ATB: First Snowfall / It's Rosie's Day (Video)

This morning's view from our deck.

By the time we let the dogs out before going to bed last night the snow had started to fall.   The weather report had called for a light snowfall but when I discovered it was snowing it was coming down rather heavy. Although the weatherman said it would not linger on the ground full evidence remained when we let the dogs out this morning.  And here it is now 11:30 a.m. with the sun brightly shining and both the front and back yards still have snow.  I'd go so far as to say there was about 2 inches total last night. From what I've heard today, apparently there is a storm forecast for the weekend. 

One of the joys of snow falling is the fun that the dogs all have playing in it.  Especially for those who have never encountered it before.  9 month old Nova is visiting us from Connecticut so she and 5 month old Hemi had a blast this morning.  (Nova you may remember was from the litter of pups born in a blizzard back in January, on the birthday of our grandaughter also named Nova.)  It's no secret I am not a morning person so it was actually John who took the photo above as well as several others when he got up.  He wanted to capture some first snow pix especially of Nova to show her owners.  I created a brief slideshow and uploaded it to Facebook. 

I awoke to the sound of happy barking dogs and peeked out the window to discover the entire ATB crew running like a group of playground kids at recess in the snow.  They were racing around, circling the house in much the same way a group of wagon trains would do in days gone by. I thought it was so funny and imagined they were trying to wake me up in an effort to come out and join them but in reality they were focused on other things.  So much for my pride. 

Last night I had a little snowball fight outdoors with Hemi and Nova.  Hemi actually seemed quite puzzled by the white stuff and kept asking to go back outside.  Nova is like her mother Treasure and they both took off together leaping with glee through the air like a graceful gazelle.  Jack is like 'oh yeah, ho hum.'  The older dogs this morning however love love love the snow and winter is a really fun time for all of them.  You see John, in as much it is a LOT of work, always plows and snowblows around the entire yard. He actually MAKES trails for the dogs so they can run and not get stuck in the deeper snow.  It helps them to stay warm because as they exercise in the winter they also get the snow stuck in their toes and coat.  With having the packed snow to run out it makes life much more enjoyable for all concerned.  But hopefully we are not even close to times like that although it has been a very happy morning as far as the dogs are concerned.

Especially so for Miss Rosie.  Her calendar indicated that it was time for her to go bird hunting with John.  She's a very serious hunter, stylish and impressive.  I identified her as a hunter when she was about 4 weeks old.  Remembering advice from Frank Pride about observing very young pups I knew she had the right stuff.  While the rest of the pups were busy with each other or with their mother, Miss Rosie was all about exploring every nook and cranny that she could possible reach.  In the beginning we were going to call her J&A's April Rose (being born in April).  But when her personality began to emerge we saw what reminded us of the Ever Ready Energizer Bunny... and her name became J&A's Ever Ready Rose.  And she is always just that. 

Fate was not kind to Rose and I have written more about this in depth on the post entitled 'Reflections of Spaying Rosie'.   Rosie is truly a special needs Brittany and her passion for life probably exudes that of all of our other Brittanys combined.  I feel so connected to Rosie, in a way I cannot describe.  And so do most people who meet her. 

So today it is Rosie's day here!!  A day from beginning to end where she will be in the fields with John.  She will return totally exhausted and spent, but she will be riding high on the thrill of this very special day.  Will there be birds?  Who knows!  I know she'll hunt hard and fast and she will give it 100%.  And she will be smiling. Yes, she smiles.  Her heart will beat out of her chest with joy.  Her fatigue will be an enjoyment in itself for it comes from hard work.  And she's in good shape. She has been part of the field training all summer and into the fall.  Every day here with Rosie is special, she's a part of everything we do.  But as any multiple dog owner knows, one of the greatest gifts we can offer to the dogs we love and share our life with - is that one on one time exclusively reseved for them.  Each of our dogs know how it feels when it is their turn to be John's personal gun dog for the day but I believe Rosie appreciates it more than any of them.

Days like this make me so happy I could cry. I love each and every Brittany in my life, they all bring something so special and wonderful to us.  They all stand out in their own right.  And then there is Rosie.  My big beautiful fun loving Rosie whose purpose in life is simply to make me smile.  Something she does quite easily.  She's patient to a point, willing to yield right away to daily needs and necessities but she is never willing to be taken for granted. 

Forever an important part of our Brittany Canine Crew, my sweet little rosebud is having the time of her life today and I couldn't be happier!  Thanks for your interest, take care and God bless you always, John, Ann and All Things Brittany!

J & A's Brittanys 2012 Breeding Program Update

Because we are "All things Brittanys" and NOT all things puppies I thought it would be nice to share this updated information. While it is not earth shattering news I hope it's helpful to those of you who support our efforts here at J & A's Brittanys.

This is typically the time of year we receive the most inquiries for upcoming litters of our Brittanys.  Most often those of you who contact us already know exactly what you're looking for and are ready to wait with us for an indefinite amount of time for the perfect 'fit'.  And you soon learn that as important as it is for you to find a reputable, ethical, and experienced breeder - it is even more important for us to find the perfect families for pups we are responsible for bringing into the world.  During the waiting period John and I so enjoy a chance to get to know those who will probably share their life with a future J&A's Brittany puppy.  You get to learn more about what we're all about and we get to know more about you.  (There are no puppy parties here where a group of people come on a given day to select the pup of their choice. Sorry about that, look somewhere else if that's what you want.)

Most often our purpose driven breeding program (close working gun dogs for active families) includes plans for winter pups.  We know that bird hunters enjoy bringing a pup into their lives early in the year so that their summer can be spent getting that pupster on as many birds as possible.  Those who are involved with field trials also very frequently prefer a pup during that time frame so they are old enough to get their hopeful prospect into both spring and fall puppy braces and it works out well for derby age dogs too born in this time frame. But the fact of the matter is - the perfect time to bring a pup into your lives is when much planning and foresight has gone into your decision.  And for all of us, this can be very different.  (We only have pups available occassionally, we do not breed our girls at every heat, and the most important thing - our dogs are part of our family - they are not commodities.  If you are looking for a breeding kennel, you should not be looking here!) I think it's important to stress the fact that we're not in BUSINESS here, we are hobby breeders and even though the DEMAND for our pups may be strong at certain times of the year we will not compromise our ethics or values to meet that desire for our pups. We're not 'profit minded'.  If you're not familiar with our program you can download information about it here.

We anticipate our next litter of pups will be planned for the spring of  2012.  We do have additional plans for moving forward into the future that are exciting and positive while we currently remain busy with All Things Brittany right here and right now.

Soon we will be emailing our updated "Serious Inquiry" waiting list out to those who are on it.  We'll be asking you to let us know of your ongoing level of interest.  Additionally, you'll receive all of our updated information.  If you do not have a questionnaire on file with us, we'll ask you to complete that.  And so on and so forth.  Everything is fully explained and in writing.  We don't want anyone to have a bad experience with 'verbal' agreements.

In the meantime, we are awaiting the arrival of a litter over in New Hampshire sired by Jack.  This is the repeat breeding that produced Bella and Louie among others, young pups who are not only being hunted over this season but who have already received several qualifying scores towards their AKC Junior Hunter title at the age of 9 months (including a perfect score of 4, 10s!)  Jasmine and Jack's pups are due the first week of November.  Tom and Kim Zuk of Barnstead, NH are the breeders, they are friends of ours and we are very proud to recommend their soon to be born pups if they are not already spoken for. The pups from the other 2 litters of Brittanys which we have suggested with pups sired this fall by CH Hills Blazen' Jac (our Pippin's sire) are either all spoken for or already in their new homes.

Brrr! It's chilly tonight. John cleaned the chimney and the Yodel woodstove we have. We have several cords of wood stacked outside, the porch has been enclosed and there is wood stacked there for easy access in the days ahead.  We heated our home exclusively with wood last year and the furnace was used rarely.  And then there is the pellet stove that keeps the dogs' house warm.  I'm hoping to take out the infamous love seat down there.  You may remember that the cushions met their fate when I stepped out briefly leaving the then two youngest clowns to their own devices, returning to several inches of shredded foam?  Never mind, that's another story.  Anyway, I'd like to be able to open that area up again yet still have a sitting area like before.  The dogs like having a piece of furniture to call their own of course, one that will accommodate their needs for comfort and mine at the same time. And so on and so forth - you see the all have their own preference whether here or there.  What matters most to me is their happiness.  When they are happy I am happy. And come to think of it, that works both ways.  So we're all really very happy most of the time.  One thing I love about the coming cold... I love hibernating through the winter months with our motley crew of Brittanys and wouldn't have it any other way.  Take care and God bless and thanks for listening to my ramblings.  We are - John, Ann & All things Brittany!

ATB: Hemi's Page / Saturday Night Pheasant Fry Menu

Hemi's Page
One of my many writing projects for this fall is the annual revision of our J & A’s Brittanys website. A lot of updates have been made already including new 2011 photos for the actual hunting dog gallery, with plenty of room left to add more. As the update continues I’ll revise individual profile pages to be sure they are current. There will also be a brand new page for our puppy, Hemi.

He’s almost 6 months old and when I asked John what came to mind when it came to describing Hemi he replied Hemi is a little “pain in the… !” That wasn’t quite the response I was looking for so I pressed my husband to be just a little bit more specific - although I will agree with his initial reaction!

Here’s what else John said about Hemi: “He is very determined when it comes to finding his birds, especially for being less than 6 months old. We have watched him several times come across the scent and then work it right up until several feet away from the bird which he will then hold point. Flushing the bird for him and shooting a blank gun he still would like to chase the bird but of course he is just so young. We see a lot of good qualities in Hemi and he seems to be very smart, a fast learner and willing to please. I think that’s pretty good for a puppy his age!” So do I.

Because of Hemi’s age it is a little challenging to profile specific and measurable goals but John has done a great job laying a good foundation with little britches in the field. I’m doing my part in preparing Hemi for his very first dog show as past blog posts about him will indicate. As I build Hemi’s ‘bio’ page each piece of information and all the tidbits will help showcase what this little guy is about - or what we ‘think’ he is about!

In a nutshell his socialization is ongoing as it is with all of our dogs, especially the pups. Every opportunity to try something new, meet new people, or have a fresh and unique experience is given to him. And most of his practical training actually takes place in our home as normal every day life happens. Multiple dog families have unique challenges and we are no exception. I do not want Hemi to rely on the other dogs for his entertainment and certainly not for his training. He needs to look to me or to John for direction and approval. This isn’t always easy. And it’s very important for Hemi to have time alone without other dogs whether indoors or outside. He’s doing well in all of these areas.

In August I ran Hemi in a fun trial for Northern New England Brittany Club members only. He was just 3 months old so the only expectation I had was to walk the entire brace and that he would not run away from me. He didn’t let me down and has a 4th place win in a fun field trial! That will be part of his bio. We participated in handling classes under the expertise of Penny Cary at Finish Forward Dogs in Scarborough, Maine where he did really well. He was exposed to a variety of dog breeds of different shapes, ages, and sizes. Lessons included how to be prepared for handlers who will intentionally run up on another dog in the ring or other un-sportsmanship gestures. We’ve been in two official AKC sanctioned fun matches and he has ribbons for Best of Breed, Best Opposite Sex, Puppy Group 2, Adult Group 4, all with competition, including a brother Magnum and sister Thistle.

I am so not in a hurry to rush the process. Hemi is fast approaching the magic age of being old enough to enter a real dog show to compete for championship points I’ll be watching him closely. Not every puppy is ready for the demands of showing at an early age, and I quite frankly just have no business plan or personal agenda in place to put showing dogs first in my life. I do enjoy the social aspects of showing, the time spent with good friends, getting away and having fun. Having said that, I will look forward to building Hemi’s page around the few events we plan to participate in with him and with his sister Thistle. There are several other in his litter who may join us in time. There’s no rush to fill in the pages of their lives in such a way. But I do anticipate what will eventually be written will be quite magnificent to say the least. And that is a fact.

One more thing from John for Hemi‘s page: At 5 months Hemi ran out into the field, came back and barked at John 3 times, then ran back out and held his point while John flushed/shot 3 birds over him which he then retrieved. Pffffffttttt! (To know John is absolutely to love John - and I do!)

What's Cooking at ATB?

Saturday Night Pheasant Fry

8 pheasants dressed out and deboned - soaking in ice cold water to which salt has been added
3 tbs crushed, dried garlic
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed
2 tbs flour
Salt, pepper
Dip boneless pheasant in a bath of eggs and milk. Coat in mixture of above. Pan fry in cast iron skillet with olive oil.
Cook thoroughly until done. Drain and serve.

Oven Baked Potatoes
Thinly slice 8 washed, unpeeled potatoes
Arrange on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with salt & pepper, drizzle with olive oil
Cook in 350 oven until golden brown
Serve with molasses or ketchup

Green Beans in Milk
Cook 3-4 cups of fresh, canned, or frozen green beans until done
Drain water
Add 2 cups of milk, pat of butter, salt & pepper
Heat until milk curdles
Serve

Green Tomato Pickles, Sweet Bread, Gingersnaps
Hot Tea

Hope you enjoyed this post, and as always thanks for your interest! Take care and God bless you and yours - John, Ann, and our wonderful canine crew

ATB Video: Training Our Crew

Pause music on PlayList to the Right.



ATB at York County Kennel Club 2011 Fall Match

Sunday, October 16th, 2011 

Annual York County Kennel Club Fall Match

Finish Forward Dog Training Studio in Saco, Maine.  

Congralations to Julie Harris and Thistle for winning:

Best of Breed

Puppy Sporting Group 1

Adult Sporting Group 4

Hemi was handled by Shania Hersey and together they were Best Opposite Sex to Thistle.  Although Thistle and Hemi were the only Brittanys there to represent the breed Miss Thistle (the pistol) after winning BOB then went on and competed in the Puppy Sporting Group with an Irish Setter, Golden Retriever, English Springer Spaniel, and a Black Lab - winning this class with style and attitude!  Thistle went on further to compete in the Adult Sporting Group, placing 4th out of 5!!

This makes two very successful showings for this now 5 month old brother and sister team out of Chevy and Pippin at Maine dog show matches and we're looking forward to the pups being old enough for actual dog shows!  Their field training is of course ongoing as well.

Congratulations also to Hemi's friend from handling classes,  a beautiful young Newfoundland pup who went home winning best of most everything at the show!  And a congratulations as well to Annie (Aussie) - who won a Group 1 handled by Shania's grandmother!

Treasure & Gibsons Pups - 2 Years Old

"Pause" playlist before viewing.

OCTOBER 11, 2009

In recognition of the 2nd birthday of True, Brandi, Boog, Kasper, Remington, Jersie, Millie, Casper, Riley,  Patches, and Rugby I thought it would be nice to share this amazing video one more time.  Personally, I never tire of watching it and it's really neat to know that it has now been viewed on YouTube over 3000 times. Enjoy this video - I never could have dreamed it would be enjoyed by so many outside of our ATB family.

Perhaps you are seeing this for the first time and are not familiar with the story behind it. It is really self explanatory and some narration text is offered on the clip itself. This is as amateur as it gets when it comes to making a video and it was made with a very basic point & shoot digital camera, a camera I just happened to have in my pocket.

The pups were about 5 weeks old, simply outside discovering the great outdoors. Weather permitting all pups from our breding program here are absolutely introduced to birds regardless of whether they will go to a hunting family or not.  9 out of the 11 pups in this litter not only went to hunting families, but are currently enjoying their 2nd bird hunting season this fall. John had returned from a successful pheasant hunt and dressed the birds for me. We often save the feathers etc. Such was the case this day.

Treasure, mother of these pups, has an amazing nose and strong prey drive so it didn't take her any time at all to locate and then steal the tail feathers from John's bird. It was the first time we'd let the pups roam freely in the yard, away from the confines of their small exercise pen.

Treasure not only inherited strong natural hunting abilities from her mother Wish, but also her wonderful nurturing and maternal instincts as well. When Treasure and her litter mates were about the same age as the pups in this clip Wish caught a chicken roaming around the yard, killed it, and delivered it to her own puppies. There is a reason why we emphasize the raw and natural instincts of our Brittanys! Wish was always an easy whelper and being her 'midwife' has been a beautiful experience for us. As any breeder knows, it is not always that way. (She is retired from her mothering responsibilities.) John and I were very pleased to discover that Treasure too has her own mother's tendencies, in more ways than one.  Like her mother, Treasure possesses specific qualities we want to see passed on.

We are used to seeing one or two of the parents of young pups interact and play with their babies. It's a precious privilege in our eyes to be treated to such a sight. Even more precious though is when a 'gift' such as is contained within this video unfolds right before your very eyes. Such was the case that day.

Treasure disappeared from sight but quickly returned with the pheasant feathers in her mouth. Her litter of pups was in the middle of their first great exploration around our yard, busy discovering things like our grand children's swing set or simply deciding whether they wanted to leave the familiar comfort of the x-pen.

How does one accurately describe a vision such as the one which unfolded right before my eyes? It's not common place but I know it happens sometimes. Although I've had the pleasure to observe many interactions between mother dogs and their pups, I've never them engaged in the raw beauty of a deeper understanding, an innate behavior which no man could ever instill in an animal.

Treasure is the one who first introduced these puppies to birds. She is the one who awakened their instincts. Not John or me. We have only seen this natural phenomena once and I don't know if we'll ever see it again. We always get pups on birds early on. But this time - Treasure took it to a much deeper level. The results of which are embraced by those who own and love one of these pups who will turn 2 years old tomorrow, the pups of Treasure and Gibson's first litter. (Including of course our own sweet True puppy!)

Happy birthday to each one of 'you', we will forever love you with all our hearts.

John, Ann, and our canine crew here at All Things Brittany

ATB: Autumn Sunshine

( "Hunter" from our first litter born in 1990.  Waiting at the Bridge, we still miss him!)

Website Update Progress

Just a quick note, I'm pretty happy with the way the update is going so far. I discovered a nice photo gallery within the website builder that I use.  I played around with it a little bit and was happy with the results. Just a couple of glitches but basically there is a new page with the professional show photos I have and a brand new version of the gundog page.  If you get a chance take a look and let me know what you think. 

I need to get some sleep - take care and God bless... and oh yes we have some happy hunting Brittanys here and birds in the freezer!  Ann, John

Fall 2011 Website Update In Progress

Just a quick note to say that our annual website update is occuring over at the Maine Brittany Site.   That's where all our photos, videos, information, biographies etc. live.

Our site is by no means intended to be professional however we do endeavor to present as much information as is possible in a clean, easy to read format.  I am technically challenged when it comes to writing code etc. although I get the gist of a little bit of CSS, HTML, etc.  (little being the key word.)  I probably make it much more difficult for myself the way that I handle the design but in the past I've had a couple of very capable individuals help me out.  In the end that was just too frustrating to have to rely on others to make my changes. I found it a little invasive too although appreciated the help at the time.

This time around I am returning to a more basic format and using less images.  Relying on the vast library of collages that I have it is my hope to use more of them.  It will take awhile to get it where I want it to be.  The last time I changed things around was just about a year ago according to my files, on October 10, 2010.  I liked the clean look of a solid black background while using black and white photos on the homepage but have returned to a template where the content overlays the background.  There's a really nice code for photo gallery that I want to try and if it works out - the photo gallery will be updated.

Speaking of updates, our waiting list will soon be updated to reflect 2012 plans for our program here.  In the meantime we will be happy to refer you to breeders who we know are expecting or who have pups on the ground that are related to our crew here. 

Take care... and truly God Bless you all and good luck hunting!  John, Ann and the crew xoxoxox

It's NOT A Crime to purchase a puppy...and its NOT a Crime to Sell One

NOTE:  This appeared today on Facebook as a post that was shared by a friend of mine.  The author has given permission for this to be distributed. 

IT'S NOT A CRIME

Author: Leslie Renaud Kuther

http://www.raelanshelties.com/

In light of recent posts in support of animal adoption vs. purchasing
from a responsible breeder, let me offer this:

"Won't you buy me? Not because I will be euthanized, abandoned, abused or given up because I wasn't important enough. Buy me because the wonderful person taking this photo brought me into this world after much thought and careful planning, sat up with me, night after night, to make sure I was warm, fed, and strong.

She played with me, introduced me to countless experiences, people and places. She sang to me, held me, kissed my face and my baby paws. She cried when my baby sister didn't make it in the first days of our lives.

She sat, scowl on her face, interviewing potential buyers, some of which didn't measure up. She will be there for me, for the rest of my life. She has guaranteed my health, and knows the dogs behind me, very well. She knows what those dogs have the potential to produce, both good and bad, and she willingly shares that with anyone who asks. She will cry when I go home with that carefully screened family, and she will think of me often.

Isn't that worth a minimal investment, something to cover her time and the money she spent to bring me into the world, and care for me like none other? A little something to enable her to continue her exceptional care of my parents, and the other adults she keeps as her own? A little token to keep her going, so she can continue to support the breed she loves, with all the care and planning with which she used to bring me into the world? There is no profit for her, though she works for the love of her breed. She is worth your investment...believe me, I know this for sure. Look at how clean I am, how I smile. Look at my bright and healthy eyes, my clean and tidy surroundings. Look at how happy I am, how much I love people, and love to play with my toys...all because of her.

When I leave her, I will hope and pray that my new family has the potential to care for me with the same kind of love and devotion with which she has cared for me over the last 8 weeks. I'm scared, but I trust her. She is a responsible, careful and loving breeder. There are many others like her. She carries a heavy burden, but she carries it because she loves me, and she's devoted to others like me."

"The next time you feel like it's a crime to purchase a purebred puppy, think of everything that lead to that life. The care, the planning, the worry, the heart-ache. There are puppies that join this world, and they are worth every penny of the small pittance their breeders ask. It's *NOT* a crime to purchase a puppy...and it's not a crime to sell one. If I charged what I felt my puppies were really worth, no one could afford them. Letting them leave is the hardest thing I do. When we meet, don't bother to ask me to justify what I charge for my puppies. It's the fastest way to find the door, and never again get your hands on my precious, precious babies."

(Permission to share this letter is assumed, provided there are no changes, alterations, exclusions, etc., incl. author credit)