ATB: Breed Standards & Plumb Lines

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

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

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

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

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

ATB VIDEO: Ann & Holly in the Field

August 1st
A year ago this would not have been possible.  What a happy day to finally be able to not only be back in the field again but to also be able to handle Holly Beth entirely on my own!  This is a true hallmark of recovery.  Thank you God for Your faithfulness!!  (Photo credit: Maryann Day)

ATB: Gettin' Better All The Time

Today I just feel as if I want to break into a chorus of the Beatle song "Gettin' Better All The Time" to describe what it's been like to be back in the field again. For a long time following my total knee replacement back to the field meant sitting in my chair next to the chain gang waiting for John to return to tell me how each dog did. Each time he headed out I would hear the tone of the bell grow dimmer and dimmer, I would hear the shot from the blank gun, sometimes watch the bird fly over, and then the sound of the bell grow stronger as handler and dog returned.  Very often friends of ours would (and still) come to run their dogs and will give John a hand. At one point I drove the ATV around just so that I could see the dogs work which is something I derive great pleasure from. I know there are far greater physical challenges associated with recovery from diseases and much more complex surgeries.  I realize there are true heroes whose daily battles make what I went through seem like a walk in the park. But to me, that cinchy walk in the park lasted much longer than I could have anticipated, completely putting an end to enjoying ATB to the fullest with John.  But that was then and this is now.

A few highlights:

Working independently with Pippin Treasure. I did run them together just once to see where they may be in regards to backing/honoring.  The potential is there to fine tune this but there are other areas which I need to focus on. The reason for me to work my dogs in the field is two-fold.

ATB: Pippin Honors Treasure's Point

"Honoring' is a term used to describe other dogs recognizing a dog on point and following suit. 'Backing' is a term that can be used in the place of 'honoring'. The term 'backing' stems from the idea that the dogs following suit should be behind the dog that was on point first."

We really do not spend a lot of time TEACHING a dog to honor or back another dog's point. There are a lot of methods including the use of a wooden cut out dog figure that you set up in the field and walk your up to. This is helpful if you don't have another dog to train your dog with.  In our case we either have our dogs or those owned by friends of ours.  Teaching a dog to honor the point of another dog is so important but unfortunately some bird hunters don't understand the importance of it.  It's not fun for you or your dog if another dog comes running up, ignores the fact that your dog is on point and runs in and busts the very bird that you were about to go flush and hopefully shoot!

J&A's Brittanys: I Am Back In the Field !

9 year old J&A's Dreams Come True of Acton JH - lovingly known as "Treasure".  Established a beautiful point today on a Chukar Partridge and that she held throughout the entire sequence. I walked beyond her to locate her bird, flushed it, and fired my gun.  She never moved other than to turn her head in the direction of the bird's flight. 

7 year old CH J&A's Heartfelt Legend of Acton, affectionately called "Pippin" also established an equally impressive point this morning which she held for quite awhile.  After I flushed Pip's bird for her and fired my gun she remained perfectly steady.

It's 5:30 a.m. Thursday morning. My bed does not want to let go of me.  I roll over to look out the window and get an idea of what the weather may be. The sun is shining!  I hear John and some of the dogs out in the kitchen. Soon the aroma of a freshly brewed cup of coffee finds it's way to me. Treasure and Pippin are cuddled up next to me while Holly lies in wait on the floor in front of the bedroom door.  

ATB Hall of Fame: June 2015

Catching Up:  Today is the last day of June 2015.  And today I began the first day of the rest of MY life as I returned to the field to handle on my own two of my most beloved Brittany dogs, Pippin and Treasure. With 2014 - 2015 being a year of transition on many levels I have had to identify where I am in this season of my life. It's been pretty blurry and challenging the past two years and the limitations great.  I am regaining my vision and starting to really refocus. Only God knows the plans and purpose for the rest of my life but I anticipate with great joy this journey that is leading me back to "me" physically, emotionally, and spiritually all for the love of the dog both given and received. By the Grace of God, my new knee is functioning well as if recover from recent kidney surgery. Onward and upward!

No Puppies This Year.   With our "Hearts Desire" litter born to Pippin in October under an emergency c-section and then almost losing Miss Thistle about the same time we have taken a deep breath and a serious overview of where we are.

There's a New Bird Dog In Town

J&A's BIRCH SPRING BREAKING NEW GROUND - "TOPH"

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

Dam: CH Birch Spring PC Luna Eclipse JH, NA II "LUNA"

Breeders: Phil & Sherri Thayer   Owners: Maryann Day & John Short Sr.

 

UPDATE:  This amazing pup at 6 months old and within a two week period with our daughter handling earned a NAVHDA Prize 1 title, earned her AKC Junior Hunter title in 2 weekends, and a 2nd place Amateur Derby field trial win!  She will have her show debut in the spring of 2016. 

 

J&A's Brittanys is proud to introduce the latest Brittany to the ATB family of close working gundogs as part of "TEAM AVATAR".  "Toph" has come home to join "Zuko".  At 7 weeks old we visited Toph and she was retrieving a frozen gamebird used for bird dog training. Just for fun! Then today today at 8 weeks of age she had her first experience in the field with live birds. Also, just for fun! We get excited when we see such strong natural instincts at such a young age!  

An 8 Week Old Pup

Author:  Dave Jones (Thanks, Dave...)

Caly (pronounced as cal - ee )

She's only 8 weeks old, pointing and running bigger than you'd expect for the age! How can that be? Just the thought of her developing into a great gun dog is thrilling to me. She conjures up old memories of what has been and what will be. What can I expect from this wonderful Brittany pup? Love, attention, quiet days afield and fireside memories. Memories of our 'oneness', of old friends, of days that pass too quickly.

A whole world is ahead for the tiny puppy. Imagine how this unguided creature would fair without my careful guidance? I have a huge responsibility that makes normal duties such as her safety and welfare pale in comparison. I shall take her afield and have pleasant memories with her. She will challenge me but I will know that in the end, we will merge...we will become a team. I shall endeavor to properly introduce my young charge with all that is good. I will hold her and comfort her when she becomes sick, injured and old - I know this will happen and I will be there. I will always be there for her. It is my job as her master to be there. I do not take this responsibility lightly.

Many breeders before me have taken this charge and carried it out dutifully. How many countless hours afield have her ancestors spent afield? Not to mention those 2 legged hunters who have logged lifetimes finding the perfect pup, breeding the best to the best.

ATB: The Best is Yet To Come

The first quarter quarter of the new year 2015 is upon us.  It's March 2 and spring is just around the corner. This coming weekend the clocks will be set ahead and we've already gained over two hours of daylight since the last time I wrote in this blog.

Thistle continues to improve.  Regularly she has blood work and tests done that monitor her all important liver values.  We are all thankful for this and will never forget how close we came to losing our precious GCH CH J&A's Sisters of the Heart JH in the fall of 2014.  Her mother Pippin (CH J&A's Heartfelt Legend of Acton) has recovered completely from her emergency C-Section in October, her 3 beautiful pups sired by Wilson (CH J&A's Quiet Courage JH, NA 107 Prize 1) are all in their loving homes with well experienced bird hunting families.

ATB: Breeder Referrals

BREEDER REFERRALS

The point of this blog post is to point to a new page on our website. Although we are not planning another litter of Brittany pups until sometime in 2016 we are proud that the stud services of several of our boys have been requested. Recently, the referrals I have provided for other Brittany breeders have proved quite successful for all concerned and this will make it even more expedient. While we do have a waiting list for 2016 we realize not everyone wants to wait that long and that timing is everything.  We have enjoyed several conversations recently with folks who are interested in our breeding program and are happy to share the information here for them as well as others. 

J&A's Brittanys Breeder Referral Information

Thinking About ALL THINGS....

Pip-pip-pip-pip-PIPPIN!!!

On December 1st Wilson & Pippin's 3 beautiful puppies turned 8 weeks old and were more than ready to begin the first day of the rest of their life with the families who have been anxiously waiting. Eleta was the first to leave, followed by Bella (Kiba) and then Brooke (Amie).

Our friend, Dr. John Flood DVM of Island Veterinary Services made a house call a few days earlier for the well puppy examination and health certification process required by the State of Maine. Sometimes our kitchen is turned into a temporary animal hospital which is quite convenient.  (As breeders we're truly blessed with the support of many animal medical professionals including Dr. Amanda Rizner DVM as well as the staff at Broadview Animal Hospital. You may not realize it but not all veterinarians are breeder friendly!) We practice a very conservative vaccination schedule which our vets respect.  Each puppy passed their health exam with flying colors and a hearty thumbs up from Dr. Flood.  He and his wife Patti share their life with "Mojo" littermate to Wilson, the pups sire.  There is also a vet in Connecticut with a specialty in sporting dogs who owns one of our Brittanys too!

A favorite secular quote of mine is from Helen Keller who said: "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart."  2014 has, for me, been a year to experience the full spectrum of emotions, especially in regards to the Brittanys we have been and continue to be responsible for bringing into the world.  I have both felt and seen unbelievably beautiful things this year!  I have also experienced things which are anything but beautiful. Some of those things have been shared here in blogs over the past 12 months. Often I have spoken open and candidly about things with family and friends.  Sometimes, I allude to things on Facebook, a place considered by some to be shallow and superficial.

I arrived at "ALL THINGS BRITTANY" as our own nickname quite simply. It comes from the beautiful hymn written by Cecil Alexander in 1848. James Herriot used the words in this hymn for the title of his books surrounding a veterinarian practice in 1930 in England, which later on became a television series.  I simply took the liberty to change things around a little bit by saying:

All Things Bright and Beautiful

All Creatures Great and Small

ALL THINGS BRITTANY

The Lord God, loves them all!!

I do believe it was our friend Stephanie S. who began to refer to us as ATB, and that also has stuck!

As far as "things" go, my choice is to think on those things that are "true, noble, right, pure, lovable and lovely, admirable and honorable, kind and winsome and gracious, and if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise." My choice is to "think on and weigh and take account of these things, to fix my mind on them"! (Philippians 4:8 Amplified Bible)

Recently we've also seen All THINGS Hoped For (Hebrews 11) as well as All THINGS are Possible, Only Believe (Mark 9:23), and Desire of the Heart (Psalm 37:4).  While we're having a mini-Bible study here our foundational message for ATB is Matthew 6:20 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Treasure's name is derived from that Scripture.  Hemi was named from and for the "Magnificent Obsession" litter with Chevy and Pippin and that comes from a great song by Stephen Curtis Chapman of the same name. (Check out the lyrics, it will make sense.) Amen and amen!

God blessed me mightily in the final days before the 3 "Desire of the Heart"puppies left.  I saw beautiful 'things' which were indeed felt with my heart and seen with my eyes. I wish I had photographs of them all but to be honest I didn't take a lot of pictures the last week. The puppy cam streamed live though for 8 weeks and the puppy families saw a more private and intimate side including the midnight zoomies and paper shredding activity!!

The night before Eleta went home, I watched as Pippin gently enticed her over to the corner away from her littermates.  Ellie was not one to roll over submissively without persuasion but she immediately showed her little pink belly to her mother. Pippin lay her paw upon her daughters tummy, holding her down while 'talking' to her.  She leaned down and kissed Ellie who was obviously delighted and began licking Pippin back. Pip then lay on the floor and let Ellie climb all over her.

Every family brings one or two t-shirts with them on the day they visit. It's a t-shirt they've slept in, sealed in a plastic bag, and labeled with their name. On the night before a puppy goes home "their" blanket made by Aunt Julie and full of momma and littermates scent is taken from them and replaced with 'their' new owners t-shirt.  The blanket then sealed in the bag.  (They are washed gently throughout the 8 weeks by the way because yes, puppies will be pups!)

In a large litter the t-shirt introduction can be tricky! It was just fun to watch Ellie, Kiba, and Amie though. The first t-shirt was Ellies.  I lay it down in the middle of their sleeping area and watched as they sniffed, rolled, and delighted themselves with this new fabulous 'thing'!  

The next evening, Amie and Kiba were the only two here and both were going home the following morning. Like before, I removed the blankets and replaced them with "their" t-shirts.  It was interesting and very cool because each one was drawn to one particular t-shirt, and it was the one with their new owner's scent. That night when they cuddled up to sleep it was not next to each other, it was with the t-shirt that had their respective owner's scent on it. Also, by this time the girls were asking to go out to go to the bathroom, walking nicely on a leash, climbing up and down stairs, desensitized to loud noises, and taking naps in a crate. 

Each puppy had their own one on one time with Pippin.  It's not something we make happen. It simply happens.  I have seen this many times through the years. Long after weaning has been completed the dam may allow a pup to snack ever so briefly, right up until they go home.  But there are other times the interaction between pup and mother is simply that of pure love. They understand each other, they know each other, they love each other.  Never is this as obvious to me as it is on the day the pups go home and I watch as they enjoy an extended time of play with their mother.

Pippin & Kiba share a moment

I am a firm believer that mom's should have daily interaction with their pups right up until the time they go. The dam teaches her pups so much about respect, bite inhibition, and simply being a dog that I could never teach them.  We are a team for 8 weeks. Speaking about bite inhibition, our puppy packet includes excellent information on what is 'normal' regarding puppy biting as well as advice on the best way to handle dogs approaching your pup when other owners are not aware of the proper etiquette between two dogs. 

Amie and Kiba getting serious!

Because we strive for 100% upland game hunting families we always nurture the strong inherent basic instincts at an early age and are confident of the impact this has for the future. It was great this year because Brooke's family brought some frozen grouse wings to us which they had saved from their fall bird hunting season. Usually I'll toss a wing or two in with the pups when they are steady on their feet. It is a riot to see the reactions and pretty easy to confirm the depth of prey drive and even retrieving instincts.  These pups were outdoors with a wing on a pole as well but frankly they were more interest in the adventure of pouncing on leaves and the effects of the wind. When they finally figured it out it was amazing though. Pointing and honoring instincts showed up briefly. Then, on the day they went home however John got very serious with puppy retrieves in an enclosed area. They did not disappoint! Our personal expectations for our pups as bird dogs are very high and with good reason. While never straying from our breeding goals we have improved from one generation to the next.  I love the consistency that is right here from great-great grand dam Wish down to her great-great grand pups.  It's humbling to me when I realize we have now bred 4 generations of our own Brittanys.  Within the past 12 months we have seen the arrival of perhaps our strongest natural instinct Brittanys yet, including those precious 3 who just left. 

Although we are not planning to breed again until some time in 2016, several stud services with our boys are on the horizon for 2015. And as for the 2016 plans, a waiting list does exist. In the meantime I'm looking forward to getting ready to train Holly for her NAVHDA UT title, being in the field with John much more than I've been able to in the past, working with my daughter and granddaughter, seeing Zuko and Quincy in the ring together, and spending as much time as I can with our seniors in the coming year.  That's just for starters.

Christmas is just around the corner.  John and I wish you and yours a joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ!  To those faithful ATB followers, friends, and family - thank you for making it real for us in so many ways.  God bless you always!!!! Much love, John, Ann, and All Things Brittany