God bless, John, Ann and All Things Brittanys

ATB VIDEO: Fun Field Training with Pups

The majority of pups out of any given litter will become a family hunting companion.  We make sure every single Brittany pup that leaves here at 8 - 12 weeks of age has, at the very minimum, been introduced to scent from a frozen gamebird wing. Friends often will save and freeze the wings from gamebirds they have shot to give to us for this very purpose.  As soon as our pups are up on their feet and stable they are allowed to play with, chew on, maul, and carry the wings in their mouths.  It's so fun and you really get a good idea early on who has the strongest prey drive and potential retrieving skills! Then, depending upon the time of year a litter is born, the are also taken down to the nearby training grounds.  John loads them up in the dog topper for their great adventure, we drive to the field, plant some birds and let the pups have some fun! (We have our own homing pigeons who are happy to return back home safely once they have been 'flushed.' ) 

We always offer to help with any pup which we have bred. Because we are both retired we have the time to give 110% into preparing for an upcoming bird hunting season.  John and I are firm believers in getting pups on birds as young as possible.  We also feel strongly that the first year of a Brittany pup's life should be full of fun and enjoyment.  There is plenty of time for instilling discipline, perfect manners, and obedience. We've both seen the results of placing too high an expectation and too much pressure on young dogs that are just not ready for it.  Every trainer has their own philosophy. Ours is similar to that of Mike Gaddis who says "The desire in an exceptional pup is like a rare young wine, kegged from a proven vineyard. Nurture it slowly to perfection and it will pleasure the years. Tap it prematurely, and you will squander it’s bouquet in infancy”. 

The first few summers after John retired he enjoyed hanging out a lot with his friend Bob Paucek who has been training bird dogs since the age of 18.  There's been many articles written about him, Bob is also featured in a book authored by Jerome Robinson and titled "Hunt  Close!" It's a great read and covers techniques used long before the use of remote tracking, training, and e-collars became so widespread.  He's been been interviewed many times for various publications, videos and programs.  Bob bred, handled, campaigned and finished some of the best Pointers and Setters in New England in years past. He was American Field's 2013 Legend of the Game. Bob had also trained Brittanys for us in the past before John retired and before we had found grounds nearby our home to do the same. John always enjoyed helping Bob out anytime he could at the Paucek Kennels in Buxton, Maine plus there were always other friends there and they simply had a good time with all the dogs. 

(Personal observation: Besides, as any newly retired couple knows, finding yourselves face to face with each other 24/7 does require some getting use to (she said with a straight face)! Seriously though, I've enjoyed how this has all come together and I do hope it continues to develop and grow, especially now with our daughters involvement too. She is becoming a great dog handler in her own right with Toph and Zuko! )

These days we do have nearby grounds to run dogs on thanks to the generosity of a local land owner.  For several years now John has mowed and groomed the field to suit his needs for planting birds and running the dogs. In addition to the fields there's also acres of woodland.  There are sometimes a few grouse or resident woodcock but we have a couple of johnny houses set up for bobwhite quail and chukar partridge being licensed in all that we do. Friends may join John throughout the week and especially on weekends. Recognizing the amount of work involved usually everyone pitches in and helps in one way or another. There are other times when folks from away will make a trip up so John can spend a little time offering them tips and advice. We will not run the dogs when it's too hot or during a downpour.

We appreciate those in our ATB family who recognize they may not have the time, resources and/or the experience to get their Brittany ready for an upcoming hunting season regardless of age.  Such is the reason we have Bella and Brook with us.  The door is always open to work with Brittanys we've bred, to welcome them back to our home and to their canine relatives.  The methods that John has developed over the years are specific to the Brittany.  He knows how to read them and it is uncanny how quickly they will respond to him.  A lot of folks have said he is a dog whisperer.  Although he's also known to bellow at times, I will totally agree that he has a remarkable way with the dogs. John is not harsh or heavy handed and always is careful to set a dog up to succeed and not to fail.   Even when they must be corrected for something they know better not to do, John will always end the time together on a positive note including lots of praise for whatever dog he's working with  His greatest fault? Being way too humble and generous with his time but that is just part of who he is, and that's not a bad thing at all.

Hope you enjoyed the video. And if you did or if you enjoy posts about training etc., why don't you leave a comment? Thanks!  As always take care and God bless. Thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany.  John, Ann, and our canine crew

ATB VIDEO: 4 Week Old Brittany Pups & Sound Effects

 

For the past 8 years we have been using the Sound Effects Library CD to help introduce our Brittany pups to a variety of sounds. There are over 100 short sound bytes of varying degree ranging from street traffic, a baby crying, cat meowing, horse whinnying and of course appropriate for pups who will grow up to be hunting dogs, the sound of various guns being fired.  As the pups ears open about 2 weeks old or so, the first sound they hear is the music which plays quietly and continuously in the puppy room.  As they grow and become use to our voices and the sound of television, other dogs barking we intentionally work to help them become confident of sharper, noisier and perhaps unpleasant noises. It is amazing to watch them over the course of just a few days become nearly oblivious to sounds which may otherwise frighten a very young puppy. We've probably all seen that puppy who runs, hides, and cowers out of fear of a loud noise. Anyway, it's just plain fun and while it is done in the name of puppy development absolutely ANYTHING which gives the opportunity to spend time watching, learning, observing the puppies is a valuable experience. This brief video captures one of several structured play and activity periods for the pups throughout the day.  They are still sleeping 90% of the time but they are more active than ever and so in love with life!  I have been in love with them for a very long while but now, I do believe they are in love with me too so for the brief time that remains I will continue to give them my all.  Do I have to? No, I do not but I want to.  Would they grow into bold and confident bird dogs without this? Most likely so.  But I am proud of our puppies, happy to do all that we can to help assure that they will be well balanced all the days of their lives. For pups who will be shown, I especially find great value in using the Sound Effects Library. I've never been a fan of rushing a potential show pup off to the public arena of dog shows at a very young age for the purpose of exposing them to the sounds of a dog show.  For pups that will be hunted there is also great value in the sound desensitization training while they are this age.  Too many pups are ruined by improper introduction to the sound of gunshot. Above all, this is just a wicked cute video which we hope you'll enjoy!!! As always take care and God bless - John, Ann, and All Things Brittany