For the past 2 years I have been trying to make up my mind whether I prefer the Brittany or the German Shorthaired Pointer. When I was shopping I decided to buy both breeds and to train them and work with them side-by-side and see what differences I noticed along the way. First, I must say that I have enjoyed the experience immensely. In the end I knew I would have to make a hard decision because both dogs are highly qualified hunters and companions. I always intended to have a litter of pups down the road and felt like I only had the time, energy and resources to focus on one pointing breed at a time.

I have decided to stick with the Brittany dogs and currently have my german shorthair up for sale. Both are excellent pheasant hunting dogs and have been working at a pheasant preserve these past two seasons. One of the biggest things I have noticed is that the Brittanies seem to be more interested in people and human contact. As much as I tried to bond with my shorthair she just felt stand-offish and distant. Both dogs were raised in the kennel and the shorthair seems to suffer the most from this. If you can keep your dog in the house as a family companion, that is always the best situation for bonding and socializing.

I’m not proclaiming that Brittany dogs are better hunters, more friendly or even better looking. I just enjoy being around the Brittanies more. I hope to own a few other breeds througout my life and see if there are any real differences when you compare one breed to another. Largely, I think it is more about the individual dogs personality and traits that are inherited.  Working as a hunting guide this year I have had the opportunity to hunt behind several nice breeds like Vizlas, Weimeraners, English Setters, Labs, English Pointers, French Brittanies, Chessies and in the end I am simply drawn to the American Brittany.

Ace had an allergic reaction to something this week and I had to take him to the vet for treatment. His poor little snout was swollen up and he was in obvious discomfort. The Vet gave hime a couple of shots and some antibiotics to fight against infection. He was pretty miserable but by the next morning he seemed as good as new. I have no idea what caused the reaction but the Vet suspected something like a spider bite. You can see where it started oozing after he scratched and pawed at it all morning.  You never know what kind of trouble puppies are gonna get into.

Just in time for a big snow storm Max helped me install one of the K9 Kondo Dog Dens into the wall of my barn building. The dog can get inside and out of the weather but just in the dog house. It took some fine tuning with the barn wood and studs to get the dog door to swing freely. I ended up mounting the dog door on the exterior of the 2×6 wall and the actual dog house is attached to the interior of the barn. My american brittany Annie layed claim to the new dog house before the install was even complete. To further insulate from the cold I placed a 3 inch layer of pine shavings in the floor of the box. Warm and Cozy.