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ABR SUCCESS STORIESE-mail stories & photos to success@americanbrittanyrescue.org Maggie
She is getting slower in her older years. She doesn't hear much of anything anymore and I'm not really sure what she sees. She loves her walks in the afternoon. She also is quite a chow hound and will eat almost anything. I'm so glad I adopted her. She has made my life more enjoyable. I look forward to several more years of her funny ways. Thanks for helping me get her. Bob McCorkle
Cooper
I have discovered a best friend in Cooper that is unlike any other. He's my buddy- day and night. Right now he's sleeping on my feet =] He gets to enjoy days of playing down by the falls, chasing the horses around their pastures when we go visit my horse, and just being the puppy he never had the chance to be. And MAN, he is a FAST learner! Cooper has conquered the foll Thanks to everyone who helped me adopt Cooper, and thanks to ABR for rescuing him! Rest assured he has a forever home with a heart that will never be able to love him enough! P.S. I know I attached many photos, but I've taken over 600 over him since I got him! He's too cute not to! Rusty
Attached is his most recent photos of his “Summer Vacation”. We spent 10 days up north on Lake Millacs and Rusty was pretty pooped when we came home. I guess he wasn’t used to all the daytime activities. The best part of the whole vacation was finally seeing Rusty swim for the first time. Up until then he would not go deeper than his feet could touch. We had him out on his friend Yukon’s tube and he jumped off and swam back towards shore!! It was truly amazing. Rusty is all Britt from head to toe! Thank you again for blessing our lives with this most incredible friend. Sincerely, Don and Nancy Bohn Maple Grove, Minnesota Tuscan aka "Kody Gunnar"
We are retired, home most of the time and go camping in our RV as much as we can. We have a five year old Cocker named Laic Jo that also needed a buddy. So we filled the application out sent it and then heard from the foster dad. He called us on December 21st and asked if we wanted to come see Tuscan. We went to Vancouver the next day. Knocked on the door and Tuscan ran to my husband and looked at him like he was ready for the long trip back to Pacific Washington. He came over to me and ran around and jumped up and gave me “a hug” and off to my husband again. We finished all the paperwork and put him in out truck with Laic and took off. What a trip that was, we were hungry so we stopped at McDonald’s and ate in the truck with both dogs. He had such good manners and he and Laci split a hamburger patty. Off we went and when we got home he came in and sniffed the whole house inside and out. At bedtime we put his kennel in the bedroom and he crawled in and slept most of the night. Next night he was in our bed with Laci and so goes the story. He is an absolute delight. We changed his name to Kody Gunnar. I got in contact with a breeder and asked her lots of questions about Brittanys and she was helpful to us. We started hand signals with him right away and he is doing so good. Both my husband and I would love to know his background because some of his actions we think he was abused. We don’t know if he was born deaf or if it happened after he was born. Kody loves to hug us and I thought that was just our dog but we went to the Brittany dog show last weekend and saw that almost all of the Brittanys there give those stand up hugs. We walk him every single day no less than 3 miles. Of course that is also good for us so he is such a smart dog. I can’t say enough about this breed and so glad ABR popped up on my computer. We have read books on deaf dogs, looked on the internet and will keep researching for any information we can find that will help us with Kody. He is an amazing Brittany and he has found his forever home and we have found our forever Brittany. Frosty and Lois Hulsey Rusty
ON July 4 th—just one year ago I came to my forever home in Indiana---wow—I found my own independence for sure. I knew the moment I saw them that I wouldn’t have to worry about anything again---I could just be happy and enjoy the rest of my life. Yep, I am a Senior but so are my “ folks”. Perfect match in my book ! I heard “Mom” on the phone just yesterday telling a friend that I have been here a year but she couldn’t seem to remember life with out me and that I was the best thing that has happened to her. I know when she is talking about me, as I lay at her feet and listen in on her conversations. “Mom” has to use a walker a lot but I am right there to help her---she keeps telling me that I am “AMAZING “—but it is really that I just want to please. I stand between her and the door when the door bell rings and won’t let anyone come past me until she tells me it’s ok. Though I am a Senior I have learned a lot of new commands and tricks since coming to my new home. They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks but believe me that is not true.”Dad” has taught me to wait at the door until he gets the truck out—then he opens the back door for me ---I have my own personal chauffer and I love to go with them and meet people. I have “Mom” keep in touch with both Terri and Adrienne as I want them to know how happy I am that they found me such a loving home. I am so thankful that the ABR found me—took care of me---and got me to Indiana. “Mom” and “Dad” both tell everyone about the ABR –the work they do---and the dogs that need homes and how the ABR need help to get this all done.. My “folks” are especially sensitive about the seniors like me and they always tell others how much the Senior Britts have to offer. Thanks to everyone at the ABR--- MY Independence day will be one of joy and happiness !!! WOOF-WOOF RUSTY PS - Our thanks to foster Mom (Adrienne )--- to Coordinator(Terri)---and to all those who volunteered there time to transport. It is amazing what you all do !!! Linda and Merrill Ritchie Ranger and Scout - A Reuniting!
Ellie
Ellie is a very friendly dog, she LOVES going to the park at GSU and meeting new friends! She runs all day in the yard with her pit bull brother and plays all the time with her lab/chow boyfriend. She loves going to the river and will go crazy if you ask her if she wants to go to Petco! She's perfecting her skills at frisbee and it's doing a great job so far! Everyone who meets Ellie comments on how pretty she is and they love her. She might be a little high strung, and I'm not saying she's perfect, but she is perfect for me. She is my pride and joy, I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. Speaking as a person who has owned other dogs, there is nothing like a brittany! Tyler
In Loving Memory of Brita
Well I'm not sure who was more lonely with one dog, me or the puppy Gertie. The house wasn’t the same without her. That’s when I decided to rescue a Brittany and I wanted a senior Brit. Someone who I can take to the end of life with us. When I opened up the Brittany website and started looking, Stanley was the first guy that I saw and I fell in love immediately. I was very scared to apply because I knew if we got him, no matter what he was ours forever, and within 2 weeks I had applied and he was in his new home in Wisconsin. Stanley came home and took all of our hearts right away, even his sister Gertie's. They bonded right away because Stanley's foster family had a young Brittany and of course we had the older one. It was a perfect match. The pictures in the house are during Thanksgiving. Stanley got to meet all his cousins, and the other winter pictures are Stan and his sister Gert at their cabin in Northern Wisconsin. There are 5 Brittany's in our family, and it all started because of our sweet girl who left us in September. If it wasn't for her, our family wouldn't have all these great dogs. She was the one that started the Brittany thing; We will love that girl "Brita" forever! Monte
Even though that is true, they don't live as long as humans, and that each and every dog has their own personality, I surged forward to find another companion to fill that emptiness in my life. I found American Brittany Rescue on the internet, and spotted a dog that fit our criteria, (and his). He wasn't a puppy (to train myself), so I was unsure what I really wanted, but I thought about all those other Brittany's out there that needed a loving home. The realization came to me! His name is MONTE. He was trained by an inmate within the "Second Chance Pups" program. This intrigued me, both with skepticism and inspiration. In the same way, American Brittany Rescue found Monte and swept him under their wings! They always say that love flows...and it certainly has from one heart to another to find us. Thank you ABR for all your volunteers to make this all possible!!!!!! Monte thanks you too! KazWe got Kaz hoping he would be a good companion for our son, Cian. As you can see from the pictures of their night time ritual of reading together, the plan worked. Kaz is equally popular with our other kids, two of whom are grown up and moved out. In fact, one of our daughters recently left home for nursing school. Her first question when she calls home is often, "Does Kaz miss me?"
Thanks to everyone who volunteers and helps families like ours find really great additions to the family.
Thanks, again,
Kelly Hayden
Rusty
Since his adoption he has continued his “love affair” with his soulmate, fellow Brittany Lily. They had another sleepover this week and can’t get enough of eachother! But in the end, our Rusty enjoys his much needed daily rest! We hope to give you another update later in the Spring. Thank you again to the ABR and especially to Shelley and Dave Duvall from Ankenny Iowa for letting Rusty become such a delightful addition to our lives and blessing us with such a beautiful dog!
Sincerely, Don and Nancy Bohn Kelsey
John Dougherty Beau Boy Rice
We are moving in April 2010 to Summerville, SC to a large house. Beau and his "sister" Belle will love having all the room to run. They also will have a dog park to run in. They've already tested it and gave it their approval. Darryl is taking both dogs hunting in Jan 2010, and I think Beau will love chasing the birds! He is the resident "bugger" here. He definitely has plenty of bugs to chase down here! Hope all is well with you and yours and that you'll have a very happy New Year. Sincerely, Darryl and Denise Rice Gunny
The Starrs, Homosassa, FL DanteDante had a rough beginning. He and 23 other dogs, 3 cats and 6 birds were sheltered by a breeder in horrific conditions. They had little food, water and no love and attention. In October, 2008 volunteers from the American Brittany Rescue organization found them, gave them medical attention, training and temporary homes. When Dante was ready, he was sent to a wonderful foster home with parents who loved him and two other Britts who played with him. Then on January 25, 2009 Dante moved into his “forever” home—our home. Although Dante was already housebroken, he was very submissive and needed “puppy” training. We immediately enrolled him in a class which he learned many human words (aka commands), gained confidence and socialized with other dogs. On Halloween he was a show-stopper in the Botanic Garden’s Spooky Pooch Parade. Our puppy has blossomed into a fabulous dog! At age 2, Dante still acts like a puppy. He loves to frolic in the backyard, play with the kids, go for long walks, take short car rides, and best of all, he loves to cuddle. By nature, he is a hunter so he enjoys chasing squirrels, birds, and bunnies. He is amazingly fast and can jump extremely high. He is remarkably charming, affectionate, smart, and willing to please. As you see, our new addition has touched our hearts. He will never experience another day of hardship again. Our little Dante is here to stay!" Thanks to everyone at ABR! Steve, Chris, Nicole & Matthew Riley
Duke
BrittanyHello American Brittany Rescue:
She is just a "dream". Brittany is my "baby". We have gliders on our porch and during the summer whenever I am sitting on the porch, Brittany comes over and wants to be rocked. She didn't like being held when we first got her but now she loves it and can't get enough. Usually when I'm watching TV at night, she's laying in my lap sleeping. She has turned into the biggest "baby". Course I love that. My husband and I were never able to have children so our Brittany's have become our children. I just love everyone one of them so much. I must spend thousands of dollars on toys with squeakys. Every Friday when I go shopping I usually get them (1) each. They have gotten so they look for my presents when I get home and it usually doesn't take but a day or two before "Brittany" and Bubba have decided to play "tug-a-war" with the toys and then there is fuzz everywhere. I know they'll chew it up but they have so much fun doing it. In the winter time when it's cold, we leave them inside. Thanks for letting me share our story with you. Karen & Kurt Aebi - North Springfield, VT Cooper
Cooper and I wanted to drop you Cooper and Michael Morris JackHi ABR - Much love Matt, Bri, and Jack Brock Red
Cody
It's hard to believe it's been 10 yrs since our Cody came to us from MO and stole our hearts, but it has and we will never be the same because of it. Two years ago, his health started to decline, we did our best to keep him pain free and happy. In the end though time took its toll on his little body and his eyesight & hearing were failing, the arthritis, though under control with metacam, began to take away his quality of life. At the end, he was suffering from canine cognitive dysfunction and would become stuck under the table or in the corner and I would have to gently lead him back to his bed. That was when I knew it was time. I had hoped he would pass peacefully in his sleep, but as he became more confused and the mostly good days became fewer and farther between, I knew I had to do the last loving thing I could possibly do for him. Our beloved boy was mercifully euthanized this morning at the ripe old age of 15. He took his last breath as I held him and stroked him and told him how much I loved him. We laid him to rest beneath the ancient oak in our front yard and this spring I will plant a flower bed over him. I am convinced that he is now in heaven running and chasing rabbits and he will be there to greet me when my time comes. He was the most gentle, sweet boy and I am utterly heartbroken. I will miss him more than words can describe. If love could have saved you. you would have lived forever! Susan Caron Rusty
Originally we thought that he was going to be a sort of "couch potato" but once he realized the first day that he was in his new home to stay things changed very quickly. He has alot of Brittany energy as all britts do and he loved to run in out fenced backyard every time that he is let out. He is still trying to adapt to our two cats, ages 12 and 14. The oldest cat just doesn't seem to care but the youngest is still somewhat frightened by our new pet. This morning the cat and dog were lying side by side in bed with Don watching TV. That was a site!
We have already taken and selected our photographs for our family Christmas card and you can see that Rusty is certainly the center of attention and does not lack any love in his new family. ABR has blessed us with the most beautiful pet and we will both be forever grateful for the opportunity to adopt an animal that needed a home. Don and Nancy Bohn Krystal
You should see my backyard. I have plenty of room to run. There are all kinds of smells, birds, squirrels, etc. to keep me busy. I have been working on my manners. I am really smart but I like to be a little devilish at times, just to see if they are paying attention. My new family has had a lot of family coming to greet me, play and taking me for walks. Boy, this is really exciting. Lucy sometimes puts me in my place when I am acting like a stinker. That is ok because she is older and I should respect her space. I think we are going to be great friends. Lucy even shares her couch with me. I cuddle up to Matt and take a snooze and life is good! See what happens when you are as luck as me, you get a family that truly loves me -- forever! Gotta go now, there is something outside I have to check on.... RustyHi, My name is Rusty,
I was adopted July 4.2009 –when I met my new family I knew right then I was going to live there forever . Then suddenly I realized I was not “just a dog” I was “ FAMILY “ . My “ mom and dad” don’t say “this is our dog.” they say “ this is Rusty, our companion.” It’s great here, I get lots and lots of love, belly rubs, walks and well, you know everything. I didn’t know life could be like this. I try so hard to please my “mom and dad” as they are seniors JUST LIKE ME !! They are so proud of me and tell everyone about the ABR in hopes of seeing another senior like me placed in a forever home. I heard my mom tell someone the other day that a senior Britt has SOOOOOO much to give. Hey, maybe that means me!! A friend told her that she has never seen a dog trying so hard to please. Yep, that would be me !! If I do something ”not so good” they take time to gently say no and explain to me they tell people they know I understand and I do, because I don’t do it a second time. My family put me on a supplement that the vet suggested and wow it has helped me so much in so many ways. I have a nicer coat, more brilliant color, more curls at my ears and am learning new commands the supplement helps the organs as well as the brain. I may be 7-8 years old but now I feel and act much younger. I get to ride a lot because “mom and dad” can’t stand being without me. I love to ride and I know what it means when they say “ do you want to go ?” I don’t even need a leash then I know to go right to the garage and wait for them to open the truck door for me. I have my own comforter on the back seat . Their 6 year old cat was not sure about me at first so I took it easy. Now Junior(cat) and I are best friends. My mom noticed the other day that I stood back and let Junior have a drink of my water (though he has his own). What can I say but it was the gentlemanly thing to do! We even touch noses from time to time. They also have a 5 year old grandson, Matthew, who really loves me too. Matthew loves to give me belly rubs when he comes to visit. I am really glad that ABR cared for me and helped place me in my new and Forever Home. My “mom and dad” are sure happy to have me. Woof-woof (lots of happiness here) Rusty Romeo
Our other Brittany, Rusty had just passed away from liver cancer and we missed him terribly. Then Romeo came into our lives. I thought I would never feel about him the way I had about Rusty but he soon proved that it was possible for us to not only love him as much but even appreciate the special qualities he had. Quiet and sweet from day 1. He would go outside (with no fence) do his business and then come right back to the door to be let in. He sleeps in our bed every night and enjoys a good cuddle on the couch more than anything else. He went from being nervous and cowering when we would take him for a walk to being the good will ambassador. He greets everyone in his quiet friendly way. He's a beam of warmth and love in our house. Yep, our Romeo is a real lover of everyone and everything (except thunder and lightening.) I work for a dog fence company called Best Friend Fence and Romeo is on one of the pages of the brochure. ChanceDear ABR –
Chance, along with 23 other dogs was rescued from a hoarder situation in Putnam County in October 2008. All of the dogs were denied food and water for days at a time, not to mention the dogs lived in crates their whole life. Chance’s original name was Saddleback. He was fostered and adopted, but ended up back to ABR. He did not find his forever home.
ZumaAmerican Brittany Rescue
After losing our first Brittany "Cayesh" to cancer while we were living in the L.A. area, my wife and I decided to wait a while before finding a new Brittany. In time we had relocated to the Seattle WA area and decided it was time to adopt a new dog. I found "Buddy" on your website and knew that he was the one. After going through the adoption application process and convincing ABR that we were serious, I spent 4 days driving to California and back to pick him up from his foster family in Cupertino. By the time we arrived back in Seattle he was Zuma, and he had adopted us as much as we adopted him. Life with Zuma has been challenging, to say the least, but the benefits of course far outweigh whatever issues we've had to deal with. The biggest hurdle we had to face was that Zuma has intense separation anxiety. He would literally have panic attacks if left alone, that were seemingly uncontrollable. I've owned a number of dogs over the years, and never seen anything remotely like this, and admittedly there were times when it was so difficult that I wasn't sure we'd be able to keep him. Eventually, there were two things that helped, if not cure, at least alleviate the problem. One was crate training, and the other was doggie daycare. It took the better part of 2+ years to get him to accept being in the crate alone for any length of time with the door closed. The doggie daycare in the meantime, was probably the one thing that allowed us to keep him. He is totally into hanging out with the other dogs and horsing around all day, and we could get other things accomplished and not have to worry about him hurting himself or destroying our house. I am an avid hiker and one of the things I enjoy is By the way, if you look at the full picture of "Buddy" originally posted when we adopted him, you'll notice a multi-colored squeaky ball between his paws that his foster family had given him. They passed it along to me when I picked him up and he still has the ball, which is by far his most prized possession. Whenever he's away from the house for any length of time, he immediately searches for that ball upon his return, and will not rest until he's found it. It's getting old now and a little brittle, and I worry what might happen if it should ever finally disintegrate. I haven't been able to find the same ball in any pet stores; would you by any chance know of a place to check for an item like that?
Thanks again for helping bring Zuma and our family together. Ken Frost Mandy
Buddy
Harley lived a busy, pampered, but rather quiet life until Easter Sunday when I checked the ABR website. Of course I was 'just looking' which I do at least weekly! Imagine my surprise to see Buddy, an adorable eight month old orange and white/roan puppy being fostered in my home town! We don't see a lot of Britt’s being fostered in Minnesota so this was exciting. I immediately began encouraging my husband about once again having two dogs. He wasn't completely convinced that having two puppies was a smart thing todo. I worked with Jessica over the course of the next two weeks and she offered to bring Buddy over for a visit. As it turns out she lives five minutes from us! What fun the puppies had racing and chasing in our back yard. Harley has extremely long legs and Buddy is built much closer to the ground. They have since become known as Stilts and Stumpy or Harley and the Budster! Harley flies around the yard and Buddy does his best to keep up. Needless to say it was love at first sight for all of us. Buddy moved in the next day both to our home and our hearts. I believe fate lead us to Buddy Easter Sunday, 2007 was also my birthday and with Jessica a stone's throw away I think it was meant to be. Harley and Buddy have completely bonded. We have four black walnut trees in our back yard which brings a large number of squirrels. The boys take their job of patrolling very seriously. They play and patrol all day long generally crashing in their dog beds by 8 PM. When bed time comes both boys are ready to find their spots on our bed.
Thanks ABR for running a wonderful rescue organization! Cindy and Bob Grahek, Buddy and Harley
DixieDear ABR,
She also loves to lay in "mom" lap, and is the first dog I've allowed to do this. She never got into anything, never had an accident, and I don't even have to crate her anymore when I sleep or go out. I've always gotten puppies (1 yr or younger) and had to house break them and curb their chewing. <place w:st="on">Dixie</place> is my first "older" adoption, and she came already house broken and with very good manners. This was really great for me, as I'm a lot older now too. She does like to bark outside so we do have to close her into the house at night, but she doesn't seem to mind and the neighbors I'm sure are happier. She seems to be happy here and after the first week always seems to have a very happy face. She is learning that mom prefers to give treats when she is laying down and calm, rather then when she is jumping around. She's picked up on this quite quickly and now comes to me and lays by me hoping for a treat. If and when something ever happens to her (which I hope won't be for many, many years) I won't hesitate to go straight to the ABR for another "senior" companion! Kathleen Koenig Riley
Then I met Diana Doiron and fell in love with "Doc"... Being the generous lady she is she told me I could take him home if I could put him in my purse. I seriously considered my options but being a rather large Brittany, that was not going to happen. We told her we wanted a puppy and definitely a female. She found us a three year old male and told me to trust her on this. Now I don't know if it is because we have had beagles in the past, which can be a very challenging breed at times, but this dog is the most incredible animal we have ever owned. We have had seven dogs and never had one so loving, fun and full of energy. He is large for a Brittany and a lot of dog for me to handle at times (1 am 4'11") but so much fun and always makes us laugh (my mom calls him Big Bird). His former owners didn't want him anymore and we cannot understand why, but are extremely grateful!! I bet they are regretting their decision, we would. We call him the World's Best Dog, which is a gross understatement. Diana knows he is the World's Best Dog, but doesn't like to admit it, since she has three Brittany's that are pretty special too. She just tries to humor us. We are so glad to have met her and glad to call her our friend. She gives the Brittany Rescue Organization 100% effort and it shows. Thanks Diana! Dick and Susie Besack Zack
This former shelter dog went in style too, courtesy of 4 wonderful volunteer pilots with Pilots N Paws! Zack flew his own private plane ride the whole way, from Livermore to Redding, on to Roseburg & Salem, Oregon, and finally landing at Boeing Field in Seattle. Zack has settled in great so far and was exploring the yard last night, meeting the grandkids and already pointing birds. Gary is an avid hunter and Zack will start training with his new dad soon. They have had Britts before and Zack has a nice big yard to play in and a loving family.
Here is a note from his forever home…
Jean and Gary Dame Rusty
He traveled to Indiana via ABR "doggy relay". It is awesome to feel the love from this dog! Rusty seems to know he now has a forever home. I am handicapped so I told someone that it doesn't matter that Rusty has a limp so do I so we are a perfect match. After hours of riding and transfers, Rusty just seemed to know that he was on the final leg of the journey to his forever home, when he jumped into our truck. Rusty would now like to have his say… "Wow I didn't know there was someone out there that would love me so much. I would have liked to stay with my foster mom as I felt safe there, but both Adrienne and Terry put their heads together and found me the perfect home. I don't even have to go in a crate, I have the run of the house. I heard my new "mom" bragging about me to her friends on the phone… Seems I must be more special than I thought I was. Rusty is gentle and lovable, we adore him. Within just hours of arriving home these photos were taken. Rusty really did make himself at home. I can't find the words to describe my thanks and deepest appreciation to American Brittany Rescue, Adrienne, Terry, as well as the drivers who cared enough to get Rusty within our reach and just think I found ABR by accident on the internet… or was it by accident ???????? The sad part of my story is that I lost my precious 14 year old Brittany (Tess) in Jan 2004, after so many years of companionship. I realize no two are exactly the same but Rusty is sure filling up the ache in my heart. I am so thankful that my husband and I decided to adopt a "senior" like ourselves. THANK YOU and WOOF-WOOF are the only words we know to say to all those who made this possible. The Ritchie's and Rusty
Darwin
I will not lie, though; I am a MAJOR momma’s boy. I love it when you pet me and play with me, but only if I know where Andrea is. If I can’t see her, I get nervous and I will try to sniff her out. She tells me I will be fine, but I’m not so sure. She’s the only one that knows where my favorite spot behind my left ear is. Sometimes she takes me to my auntie’s house, where I get to play with my girlfriends, but after awhile I get anxious and I will chew up things that are made of paper: toilet paper, newspaper, magazines, books you name it. But I LOVE it when my girlfriends come stay with me! I share my bones, toys, and water dish. The only thing I don’t like to share is my spot next to Andrea. I don’t get mad or jealous. I’ll simply act like I want to play to get the attention competition to move, and then take her spot. They fall for it every time! I’ll do something similar if another dog has a toy that I want. And I just learned this great new trick! When Andrea points her finger at me and says, “BANG!” I fall over dead! Then I get a piece of jerky. But sometimes it takes several rounds; after all, I’m a tough guy. I am certainly not gun shy. In fact, when Andrea goes to the shooting range, I try to figure out where the clay pigeon went so I can bring it back to her. Maybe one of these days I will be lucky enough to find a pheasant or grouse to bring back. I can’t imagine my life without Andrea. And she feels the same way about me. Having a constant companion, unconditional love and lots of exercise is my world. What more could a guy like me want? Well, I have the rest of my happy active life to live with Andrea, so I best get back to it now. Any Brittany foster doggies are welcome to come stay with us. I know my commands, sit, stay, down, come, BANG! And how to share. I would be happy to teach my fellow Britts; after all, no dogs are so wonderful as us (my girlfriends are pretty cool though). But they better be ready for lots of walking! Thank you to all involved with ABR and helping me find Andrea!
Darwin and Andrea Buddy
You must know that on April 6, 2009 our precious Kooter, a 12 year old American Brittany passed away. This dog was loved so much by this family. Our 24 year old Down Syndrome daughter would tell everyone that Kooter was her son. I called Sasha, Buddy’s foster mom and Terry the state coordinator. I was ready to give up on this dog named Buddy. He wasn’t house broken, jumped up on the counters, jumped up on me and my husband, got off the leash and RAN….and many other things too numerous to mention. Now, today, the 14<sup>th</sup> of June I am ashamed to admit the above. This dog, our wonderful, loving, fun, CALM, Buddy has melted our hearts. I am proud to say that Buddy points at ALL birds, rabbits, the cows on the farm, though he doesn’t care for the cows when they reach their long tongue through the fence holes to attempt to lick him. He is TOTALLY house broken, loves laying between my husband and I to soak up ALL the loving and praise that he can and minding me in most everything I tell him or ask of him. He now knows the “sit” and “shake” commands. Buddy is very intelligent and I must say that I truly think this dog “smiles” when I talk to him. Buddy will be taking obedience classes this fall. After we have accomplished this, I would like him to be trained as a therapy dog. The following is an ABSOLUTE true story. On June 1<sup>st</sup> I returned to my family doctor. The week before I had been diagnosed with Bronchitis and just was not any better. The doctor did a chest x-ray and stated that now I had pneumonia, so she prescribed a strong medication/antibiotic, which I had filled at the pharmacy, went home and took one pill. About 45 minutes later I thought to myself, “Why is my throat so sore? I shouldn’t have a sore throat now.” Approximately 5 minutes later I couldn’t breathe. To make a long story short I was having an anaphylaxis reaction (severe allergic) to this medication. This means that I was swollen from the inside out, which means my airway was closing. Buddy sensed that something was wrong with me, because I remember him grabbing my sweatshirt sleeve and pulling me towards the door. I had a nice ride in the ambulance that afternoon. I do remember telling my niece, who is a nurse at the medical center, “I left Buddy tied out at the house. He can’t be left outside in this heat.” My wonderful, fun loving precious Buddy sensed I needed help and was trying to get me out the door. Have you ever heard of dogs being trained to know when their master is going to have a seizure or a diabetic reaction? How smart our animals can be and are! We have a camper on a lake that stays there all year long. If you are contemplating adopting a Brittany, remember the life span of these wonderful dogs. It truly is a commitment…but how rewarding to have the love, companionship and devotion of this great breed of dogs. In one short month, Buddy has restored my faith, my love, and my devotion to a dog. After Kooter died I told my family I didn’t wan t another dog, I couldn’t go through losing one again. In return this dog gives so much of the same back to me, my husband and our special girl Breann. Of course this all takes patience, love, persistence and rewards. At least 3 times every day, for the last 33 years my husband tells me he loves me. And once again we have a wonderful loving Brittany in our lives to tell “Buddy, you are such a good boy. We love you.” The Barnick family would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those special people that are involved with the American Brittany Rescue; the state coordinators, the foster moms and dads, the volunteers that perform the home visits, the monetary donations given by everyone…I hope I didn’t miss anyone, but I am sure I did, however “THANK YOU” from the bottom of Buddy’s, Scott’s, Marilyn’s and Breann’s hearts. We love you all! Sincerely, Marilyn and Scott Barnick CamiWe lost our 2nd Brittany "Rusty" in September of 2008 and were just devastated. He was 12 years old and had both doggie Alzheimer's as well as dementia. I took care of him with lots of love for over a year and a half. We adopted him when he was 3 years old and he gave us such joy. I wasn't sure if I wanted another dog and on Thanksgiving Day 2008 my husband was searching the ABR website and came across a 4 month old little Brittany/Pointer. He showed me her picture and I just fell in love with her. I called her foster mom Diana Dorion and since she was in our local area, went to see her; she was an absolute doll and when Diana told me we were approved I just cried.
Thank you so much Debra & Dennis Butkovich TessI just want to drop a note to tell you what a wonderful little girl we got from American Brittany Rescue.
We took Tess to our home to meet Booker, out 8-yr old male Brittany adopted from the local humane society. He couldn't have been happier to have a new sister. We have 15 acres for the dogs to run. Tess is so fast that Booker has a hard time keeping up with her but the exercise has been great for him. At his last check-up, the vet said he has dropped a few pounds and has the heart of an athlete.
Thank you ABR for all the great work you do and THANK YOU Cathy and Ron! I know you guys had grown attached and we promise to take good care of her. Sincerely, Jeanette & Mike Symmonds (Harrisburg Missouri)
Eva
Spencer
He is really 'borne to play' full o
Thank you all for this opportunity, Chris, Cindy, Dylan, Eric, Bryce, and of course, Spencer
What Love Is....In 2005, after the loss of our 16 year-old American Brittany Spaniel, Freckles, who was much loved not only by us, but by all who knew her, we decided that the house was too empty without her and wanter another Brittany. Knowing that Freckles had lived a very long and happy life, we thought about getting two, so that they would be company for each other when we weren't in the house. We also decided that we should rescue the dogs, so I contacted American Brittany Rescue in New Jersey. We filled out the necesary paperwork and we looked on-line, and we talked to Michelle; she knew we wanted two, but advised that the policy was to adopt one and if things worked out, in six months we could adopt another. So we looked and waited; then one-day in October we got a call from Michelle; who said there were two Brittanys in South Jersey up for adoption who had been together their entire lives and if possible they did not want to separate them. There was one problem, one of the dogs had a pda (a hole in her heart), we said we would go see them and if they liked us and we liked them we would adopt. Well, it was love at first sight; these two girls with boy's names, Zico and Pele, were just beautiful, Pele the elegant lady and Zico the hunter. Zico, had the hole in her heart, but you would never know it. When I sat on the floor and played with Zico, I could not understand how anyone could give these dogs up. We said yes, and on Novermer 6th 2005 they came into our home and our hearts to stay. In January 2006, with the cardiologist telling us he was 90% sure, he could fix her pda, we tried. The surgery did not work; and they wanted to try again. Then and there we said, we'd give her the best life for as long as she had, we could not put her in pain or danger again.
On April 16th, while at the groomers, she just laid down and died. Her big and generous heart gave out. She taught us so much about living life in the moment and to the fullest without every having said a word. We loved her so and Lou, Pele and I will miss seeing her run around the house with a squeaky toy in her mouth and how she filled the house with her infectious joy. But as with Freckles, even though it hurts, to love them so, she added so much to our lives. Thank you Brittany Rescue for bringing her and Pele to us. She lived 'til she died and we are grateful for that. Lois, Lou and Pele Schulze
In Memory of "Ruby"
Other fosters came and were adopted out of the Schindlbeck home, and Ruby was a willing friend to many playmates. Earlier this year Ruby was diagnosed with a terminal condition. Although the Schindlbecks put her through treatments, the condition worsened and Ruby had to be put to sleep on April 6th. Ruby made the lives of anyone lucky enough to meet her even better, and she will be greatly missed. Farley and OliviaHi ABR- Bridget and BarryTwo years ago in June, I was working with American Brittany Rescue trying to find a dog to replace my first Britt, Tony. He was a champion hunter and loved to hunt, he lived till the ripe old age of 14 ½ years old, doing what he loved doing. I had to put him down when
Belle, Meg and "C"In late-summer 2003, I learned that my company was re-structuring and I was being laid off. I could have sought a different job at the same investment management firm, but I felt it was time for a change. I was actually excited and told my husband, Mike, "I can look for a job close to home. And we can get a dog." "We don't need a dog," he replied. So I set about doing my research to see what kind of dog we'd look for. I assumed we'd go to the SPCA or some other shelter, but I wanted an idea what to look for. I settled on a <state w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Brittany</place /></state />. That's when I found American Brittany Rescue. I told Mike all about the breed and ABR and my plan to start volunteering with ABR to get to know the breed. "We don't need a dog," he said, "but if you want a dog, I guess that's okay."
C looked pretty pathetic. Even after she'd made immense improvements under Kelly's loving care. She was 7.5 years old, had bad ear infections, callouses on her elbows from her concrete kennel, and she was very skinny. It was obvious she'd been kept in a kennel and used for breeding. In late-January, Kelly delivered our baby to us. The love affair had begun. Six months later, Mike told me he loved me for knowing we'd needed a dog. "I love CeCe," he admitted. And he did. She was his baby. He always referred to her as his pretty little girl. We fattened the gentle little soul up nicely, and she really was a beautiful, loving dog. She had a few weird quirks, but that just made us love her more. She quickly became an integral part of our family. I did some fostering for ABR, too. C would always get depressed and lonely after the fosters left. That's when we decided we needed another dog to keep C company. In February 2004, we adopted Meg (then Cassie), an owner-assisted placement from <state w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Ohio</place /></state />. Meg was nothing like our obedient, sweet little C. She was quite a handful. She chased our oldest cat, Moses, relentlessly. She wasn't trying to eat her, just play with her. But Moses would have none of it. When not even repeated shocks from the e-collar she'd come equipped with would stop her, I was about to give up. It was making me crazy! I complained to Kelly, C's foster Mom, who reminded me of the 6-month commitment. Knowing I couldn't give up on Meg yet, I turned to the ABR message boards for help. One of the volunteers suggested ditching the e-collar in favor of a water bottle filled with vinegar water. I was absolutely amazed to discover that it worked like a charm. The e-collar has been in a drawer, unused, ever since. That's when the love affair with Meg, aka Crazy Girl, began. Meg and C became fast friends. They didn't play together much in the normal sense (C didn't know how to play!), but they were pals. Mike and I remarked often that we couldn't imagine life without our doggie-girls. C gave us quite a scare in January 2007. She'd been having some bouts of vomiting. An ultrasound revealed a very large tumor in her spleen that needed immediate attention. By immediate, I mean, the vet said, "I've already pushed all other surgeries back. This needs to be removed today." The splenectomy was successful. With vitamins and some ground beef once a week, the vet said she'd do well. And she did. Until Spring of 2008 when the unthinkable happened. C started showing signs of illness. We tried all different kinds of treatments. When X-rays didn't reveal anything untoward, we tried different medications, different foods, a variety of supplements. The poor girl had diarrhea for months and lost quite a bit of weight. She'd fattened back up and things seemed to be under control. Then, in October, the diarrhea started in earnest again. The vet recommended an ultrasound. The results weren't definitive. Her liver looked bad and her intestinal walls were showing signs of thickening. "We can do some exploratory surgery or continue treating her and see what happens," the vet said. The choice was ours. He wasn't pushing for the surgery. C seemed to be doing well until about mid-November when she started showing signs of lethargy. She moaned a lot and we noticed abdomen swelling. That's when we knew the time had come to make the hardest decision of our lives. The vet told us, based on his 20+ years of experience, that it was most likely liver cancer. He assured us that he would have done exactly what we had done and would not have opened her back up either. Mike and I stayed with C until the very end. It was the hardest thing either of us have ever had to do. But she deserved it. We cried for days. We were all lost without C. Meg especially. I knew we'd get another dog eventually, but seeing Meg suffering prompted me to start looking for another dog in early December. It had only been a couple of weeks, but I wanted to get the process rolling. That's when we found Belle on the ABR Web site.
Belle moved in on January 3. Despite our initial thoughts of renaming her, once I'd met Belle, I knew the name fit. So Belle she has remained. She's the perfect little dog for us. She's a little firecracker who runs like the wind when she's outside, but she's a total lap dog inside. Literally. In fact, I've had to learn to share my lap with Belle and my notebook computer. Meg loves her, too. The two of them play constantly. Belle runs circles around Meg, but Meg puts in a good effort. Once again, we couldn't imagine life without Belle. Mike and I firmly believe it was fate. Belle was meant for us. While we'll never forget C, who was a much different dog than Belle, we're very pleased to have Belle as part of our family. Belle's foster parents, Michelle and Chris Falkinburg, who helped bring Belle into our lives, still wish they'd kept Belle for themselves because she is such a little jewel. That's the hardest part of fostering. An article in the recent ABR newsletter about this aspect of foster parenting ended with, "If it helps anyone, remember we are helping some families heal as well as the Britts." Thanks to Michelle, Chris and ABR, our hearts are on the mend. Our family is healing and we are totally in love with our new little girl.
DaisyI always considered myself a fan of the book “The Little Puppy” which features a Brittany puppy. You can imagine my astonishment one day, to find a similar looking puppy walking by our house with his owner. My husband and I began talking with this neighbor about his puppy. The neighbor confirmed that the puppy was indeed a Brittany, and said his family loved the dog’s temperament. Meanwhile, the puppy demonstrated his temperament by washing my face with kisses. This little “breed ambassador” for Brittanys put me onto the trail of finding one for our family.
Everywhere that I go with Daisy, she acts as a great ambassador for rescue Brittanys. People who meet her are interested to hear that she is a Brittany, and then amazed to hear that she is a rescue dog. Daisy’s vet and the staff at the vet clinic fell in love with her, and one of our neighbors describes her as “a great dog!” We couldn’t agree more—she is a great dog. She is blessed to have been rescued by ABR, and we are even more blessed to have her as a part of our family! Thank you Michelle, Karen, and ABR! MaisieHi ABR - Maisie my brittany originally from Kansas as a 13 month old... she traveled by "Brittany Express" to us, to live in RI. The women and men who helped were fabulous. She (previously Lady, now Maisie) and I have been best friends from the start, July 2005. Maisie has been healthy, happy and rambunctious which is part of her charm. Everyone who meets here loves her! In september 2008 Maisie and I relocated to England! She's loving it here and adapted to her new home with ease. She loves all the walking, ducks and sheep and has actually learned to point! (She's usually moving too quickly to take the time to point however...) Anyway, I wanted to write to say thank you to the entire organization for bringing Maisie into my life, and to let you know how well she is doing. Thanks! Michelle MayOur senior success story has now ended with the passing of our beloved brittany, May, in March of 2008. Back in 2002, May and her pups were turned out into the cold and snow of a Michigan winter after her owner went into the hospital. The long and cold winter claimed her pups and she only made it by eating out of trash cans and avoiding the people who chased her away from them. She ended up in the pound. On her last scheduled day she was saved by her foster, who pulled her out. After many days in and out of the vet and time spend healing at our foster's home, she was put on the ABR website. Meanwhile, about the time she was rescued by our foster, out 15 year old Cocker Spaniel died. She was a better dog every day up to the last and we were now used to older dogs - so we decided we wanted to adopt a brittany that was 8-10 years old and needed a home. We found May on the website in July and finished the adoption process in August of 2002. Our first weeks were difficult. She was very anxious from losing her foster. But within a month she knew she was part of our home. It has been wonderful ever since. May had a certain dignity and grace about her. She was never playful but always loving. May was always the good-natured and patient one. Although she didn't really like kids, kids always gravitated to her calm and quite manner. May never growled at them, she just tired to leave the area. We did the best we could to get the children to focus on other dogs in the family, but they all just loved May. She loved to travel in the car with us. In fact her favorite place to stay was the car. Something about it always made me think that it was some sort of emotional connection to her original owner. Sometimes I would leave the hatch open in one of our cars on the weekends so she could jump in there and sleep. Her other passion was sea gulls. The sound of gull's cry would send her straight into the water to swim after them - and this is from a dog who just hated to get her ears wet. Likely, her favorite place was the Outer Banks with sea gulls everywhere and dog friendly beaches to roam. Although in her last years, she would rather chase them in her sleep under the shade of a tree. Getting her to break down her emotional defenses and be loved was tough at first, but she came around. I think in the end that made her special. All the advantages of owning an older dog really are true. They just need you more than younger ones and their needs also take much less human energy. A nice leisurely walk, some petting, a warm and soft place to sleep and maybe time to chase a few gulls. (We also have a younger rescued Britt - who needs high energy play from us to keep happy) I know that many folks are concerned about having to go through the loss of a dog too often if they adopt a senior. And believe me, it always hurts. But after losing May, I have come to realize that when I look back on all the dogs that I have owned in my life, each one of them is a special pleasant memory, regardless if I had the dog 10 years or 3. I think that in my life, the more of those memories the better. If each one of them comes with the added benefit, of knowing that I helped my dog when few others would, I think it makes life that much richer. It was estimated that she as 9-10 years old when we got her. We were fortunate to have had her in our lives for 5 1/2 years. She too was a better dog every day. I guess really all dogs get that way. She is missed every day! ChanceDear ABR; Bill, Karen, Jesse and Angelia Shaw Luc and SamHi ABR,
We really weren't sure what to expect or how our older brittany Sam would take to a new dog in the house. We rescued Sam 9 yrs ago from a local family that kept him outside on a very short chain 16 hrs a day. Needless to say he wasn't socialized with humans much less with other dogs. When we got Sam he wasn't thrilled with having to share us with another dog in the house, much less the 6 mo old.brittany named Jake we already had. Sam tolerated Jake & would play with him on Sam's terms, which Jake was ok with those terms. For 7 years they had a love/tolerate relationship, Jake loved Sam, but Sam only tolerated Jake. If Sam was sitting next to me, Jake wasn't allowed within a 3 foot radius, he got the warning growl from Sam. Sam was jealous of any dog that wanted our attention. It was the rare occasion that you saw Jake & Sam sit next to each other.
Jake died In January of 2008, and we were really surprised that Sam seemed lost without him considering he mostly tolerated him. Sam was never aggressive toward Jake or any other dog,but we had concerns about getting another dog after Jake's death. Then in May of this year we decided to check out the ABR website to see how adoption works. We were sure there was a Britt out there that needed a good loving home. We decided to start the adoption process just in case we found one, even though we were still unsure of adoption or how Sam would react to a new housemate. Our home visit went great, the person who came for the visit brought her dog & Sam was thrilled to see him. That was good news. We're thinking this might just work out after all Sam really is a sweet dog, but he's not very active, or as we call him, a bit of a Slug. Sam likes his naps & doesn't like to be bothered unless it's dinner time.
In June of 2008 we were looking again at the ABR website & came across a picture of Luc. He was so cute with all those freckles & little brown toes. After reading the story his foster parents wrote about him, we new we wanted Luc. We brought Sam over to meet Luc at his foster parents' home. We were scared to death that Sam would growl or just ignore Luc. Luc bounded up to Sam & Sam actually wagged his tail & seemed to think Luc was alright.Great first step! A week later we brought Luc home. Luc made himself right at home, finding out that our couch was the best place for a nap and that our home came with a playmate, or so he thought. We kept them apart for the first day, letting them sniff each other briefly just in case Sam didn't want him around. At first Sam would keep his distance, but gradually he'd let Luc get close. Then by day 3, Sam would let Luc nibble on his ear. Within the week we saw Sam playing with him. We were shocked & thrilled! While Sam was on my lap, he would actually let Luc get on my lap between us. This was a miracle! Jake was never allowed to do this. Now, 6 months later, they are best friends. They play & run together like they've been brothers all their lives. Sam is acting like he's 2 instead of 10. We are just thrilled that this adoption worked out for Sam & for Luc. Now Luc is the Prince of the house & Sam is the older wiser King. Luc adores Sam & we actually think the feeling is mutual!
Tony & Susan Serafin RedThis is my story about Red. He was adopted in April or 2006 by my husband and I. He was approximately 7 years old then. We live in Michigan but went to Ohio to pick him up. He was very excited to come to a new home but needed help in behavior problems. We took him to obedience school just to learn how to walk on a leash which I don't think he ever did. It was like teaching a puppy. He also decided to help himself of any food on the kitchen counter and all good things like that. Apparently he had never been taught these things and I think he had been in a few different homes who just didn't have the patience to teach him. After two sessions of obedience he finally succeeded and became our good Red.Near the end of 2006 I lost my husband which left just Red and myself at home. Because my husband and I were older we had decided to get an older dog so now here we were just two of us for our pack. Red seemed well but there was something that told me after time went by that he just wasn't himself and early this year he began drinking a lot of water. After a thorough checkup at the vets we discovered he was diabetic. I think he had been for a while but it just didn't manifest itself. To make a long story short, he lost his sight completely because of diabetic cataracts in just weeks. He was a serious case. He didn't adjust to his plight and neither did I. I became his seeing eye person and I didn't adjust well to this either. My regular vet suggested I take him to an opthamologist veterinarian which I did and fortunately the cataracts hadn't done any damage to his retina in either eye. He was a candidate for cataract surgery. It was very expensive but after much soul searching I decided to go ahead with having both eyes done. He survived the surgery well but had major reactions to some of the medications and ended up in emergency care for three days which almost doubled my cost. We had a great deal of trouble getting the diabetes under control. Guess what! He made it through and is now a happy sighted Red. Both of my vets seem to think he is a couple years older than he was supposed to be but even if he is that is okay with me because we have become real buddies. He sleeps a bit more than he used to but still loves his daily walk and still loves to play tug of war and chase his toys. He is a great guy! This is a picture taken after all his trials and tribulations just resting on the back deck. I am very happy with my buddy and he is very content at his permanent home. He will be with me forever. Another success story... Eileen Irish HankAdopted Hank three years ago, he was classified as older then. I was worried that my being gone most of the day would make it hard on him. Well.. so wrong. He's such a gentleman, lives with the two girlie cats, Peanut and Punkin, and has been a superb traveling companion.I've taken him to hotels in Grand Rapids, Michigan after a five hour ride in the car, and he's never barked or howled one time. I now take him Sunday afternoons to the Assisted Living center where my 82 year old Mom is residing, and the residents there love him. He eats up all the back scratches and extra attention he gets. He also is a better mouse catcher than the two cats. He has added two to his trophy list. Had to cover his nose to get him to drop both of them. In the winter, they come in from the fields behind us. Hank has also found the chipmunks, muskrats, squirrels, and bunnies that live in the 90 acre wetlands our project is built around. He shakes he gets so excited. He loves the grandkids when they come; his tail wags the whole time, and he smiles a big grin when they are here. And he's smart. He waits until I'm asleep before he gets up on MY bed. Loves pillows, riding in the car, playing chase when I get home at night, and of course treats. Hank is now almost deaf, but knows my hand signals and understands when I shake my head yes or no. He'll do anything for bacon. So would I drive to Louisville,KY for Hank again. Absolutely!! he's convinced me that I will always have a brittany in my home. Devoted, loving, with a great sense of humor. Hank loves to play jokes, and does his bow and grin when you laugh. Almost makes up for getting up when the wind chill is 8 degrees for a pottie break. SashaOur Sasha Girl took the long Brittany Rescue "Travel Express" to her forever home up here in Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada, at the end of August, 2008. She joined her sister brittany, Tempest, whom the family adopted approximately four and a half years ago. Sasha sends many Thanks to Steve and Terry, her foster family, as well as Lynn and all the rest of her helpers who voluntarily transported her to the US border where my husband traveled for sixteen hours straight to pick her up and bring her home to me.Tempest had recently lost her best friend and playmate, Brandydee, to old age and she was showing signs of depression. We began to search for a new sister for her and soon we discovered that only another brittany could fill that position in our hearts. As soon as we saw Sasha on the ABR site we knew she belonged to our family. She is a beautiful soul with a huge amount of energy and we have come to love her very much over the last three months. Although she's a year old, her "puppy" actions keep us hopping and make us laugh a lot. The first thing she showed us was how she can jump from the ground up over our son and land right in the middle of the kitchen table without seeming to move a muscle. We truly have another "child" in the house whom our foster sons and young grandchildren adore. Sasha made herself right at home from that first night when she climbed into our bed and lay her head down between the two pillows. Although she crowds me all night long, with much grousing and grumbling I allowed her to own some of my space. You see, when she first arrived here she suffered separation anxiety. She could be in a sound sleep on the couch or floor but if I were to leave the room her head comes up with a look of panic on her face and she quickly runs after me. I've noticed lately that her anxiety has lessened considerably over the past month as the bond we are creating deepens, in some part thanks to a small hint from Terry about Sasha and belly rubs. My...how she loves them! She has also taken ownership of my grandsons toys and stuffed animals, as you can see in one of the pictures. Thanks ABR for making our life much better Ron and Linda SneakersI believe it has been close to 5 years since we adopted our brittany Sneakers from ABR and yet I don't know how I could have ever lived without her.My family adopted her as our 2nd brittany Casey was on her last few months of life. Sneakers was 3 when we adopted her so we were worried she would be too rough with Casey who was getting weaker every day. However, she took better care of her then we ever could have. My sister and I have both moved out of the house since we adopted Sneakers, but we felt ok leaving our parents behind because they now have a 3rd daughter :) Sneakers is the type of dog who makes you feel more loved than most humans are able to! Every time she goes on a walk she acts as though she has NEVER been outside in her life (she goes on at least one walk a day). She has the most amazing personality I have ever seen in a dog and is the closest to human a dog could ever be! She is spoiled rotten and deserves every minute of it! HunterHunter here well let me tell you, I got a plane ride from Oklahoma City to Little Rock AR where I met up with my forever mom and her daughter in law. They told me I was a good looking guy. Well what else can be said? We then had a long ride home to Stone Mountain GA, we finally got there around 10 pm and I met my new sisters. We met in the front yard and did all our sniffing and hello’s and then we got to go in the back yard. Well, let me tell you, my little sister Layla (1 year old liver and white brittany) and I ran the 50 lap feature and jumped on each other and played and played. She told me I was okay and we would be forever friends. My older sister Jasta (9 years old) a French brittany wasn’t as friendly but did go into play pose with me a couple times and she prefers to ignore me. That’s an older sister for you! Besides, I don’t speak French! We have a large patio to lay on and I love being outdoors and just watching everything. They have deer here, owls and lots of birds. I do like to bark at the trees at night and howl so my mom and dad put a bark collar on me that squirts citronella up my nose. It only took me once to figure out I don’t like that! I have my own bed at the foot of mom’s bed and sleep there just like I had been here all along. The treats are great and we all line up and sit until we get our treat. Mom here: Hunter has moved in like he has always been here. Layla can’t believe she finally has someone to play with as Jasta doesn’t play all the time. He made his first trip to the vet on Thursday and yes his hips are bad. The vet said when he starts not getting up, peeing on himself or appears in pain, then we should consider surgery. Hopefully when that time comes we will be able to see our way to getting it done. We also have an appointment with another vet who uses a surgical technique using small gold balls inserted into the hips and muscle tissue along with acupuncture. A friend of ours had that don on his French brittany and you wouldn’t even know he had hip displaysia. Hunter has a forever home and he is a welcome addition to our family. After we see the other vet, another update will come and maybe a few pictures of the girls and their new brother. Update 10/17/2008 Hi Hunter here. Well, I have gotten used to my new home and now sleep on the bed. They have steps for my sister Jasta and with my hips, jumping is not so good. I figured those steps out and go up and down when I want. My sister Jasta, still speaks French to me and ignores me but that’s ok as my other sister Layla plays with me all the time. My sister Layla is a liver and white and my other sister Jasta is a little french brittany (orange and white). I love to lay in front of the patio door so I can keep an eye on anything happening in the backyard. The deer come right up to the fence and I want to play with them but they aren’t interested. Mom tells me that I am going to a special vet next to look at my hips. Crys Mongiat JakeThis is Jake's story: Jake came to us from an amazing foster home. We met him when he was still a puppy. The first time we saw him we fell in love. He destroyed a stuffed animal and jumped up to activate the refrigerators ice machine. He used to think that was a treat dispenser, he has since learned ice doesn't compare to a rawhide. We took him for a walk and he pulled the whole way but he was so enthusiastic. Jake now lives on a lake and is free to roam nine months of the year. The rest of his time is spent in Florida. He loves to go jet skiing. He is the master fisherman...he has caught a fish, crayfish and muscles out of the lake. He and my dad take golf cart rides looking for squirrels. He has many friends human and animal. I truly have never met a friendlier dog. Thanks to everyone for all that you do Jake and his people: Jenn, Andre, Rebecca, Dave and Jan CharlieFrom the first time I read Charlie’s Bio on the ABR website I knew he was the little guy we were looking for. Sprung from the ASPCA on New Year’s Eve 2007, just 2 year’s old and 26 lbs, he was the one for us. I went to visit him in mid-March and he found his forever home the next week. It’s hard to believe he’s been with us for only 6 months, it seems like he’s always been here. Now at 32lbs and showing his “Brittany” colors the scared little guy I first met is just a memory. Charlie is now my constant companion, passenger in the front seat of the truck, and co-pilot in my small airplane. Although we still refer to him as a “goofy little guy” at times, he has turned out to be more than we’d hoped for in a dog. Thank you ABR for all you do for these dogs and especially for introducing Charlie to us.Charlie’s people, Rich and Tracey Steiner GunnerAfter meeting and departing with Gunner yesterday we had an uneventful six hour drive home, stopping several times for walks. Gunner was very restful for the entire trip and has settled right in. I took him to a small dinner party last night (dogs allowed). He was just so comfortable around other people and when it was time to eat he just came and lay down beside my chair. He never begged for food and was a real gentleman. He got lots of petting and attention form everyone and also got along well with the hosts dog.We took a long walk (me walk, Gunner run ) this morning and again this afternoon in the rain. He is a bird hunting, bug chasing, ground sniffing machine. When we came back home he just went right into his crate and is now taking a good nap. Hum - that sounds like a good idea, think I'll do the same. Thanks for taking such good care of him. He is just so sweet and good mannered and I am so proud to be his new forever Dad. Also thanks to Ron from Idaho and Dave from Montana for all the good work that you folks do. I could not be happier with having this wonderful little guy in my house and in my life. Fletcher and Gunner JazzHi ABR - After having many seizures that grew in intensity and in shorter periods of time in between, I took him in for testing. They never found the cause of the seizures but uncovered a large spleen tumor that took up most of his stomach area. With further examinations, it was determined that he required immediate surgery to remove the tumor or else he was going to bleed-out as the tumor was rupturing. I had a difficult decision to make for him because the statistics from my vet told me that even with the $5,000 emergency surgery, there was a 50/50 chance it was cancerous. They also uncovered arthritis in his hips which he never showed any signs. Jazz never once complained of his ailments, not even a whimper, and so I asked Jazz what he wanted. He looked up in the sky, sniffed the air, and then laid his head down on the grass to say, "thank you, mamma, for a good life." He told me he was ready. So with a big hug and tons of kisses, I wished him well on the journey to meet with his long time buddy, Miles, who crossed rainbow bridge just a year and 3 months prior, in Feb 2007. The next day, I was thinking about my "boys" in doggie heaven, wondering if they were running free together in fields of grass chasing rabbits, when I looked up in the sky and there were two lone geese flying in tandem across the sky over a field of grass. I smiled. I knew they had found each other and they were telling me they were happy and together once again. I miss my boys but I know they are both pain free and happy to be off leash FOREVER! P.S. the picture attached was taken of Jazz exactly 3 months (minus 1 day) before he died-- he didn't show any sign of a tumor or any pain, what an amazing dog he was! (Jazz is facing the camera romping with a Welsh Springer) Chip 'formerly known as Chipley'Chip has made our lives fuller, more interesting and provides continued companionship for Pete, the alpha male in our “pack.” We read about training dogs by the pack method a year ago and chose a modified version. The results are exciting and in keeping with what seems to work for Chip and for us.Our 30 year history with Britts started with a pup named Bess. Our 2nd and 3rd Brits had died about 12 months apart Louis, our male (#3), outlasted Libby, our female (#2), who was two years older. She died in her 14<sup>th</sup> year. Both dogs had given us so much pleasure. However, we decided when we lost Libby that when Louis passed on, we would take a break from having animals. What we didn’t realize was how much we missed our Brits. About two weeks after Louis had died I thought I would take a quick look at rescued Brittanys online. The ABR is an excellent site because it is organized in a way that helped me, mildly curious at the time, narrow down quick looks in a very easy manner. And there he was…Chipley. Little was known about him. What was stated was clear and compelling as I browsed the bios. Gloria, his foster mom, had said he had worn his teeth down to spots barely visible except for some grinders and broken bottom and upper canines, possibly due to being caged and trying to get free. It is obvious he wants to please us but it made me wonder what had happened to him in his earlier years. How do you say “Eat!” in dog language? It all starts with Chip’s meal preparation. When I pick up the bowl, he will go to his crate and wait. When the meal is ready I call him; he doesn’t always come. I start waving the bowl of food and then he comes - but not all the way; just to within two feet or so and sits, waiting for the next command. He is cautious but not because we think he was abused with food but because he seems to have been trained to come in stages, waiting for the next command. This is a strong statement regarding his patience and calmness. I would love to know the magic words; I have tried many different ways to verbally let him know he can eat yet no changes or recognition of the words that I tried. I finally walk away and leave it to him to eat when he is ready. Happiness expressed! We were told that he liked fuzzy things, and sure enough he was walking by me with one of my winter furry hats. I saw it and said, “Drop it!” He dropped it immediately. When visiting family they introduced him to their dog’s toys – furry little animal dolls. Chip jumped in and loved picking them up and running around with a couple of them in his mouth – he was happy and kind of…showing off. He would prance around with something that seemed like glee. Was he trained for birding we wondered? It is obvious that Chip had been obedience trained, he responded to the basic commands quickly. Chip knew how to heel, sit, go down, and to stop/halt when his name is called. I do not feel confident that he would do as well if unleashed in public. He likes our company and will howl when we come home. This quickly escalated to loud barking at us – as though he was giving us a lecture about being gone. Even if one of us was home, when the other came back, the “berating” for going out without him started in. It would not stop until I yelled, “Shut up!” in a brash sort of way and he would immediately stop and go to his crate. Those two words, said so strongly, language I do not use, would bring him to such a stop in that behavior that I wasn’t sure what his past was telling me. I yelled it on only two occasions. Then his “berating” or greeting at such a high level, disappeared. Sometimes, if Pete and I leave together we can hear him barking. He still greeted us enthusiastically when we returned. He did his singing howl but it didn’t end up with the loud barking at us. Yet his early reactions made us think that he was yelled at and did not like it or maybe he did not like loud noise. 1 + 1 = 2 So, Chip liked fuzzy things and one day, while Pete was out shopping, he bought a stuffed animal for him – soft, fuzzy, and really meant for a child. Chip was overjoyed at getting his own fuzzy jaw full. Too large to go very far into his mouth and just right to end up as a muffler! He would prance around in large circles with his mouthful making all types of noises but muffled and funny to watch and very funny to listen to. Lizard lover… In 1 week he caught 2 lizards and brought them into the house – at separate times. Then he tried to find them. That is when his hindquarters were in the air and his tail wagging very quickly. He will stay on the lizard patrol - prowl and pounce - for extended periods of time. When on lizard patrol Chip will barely acknowledge his name when I call him, I have to go over to him to interrupt his nirvana. Oh, he’s finally quiet – he is lying down, on his belly with a watchful eye towards the underside of a small cabinet where at least one of the latest lizards is hiding. Did I mention what a wonderful, deep bark he can use – to alert us of something he heard? Daily he checks out the perimeter of the backyard looking for anything and listening to everything. What a wonderful dog and how happy he makes us feel and when he barks outside or at the door, we know to check things out. Chip, on the job…and seemingly lovin’ it! A wonderful past six months. JebDear ABR, Gloria and her husband have been foster parents to countless brittany's. About 18 months ago Jeb came to their home as a foster. This was Jeb's second trip to ABR so Gloria wanted to make certain that Jeb found the right home. About the same time we were looking for a new addition to our family. After doing some research we thought a brittany would be the right fit for us. That is how we found the ABR website and a picture of Jeb. After several phone calls and e-mails we were invited to Vero Beach to meet Jeb. We were very excited and a little nervous because we weren't sure until we met Jeb if we could adopt him. When we walked into Gloria's house there was Jeb - a timid escape artist with an under-bite. It was love at first sight. Jeb has been with us for about 1 1/2 years now. We are so thankful for the work that volunteers like Gloria and her husband do and the support she provided us. We have also had an opportunity to meet Debbie who is an ABR volunteer here in Tampa. She has been very helpful and supportive as well. We have stayed in touch with Gloria from time to time she will get an update from Jeb and here is the latest and it goes without saying that Jeb needs to work on his grammar.... Hi Gloria! It's me, your friend Jeb! I hope you have had a good summer. Mine has been great! I gots so much to tell you I wasn't sure where to start, so I thought I would start with the biggest and bestest news of all and that is that I gots a new little sister! Her name is Emme. Emme looks like me, but prettier. She gots fluffy read hair on her ears, golden eyes and the cutest little wag tail you have ever seen. Emme has had lots to learn since she got here, so I've been showing her the ropes. I come every time I am called and I keep telling Emme that she gots to come every time she is called too, so she has gotten pretty good at that. She can also sit really pretty when she wants an almond or cashew. Gloria, you know how Pops and me are bestest friends? Well, Emme and Mom sure do like each other. Emme makes sure she helps Mom get ready for work each day. That is a really big job and takes alot of time. Cuz I don't want Emme to get lonely when Mom is away I make sure that I keep her busy during the day. I mean being a big brother and all it is my job to keep Emme out of trouble, so we usually take time each day to inspect all our toys and spread them around the whole house so that there will be one close by if we need one. We gots some pretty cool toys around here. I'm glad Emme doesn't tear them up like someone else I know. Like me, her favorite toy is the frog that sounds just like a real frog when she bites into it. I also chase Emme around the house just to keep her on her toes. But she gets me back every morning. When it's time to get up in the morning Emme runs to my bed and pounces on me. Boy does she gots lots of energy! We gots lots of critters 'round here to chase. Oh my gosh Gloria! Did you know lizards leap? Surprised the heck out of me when one landed on my nose. Anyway we also gots rabbits, frogs, and my favorite - squirrels! Emme and me make a really good team together when it comes to chasing those scraggly squirrels. We move real, real slow and try to get close to them before we chase them. But, if Emme sees a frog or lizard she will forget all about the squirrel, so we are working on her focus right now. Pops takes us on two really good runs every day. We have had lots of rain so I have been showing Emme where all the bestest puddles are for us to run through. One time we came home and we were black on the bottom from the mud and white on the top. We had to get a bath after that. Sheesh. Usually though we get to go swimming in the pool after our runs. Since Emme fell in the pool she will only sit in the water on the steps. She can't do laps around the pool like me. But, I watch her carefully to make sure she is safe, 'cuz that's what a big brother does you know. A couple weeks ago we were running and a man stopped us. He asked Pops if we were American Brittany's. Well, duh, of course we are! Anyway the man told Pops that he had a brittany too and she came from a breeder in Calliefornia. (Did I spell that right?) He said he was thinking about getting another brittany and wondered where we came from. Pops told him all about ABR and the website and the volunteers like you who make sure you match the right brittany with the right family. He also told the man that you are always available to answer questions and help in any way you can. I really, really hope he has been checking the website so his brittany can have a sister or brother like I have. Oh, oh. Mom is home now and she wants to take Emme and me for a walk. I just know there is a squirrel out there for us to chase so I gotta go. Take care and say hello to my friend Sonny. Your friend, Jeb P.S. Here are some pictures of me and Emme. There is a picture of me in the pool and a picture of Emme in Pops' flowers. (She got into trouble for that) OliverOh where to begin...I knew when I moved out of my parent's home I'd want to get another dog. Bradley, my sweet Lab/Dob mix was getting on in years (12) and I wanted whatever time he had left to be just a little more fun. I also needed a little more action than one dog, since I would now be living alone. My boyfriend at the time (now my fiance, Dave) had told me stories of growing up with his French Brittany so I began researching the breed online and found ABR. I immediately fell in love with every dog on the site (who wouldn't) and filled out the application. Soon after I decided I wanted to leave the Chicago Suburbs and go meet Fritz out in Rockford. I made an appointment with Marcia Lynn his foster mom. When Dave and I arrived with Bradley, Marcia Lynn brought Fritz out. They seemed to like each other well enough but Marcia Lynn had news. She told us that Fritz was not the dog for us. That she had debated telling us not to come at all but then she couldn't have introduced us to her other foster Sonny, who was the dog for us. I had not even looked at Sonny's profile. He was two and I had wanted a dog that was at least 4. At least I thought I did.... After awhile it was clear that Sonny and Bradley were perfect for each other and me. Two days later September 2, 2007 we brought Sonny home. We changed his name to Oliver and life has not been the same since. He's added so much to my life and brought me so much joy and entertainment. The highlight of the entertainment was probably him catching a live goose and trying to give it to my fiance. Even though he was almost perfectly trained, in my humble opinion, I went through obedience classes with him this spring. He graduated with flying colors, the star of the class. He and Bradley had so much fun together until Bradley passed away this May. Having him during that time made the loss so much easier as Oliver was all to willing to accept the extra attention from me and his soon to be official Daddy! This summer he made a few trips to my parent's lake house and went crazy on the sand bars. He has chased birds, ran through the shallow water and dug for clams. It was so much fun! Thank you ABR for a great year. I count myself lucky to be one of your adopters and a volunteer now as well --- Ann Our Girl Brittney - July 2008Dear ABR, I thought I'd drop you a note to let you know that Brittney is no longer with us. Her health was deteriorating more with each passing day and she was suffering. Our vet advised us it was her time to go. Her eyesight and hearing were nearly gone and she followed Mary around the house like an appendage. We miss her terribly as she was really a nice dog; she was always very much the lady right up until the end. She remained beautiful and precious to all she encountered. We put her to sleep on Thursday at 3:00 pm, July 3, 2008. I wanted to share her story with you. When we lost our 14 year old brittany, Molly two years ago, I wanted another dog to keep Larry, our Doberman mix, company and to ease our feelings of loss for Molly. After some research, I discovered the American Brittany Rescue (ABR) website. I was contacted by ABR on a Saturday and asked if I would consider taking two older dogs, said to be 14, who were owner surrenders and in dire straits in a Maryland kennel. I must admit taking two older dogs was not what I had in mind but after some deep soul searching we said yes. The very next day we met Rachel and Brittney. I determined that Rachel was younger than Brittney, but Brittney was indeed very old. They were both underweight and certainly not in the best condition. But upon seeing them we both knew we had to take them home. Two years to the month have passed and we enjoyed every minute with Brittney. I think Brittney actually taught me to be more patient - maybe a little anyway. I sometimes wonder what her younger years were like and who could have given her up. She certainly was the sweetest dog I've ever had. She gravitated towards men when outside, but in the house she was at Mary's side every minute of every day. She enjoyed going for rides in the car and for walks in the woods. She always drew attention wherever we went together. She had been on liver medicine for the last six months; it perked her up quite a bit and allowed her to continue to go on walks with Larry and Rachel right up until the end. About four months ago, we had a large tumor growing in her abdomen removed. The tumor was so large that the vet could not remove it entirely. She came out of the surgery well enough and the incision healed quickly, but she was never quite the same. Last week, she started coughing and hacking nearly any time she ate. We took her to the vet and discovered she had three more tumors growing in her chest area near her esophagus. These were likely the reason for all the coughing. The vet also said she was entering an advanced state of congestive heart failure and that we shouldn't wait much longer. She put her on medicine to ease the water build up in her lungs, but only gave us enough pills to last a few days. I only hope that we were able to make her life as enjoyable as she made ours over the past two years and that we didn't hold on too long. I'll venture to guess she was nearly 16 years old. Mary is broken up over the loss, as the two of them were inseparable. I cried for two days myself. Our other brittany Rachel is showing signs of missing her too as she has been moping around the house these past two days. The attached picture of her was taken on her last day. She was beautiful right up until the end, which made the decision all the more difficult. When Mary told me what the vet had said, I sat in my office unable to work, I thought for what seems like hours wondering how I was going to be able to let her go. But deep inside, I knew she was in pain, so I left work early to be home with her. That same day I called the vet to make the appointment as soon as I could as Brittney was in pain and I truly think she wanted us to release her. At least that's what I'll choose to believe, as it's the only way to cope with such a decision. We all went for a walk that morning, Mary made cookies with Brittney at her side helping in the kitchen as she always does, and I even combed her fur a little - just a little. I cooked some veal cutlets on the grill, one of her favorites, and all of us, Larry, Rachel, Brittney, Mary and I, went to the vet and sat outside on a blanket under a tree and had a picnic lunch until it was time as she really did not like going into the vet clinic itself. We said our tearful goodbyes and held her as she slipped away. It's been 10 days since we put Brittney to sleep and even with Rachel and Larry still here, there is a void left by her loss. I catch Larry and Rachel lying side by side on the bed if I sneak in quietly - something they didn't do when Brittney was here. I do get to stay in bed a little longer, but I miss getting up to care for Brittney. Sometimes she'd follow me into the kitchen and at other times she's just hold her head up wait for me to bring the pills to her in the bedroom. She, more than the other two dogs, would stand and watch as I walked out the front door to go to work in the mornings and be there when I returned at night. Mary and I have a belief that all of our past pets will be together in heaven waiting for us to join them again. For us that belief includes our other beloved pets - Sammy, White Kitty, Nelson, Spats, Chester, Molly, and now Brittney. I'll close by saying thanks to American Brittany Rescue for bringing her into our life. She was a sensitive and loving dog whose memory I will always cherish. Her strength and courage made me think less about my own troubles and always brought a smile to my face. I think her quality of life is was pretty good up until the end and that we made the right decision to let her go on a good day rather than continue to watch her suffering increase. George and Mary Atkinson April Rose and Magnolia Mae (Maggie)In February 2008, we lost the last of our two ABR family - Nikki Dawg. The loss was unbearable our constant companion for nine years. The greatest tribute to her? - get another! My partner and I contacted ABR- Texas and went for a visit. There we found our wonderful, huge April Rose. She had my heart from the time I saw her. Gigantic - Magnificent - Teddy Bear! Her goodbyes to her fosters were swift and sweet. She had been in foster for a very long time - her size? She jumped into the car and settled down for the 100+ mile trip. April Rose, we decided her name on the way home, met our other child "Beau" a rescued mixed breed. They were instant buddies. April is introduced to our back yard, her very own 1 acre yard on the side of a hill, with trees and a small 'wild part', birds and running squirrels. All surrounded by a 10" wood fence. You see Miss April can climb out of the best chain link fence. It is difficult to image anyone settling in so fast but she did. Fate stepped in when we went to the ABR site to see if April was listed as "adopted". What's this? A smaller girl in Georgetown that also needs a home! Quick conference, email to her foster family, a bio and a sight unseen adoption - Yea! Three weeks later we are in the Austin area to pick up our Maggie aka Brittany. She was just a day from euthanasia when ABR saved her. Now she was on her way to her forever home. She adores April and Beau and it is mutual. Maggie's adventure was a little complicated: you see she had tested false negative for heartworms and her first visit to her new vet? Positive! This little girl endured the treatment without a whimper and she is now negative, but a month after her last treatment - she was diagnosed with whipworms... It takes 3 months to show up, so who knew? All is well now, the three "children" have a spoiled, privileged life which is nothing compared to the joy they give us. Thanks ABR for the wonderful gift!!! DarbyDear ABR, My name is Darby and I found my forever home last September. At first I was a little nervous, not knowing what to expect, but I quickly realized this family is awesome! I have a new mommy, daddy and brother named Rudder, who looks just like me! It took him awhile to warm up to me, but now we are best friends. I spend my days lounging on my favorite chair waiting to be taken for my evening walk. On good days, I'll get to run for a couple miles in the Kellogg Forest where there are so many cool smells and places to explore. At first I didn't know how to walk that well on a leash, but I'm getting better. Hopefully someday I'll learn how to listen as well as Rudder and won't need a leash! We have a real big fenced in backyard where I love to chase the doves and robins. Occasionally a squirrel will get inside the fence, but I chase them out right away. I never really had toys to play with, so Rudder is teaching me how to play fetch in the backyard too. Although he doesn't like to share that much! I have to admit my most favorite luxury at my forever home is the pillows! There is nothing better than curling up and resting my head after a long hike. My mommy even lets me share her pillow at night. My grandma and grandpa are pretty cool too. My grandma spoils me so much! She lets me sit on her lap and pets me 'til my heart's content or I fall asleep. She even brought me an Easter basket this weekend filled with all kinds of yummy snacks from the Easter Bunny. I thought I scared off the Easter Bunny last week, but he must have come back! This is Rudder writing... I have to admit I did not support us adopting Darby. I thought I had a pretty good life being an only-Brittany, but now that I got to know Darby better I can't imagine not having her as my little sister. We do everything together! This summer I plan on teaching her to play with toys and taking her camping with us. Thank you ABR for helping me find my forever family! -- Darby JesseJust wanted to let everyone know what a blessing it has been to have Jesse added to our family. Not knowing alot about the breed, we were a little nervous about adopting. The foster family that Jesse was placed with was very reassuring in our decision. We never in our wildest dreams would have thought that Jesse would just fit so perfectly. All the family relatives just want to take him home.Jesse went on his first camping trip a couple weeks ago. The idea of being in the woods for 3 days was a little worrisome, but Jesse just loved every bit of it. He looks forward to his daily walks, but even more important are those daily ear rubs. Jesse had a trip to the local groomer for a day of pampering. Bath, trim and nails. Wow, did he enjoy that. He is also quite the camera guy. Every time that camera comes out, he insists on being in every shot. When Jesse came to us in April, he was still a little overweight and not the most energetic, but in the last 3 months the weight has come off and the energy level has increased. He now manages to jump up on the sofa and bed on occasions. The family just loves Jesse so much, and Jessse just loves his new family as well. A match made in heaven. Thanks to everyone at ABR for making our family complete with the addition of Jesse. CharlieCharlie was an owner assisted placement. Charlie had been with a wonderful family since he was a pup, due to unfortunate circumstances, they had to find a new home for Charlie. We know how difficult this decision was for them. We loved Charlie the second we met him. He is a real gentleman. He is great with the cats and just loves running and playing in the backyard. When he wants to go out, he wants to go out! He will talk to you until you fully understand. We take long walks everyday and all we have to do is ask if he wants to go for a walk and he's there. He has settled into our life very well and is definately in his forever home! How can you not love this face?? Thank you again everyone at ABR and a special thanks to Julie and her family, Charlie is a very sweet boy thanks to you! Karen, Paul and Nina QuinnQuinn here! Let me tell you, that plane ride from Texas to Chicago was long but boy was it worth it! The grass here is so soft, I just love to roll around in it; but that's not the best part. I have a forever family who loves me! I have two older sisters, an older brother, and great parents. They all walk me, play with me and love me.I especially love 'snout kisses' and cuddling on the kid's beds. I have a stuffed rabbit and duck that I love to 'hunt' and stalking the strange machine called a vacumn is fun. I'm still adjusting to the new electronic fence; at first is scared me, but now I know those flags mean business! I love my backyard, there are many new scents to explore and discover. I know it has only been a month, but I know I'll be here forever and ever. Thank you ABR, and Auntie Lily Tapp for connecting me and my forever family. Lots of licks and snuggles. Note, from Quinn's sister Maggie: Before Quinn, my family had two wonderful Shetland Sheepdogs; unfortuantely, we lost both of them within a year, one to cancer and the other to a broken heart. We were devastated. When the time came, we knew that we wanted another dog to love and my uncle who is dedicated to britts helped us to fall in love with the breed. We knew that we wanted to rescue and ABR was perfect. We searched for about two weeks, when we were lucky enough to stumble across Quinn. He was from Texas, very far away from Chicago, but the wonderful Lily Tapp helped us tremendously and we had him with us before we knew it. Quinn has adjusted right away, and we knew that he was in our hearts to stay within the first day. He loves his snout kisses, playing fetch with his duck, exploring open fields, and he is my preferred alarm clock. He listens well, but has a britt's intelligence and still tests us occasionally. I have no idea why someone gave up such a wonderful dog, but I'm glad they did. Quinn is the dog I will compare all others to even when I'm old and grey. Thank you ABR! FloydAnother Success Story: Back in March 2006 we adopted Floyd, a young brittany who had been abandoned by his original owners. We never really learned why they had done that. Fortunately, they returned Floyd to the breeder (again, fortunately, a reputable breeder) and the breeder turned the young guy over to ABR. We had previously been owners of two brittanies, one of which passed away the prior year from a fast growing spinal tumor. The surviving 6 year old brittany (Zoe) seemed to age before our eyes when she lost her companion. When we decided to make the leap into adoption, we bundled into the car with Zoe and rove up from Boston into central Maine to meet Floyd at his foster home. When we did meet him, Floyd was incredibly friendly and full of adolescent energy. Zoe did not know what to make of him and wanted to keep her distance! That being said, it was love at first sight and we were happy to bundle our new friend into the car for the long multi-hour trip back home. Very quickly Zoe and Floyd became great companions. Floyd found his permanent home and Zoe again acted like the middle-aged 'teenager at heart' that she still is! Floyd also was great with our two young boys. Floyd is a great bird dog and spends most of his days outside in our yard keeping it clear from birds. He is a great companion for Zoe and the entire family! Neither my wife not I can really understand why his original owners gave him up, but we're happy that they did. We love Floyd greatly and suggest anyone interested in providing a new home to one of these great dogs to reach out to ABR. Here are two pictures Floyd is the brittany sitting with the sun on his face and Zoe is the one lying d own and getting a rest. Thanks ABR, from the Hesp family ScarlettMy husband and I had purchased a Brittany from a breeder in our home state. Once she got a little bit older, we decided we definately wanted to get her a sister. By this time we had heard of American Brittany Rescue and decided that this was definately the way to go!
I decided to drive from Michigan all the way to Montana to get her. It was so cold outside and she was injured so Dave and I decided that it probably wasn't a good idea to ship her. It was a long drive, but well worth it. Her name is now Scarlett and she had undergone two surgeries on her leg so far and hopefully that is all she will need.
Sincerely, Kris and Melissa Adamczyk (Lexie and Scarlett) CaptainWhen I went to the foster home for Captain he was sitting there all nice and well behave, but with Brittany wiggles. The foster mom said he is a quiet dog, hasn't heard him bark and he is so well behave. But you could see in his eyes he knew that wasn't going to be his forever home. Well Captain took one look at me and that was it. I told them, let's do the paperwork and get him to my home. So both Captain and I both got early Christmas presents, each other! Captain goes with me almost everywhere. My boss even got his a heated dog bed for work as the floors get cold here in the winters. There is a bed in the back of my truck so he can be comforable going home. When I go to the feed store for my horse, he walks in with his brittany wiggles and I walk out with a 50 lb bag of treats for Captain. He has a regular fan club going on. Captain is a great dog, and while I don't know all the reasons for hib to go thourgh r
Captain is happy to meet everyone. Just this past Christmas, we had a total of 6 dogs in the house, 4 Brittany spaniels, 1 Jack Russell, and 1 Rat Terrier. Captain was great. Friendly, happy, like he's been there his whole life.
So I say thank you American Brittany Rescue for finding me this wonderful friend. We look forward to years of many things for both Captain Krunch and I will be doing.
Sandy McNulty - NJ volunteer and foster CooperDear ABR,I decided to add a Brittany to my family about 3 months after losing Tessa - my dog companion and best friend of 18 1/2 years. I had always had a "lap" dog in the past but felt up for the challenge and benefits of a "sporting" breed. I found a breeder locally who was advertising Brittany puppies and immediately fell in love with Aiya - a gorgeous britt with black eyes and a black nose. I was amazed at Aiya's relentless desire to play, chase, or hunt anything that moves. I was also bowled over by the devotion and adoration she lavishes on her people as well as her innate sweetness. I was smitten. Unfortunately, I was also having difficulty getting out the door to go to work in the mornings....barely one swipe of mascara and she'd be stuffing her toy at me to throw it again. One day surfing the internet, I happened on the ABR web page. As I scanned the dogs available for adoption I spotted Cooper (formerly Copper whom I adopted July 2006). This sweet boy was being fostered no more than 5 miles from my home - (I truly believe that it was fate). I called and arranged for Cooper to come for a visit. I wanted a playmate / companion dog for Aiya who was now 5 months old. Aiya was a bit leery at first. Cooper was much bigger than she was and she had always been a little timid around other dogs. From the moment he arrived, Cooper claimed us as his family and he never left. He bullied Aiya and stole all of the toys in the house for about a week until she realized what an absolute marshmallow he is. He definitely brought her out of her shell - she now bullies and tries to dominate him. I truly believe that I was meant to be Cooper's "Mommy". I can't imagine not having him around. He has brought so much love and joy to all of us. Sometimes he approaches you and leans into you and you just know that he needs a hug. While I can't fathom the circumstances that led to his placement in the ABR, I am so glad that I found him and brought him home - where he was supposed to be. Cooper loves to walk, he loves to swim, he loves squirrels, he loves squeaky toys (of course they both want whatever toy the other one is playing with); he just seems so happy to just "be". While Aiya seems "entitled" - she knows that she was born to be adored, Cooper seems so grateful for everything. Their "father" jokingly insists that he knows why Cooper was turned in.......he is an extremely vocal dog. The sounds he makes are hilarious - he talks, he sings, he whines, he howls, and he screeches - oftentimes without provocation (i.e. a squirrel sighting). We are convinced that he just likes to hear his own voice. Cooper's other idiosyncrasy that I find immensely entertaining ......(Cesar Milan would not approve) is in the morning when he gets (what I refer to as) the ZOOMIES. He gets so wound up...he tucks his haunches low to the ground and races through the house - ping-ponging off the bed, the sofa , circling the kitchen "loop" over and over again with an unbelievably gleeful look on his face until he exhausts himself.........even Aiya steers clear. My heart just melts when I look at him. And I feel so blessed that we have him in our family. Karen SariDear ABR, We just wanted to share with you a wonderful picture of our girls with their 'puppy' Marmalade. It was a gift we gave our son, but they went and sat down next to it when my son left it on the floor. The rescue, Sari (originally Lady Sari), is the one furthest from the toy. We rescued Sari in 8-2002 because our other Brittany needed some companionship. Things were wonderful after adding her to our family - our little boy loves his dogs. Sari is like a mother to him. Sari is on Bryce's left. In the fall of 2005 we had a major change and our dogs suddenly turned on each other and fought viciously any time they were in the same space together. We were heartbroken and scared that we were going to have to give up one or both of our dogs, or worse yet have to put one or both of them down. We felt, however, that we made a commitment to Sari for her lifetime, and after a LOT of help from some wonderful animal behaviorists, vets, etc…it was discovered that Sari was actually ill. Her thyroid was almost not functioning which adversely affected her behavior. After a lot of work and getting her medically stable we are happy to say our girls are back to normal. She will require medication for the rest of her life, and we continue with some alternative medicine to keep her from getting too anxious, but she is still worth it! We watch the website often and would love to bring home a senior dog too, but can't change the dynamics of our dogs now that we have peace again. We will rescue again when the time is right - Sari has turned out to be an incredible dog and we wouldn't have changed a thing! Thanks for all you do for Brittanys! GingerDear ABR, Sincerely, DooleyWe were blessed to become Dooley's human parents. He came to us from a lovely foster mom named Gretchen. Right away, from the first moment I laid eyes on him I knew he was for us. We had lost our beloved Brittany named Britzie this past year and we knew we had room in our heart for another wonderful dog. Dooley is quite a character. He is very busy chasing rabbits, bugs, or anything that moves. He and my husband are inseparable. He travels with us almost everywhere we go. At night, he wants to be close to his family. He and my husband both snore. We couldn't ask for a better dog. He is a loveable littlle personality that brightens our world. Thanks for the opportunity to love our baby.HopeWe adopted Hope in December of 2006. At the time we were not looking to add another dog to our already full animal family, but when we came across her story on ABR, we had to meet her. It all started when my husband got a free dog calendar with the dog food he purchased. One of the months featured a Brittany. This dog was so beautiful that my husband got on the internet to learn more about the breed. It was at this time he stumbled upon the ABR websight. When going through the dogs available for adoption, Hope stuck out at him. She was listed as a senior approximately 10 years old, had had heartworm, mamary gland tumors and a cyst in her abdomen (all of which were taken care of in foster care). Additionally, she was at a foster home that was only about 20 minutes away. My husband called me in to look at her story and told me it was up to us to take her in. He felt at the age of 10 and with the issues she had, no one would want her. I told him he was crazy. With 2 Weimaraners, Lucy age 10 and Brady age 8, 2 cats and a 6 year old daughter, our house was full. Fortunately for Hope, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I got back on line, filled out the adoption form , exchanged emails with her foster dad and before you know it, Hope was at out home for her home visit. Hope got along great with the other dogs, loved our daughter and her friend and seemed right at home. In fact, she didn’t want to get back in her foster dad’s truck to leave. Hope has been with us a little over a year now and I can’t imagine our large animal family without her. She is no longer 10, the vet now estimates her to be about 6 or 7. She is so sweet and loving, but at the same time expects to get her way. We call her Miss Bossy because if one of the other dogs is getting attention, she pushes her way in to make sure she gets her time. She’s the most popular dog at the playground after school, just sitting there letting every kid, both young and old get their time in petting her. In fact, she was so popular with one little girl that the little girl named her new Build-a-Bear Hope. She loves to run. She has gotten out of our backyard twice and mysteriously turns deaf when I tell her to stop. She also gets a little sassy. If the other dogs are playfighting, she’ll sneak up and lightly nip one of them on the bottom to get in on the fun. She quickly became Emma’s dog, sleeping with her every night and was even part of Emma’s Halloween costume – Emma decided to be Wendy from Peter Pan and Hope was the dog Nana. Looking back, it definitely seems like we were meant to find her. We are so happy we didn’t overlook Hope because of her “senior “ stauts. We thank ABR for taking such great care of these dogs until they find their “forever families”. The Sells Family NoahMy husband and I adopted Noah from ABR in October 2006. Betty, the state coordinator from Illinois brought him over to Saint Louis. We first met Noah at Labest Kennels. We were told that Noah had probably been abused as evidenced by a scar on his back. They suspect that battery acid had been poured on his back. Today, Noah is a very sweet and gentle dog. He loves his stuffed animals, especially the mallard that quacks. I've purchased several of the stuffed animals for him. He gets along with our 8 cats and Sparky, our other dog. Noah and Sparky have their own dog beds. They sleep in our bedroom. Noah and Sparky get to go for a car ride daily. They just love this activity! We take them to Forest Park on Sundays (weather permitting) and for long hikes in Missouri State Parks. Dolly and MackIt is a funny thing about success stories, if you are lucky there is only a beginning and never an end. MelmanMELMAN: loving, caring, devoted, snuggly, smart, rascally, energetic, happy go lucky, always wants to please, first on the scene, devoted bird-watcher, loves to give kisses, wrestles with Ken, master of the doggie zoomies, adorable as can be, a very special part of our family.
--Melman, Ken, and Ali Cacie (with a "C"!)October 26, 2007 will be forever etched on the hearts and minds of my new mom and dad. That was the day they had to let their beloved “Cid” Miss Chili go to Rainbow Bridge after a long and difficult illness. She would have turned 12 years old on January 5, 2007. When Miss Chili left them my dad not only lost his four legged “best friend”, he also lost his hunting partner. At first they did not want another dog since they still had two, however my mom could tell dad was missing his hunting partner so one day she got on the internet and went to the “American Brittany Rescue" website which she had visited numerous times in the past. While she was going through all the dogs in the Omaha area she came upon an orange and white female who was approximately 3 years old by the name of Kacie (with a “K”) and, lo and behold, it was me! My life story really broke their hearts and they were so glad that American Brittany Rescue did in deed come to my rescue. When she showed dad my picture and life story and asked if he would be interested in perhaps adopting me he said “yes!” Not long after that mom e-mailed my then foster parents Harlan and Nancy and they made plans for mom and dad to come to their place in Omaha to meet me, Kacie (with a “K”). The first time we set eyes on each other was on December 31, 2007 and it was love a first sight for all of us especially for dad and me. I immediately took to him and laid down at his feet as if I had done this all my life. Even my foster parents said that I was the first Brittany that they had fostered who actually chose her “adopters”. It was decided then that I would come out to visit my hope-to-be adopted family so we made plans for me to come to their place for a visit to see if me and my 2 canine sisters and 2 feline sisters were compatible. Our first visit went really well, much to my delight, and I went to my forever home on January 5, 2007 (Miss Chili’s 12<sup>th</sup> birthday). Waiting for me were my 2 sisters Chancey and Carli Jo and my 2 feline sisters Cass and Clindy. We also changed my name to Cacie (with a “C”) and now I am a "Carty Cid" (as you an see by now all of my mom and dad’s four-legged “cids” names start with the letter “C”). Also waiting for me was my own lavender colored dish with my name "Cacie" (with a “C”) on it on my very own feeding table. I love my new forever home and after working with me on a long rope while taking walks around the neighborhood (we live out in the country) and also going to dog obedience classes with my younger sister Carli Jo I can now run free without a rope or leash and when my dad calls me to “come” I come running back to him and he is so pleased. My dad and I are looking forward to our 1<sup>st</sup> quail/pheasant hunt together which will start the end of October and we will be going to South Dakota for a few days and I cannot wait to show my dad what a good bird hunter I am and I know he will be so proud of me. My favorite time of the day is in the evening after I have been fed and given my after dinner treat, I run to my dad who is sitting down in his recliner and I place my whole upper body in his lap and he hugs me real hard – that is our “special” time together – my mom enjoys watching how my dad and I interact with each other and has taken numerous pictures of us hugging each other. One time I overhead her tell dad, “It’s a good thing I’m not the jealous type”; I thought that was sooooo funny. Well, that’s my story of how I chose my new family. I am so glad my forever mom and dad found the American Brittany Rescue website and I also want to thank my foster parents, Harlan and Nancy Vogel, for being such good foster parents for me and many others who have come before and will come after me. Jackson (was "Champ")My husband and I adopted Champ, now "Jackson" in November of 2006. My husband had never had a brittany before, but I had. The love of my life had been Jesse, an orange and white britt that my ex-boyfriend, Allen, and I had been lucky enough to find at the Humane Society years and years ago. Allen and I met at the state vet school and when graduation came, he decided California was the state for him. I gave it a chance for a bit, but the relationship ended and I moved back to MN, leaving Jesse behind-the hardest thing I ever did. I flew back and forth a couple of times a year to see my ex, now a good friend, but mostly to see Jesse. Jesse was so happy to see me each time. We would go beach walking and return exhausted and collapse into bed at night, still all sandy from our long day. If Allen came near us during our precious cuddle time, Jesse would let out a little growl as he snuggled me. Cesar Milan would not approve, but I held Jesse tight and kissed his soft fur because I knew I'd soon be on a plane home to MN. My last visit to California was in December of 2003. Jesse was 17 but hadn't slowed a bit. I was in California for 2 weeks and had the flu the whole visit. This was a dream come true for Jesse as we spent the whole 2 weeks in bed snuggling and watching movies. Allen would bring me tea and Jesse would grumble protectively. He never left my side and when it was time to go home, I gave Jesse a big kiss and left in tears as usual. People may have thought me crazy if they ever knew I was really in California to visit my favorite brittany and not my friend.I got a call soon after I left in December. Jesse had developed spinal cancer and hind limb paralysis soon followed. What a cruel punishment for a dog who loved to spend every MN day at the river and CA day at the beach. Allen euthanised him at home and he went peacefully. He sent my some fur trimmings in the mail and when I recieved them I finally cried. Once I started, I didn't stop. The fur trimmings still smelled like Jesse. Years later when I was married to my husband, Matt, and we lost our geriatric lab, "Ami", we decided to get another dog. There was no question in my mind that it would be a brittany. I fixated on the ABR website for days even though a dog named Champ had caught my eye immediately. He looked just like Jesse, but I knew that was no reason to choose a new dog. After awhile I decided there would be no harm in going to meet him and drove to his foster home in MN to meet Champ. I fell in love instantly, and we arranged the home visit for that afternoon. Kristy, his foster mom, and her husband brought Champ all the way to our home in Minneapolis and he bounded right through our door into our two dogs. They accepted him instantly and the three played together in our backyard. Our older dog, Titus, ushered him around as if he were tour guide. That night when we went to bed, my husband stood in the bathroom brushing his teeth as our new brittany, Jackson, lept happily into bed with my and cuddled right up. When my husband entered the bedroom, Jackson let out a long, low grumble and tears filled my eyes. I put my hand over his snout and Matt got into bed. By then I was crying and my husband couldn't understand why. He was concerned. I just told him I knew we had adopted the perfect dog and again, against the Dog Whisperer's common advice, hugged this new love of mine who reminded me so much of an old one. Thank you ABR for Jackson. MurphyIt’s a sad day. After 8 years with my buddy I had to let him go today.We adopted Murphy from ABR in June of ’99. He was rescued and fostered in Michigan by Jen Brooks. We were able to arrange travel to California with a friend of ours. Not long after he arrived we discovered he was epileptic. Fortunately, a good family friend is a vet and was very familiar with the proper treatments. It took a little while but once we had the doseages correct, Murphy had very few seizures. In fact, he had not had one in over four years. He made a great companion for our female Brit – Maile, and loved going for walks and hikes in the mountains around Southern California. He was very mild mannered and great with both of our young boys. We think Murphy was between 2 and 4 years old when we adopted him, so while his life may have been slightly shorter, he did very well considering his epilepsy. It was very difficult for me in the end to see such a strong guy slowly lose his abilities. He was stoic and brave until the end and I will miss him dearly. Attached is the most recent picture of him as a still healthy dog. I guess this is somewhat of a success story but it sure doesn’t feel that way today. Matt S., CA Each of us here at ABR offer our sincerest condolences to Matt and his family in the loss of a super special Brittany. Murphy was so lucky to have been adopted by such a wonderful family who gave him many years of happiness and love. Murphy now awaits those who love him at the Rainbow Bridge... Doc (formerly Bentley)Hi ABR,We wanted to give you an update on Doc. We adopted Doc (who was named Bentley then) about 6 weeks ago. He has been a wonderful addition to our family. He gets along great with our 1 year old Brittany, Schatzi, and he is the sweetest dog ever. I've always wanted a dog who would cuddle up next to me and that's Doc! He loves to sit in anyone's lap, snuggle in bed, or put his head on your leg. Last weekend, we had a few friends over with some young children and we were pleasantly surprised to find out how great Doc was with little kids. He's come along way in the 6 weeks we've had him. He's gained some weight and looks beautiful (his foster mom says he weighed about 35lbs when she picked him up and now he's 48 lbs!). He's learned his name and some basic obedience commands. He heels well and has stopped trying to chase birds when we're walking together. He's stopped marking in the house (whoo hoo! thanks ABR discussion board for everyone's help, encouragement and advice!) He doesn't seem so anxious any more and I think he knows he is home. Thanks for helping us find Doc. We'd about given up on finding a second dog who would be the right fit for our family, but then we heard about Doc. Sincerely, OliverAs we were getting ready to adopt a cute little Puggle from our humane society in Omaha, Nebraska we noticed this scared looking, pathetic Brittany in the corner shaking. We ask what his story was and the staff member said that Oliver (the Brittany) had been in and out of the shelter two times in the last month. He hated the shelter and just wanted a good home. Well, we wouldn't have been able to live with ourselves if we would have left Oliver in the shelter. We took him home and after 3 miserable days of upset stomach and crazy pacing back and forth...Oliver settled in!!! He has brought life back into my husband and I as well as our 8 year old Beagle and 4 year old Jack Russell. He loves trying to be a lap dog and sitting on the couch like a person. He is such a good boy!!Rebecca K. PepeDear ABR,I am Pepe and I have a great new family! First, there's my dad. He's the one with the deep voice that I listen to even when I really want to chase those birds. He likes to throw my toys real far so I can bring them back to him. He has taught me lots of cool stuff like listenin, and comin back when he calls me. He's says all that stuff is for my own good or something like that. Next is mommy, she's great! She always calls me "pretty boy" that's dumb, I am a boy and I am not pretty!!!!! She's cool I guess she takes me on my walks all the time. I get to chase the ducks down by the pond. Man I hope I can get me one of them ducks someday real soon, I've come close, but they're fast. Mom does all the mom stuff like feed me, bath me, brush me, and all that junk. She says it's for my own good too, I guess!!! Then we have Hale' she kinda my sister, but she only has 2 legs. She is pretty neat. She's into all that girly stuff like makeup and smelly stuff, YUCK! I like going to her room, she has these Barbie things that I looove to chew on. I think it makes her mad at me. Next, there is Trey. He also has two legs but he's is so fun. He is 6, and he loves to play baseball. He hits the ball real far and I go get it and bring it back. Dad said that I am pretty silly for doin that, but it's fun and it's a ball, duh!!! Last, my new four legged friend Jazzy, she the cat! At first, I wasn't quite sure of her so I did some investigatin. Found that she has really good taste in food. I used to make that my afternoon snack. Then I found that she uses her paws to WAP! me in my nose if I eat her food so I'm back to my own treats. But most of all, she likes to sleep! I call her a lazy cat! All in all, I love this place. I have a great new family, a roooof!(oops, I hate when I do that) over my head, toys everywhere, and a great big yard to play in. Life's good!! I do miss my friends at Gloria's house, they were great fun to play with in the yard. They all helped me through a pretty tough time in my life. I can't believe that no one was wantin me. Have you seen me, I am a "pretty boy" (mom told me to say that). Everybody with the ABR rescue was so nice, they saved my life. They need big sloppy kisses!!! Gloria was a greatest foster mom ever, she tought me cool things too, like how to get in my kennel and stuff. Mom says that it's for my own good too, I guess!!! Well everyone, I give you all my love and big thanks for everyone who played a part in me finding this great family that loves me!!! I love them very much back!!! I'm off to catch me some of those stupid flies!!! xoxoxo, Pepe Sadie MaeHi ABR! I am Sadie "MAE", after Mom's previous Brittany, Daisy "Mae". When I came here I was told I was 5, but my new Mom took me to the vet and they did all kinds of tests on me and said I was just 4, so now I have an actual birthday and an extra year to spend with my wonderful family!! I am now with my forever home after spending 2 yrs outside and then being loved dearly by my foster family!! I miss my foster family very much but I always hear my Mom on the phone with my foster Mom letting her know how I am doing and I am sure she is happy I am well. My foster Mom pushed and pushed for me to come to this house and I am so grateful for that. She sure did know that I would be loved here!! I have a Mom, Dad and two younger brothers. I have a younger brother, Peyton, they call him Peytie so it sounds like my name too!! He will be 3 soon, he is BIG and chocolate they call him a lab or something like that! Since I have been here they have tried to make him do everything first to be sure I know he is alpha dog but he is such a gentleman that he lets me do it first anyway - he lets me drink first, eat first, go out and in the door first- its amazing (and they say chivalry is dead - not in my world!) We even sleep together on the bed with so in return I let him rest his head on me. Mom gets worried that I won't be able to breath with his heavy head on me through the night so Mom moves it off of me, but she doesn't know he puts it right back when she falls asleep and ha ha Mom, I still wake up in the morning!! I also have a younger human brother, Dylan, he is almost 2. Dylan is a little rough at times but he doesn't mean to be, Mom takes care of it when he gets too rough, I know he loves me, he feeds me every day, he takes me for walks too, and now that Mom can't stand when Peyton takes the water dish and flips it upside down, (with the water in it!) Dylan is the one that comes and lifts the toilet lid for us to get drinks!! He is a good boy, he always flushes it first to make sure its cold and clean water he even tests it first with his hands! For some reason this drives Mom crazy. Peyton and I play ball together and every once in a while we roughhouse and he lets me win; see what I mean about chivalry? I lay on the couch when I want to, I have the run of the house, oh and there is this big bay window they have in the front of the house that has a big window sill and whenever I want to look out I get up on the window sill and check out whatever I want to. Peytie and I sit there (well Peytie is on up on two legs) every night waiting for Dad to come home so we can go for our walks. It's great!!! And the yard… the yard is awesome, I can see everything and run and run, and lay under the tree or in the sun whatever I feel like doing. Dylan plays out there too and he throws the ball for us or Mom hits it to us with the bat or sometimes Dad will hit to us with his golf club! It's so fun here. Thanks Janet you are the best foster Mom ever!! My Mom,Dad and brothers and I all go for a long walk every night around big fields and see lots of birds and squirrels and rabbits! It's so exciting. Mom says I am awful on a leash so she got me a harness, and she is working with me!! I love being here and I know I found great buddies in Peyton and Dylan, and a great family for my time on this earth. Thank you ABR and most of all Janet. :) CharliCharli's story: Woof! Let me tell you about myself: I was a lost doggie up in northern Minnesota; ended up in a shelter. Some nice people from the ABR found out about me and brought me to a foster home in Brainerd MN where I got the best treatment ever. I even had two Britt boy buddies to play with, a big yard & lots of squirrels to chase. Then they put my picture on the ABR website along with a nice story & LOTS of people wanted to adopt me (coz I'm sooooo cute). Well, you guessed it - I was adopted by two pretty nice people in the Twin Cities & that's where I live now (even though my foster Mom & Dad almost kept me). I am anxious for spring time so I can run around at my people's cabin. Also, I have many doggie cousins in southern Minnesota and a horsie sister named O'Meara. Aren't I the luckiest?
From Charlie's Parents: Thank you, thank you ABR for allowing us to be Charli's parents!!! We are so grateful that this wonderful girl came into our lives in December 2006. We were both just devastated after the loss of our 14 year old female Britt in November 2006. For at least two weeks after we were still having a tough time getting through each day without her. You see, my husband had just retired in October with the thought that he'd have his faithful buddy beside him for at least a couple more years; but that was not to be. On a whim I was checking the ABR website one evening and My advice to anyone considering a Brittany would be to certainly check out the ABR website and try a rescue dog for a change. They are certainly special animals and grateful to have someone love and take care of them. JazzHi ABR! I am so happy and want to tell any prospective Brittany moms and dads that we are the best Breed ever! My mom had never owned a Brittany and she realized how sweet and personable we are. Mom tells me that ABR found me wandering alone along a Colorado Highway in 1999. I was adopted out to a nice older lady for six months (she feed me lots) but I was “too much” for her. I am a strong boy on walks and when I pulled her down while chasing after a squirrel, she had enough. I was grateful because I was adopted out again (thanks mom!). I gained a Cocker Spaniel “brother” and we were best of buds for the past 6 years. BRG said I was 5 years old back then but mom says that is not possible—I was more like 2 years old. I think I am around 9 now and although I have slowed down a lot, my favorite activity is running along side my mom while she mountain bikes. I can go for miles without breaking a doggie sweat. I do not like being outside alone and quite frankly, I don’t like being anywhere without my mom. I most content when I’m her constant companion. I love car rides, sitting outside Starbucks waiting patiently for mom to get her latte on Sunday mornings, going to the dog park, and of course, I have my own spot on the sofa. My dog brother passed away a few weeks ago and I was very sad along with my mom. Now, it’s just the two of us and we are adjusting. Secretly, I love being top dog now in the family. Although I get so much attention I don’t know what to do with it all! For 6 years, I never barked or did much doggy talking because my dog brother did all of that for us both. But now, I have discovered my own voice! I doggy talk all the time to my mom. I’m always expressing how I feel by grunting, making pig snorting sounds or sighing really loud when she’s not paying attention to me! I just wanted to thank BRG for giving me a chance to be loved again and have a nice home to live in. I don’t know who my first daddy and mommy were, but I wanted to tell them that it is all okay because BRG was there for me. A love note from “Mom” (Jenn): Six years ago, I wanted a buddy for my Cocker Spaniel and for me. Jazz came into my life and it’s been beautiful. I love Cocker Spaniels, and thought that another larger “spaniel” would be ideal. My Cocker attacked all other dogs but when he met Jazz, they were instant friends. That sealed the deal and I knew it was because of the breed personality of the Brittany. In 6 years of their friendship, not once did they ever growl, bare teeth at each other or even get into a fight. I was absolutely amazed and so very fortunate. Here’s what I have learned about Brittanys and what I wanted to share with everyone who was considering this breed as a companion. They absolutely are not loner dogs- do not get this breed if you can not devote your time to be with them. This breed is for you if you lead an active outdoor lifestyle! Jazz prefers to be “moving” constantly when he is awake and outdoors, even at 9 years old. He’s mellowed over the years, like fine wine, but he still needs to disperse his energy. Walks, runs, bike rides, and dog parks are all ideal activities. Brittany’s are also extremely intelligent. He learned all the games I taught my Cocker in ½ the time. I also realized that training a Brittany is very different- although Jazz is very much passive-aggressive in getting his way ( he used to “accidentally” knock my Cocker over on walks!) and he can be a bully for attention, I found that a firm voice was all I needed to correct his behavior. This breed always wants to please their owners, unlike my Cocker. My Cocker lived by his own rules and could care less what MY rules were. Not Jazz. Although they are breed for hunting game, they are not outdoor dogs. They would prefer to be in your lap if you allow it J. Jazz will not stay outside unless someone in the family is outside too. For being a pure bred dog, I have had ZERO medical problems; incredibly low maintenance. Finally, Jazz instantly loved kids. He just loves everyone. I am an advocate of adopting Rescues and actually, OLDER SENIOR dogs. I was so happy not to have to spend time training Jazz on basic doggy duties and did not miss the “chew-everything” puppy phase. Owning a Brittany is a wonderful experience if you want a dog as a member of your family and daily life. Thank you ABR! DutzHi! Dutz here - Just popped by to let you know that I'm doing really great here at my forever home. It's been almost one year since my forever family gave me a home. Annabelle
(* Editor's Note: We sure are glad that Annabelle's dad and family gave her the chance to prove herself! "Older" dogs, and rescued dogs, are just like any other dog out there! You will find hunters, agility champs, obedience graduates, and stellar house pets in rescues like ABR- you just have to give them a chance. Congratulations on the great hunting, Annabelle!) RustyWe adopted "Hobo" a month ago. We've since changed his name to "Rusty". I just wanted to let you know that we are thrilled to pieces with our dog and we think he feels the same way about us. ChanceHi y’all! I’m sending a much needed bark out to everyone who knew me and loved me to let you know how my life has changed since I last snuggled in your arms. I am only 1 & ½ years old but I already know how blessed I am in this world and how very grateful I am to all you ABR volunteers. I shudder to think where my life would have ended up without you being there for me and all the other Britts who’ve caught a lucky break with ABR. Eternally grateful I am for each and every one of you from the foster families, to the Brittany Express transporters, to the people who patrol the shelters in search of abandoned Britts, to home inspectors, to all the people who adopt us grateful Britts. Gosh darn, I’m just so thankful for everyone out there (sniffle, sniffle. Give me a sec to pull it together here)I was originally from Amarillo, TX and now I live in beautiful Boulder, Colorado! Boy what a lucky break! Boulder is so dog friendly that I get showered with love, hugs, kisses and praises (and sometimes even treats) whenever I stop to say hi to people and their friendly doggies on the trails or in the parks. This place is a dog lover’s paradise! I LOVE my new mommy and my fur-brother Jessie (also an ABR success story from 2001). My mommy is a professional dog walker and pet-sitter (SCORE!) so I am constantly on the go surrounded by fun-loving dogs everyday! Jessie and I get to trail hike about 10 miles a day so we stay in awesome shape! We usually go on two long hikes and then get in a fun park session to play off-leash with other happy dogs for 1 or 2 hours! Whew am I tuckered out by the end of the day, which makes mommy very pleased. We all share mommy’s bed at night and I love to burrow under the sheets and covers and lay my tired head on mommy’s shoulder. Mommy just laughs and tells me I’m her little hungry hippo because I like to keep my nostrils pointed out of the sheets so I can breathe easier. That and I am always hungry! Thanks for believing in me ABR and for doing so much for me to help me find a better life for myself. I’ve found my paradise; I’m not goin’ anywhere other than my mommy’s loving arms! Hold on a sec- Mommy wants to say a few words: "Thank you Pat Butch for choosing me to be Chance’s furever mom! You were so wonderful to talk with and I am grateful that you were the one I went through the adoption process with. I am sure that all of the State Coordinators are just as wonderfully dedicated and compassionate as you, but I’m still glad I had you! J" Frog aka "Fozzie"HI, ABR...
In may of 2005 I brought home my friend Frog. Back then his name was Fozzy, but after a few months we began affectionately calling him Frog based on some of his characteristics. Eventually, the full name of Frogarelli Snizelfritz evolved from that. Frog originally came from Kentucky, but was staying with his foster mom, Mary-Beth, near Buffalo, NY. Mary-Beth, and our state coordinator, Sue, were wonderful and so helpful through the whole process. They continue to offer support and suggestions whenever we need them. Frog joined our family, which consisted of my boyfriend and I, Kevin, his Akita-German Shepherd mix, Floyd, and my 10 year old Brittany, Holly. We knew we were taking on alot with three dogs, and while it is a lot of work, it has been alot of fun. The three of them are a solid pack now. The boys are always together, playing or snuggling, and Holly has been rejuvenated since being around the young boys. She even started to fetch and swim, for the first time ever, at the age of ten last year, after watching us throw sticks for the boys into the river and praising them when they brought the sticks back. Frog is such a good boy, and such a good friend. He has the Brittany mentality of always wanting to please, and I know we have made him as happy as he has made us, because he is always wagging. We have been through a lot of ups and downs; having a lump removed from his shoulder - (benign), submissive peeing problems, and showing fear towards men, even Kevin, but we have worked through everything, and he is so worth all of it. I may never know what Frog's past was like until he was rescued by ABR, but I at least know what his future holds. He loves his fenced in yard, and loves riding in the car. He loves his toys, especially his squekey rubber duck, and begins staring at me to feed him dinner around 6:00 every night. He loves his fleecy bed, and enjoys going on long walks on a nearby trail. Frog is very loved by everyone in his family, by the other dogs and by his humans. ABR is a wonderful organization which such great volunteers. Thank- you so much for all the help and support. Another once homeless Brittany is happy, safe, and loved. Frog, myself, and the rest of our family will be forever grateful for all of your efforts in bringing us together. Best Regards, Abby, Kevin, Holly, Frog, and Floyd SaraDear ABR Volunteers. Of course, all the great care and guidance I received in foster care had prepared me for this moment.
There is a large yard here and Ally and I get to run every day. My new owners don't have children, so Ally and I are the center of attention, except for a silly cat who thinks she runs the place. Ally and I immediately hit it off and are now best of friends. The cat took awhile to warm up to me, but even she now excepts me as one of the family. Pretty soon we came to my new owners' camp on the great St. Lawrence River. The houses here look over the river and we sit on the deck and watch all the big ships travel between the Great Lakes and the ocean. This is a neat place and here dogs even get to lay on the couch if they want. I have no problem with that! I soon learned that I was expected to become one of the deck hands on my owners boat. Although I was a little nervous I never let on, and my first trip out on the river was just as if I had been around boats all my life. The only way this could get better, is if it was spring again and we were back out on the boat fishing. Sara NickieWe believe she was a "puppy mill mom" that lived her first 10 years in a cage, pumping out litter after litter of pups. When she had a problem with her last litter, her owner dumped her. A local ABR volunteer took her to the local vet, who spayed her, fedher, patched her up and nursed her back to health. They contacted ABR to find a new home for her while she lived with the ABR volunteer (foster) family for a month or so. My wife saw her story on the ABR site and contacted her foster "mom" several times, first by Email, then by phone, to learn more about her. After my wife and I talked about adopting her (our brit boy Jack had passed away the previous November, two weeks after his 15th birthday, and we weren't sure if we were ready for another pet), we drove down to Alturas California to meet her. It was love at first site, and adopted her the same day. Even though she's 100% blind now (she went blind a few months after we brought her home of what appears to be SARD), she's happy, healthy and pretty much runs our house! She loves fresh berries, peas, tomatoes, pears, apples and everything else, which includes her premium senior kibbles with vitamins, and she's having an excellent "retirement". I take her on a walk each morning, which has helped build her confidence and stamina. I think she looks forward to her walks more than eating, and she LOVES to eat! ;) We took her with us on a car trip to Yellowstone last August, and she was a perfect traveler. Considering her history and health issues, we didn't want to leave her in a kennel for a week, and we (Nickie, my wife and I) had a great time together. One photo (the close-up) shows Nickie on the day we met and adopted her on April 29, 2006. The second photo was taken two weeks ago on Christmas day 2006... my wife was preparing our Christmas dinner, and Nickie was supervising! She couldn't see the rib roast, but her nose still has "20-20 vision"! We'd love to have her photo posted on your site in the "Adopted April 2006" section. And if you think our story is worthy, Anyway, she's a real sweetheart, and we're so happy we found her. Best regards, SusieWe adopted Susie in Sept/Oct 2005 after loosing my beloved Jack (a lab, 15 yrs) 1 year previously. We had always known that our next dog would be a rescue, not a lab (since I just couldn’t handle that at the time), and most likely a brit. I have extended family that have brits, and we just love the breed. Anyway, after checking your site, I contacted Kay about Susie. She completely fit the description of what we wanted: female, adult, gets along with dogs & cats, etc. Our home visit with Debbie went great, and about a week later, my son and I were on our way to Zebulon to get our newest family member. It was love at first lick (and sight)! My son rode home in the back seat with her and they both slept the entire way back to Greensboro. Susie is now “Daddy”s girl”. She won’t let my husband out of her sight. She sleeps either on the love seat with our other dog, Tiki, or by my husband on the bed. She and Tiki are best buds. They play constantly when outside. Susie loves to stay in our fenced yard on pretty days, but is perfectly content to sleep all day on the couch if the weather is bad. She lost her “extra padding” in the first couple of weeks, she ran and played so much! We actually had to increase the amount of food that she and Tiki get to keep their “girlish” figures. She does get along well with our cat, Mag. The only time that she even offers to chase him is when he tries to bat her on the head with his paw. Otherwise, she will even let him curl up on the love seat with her. Anyway, thank you so much for letting us be Susie’s forever home. I can’t imagine how dull things would be without her! Sincerely, Katherine, Al, and Taylor Wilkerson ShaylaAugust 23, 2006: Josh and I wanted to introduce you to Shayla, our new pup. She’s about a year old, perhaps a bit older. She was rescued from a kill shelter in West Virginia, and we were connected with her through the American Brittany Rescue Organization. We got her on Saturday and she seems to be settling in quite nicely . She’s been a lot of fun to play with ... sweet and lovable. It really makes me wonder why she ever ended up in a shelter. She has some playful, puppy energy still, but she can also be very content curling up on the coach with us. She gets extremely jealous when Josh and I try to kiss. She’ll squeeze herself right in the middle of us. (I hope that can be corrected.) She’s still learning some basic puppy manners like not begging at dinner and not barking when the door bell rings. Other than that, she’s been a real treat. She’s fully house broken and sleeps through the night too. Although she’d like to sleep in the bed with Josh and I, we’re drawing a firm line there. There is a comfy doggie bed on the floor and that is close enough. Kim, Josh, & Shayla Henry
BoIn December of 2005 our family dog of 15 years had to be laid to rest. About a year before this took place our son Jeff rescued a really nice Brittany named Dixie (they live in Arizona) so we were vaguely aware of the program. After a couple months of trying to live without a dog (and failing miserably), the first place I began searching was the American Brittany Rescue website and that is when we found Bo. Unbelievably, his foster parents lived only a couple miles away and of all the dogs we saw on the web site, Bo seemed to be the perfect one for us! In a couple short days we got to meet him and it was way beyond love at first sight. It was more like “if we don’t get this gorgeous boy we are going to die”. There were so many people interested in him that we were really in a panic! After literally begging to be the one’s chosen to adopt him, we received a call from the parents letting us know we had won the battle. Since that day, our lives have been changed in more than a few ways. I walk Bo (or visa versa) between 4 and 5 miles almost every day down the remote trails and hills we have surrounding our neighborhood. We both need the exercise badly!! Linda is being woken up with Brittany kisses at 5 in the morning when I am out of town. There is never a day where Bo doesn’t re-capture our hearts with some new antic (or naughty trick). One of the pictures we attached is Bo in his Halloween costume from this year, (naughty and nice) and it describes him 100%! He pulls his favorite trick when I am not immediately available when “needed” at which time he goes to the closets, pulls only my cloths off the hangers and drags them around the house or sleeps on them. Bo loves pointing rabbits and squirrels and birds more than anything in the world except maybe fishing or running after the 4 wheeler. However, we discovered he is very much gun (and firecracker) shy but that is OK because we had no intention of training him to hunt anyway. Another thing we like best about him is his full tail. He loves to show it off and bang it on the furniture. All in all, I can’t think of even one thing I would ever change about him and the fact we were able to “rescue” him makes it all the better. Now, if only I could talk Linda into # 2! Thanks to the American Brittany Rescue folks and especially to Bo’s foster parents Chad and Tracy for picking us! We love you all! Mark, Linda and Bo,Minnesota
Duke - the mighty hunterWell, it’s been almost two years since dad adopted me now. We’ve been working together every chance he gets, and he finally had the time for me to take him to South Dakota for our first pheasant hunt. Hey, not too bad for a couple of guys from South Carolina, huh? I didn’t make it easy on him though. The first thing I did is introduce us both to this little black and white furry critter dad called a skunk. Man did he stink. Dad gave me three baths in the same day. I don’t think I’ll mess with them anymore. So I decided to show dad what I could really do. Dad and i had never done this together before, so I figured I’d start him off kind of slow and let him get the hang of having his own bird dog. The first couple of days I just ran and hunted for any birds I could find. I’d point to where they were hiding and dad would get all excited. He’d try to get me to be careful, but I think he was just as excited as me. After a couple of days I started running down the birds dad and his buddies shot, but I didn’t want them to think they knew it all, so I’d pick them up and put them back down so they would know where they were. Then before you know it, it’s our last day to hunt, so I decided I’d show them how it was supposed to be done from start to finish. I found this rooster that they had already passed up in the edge of the field, and I froze up on a point that really made dad grin. He eased in on my point and flushed him out of the cover. His buddy got off a shot for me, and I ran over, picked up that bird and took it and put it right in dad’s hand. Man you should have seen how excited he was. You know, I think I just might like this guy after all. He’s even letting me sneak up on the couch with him when I come in the house, and he said I’d never convince him that was o.k. I’ve taught him pretty well, wouldn’t you say? |
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