J&A's Brittanys - The Art of Anticipation

Can you spot Bullet?  September 2008

ANTICIPATION : a feeling of excitement about something that is going to happen: the act of preparing for something.

There are several hopeful families at this juncture including my own! There are at least two families who have had or currently have a J&A's Brittany starting this journey with us all over again. I am reading over new questionnaires as they arrive and then referring to John for his opinion as well.

ATB Family at a Hunt Test

It is our preference that the majority if not all pups from any given litter will be going to bird hunting homes but an exceptional pet home is always a requirement! Hunting season is only a couple of months each year. A Brittanys natural instincts cannot be turned on or off so in the off season we also desire involvement in American Kennel Club (AKC) and/or North American Versatile Hunting Dogs Association (NAVHDA) hunt testing. This is not to control the future of any dog we have bred. It is to ensure you and your Brittany will have the best relationship possible!  It also will show that our breeding program is consistent from generation to generation.  Hunt tests are NOT competitive in nature and shouldn't be perceived as such.  It's about having fun with your Brittany, letting the bond between you become stronger, learning from each other. A great place to start learning more about them is AKC Pointing Breeds Hunt Test.  Pups can be entered in an AKC hunt test at 6 months of age! Brittanys from our program have earned their Junior Hunting title at just 2 weeks shy of their 6 months birthday!  Take a look back at some "Braggin' Rights" about several J&A's Brittanys and their owners at various stages.  The majority of these owners were brand new to hunt tests!  (As you read beyond the photographs to what I wrote you'll see where our anticipation for a litter of pups was growing.)  Our pups will be registered with AKC and also with NAVHDA.  They can be tested at an even younger age.  The first level of testing is called the Natural Ability. There are local NAVHDA chapters that meet for training on a regular basis. And there's always an opportunity to hook up with other dog owners with pointing breeds through various clubs including local Brittany clubs as well. Likewise, we're available to help teach you as well.  The thing is, the natural instincts are there, they are proven to be strong and you have a window of opportunity to continue to develop and fine tune them!  The training and the testing are also a wonderful opportunities for the entire family.  Here's additional photos and a look back  to past field events.  We are "All for the love of the dog, both given and received" and are sincerely interested in setting our puppy people up for success right from the beginning.  Pups born in June or July will have so much fun because by the time they are 8 weeks old we'll have introduced them to birds and had some fun in the field with them!  

Ann & Hemi (Holly
and Toph's sire)

Holly field trial major win.

A friend of mine wrote this great article about the Brittany as a dual dog. In every litter there exists the potential for a puppy as a show or field trial prospect. As we identify this we'll discuss it further with you. While our personal focus since 1986 has been on the Brittany as a close working gundog for the walking upland game hunter we actively promote our breed as a dual dog. We will absolutely guide and support a puppy owner who wishes to further pursue this.

Thank you for following along!  As always take care and God bless, John, Ann and our canine crew. 

J&A's Brittanys - 8 Days A Week

8 Days A Week because I am a huge Beatles fan and I found myself singing to Holly "Love you every day girl, always on my mind.  One thing I can say girl, love you all the time" and so on and so forth.  Yup. I sing to my dogs. Doesn't everyone?

Yesterday we returned Bullet to Julie, Sassy, Thistle, and his son Quincy. His wiggly butt was so very happy to see them because although ours is his second home there is no place like Home.

It will be awhile before we can or cannot confirm Holly Beth's pregnancy but if she is, then we now have one 7 day week behind us.  We (John and I) spoke about keeping this all quiet until we knew for sure, which is very logical. To share openly from my heart again via this blog  is a little scary to be quite honest.  The reality here is that I've had the hope I held in my heart crushed to smithereens. Sadly,  that is a reality all dog breeders face at times for one reason or another. Another sad reality for dog breeders are knowing some folks passionately thrive on gossip, criticism, and create drama concerning other people's business. Fortunately, our ATB family and friends have carried us through the difficult times with their love, prayers, and support. We're cautiously hopeful as we move beyond a season of sadness.

The ending here is unknown yet we obviously long for a happy one. We've always believed in transparency. Writing is something I have always enjoyed doing.  Remember when I use to fall asleep at the keyboard in past years? I want to do that again by sharing the moments of expectations and inspiration as well as those moments of questioning all things. The what ifs, the highs, the lows but above all I desire to share the potential of the joy that lies ahead.

As I write I am always reminded that God is in control of all things.  And that included "All Things Brittany".  He alone is my inspiration, my source of strength and trust. Not only concerning the dogs although He is the one who led us down this path. But in every waking or sleeping moment.  God speaks to us through His written Word, He speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, and He speaks to us through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and my Savior.  There's a lot more to life than our minds can comprehend and our eyes can see.  I am convinced that the God of all mankind who created the universe and all things can also work through His 'lesser creatures'.  Thankfully so! I've seen it and perhaps you have too.

"Aunt Julie" has already made several puppy blankets God love her. If you're new to ATB for many years she has crocheted a puppy blanket for every Brittany puppy born here. The puppy blankets are kept with pups and mom, they are well loved and when a puppy goes home they bring home the scents they are familiar with.

We'll do an ultrasound at the proper time. I'll remain positive by putting together a playlist of 'whelping room' music. Speaking of which, I've found several wonderful new artists to follow including Danny Wright and Keven Kern.  Their music is similar to Doug Hammer.  I am all about using music, lighting and mood for the benefit of momma to be dog and puppies.

So I'll get on with this day. It started with John running dogs at the training field with some friends and their Setters.  Speaking of which, Charlie did earn his first two qualifying scores towards an AKC Junior Hunter title.   We're so proud of him! Ticks are bad this year. We've been picking them off ourselves and our dogs.

The inquiries continue to be welcomed.  Because of the length of time since our last litter in 2014 we just did not expect anyone would wait that long although a few folks have. That in itself is humbling. I'm screening ruthlessly as I always do. That is not a bad thing but I am actively seeking qualified homes so please visit our website so that we can send you the necessary information. You'll get our puppy reservation policy, a copy of our purchase agreement, and a questionnaire to return if you feel we'd be a good fit for you!

As always thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany and God bless you and yours.  John, Ann & the crew

Check our Facebook page "J&A's Brittanys/All Things Brittany" for public photo albums and take a look at our slideshow galleries on the website too!

J&A's Brittanys - Only Time!

So tonight I reached for and dusted off my black whelping journal.  I also looked up my dad's red journal which is a true and priceless relic from my parents breeding program of Boston Terriers.  Not a lot has changed regarding mother nature since the '60's so I enjoy reading his notes! My own journal begins with an entry dated July 6, 1990.  (His begins on January 1, 1962.)   My last entry was written awhile time ago and it says:

"Thus ends my note taking for a very long time..." 

And the next entry, dated April 24, 2018 says:

"Now we hopefully begin a new chapter.  

Holly came into heat two weeks ago and she has naturally 

and successfully been bred to Bullet." 

Counting and more counting!  That's what it's all about at the moment and it began with counting the day of "1st blood" (pro-estrus) as Day One. Before progesterone testing became a normal routine experience taught breeders that the boys usually know when breeding should take place and also that Days 9 - 11 - 13 (estrus) very often are, although not always, optimal times for that to happen.

  We've certainly experienced the complete opposite taking place, even when going by vaginal smears to detect cornification or blood draws to determine progesterone levels. As the article says "conception is most likely with natural breedings having "ties", but artificial insemination (“AI”) using a fertile dog and proper timing and technique can be highly successful." We are fans of primarily natural breedings although there are times when "AI" has been desirable for any number of reasons. What is most important for any breeder to understand is that regardless of method used, there is a time when things do need to happen! 

To a new breeder trying to establish a breeding program a girl dog who is a true hussy around the chosen boy dog is to be desired!  It is equally desirable for her to be an easy, free natural whelper and have strong maternal instincts.  We have been very blessed over the years in this regard, thankfully so.  There are absolute benefits to progesterone testing because the breeder has the numbers necessary to determine the LH surge and decline which indicates ovulation is about to or has occurred.  We've been out training dogs in the field before when the call came from our vet "bring her over to us right now!" for a planned "A-I" trans-cervical insemination. I remember telling our friends goodbye, making a hasty retreat home to get our girl, and rushing over to the vets for the procedure! (Which was, by the way, successful.) 

Counting the days of Holly's estrus now changes to counting Holly's days of pregnancy.  I count ahead 2 months and 2 days from the time of the first breeding and then mark out that entire week on my calendar. When you have tested progesterone levels to determine best time to breed you are certain of when ovulation exactly occurred. Puppies are born 63 Days from ovulation. Otherwise, without progesterone testing, even if I were to say "so and so whelped on Day 60" the fact of the matter would be - the puppies arrived 63 days following ovulation. 

What am I going to be looking for in the next few weeks in Holly? Subtle changes in temperament and eating habits at first. Just around 3 weeks I'm going to looking to find one episode of morning sickness. (As my long standing ATB friends and family know - I do get excited about dog vomit. No eye rolls please.) I'll be watching for some physical changes too. There's several ways of pregnancy diagnosis for dogs including palpation, ultrasound and x-rays.  Palpating should only be done by experienced hands. Not all breeders will have an ultrasound and or x-rays.  Even so, I will especially look forward to confirming puppy heartbeats with an ultrasound at the proper time and stand on the threshold of high hopes, remaining firm and steadfast.  One day at a time. 

Take care and God bless.  Thank you for your interest and for following along.

John, Ann, and All Things Brittany.   

J&A's Brittanys Breeding Announcement #1

Our greatly anticipated breeding between Holly and Bullet has taken place!  And now, the waiting begins. If all goes well, I hope that sometime in May we will confirm that Holly is pregnant.  Assuming this will happen, Bullet & Holly's puppies would arrive sometime in June. Follow this link for pedigree and profile. CH J&A's High Caliber Harris SH & 

J&A's Carry the Dream of Acton JH, NA110 Prize 1

It was E.B. White of Charlotte's Web fame who wrote "Hold onto your hat, hold onto your hope, wind the clock for tomorrow is another day." Well, we're doing exactly that my friends because Miss Toph has also come into heat.  As you may remember we have had plans to breed her to True so this is going to happen soon. This link will bring you to Toph and True's pedigree and profile.
J&A's Keeper of the Stars of Acton SH & 
J&A's Birch Spring Breaking New Ground JH, NA 107 Prize 1

Sharing the journey about anticipated puppies has always been something I've enjoyed so much.  But I remain so overly cautious as John and I have endured our share of heartaches and disappointments on several levels the past 4 years since our last litter was born.

If you're part of our ATB Family, I ask you to remember us in your thoughts and prayers because you know from where within the depths of my heart I speak. One thing for sure, our hearts and our home will be happy and well prepared to welcome our next litter(s) of beautiful, healthy purpose bred Brittany puppies.

We are now actively seeking and accepting serious inquiries from our website at www.mainebrittanysitejas.com but obviously everything is hypothetical at this point in time.

God has brought us through a season of waiting before.  I'm confident He will bring us through this one too! He's given us the desires of our heart before, and also taught us that all things are possible, only believe.  He is truly my magnificent obsession and consuming passion.  I know that when I wait on the Lord, He renews my strength.  I know that He provides the way for me to run and not be weary, to walk and not faint. In all things I will acknowledge God land trust completely that He will direct our paths.  He works all things out for good to those who love Him! Let all that I am wait quietly before God for my hope is in Him.  

So you see, we're doing a happy dance while in the waiting room.  Won't you wait with me? Let's take this journey, one day at a time. I'd be a liar if I said I wasn't excited! Thanks for your interest, love, support.  Stay tuned.  Take care and God bless from John, Ann, and All Things Brittany.

Lessons from a Jigsaw Puzzle

There's a quote that goes something like this:
 "Not all of the puzzle pieces appear to fit together at first but in time you'll realize they do, perfectly."

EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT LIFE
I LEARNED FROM A JIGSAW PUZZLE

1. Don’t force a fit. If something is meant to be, it will come together naturally.

2. When things aren’t going so well, take a break. Everything will look different when you return.

3. Be sure to look at the big picture. Getting hung up on the little pieces only leads to frustration.

4. Perseverance pays off. Every important puzzle went together bit bybit, piece by piece.

5. When one spot stops working, move to another. But be sure to comeback later (see #4).

6. The creator of the puzzle gave you the picture as a guidebook.

7. Variety is the spice of life. It’s the different colors and patterns that make the puzzle interesting.

8. Working together with friends and family makes any task fun.

9. Establish the border first. Boundaries give a sense of security and order.

10. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations. Some matches are surprising.

11. Take time often to celebrate your successes (even little ones).

12. Anything worth doing takes time and effort. A great puzzle can’t be rushed.

Author unknown

Scattering Of The Pieces 

Last fall, owners of two Brittanys from the ATB family encountered unexpected health issues related to serious back injuries sustained in near fatal car accident.  They could no longer provide the level of care the dogs were accustomed to and reached out to us for help. When I learned the dogs were currently being boarded at a reputable kennel in Ohio I wanted to get them out of there right away. I just didn't know how.  John suggested we contact friends of ours who also live in Ohio. Surely God intervened because not only were they more than willing to help but they actually lived fairly close to the kennel!  (April, a vet tech, and her husband Steve operate a game farm and breed English Springer Spaniels. A few years ago John and a friend of ours ran dogs at a NSTRA field trial and stayed at their house.) Despite her own health issues, April immediately offered to go to the kennel, check on the dogs and share her observations. A day or two after the visit, April made arrangements with the dog's owners for them to be released into her care where they enjoyed a few days with new friends.

Assemble The Border

By now, I had let our network of wonderful ATB family and friends know about our re-homing situation. The response was over-whelming and we even heard from our breed rescue organizations who offered to help in anyway.  From the start there were several good potential inquiries. Even so,  I just couldn't get to where I felt it was the best 'fit' for these two special Brittanys despite the interest.

As each inquiry fell short of my expectations for one reason or another, I also knew April could not keep the dogs indefinitely. Then, our friends Pete & Kira, who own Wilson  and Annie, offered to be a 'half-way' house for the dogs. For a few weeks they would happily welcome them into their country home as their pampered guests, love on them, meet their needs, assess them and more.   Soon a plan was in place for the dogs to get to New York.  

When assembling a jigsaw puzzle usually you start with the border. It defines the space that you have to work within. Looking at the scattered pieces you wonder if they will ever fit together. But piece by piece you realize you can connect a few of them. Our friends were helping to complete a border. Both in Ohio and then in New York.

Pieces Start to Fall Into Place

Pete and Kira completely opened both their home and their hearts to "Maggie" and "Charlie".  Their own two Brittanys seemed to understand how special their guests were. Although displaced, confused, and unsure they responded positively to their new situation. Kira provided them with accommodations suitable for guests of a posh B&B. She sent daily videos, photos or updates of the dogs that made me smile.  The love, assessment, care, and attention given provided the framework, and if you will, the "border" for what would follow.  I know there were challenging moments but I also know that a necessary healing began to take place, a healing unlikely to have occurred if these special Brittanys had gone anywhere else.  All the dogs were of known lineage, each one sound and balanced. And all concerned were well aware of normal animal behavior and canine communication was well understood by all concerned. A perfect "half-way house" for two special Brittanys stopping midway on their journey with an opportunity to readjust, relearn, and progress while an abundance of love was poured out upon them as well as necessary vet checks and grooming.

Don't Force A Fit

For awhile it was a matter of trying to MAKE pieces fit together. Have you ever tried to 'jam' two pieces of an interlocking puzzle piece together? It is tempting to do this when they look like they should be put next to each other.

As things progressed it was clear that they were to return to the place of their birth, here to Maine with John, me, and our crew.  Afterall, we are their family in every sense of the word! Although at that point in time no definite plan was in place, by faith my heart still believed there was a special situation waiting just for them. After their wonderful experience with our dear friends in New York, John drove there and back to bring them "home."

Speaking of John, he often compares how salmon know when they have returned to their spawning ground to the way a Brittany born here reacts to being with us again. Based on their reaction to a initial romp around the yard or even to littermates, sire or dam who may be here, often it seems indeed they do sense the familiarity.

One of the first things we did when Charlie and Maggie arrived was oversee a full pack run around the yard with ALL the crew.  Maggie ended up romping with her father.  Clearly we could see her confidence was stronger than Charlies.  It only took her a few hours to feel comfortable enough to jump up into a chair!  It took Charlie a few days longer.  Hemi gave sideway glances to this new boy-dog (son of Jack dog) like he was daring him but was quickly reminded we are the pack leaders of the house.  Consequently, there were no issues.

Although we're completely fenced in and all our dogs run freely for the first few days we only allowed Charlie and Maggie outside if we had them on an extended nylon lead about 20' long. (Speaking of leads - I think extendable/retractable leads should be banned but that is another story.) The next step was to let them just drag the leads but when they did not come when called it was back to square one.  My biggest concern was they would scheme together and escape!

Maggie and Charlie obviously were brought up responsibly and with lots of love.  We had the benefit of personally knowing the breeding behind them, knowing they are not a 'rescue dog' or a 'shelter dog' meant whatever extra baggage they may have brought along, wasn't going to be anything serious. These are both very smart and kept us entertained! They are great dogs.  Completely house broken, participated in agility, passed AKC Puppy programs, and checked out AKC Rally too. They just loved the opportunity to eventually run freely off leash and within no time were running back to us when called. John brought Maggie to our friends outdoor agility course just for fun and she showed them she knew what to do there.

The Pleasure and Glory of 
the Completed Puzzle

Slowly but surely we watched the puzzle come together, yet not in the way we first imagined.  Although many expressed an interest in welcoming Charlie and Maggie into their lives, there were just as many who I knew ultimately would NOT be
the best 'fit'. There are things we learned along the way. I had assumed Maggie and Charlie should be kept together, believing they were dependent upon each other and a strongly bonded pair. I also thought this would best honor their prior owners wishes and we had no plans to separate them. They showed us all that while they adored each other, they also were wonderfully independent of each other. No matter what, we were committed to remain involved with Maggie and Charlie's future, just as if they were puppies leaving us for the first time.  And along the way we realized they could indeed thrive and be happy living separate lives.

Miss Maggie Rose is living the life of a well loved family pet in an active home with two other dogs, one of which is from our program. In other words, she is with an ATB family about 40 minutes away. One of her owners is at home full time! The picture in the completed puzzle above shows Maggie relaxing in her new home. which is in the country surrounded by acres of land. Maggie is doing great and quickly bonded with her new owners upon their first visit here.

And that leaves "Charles" as John affectionately refers to him.  He and John have become very close.  I know this is due, in part, to how very much Charlie and reminds him of our beloved JackDog, Charlie's sire. (I saw a lot of our sweet Molly Rose in Maggie's eyes, daughter of Molly.) Charlie has made himself right at home here and is very comfortable and happy as part of our pack. It took a little while for all the boys to understand Charlie is here to stay but now they romp and play. We have open runs with ALL things Brittany under close supervision. Hemi was so sad for a long time about the loss of his friend Jack so in a very subtle manner, Charles' presence has helped.  John couldn't wait to get him out on some birds to see what to expect and sure enough, Charlie shows a lot of potential. If all goes well once the snow leaves, Charlie will probably be out in the field preparing for an AKC Hunt Test. He absolutely loves to spend time outdoors and he would stay there for hours if we let him. Charlie seems to see something beyond what is in front of him, much in the same way his grandmother Treasure will do. For long periods of time he will stand or sit in one place, just gazing out in such a surreal way.  He can be a puddin' head about coming back into the house sometimes but we're working on that.

In closing, we remain in touch with Maggie and Charlie's previous owners.  They are our friends who we care about.  I keep them in my prayers and am happy to know that all things considered, the future is truly looking bright!  Praise God.

Take care and God bless and as always thank you for your interest in All Things Brittany.  Next up I hope to share about my incredible experience judging the 2018 American Brittany Club Western Futurity.  John, Ann, & ATB

If this story has touched your heart in anyway, or if you feel others would be encouraged please feel free to share it, thank you!

2018 Breeding Plans #2

J&A's Keeper of the Stars of Acton, SH
&
J&A's Birch Spring Breaking New Ground, JH, NA 107 Prize 1

Please visit the this link on the J&A's Brittanys website for more information. This is 1 of 2 PLANNED breedings for 2018. It has not yet occurred.  UPDATE: June 4, 2018 pregnancy was confirmed. Puppies are due @July 4.

2018 Breeding Plans #1

CH J&A's High Caliber Harris Special, SH

&

J&A's Carry The Dream of Acton JH, NA 110 Prize 1

Please visit the this link on the J&A's Brittanys website for more information.  Waiting to confirm pregnancy. UPDATE:  Pups are due @June 21.

Best of ATB: "Family become friends, friends become family."

BEST OF ATB: FROM the ARCHIVES

November 20, 2010 - Nova discovers bird hunting

John, Jack, Me, and our beautiful sharpshooting granddaughter Nova and her pheasants

For the past 24 hours I have been trying to think of how to describe on of the the most amazing days of my life.  Our good friend Julie summed it up quite well on her Facebook post: "This was such a magnificent day on lots of levels. A much needed physical and spiritual experience with lots of superb people, fine dogs and good camaraderie."

Sam and John had been working on an informal pheasant hunt for awhile.  As the days turned into weeks and now we're almost into December time began to be a concern along with the weather.  Sam, Pam, and John have enjoyed bird hunting together several times this fall in Southern Maine. All manner of hunting has been ongoing in the Short family as well including but not limited to Nova's turkey and her first deer, and our son's succesful deer hunting which most recently resulted in a nice 10 point buck. As a matter of fact, our Sunday dinner today featured some wonderful fresh venison steaks along with scalloped potato and green beans! 

John contacted the landowners he knows and working with the State of Maine secured necessary and additional field, training, and hunting permits for a pheasant hunt with a few friends and Brittanys and of course with ATB.  We knew it should be a small group but with Nova following closely in her dad's footsteps I really wanted to introduce her to bird hunting over the dogs.  When John told me he'd run into our son and family and invited her to join us I was ecstatic!  With our truck fully outfitted and Scooby, True, Piper, and Jack aboard we picked Nova up at her home EARLY Saturday morning and headed to the fields about an hour away. She was so excited which made me even more excited and plus I love spending time with her (and ALL of our grandchildren.)

Within an hour or so John, Nova, and I were joined by our friends (Gary and his son, Dave and his son and a friend, Julie, Sam, and Pam).  I had been wanting for Nova to meet our friends for so long, I am always talking about our family to them and it means a lot to me for them to know each other.  She was especially thrilled seeing all the different Brittanys there, several whom she had known here at ATB as pups over the years and of course Gibson the movie star.  It was fun not only to introduce our friends but also the dogs and explain who they were related to!

The morning was breezy and chilly but as the sun rose it became warmer. We brought cider, hot coco, coffee and I made cookies and coffee cake.  Sam and Pam brought hamburg to grill for lunch so we were all set.  Groups of 2 or more headed out together with their dogs.  A total of 11 Brittanys and 1 Lleweln (English) Setter enjoyed the opportunity to hunt and enjoy the day.  We saw great dogs and fantastic bird work at every level, from derby stage right up to finished gundog and somewhere in between.  It was so much fun! 

John really shines when he has an opportunity to put something together like this and he never disappoints. Thinking of everything, it is his desire to be sure everyone enjoys themself and yesterday was no exception.  Plus it's fun when you know the people you're out hunting with like we do. Several of us all belong to the same Brittany club(s) and have worked together on field trials etc.  We all lead such different lives, have various situations going on yet when we are enjoying the great outdoors with the dogs we love there is such a sense of comaraderie. No one was trying to "kick butt" in any type of competitive event, there were no standards to meet other than one criteria - have fun with your dog. Don't get me wrong though - each and every dog in those fields yesterday KNEW how to hunt. They were under control and handled well to their owners.  Although tips and guidance were offered, the owners of these Brittanys are hunting dog owners.  Several are shown, two are show champions, a couple are Junior Hunters, and others have significant placements and points in both field and the ring - even very close to finishing.  Everyone including the two 10 year olds, have hunter safety and training behind them, know all about guns and respect them.  Herein lies the heart and hope of All Things Brittany as we share experiences like this with others. 

Grampa released Jack to the fields as he and Nova headed down the slight incline together. Armed with my Canon PowerShot SX 120 I stood at the top of the knoll watching with several of our friends.   Watching Jack quarter magnificently out in front where John wants him, seeing those rippling muscles as he effortlessly strides forth and every ounce of his being poured out for one purpose - pick up the scent that he lives for - this in itself thrills my heart.  Listening to John 'speak' to Jack through the language of various whistle sounds, an occasional verbal command or hand signal is a beautiful sight for me.  These are things we have worked together on with our dogs over the years, although most recently moreso John than me.  John and I 'get it' and so do our dogs.  And yesterday - we watched Nova 'get it' too.

Nova and John conversed together and I can only imagine he was explaining about how the dog works, the wind, the bird and what the dog would do. What "Jack" would do, one of her favorites.  This was afterall a FIRST.  Moving nicely ahead at a decent clip Jack suddenly SLAMMED !!!! When Jack does this you better pay attention.  I watched as John guided Nova up closer, showed her how to come around the side, front, and back towards Jack and to be ready with her gun for the pheasant to flush. Grampa had told her where to expect the bird to pop up and anticipate what direction it would most likely take flight.   And in a split second which played out in slow motion I watched mesmerized, trying to take pictures but not so much as my vision blurred with tears.  Poetry in motion indeed as the pheasant rose, our grandaughter raised her shotgun, sighted the track of the bird in the bead 'just like daddy said', took the safety off and shot.  Holding my breath, watching as John stood ready for a second shot if necessary to take the bird down the pheasant gracefully cascaded straight down to the ground several feet in front of her.  Released to retrieve, Jack brought the bird back to Nova while a whole lot of shouting was going on at the top of the hill!  I was one proud grandmother and the look on Nova's beautiful sweet face was pure joy.  Proudly carrying her bird with Jack and Grampa walking by her side she came up and we hugged each other. At the end of the day Nova had 4 nice pheasants to bring home for the freezer, to put meat on the table.  And at the end of the day she told me that bird hunting was now her favorite kind of hunting.  I'm not only proud of Nova's first experience in the field with our dogs but I'm proud of our son, and I'm happy for John and thankful that hunting will continue on in our family for the next generation.

The torch was passed to two families yesterday in regards to bird hunting.  10 year old John also experienced the awesome awakening to bird hunting that Nova did when he and his dad successfully hunted over their young Brittany "Daizee".  On his own, with his dog well under control and on point, this young man also shot his own bird. 

On another level, many of the Brittanys there were also related so there was a chance to compare similarities in hunting style.  Age and maturity effect the dogs significantly.  We had two father/son pairs there; Gibson and True, Jack and Bullet.  Of course the varying skills and experience of the hunters are taken into consideration.  And the emotional aspects include the reality of personal life situations which effect all of us who are friends and family.  We care deeply for each other, most of us stay in touch on a regular basis, we are there for each other and for each other's dogs. When one member of our family is hurting, we all feel it in one way or another.  It is not unusual for some of us to pray together.

Speaking of ATB there was emotion involved there too.  Somehow all woven together.  Piper will be leaving to go to South Carolina shortly after Thanksgiving where she will spend the entire winter at training camp.  It is an amazing opportunity for her and one she will greatly benefit from.  Miss Piper has the highest drive of any young Brittany I have seen in a long, long time.  While some hunting Brittanys can adapt better to the decrease in field activity over the winter months, Piper is not that way. Recognizing at 12 months what she is made of means we recognize what is best for her.  Even so, this is a well thought out decision which John and I discussed thoroughly.  But in the end, it was his to make and I support it.

In closing, I also had the thrill yesterday of hunting over a handsome 3 year old white and liver male Brittany - J & A's Soaring White Sequoia of Acton, better known simply as "Scooby".   Scooby is 'MY' dog (did you hear me John??!!) MY dog.  He handles very well for me, maybe even better than for John at times but of course this past summer my field activity was severely curtailed.  Nova asked me several times throughout the day as did friends if I was going to do any hunting. I looked at the grounds, the distance, and felt apprehensive as to how much of it I could tackle.  I had decided no go - until I had a talk with Scooby.  John and Nova headed around the far side of the field and I took a short cut down over the hill to meet up with them at the bottom and to let Scooby get some of that fire out of his belly. 

Scooby caught sight of me and happily ran to catch up with me.  And he did have to stand up to kiss my face before getting back to business. He stayed to my front nicely as he quartered.  Soon my boy locked up on point.  He had a nice find but something was wrong with the pheasant as it couldn't fly.  I walked up in front kicking and thrashing.  Scooby waited briefly to see what was going on but decided he'd make life easier for me God love him and gently picked the pheasant up in his mouth and gave it to me.  Scoob and I tried once more but both met our match as another nearby pheasant flushed suddenly.  I don't like to shoot a bird my dog has not pointed, doesn't teach him anything as tempting as it is. Scooby and I enjoyed ourselves though, John called him back to the truck while I had a little help from my friends getting back up the hill! 

I've posted about 80 pictures from yesterday on the ATB Facebook fan page in an album.  Every time I look at them I smile all over again.  As we approach Thanksgiving I like to take time to think on those things I am most thankful for which are very consistent over the years.  I am thankful to God for this life I live, just exactly as it is and all that it entails.  I am thankful for family with my husband being at the top, for friends, and for very simple things.  I am thankful of course for these amazing animals who share my heart and home. And I am thankful for days like yesterday which truly are gifts to all who have the eyes to see and the heart to feel.  Let me just say thank You... Take care and God Bless, John, Ann, and All Things Brittany

Originally published November 21, 2010

A Breeder's Season of Sadness

Some people may never understand the depth or importance of the human-animal bond. And what I share below is not intended to minimize or even compare to the loss we experience when a beloved HUMAN family member or friend dies.  Neither is it to imply my priorities are out of whack because God is always first in my heart. Even so, I do continue to deeply grieve the deaths of three of our beloved canine crew, Molly, Jack, and Wish and now is the time to write.

My heart lingers in summer, but I know it is fall...

Our first Brittany came into our lives in 1986, our first litter born in 1990 and eventually we became a multiple dog family.  It's been a joyful labor of love to own multiple dogs for many years while developing a purpose driven program of close working gun dogs.  God has truly blessed this work of our hands while weaving the garment of our lives tightly with beautiful threads from the lives of others.  The perfection of His plan or the direction He'd take us could never have been anticipated. All for the love of the dog, both given and received, to His Glory, for His Purposes, and very often also to share the mutual love of the Lord, praying and even being used by Him in the lives of others. We've been proud for all the right reasons to earn more than a few titles and recognition along the way with our Brittanys while keeping Matthew 6:19-21 (the basis for Treasure's name) at the forefront. Not for personal gain or vain glory. But for the Glory of God. Some people won't get that part of it. But a lot of people will. And that's okay! So once again I'm reminded to everything there is a season. And this is going to be a sad read, just sayin'.

Consider the way summer-like temperatures offer brief glimpses at springtime of what awaits a few months later. Consider also how clearly the first falling leaf in early September is a sign of autumn approaching. As owners and breeders of a multiple dog family, likewise John and I have been well aware of subtle changes in our aging, senior Brittanys pointing to an inevitable season of sadness that would eventually fall upon us here at "All Things Brittany." Nothing could have prepared us for though for saying goodbye to three of our beloved dogs over the past few months.

We previously experienced the tragedy of losing a fine young athletic Brittany to the thievery of cancer 10 years ago.  Our daughter and her family likewise experienced this reality several years ago. There have been other Brittanys from our program whose lives were shortened unfairly by this same thief or from an unexpected accident or illness and we have mourned their passing with the families who loved them. Even as recently as this week. For each time we welcomed a pup into the world over the years, there will be or has been a season of mourning. As breeders with a desire to fully invest ourselves somehow in the lives of every pup we are responsible to bring into the world we do see the circle of life.  But we also see God's hand and understand to everything there is a season.  Age is of no consequence as we have closely held a newborn pup to our breast while they took their last breath. And together, our tears have fallen down upon the soft fur of a beloved heart dog as we held them close during 'that' loving and humane act of compassion that ends suffering. It's an immeasureable level of that pain and that grief, one in which recent months I've experienced the depths of in ways impossible to express. I have been shaken to the core. And although the love of God, family, and friends has surely sustained me and carried me it hurts. so. much. 

KJ's Ramblin Molly Rose got her 'angel wings' on July 31, 2017 at the age of 14.  Sweet and funny beautiful and intelligent she did not have a disease or illness, she was simply quite happy living in "Molly's World." With a fully white face, slightly cloudy eyes, and selective hearing she still reverted to crazy puppy spurts from time to time. She started to 'tell us' she was really getting tired. Her muscle tone was poor, her skin was so loose around her body. Molly's appetite started to dwindle and she slept more often than she was awake.  Molly had a few fatty cysts and lumpy places but otherwise was in good shape. She made her message clear one day as we ventured down to our small farm pond, just the two of us.  Molly hadn't tried to climb down over the banking to the water's edge

Sweet Molly Rose - 3/6/03 - 7/17/17

for quite awhile. But this day she insisted. I hadn't climbed down over the banking either since my two knee replacements yet I couldn't take a chance of not being near to Molly in case she needed help. So down I went. She was in a carefree mood with her mind set upon frogging.  One frog was gracious enough to swim right up to her and I was delighted to see her splash the water in front of her in an attempt to catch it. Molly seemed oblivious to how much her antics took out of her physically. As anyone with a Brittany knows, they can be pig headed and she sure was. Molly took off for the far side of the pond away from where I was. As she did I could see she was having trouble dealing with a muddy section. She stumbled and fell down in a few inches of water. Molly couldn't get up on her own and she would have drowned if I hadn't been there. Although the mud made it difficult for me to get to her quickly I was able to reach her.  In a split second and in a flash, her frailty and aging became clear to me as I gently stood her to her feet.  She was scared and quite honestly so was I. By the Grace of God I was able to lift her and get her back up over the banking.  An additional measure of Grace helped me crawl on my knees (ouch) up and over to where she was. Molly took a few steps towards the shade of a nearby tree and then just plopped down in the cool grass.  We stayed there together for quite awhile.  When it was time to head back to the house she wasn't sure.  I turned my back and slowly began to walk away. Not wanting to be left alone, Molly struggled to her feet and slowly but surely followed me.  There were other things going on with Molly, evidenced by her 'stool'.  (Dog people will know what I'm talking about.) Molly's time with us ended with gentle and peaceful assistance here at home to usher her into her eternal rest.  She was ready. Until we meet again Miss Molly, until we meet again.

J&A's Apple Jack of Acton JH, our Jack Dog, our beautiful golden boy entered into his rest on August 18, 2017 at the age of 12.  His death was very unexpected as overall he'd been so healthy. Jack did sustain a field injury to his shoulder a few years ago when he slammed into a hidden tree stump while running full force.  He also had been diagnosed with the tick borne infectious disease Ehrlichiosis which, while he had been treated for that, symptoms sometimes reared their ugly head. 

Beloved Jack Dog 6/13/15 - 8/18/17

Then, during the winter months he had swallowed a piece of rubber which caused a blockage in his intestines.  Emergency surgery was performed and although he recovered, he never seemed to fully    Perhaps all of these things eventually caught up to him. This spring Jack still physically and enthusiastically gave it his all as John daily took the dogs to the training field. Birds were set out for Jack to find, point, and then to retrieve back to John. These two were a beautiful well oiled team, an orchestra  of perfection which always took my breath away to see.  The love between them unlike anything I've ever seen between human and dog. Ever. By June Jack was clearly slowing down.  He's always been a very mellow dog unless there was a 'girl dog' or birds involved. His times in the field were limited to sitting in the truck while John worked all the other dogs. And I felt sad for him as he watched and listened.  A bird would be put out for him to find nearby, he was so very happy. Losing Molly took a lot out of us emotionally, we could barely believe our eyes what we were seeing as July turned into August and Jack was really struggling to walk.  There were repeated vet visits, tests, x-rays, meds, therapeutic massages and exercise.  Jack was preparing us though.  His sleeping habits changed drastically and at night he chose to separate himself from us. Getting up onto the bed was difficult so we bought new orthopedic heated dog cushions and beds for him.  At first he'd stay in them but soon he was wondering around at night. We'd often find he had crated himself in a dark room. It was so sad. Jack lost complete use of his rear legs and also his bladder. John carried Jack outside by the use of a sling/towel. He was immobile in the house. Our vet visited often and we provided our very best supportive care for Jack in every sense of the word. John blocked out his very busy schedule and dedicated every moment of every day to Jack's needs. It was love in action. But we both knew. And so did Jack.  The human and the animal who deeply loved each other had to come to terms with the reality of what was happening. Jack had to convince John it was okay for him to let him go. John had to convince Jack that he didn't have to worry about him after he was gone. On the rainy afternoon of August 18th Jack was humanely released into the loving arms of our Lord Jesus. As surely as the rain poured down, so did those awful tears of grief fall while Jack was laid to rest. The very next morning a gathering of friends and dogs joined us at the training field in a show of support and encouragement. Ironically, we were also burdened with the news that our oldest granddaughter was missing!  Thank God she was found safe and sound later on that day.  How much though Lord, how much can one heart bear?

Birch Springs Wish Upon a Star "WISH".... came into our life at the age of 15 months. I will always remember looking at her and thinking how beautiful she was. Wish had the strongest prey drive of ANY Brittany I have ever known and that is saying a lot.  She made me smile.  Everyone loved Wish.  Unassuming but sweet to a fault.  Tuned into me in ways that were near uncanny.  I remember sitting pondside and closing my eyes, just playing a little mind game with myself.  I would think hard

Loveable Momma Wish - 7/16/03 - 9/18/17

about Wish who was off playing with the pack. As soon as opened my eyes there she'd be, jumping up and wagging her tail. I learned about hunting woodcock with Wish.  I also learned a lot about being a better dog breeder through her. She's Treasure, Jack, and Scooby's mother and great-granddam to many She did live to hunt but she also was an incredible momma dog.  To those who understand such things I say she was the brood bitch every breeder strives to have at least once in a lifetime. Wish never really slowed down and unlike Molly or Jack gave no telltale sign that anything was wrong. Our crew are examined on a regular basis and other than non-cancerous fatty cysts, lumps and bumps that are fairly common in older dogs, Wish was healthy.  Shortly after her 14th birthday which was about the time Molly passed, Wish did begin to show signs of confusion. I had wondered if it could be due in part to missing Molly.  She would seek out places and things that provided shelter, go around and around in a circle while there, and only come out with some gentle persuasion.  Wish still would romp with her 'kids' and grandpups, but stuck closer than a shadow to us at other times. She wasn't eating as much as usual so we provided her with special foods to help sustain her before Wish lost any weight.  One warm and typical September morning when feeding the dogs John noticed Wish wasn't getting out of her bed. He thought maybe she'd died in her sleep. Upon closer observation it was clear she had suffered some kind of stroke. Always the cleanest dog ever she was curled up in her blanket which was soiled and looked up with confused yet trusting and pleading eyes. We kept Wish comfortable until our vet could see her.  And for the third time in as many months we held onto a beloved Brittany as the Lord opened heavens gates for her. We were 

The outpouring of sympathy, love, and support has meant so much to me.  And to John too of course.  We've been blessed through notes, cards, flowers, gifts, and acts of love and kindness. In some ways it has been a good thing that life is usually very busy for us concerning these heartaches.  Times with our family as well as hunt tests, field trials, dog shows, hunting trips and the ever ongoing dog training have kept us from dwelling for too long on all things sad. But every time we play with the dogs in the yard we see the huge void. They feel it too. Oh I could write a lot more about their own reactions to the deaths of their best friends too. When I say ATB 'family' it extends to the very canines that define that expression.  We are developing an informal memorial spot in our yard in the area around a simple tree where the dogs have always enjoyed lying in the shade.  We've never been fancy, neither will this spot be. But it is theirs and there they will be. I have joked previously about how we're running a geriatric ward for Brittanys here.  Somehow it's not so funny anymore to say this. Just last week we had another scare here with our two youngest dogs.  To make a long story short, they were diagnosed with 3 tick borne diseases which nearly debilitated them, even with the use of tick preventative! Now on an aggressive doxycycline therapy program along with other essential care they are improving.  Thank you Lord.

A dear friend sent me a book called "Will I See Fido In Heaven?" We know there are many wonderful warm and fuzzy stories, tales about Rainbow Bridge and others which all bring comfort.  I love them all. But for me there must be a deeper meaning, and I need to see, need to know beyond a shadow of doubt about the death of my Brittanys in relation to what the Bible has to say. I'm a purist in many aspects, and this is true now. Each of the seven times God spoke of his covenant with Noah, he included the animals. This book is relevant Scripturally speaking regarding Gods plan for what is considered the 'lesser, non-human creatures.' After reading this book, researching I am certain indeed "There will be a day. "Please keep us in your prayers.  This is a very hard season on many levels.

ATB: Dog Training Recap - The Best of ATB

Best of All Things Brittany (from the ARCHIVES)

Breeding Better Bird Dogs - Two Pheasants and a Turkey

It's the end of October already! How quickly the seemingly long hot summer transitioned into brisk autumn days where leaves go through glorious stages of change, to eventually cascade from branches and lie scattered on the ground, reminding me of a quilt of many colors. And this, THIS is the time of year the dogs live for. From Holly Beth, almost three,  to Molly and Wish who both turn 14 on their next birthday, all things Brittany enjoys this time of year most of all. Most everything we do all year long leads up to the joy and anticipation of the moments that October ushers in.

Bird Hunting 2016. Scooby, Maryann, John.

Beginning in the spring and continuing right up to opening day most mornings John leaves the house very early and heads out to run and train dogs.  They all get to go but not all at the same time.  It's a lot of work but it's also a lot of fun. We have great friends who regularly meet up with their dogs too. On any given morning over the course of several months our Brittanys are regulary run with not only other Brittanys (including French Brittanys) but also English Setters and Pointers. Occasionally a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, Vizsla, German Shorthair Pointer, Gordon Setter and a Munsterlander have joined them.

Although he's not a professional dog trainer John is often contacted for advice and tips on training a close working gun dog for the walking upland bird hunter. He's always happy to take the time to offer suggestions over the phone.  He might suggest  bringing their dog to the field so he can informally evaluate them.  John does not train dogs for competitive field events although sometimes our own Brittanys or those from our program will participate in them, usually resulting in a placement.  We do enjoy introducing people to AKC hunt tests, especially those with young pups and that type of training can go hand in hand with training a bird dog in most instances.

We have a purpose driven breeding program and have achieved goals that we had in mind when we bred our first litter in 1990 and in doing so we have  reached a lot of milestones as well.  Breeding better bird dogs has been and always will be our first priority. Everything else is frosting on the cake!

Molly Rose - puppy at heart, going on 14 enjoying Moosehead.

Our circle of 'bird dog friends' grew immensely when John retired. Prior to his retirement he'd been working up to and over 60 hours a week leaving little time for dogs.  We'd been given landowner permission to use over 100 acres of field, orchard, and woods just down the road from us. Not that I really knew what I was doing but I did sure enjoyed those early training days with Molly, Wish, Rosie, Jack, Timberdoodle, Treasure, and Pippin! While I thought I was the one doing the teaching the fact of the matter is that they were the one teaching me. They showed me honoring before I knew what it was.  They taught me about the intensity of the point before I understood the importance of it. I observed strong, natural and inherent instincts hard at work before I could even articulate what I was seeing.  I delighted to learn about the scent cone by watching my dog naturally quarter a field in front of me, and so much more.

The summer of his retirement John and another friend helped a nearby pro-trainer in the field with the dogs he was training at his facility.  The following year John returned to assist on a full time basis when his trainer friend had a few serious health issues which fortunately were resolved.

Since we still had permission to use the field near our home that's where John started to run dogs the following summer. We could have two johnny houses there for our our quail, pigeons, and chukar partridge. Some mornings John was joined by others and their dogs and other times he had

Molly's daughter Rose, Moosehead Lake 2016 (almost 12)

the morning to himself with our dogs. For almost 10 years we enjoyed this property and many very special memories were made, leaving us grateful to the landowner for that opportunity.

This spring the news was disappointing when we learned we could no longer use that property as it was going to be turned into a hay field. Friends understood our disappointment and began to look around on our behalf for a new space.  Before too long new 'grounds' were obtained with another generous landowner. The only downfall was that the new land is 40 minutes away. We were spoiled with the other location being so close but everything worked out.  A good time was had by all from spring through to the fall. We were happy to hear how,  as a result of training efforts, a lot of the dogs did well in field events and hunt tests before Maine's bird hunting season began on October 1.

Bird Hunting - Canine family Affair

I make no excuses about not being a morning person and I'm not the early bird that catches the worm! Most of the actual bird hunting is left in John's capable hands and that of our friends.  I did enjoy one morning of hunting with our daughter.  Additionally, John and I headed to the Moosehead Lake Region in Maine for a few days with our entire ATB crew.  Ol' Ruff was rarely sighted! But the dogs loved the total freedom and the chance to spend one on one time with just the two of us. As did I. With the majority of our beloved Brittanys approaching 14, 12, 11, and 10 these moments in time are precious.  The younger dogs were actually taken out to hunt.  The seniors were happy to simply 'be'.

Speaking of lessons and things we learn from our Brittanys. Perhaps one of the greatest lessons we can learn from our senior dogs is the importance of living in the moment. We can experience this with dogs of any age but far to often we may be caught up with an urgency to

Wilderness paradise at Moosehead for ATB.

teach, train, or prepare them for something in particular. By the time the senior dog reaches their golden years the owners sense of urgency arises from the realization that the days of canine companionship are numbered. What may seemingly appear to be insignificant becomes a powerful demonstration of mutual act of love shared with and from them.  Or as we like to say around here "all for the love of the dog, both given and received."

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

PS I am looking for ATB family hunting photos for 2016 - you know where to send them! Thanks.

Originally Published October 25, 2016