J & A's Brittanys, Maine Bird Dogs
Established 1986
Located on the
Southern Maine/New Hampshire border
Accepting inquiries
for fall/winter 2020 plans. Please contact us via our website, thanks!
STUD SERVICE
AVAILABLE
J & A's
Brittanys is FOREVER committed to the future of the Brittany as a
close working gun dog for wild bird hunters and for active families.
We have worked hard to develop our own line of Brittanys over the
years. Our Brittanys are consistent as natural retrievers and backers
who are very easy to train because of their strong natural instincts.
Of course they are sweet, beautiful, and intelligent. The breeding
behind them speaks for itself, their ability is proven, without the
usual hype and we're appreciative of the many testimonials at the
bottom of the page which support what we have to say about our canine
crew.
As hobby breeders
our purpose driven breeding program focuses upon preserving,
protecting and strengthening the natural, inherent hunting abilities
present in the J&A's Brittany line. Our primary goal is to ensure
every Brittany from our program will always dependably hunt and point
upland game from an early age and be of excellent temperament,
health, and disposition. Even with more than 4 generations of
Brittanys bird dogs from our program actively hunting, we aim to keep
improving upon what is already seen in parents, grandparents, and
great grandparents of every puppy. We adhere to the AKC breed
standard and show the dogs we hunt. We have bred 7 AKC bench
champions, an AKC Master Hunter, 3 Senior Hunters, and many Junior
Hunters. We're members of NAVHDA and many dogs from our line have
excelled in Natural Ability testing. While bird hunting has remained
our priority well known Hall of Fame, Dual Champions, National
Champions, and great Brittanys of the past can be seen on the
pedigrees of recent generations. Much more information is available
on our website, our blog, Facebook page, and a YouTube Channel.
- We expect that every
Brittany from our program will possess the potential to be a great
bird dog, even those who may go to the occasional non-hunting home
who has prior Brittany experience.
- We hunt with and
train both parents and pups.
- We handle, hunt,
train, test, field trial, and/or show Brittanys we have bred
ourselves.
- We produce a
"gentleman's hunting dog", a stylish Brittany with keen
intelligence, beauty, class and great affection for it's owners.
- We breed Brittany
bird dogs that hunt 'right out of the box' that usually will point,
honor, and retrieve before 8 weeks of age.
- We are proud of our
beautiful hunting Brittanys who daily share our lives with us as part
of our family.
- We have pups
occassionally but usually an entire litter is reserved well in
advance of breeding. Most people are willing to wait. Sorry, no
shipping or transporting by third parties, we will always require
meeting potential puppy people in person.
Maine Municipal
Kennel License #0037
J&A's Brittanys
- a proven breeding program to produce 'all day' hunting dogs who
love to hunt nearby and within shotgun range for their owners. John
and I both enjoy helping people get started in the field with their
own dog for bird hunting or hunt tests. We breed first to improve
upon our own program, remain true to the Brittany as a close working
gundog without losing the correct structure and form necessary. We
also breed for dual quality versatile gundogs (field and show). We
are proud that Brittanys from our program have been used in the
programs of other like-minded Brittany breeders, assuring our goals
continue to be met beyond our own immediate vision.
A good bird hunting
dog is only as good as the good bird hunting dogs behind them! While
gundogs can be trained to be obedient, to follow commands and
orchestrated to perform the required sequences necessary for
successful bird hunting â we recognize and appreciate those pups
who already âget itâ. Training begins from the moment a pup is
born and we strive to set up every puppy we breed to succeed.
Thatâs our story
and weâre sticking to it!
Submitted by: Monica Homer on Nov 13, 2012
I can't even begin to put into words what an amazing experience we have had with John and Ann. We were brought together about 4 years ago when I tried to track down my aging Brittany's bloodline. A Google search led me to Maine, where John and Ann had my dog's 1/2 niece! Upon navigating their website I was astonished at the level of compassion and love for the dog that was both given and received as displayed through words and photos. Not only did I discover that their values and general philosophy regarding dogs and breeding lined up with mine, but that these dogs are truly their Treasures (as one is so aptly named). We joyfully received our little Wilson in March of 2011 and it has been the perfect adventure ever since. Although we have our dogs purely to love, it is clear that Wilson's natural ability is keen and that he comes from a fine line of gun dogs. His gait exemplifies the utmost confidence and willingness to please. John and Ann have a required reading for all of their new owners regardless of prior experience. This alone showed the care and concern they have with placing their dogs in the proper environment. They invest in each and every puppy from the moment of conception. Each whelping mother receives treatment that most human moms would be jealous of including nursing mother's pudding, and massages! Then, there are the puppies....oh the puppies. They are busy from day one! First, it is working hard on eating and growing strong. Next it is socialization with each other and their very special human helpers. Each and every puppy responds so positively to human touch because they have learned they receive love that way. Next, it is on to the noise sensitivity training as they begin to ready themselves for the next stage in development. The litters are gently exposed to a variety of different sounds from doorbells to toilets flushing etc. Lastly comes the puppy aptitude tests in which all puppies feel success:) I could go on and on, but our Wilson enjoys an active life with his Brittany friend Brandy. He is incredibly intelligent and intuitive. Running in the yard, long walks along the ocean, fetching the tennis ball, and dog treat puzzles keep him stimulated and happy. Agility will be our next focus as we get some more basic training down. It is at nighttime when his true "personality" comes out. He just wants to be held like a baby so he can cuddle up under the covers (head and all) and sleep for the night. If you are interested in a dog from J and A's, I can tell you that it needs to be apparent that this dog is not only a gundog, but a family member. You must be a clear Brittany person who loves, understands, and fosters the beauty of the breed. I have never seen, much less heard of breeders that put this level of committment into their life's ministry! I feel HONORED that my family and I were chosen to receive our dear Wilson, because we can't imagine our lives without him. Thank you John and Ann. We will be repeat clients for as long as you are breeding, because you clearly breed the best.
Submitted by: Greg Palman on Oct 16, 2012
Lost my second Brittany to old age 2 years ago October. Found J and A Brittany online and began a correspondence with Ann that resulted in my acquiring my third Brittany the following March. The care and concern exhibited by John and Ann in the breeding and care of their litter was amazing to behold. The pups were raised in an active environment exposing them to ever more challenging situations and new experiences as the grew older. My dog, Avon, has turned out to be an active, well adjusted, inquisitive little girl and is an outstanding bird dog in her second season. She has style, drive and grace.. All these things can be traced back to careful breeding and good rearing. I can't think of a better couple to acquire a Brittany field dog/family member from! Greg
Submitted by: Debra Fogle on Oct 13, 2012
The J&A Brittany owned by Ann and John Short has been a wonderful experience! Our girl is now 17 months old and when we drove to Maine from Ohio to bring her home she was 8 weeks old.Maggie Rose has changed my life...she is such a joy and I look forward to many adventures with her! Maggie is being trained in Agility which we both enjoy very much! My future goal with Maggie is to pass the Canine Therapy Test so she can bring joy to other people. Working with Ann and John was a dream come true. They are wonderful, informative, always "on call" if you have a problem, and best of all have become good friends! I would highly recommend them to anyone!
Submitted by: Justin Paynter on Oct 11, 2012
I spent two years trying to find the right breeder of a Brittany and finally found John and Ann. I was looking for a gun dog as well as a family pet, and I have both. I have nothing but great things to say about J & A's Brittanys. I haven't been out many times hunting yet, but each time out my pup Annie is learning how to hunt better through her own intelligence. I can see her working different areas in a different manner, quartering on her own, and smelling the air to find likely areas rather than just nose to the ground blindly. What I have been most impressed with is the staunchness of her points. She points from about 10-15 feet away, and doesn't budge. Even when she was on point for a three or more minutes she didn't creep, and she hasn't flushed a bird yet, only pointed. It's a very proud feeling to have one of the best dogs in the fields I have been hunting, even with her young age. I'm constantly amazed with what she can do and I couldn't be happier with her in terms of a gun dog or a spoiled bed sleeping mushball family dog.
John and Ann are very particular about who buys their dogs, requiring a visit to their house before a dog goes to you. They are always available with any questions you need answered, and love to share the growing of the dogs. Their family approach has brought many of the owners together as friends, and they build a community of Brittany owners. They not only breed great dogs, but they try to further the breed and breed awareness. Top notch all the way!
Submitted by: karen carson on Oct 10, 2012
We have a one year old male Brittany that we purchased from J & As Brittanys. There is not enough room here to tell you about this member of our family. Magnum is amazing. His personality is one that everyone falls in love with. He is kind, gentle, loving, and VERY eager to please. His hunting instinct is just as amazing as his personality. He spent this past weekend at hunting camp. Magnum is recovering from a serious injury (he was hit by a car in April). Because of this, he has had little to no training. Well, this past weekend he was pointing and retreaving birds almost as well as a seasoned hunter!
I would HIGHLY recomend J & As Brittanys to anyone. They are more then a breader, they are an amazing family. A family that provides amazing dogs.
Submitted by: Dave & Nicole Dube on Oct 10, 2012
We got Moxie from John and Ann in March of 2011 and we couldn't be more pleased with her over all development - mentally, physically, in the field and at home. She's highly intelligent, eager to learn, lots of stamina and has no fears.....due to the Shorts properly socializing her early on. John and Ann have been a valuable resource by offering support with questions, hands-on field instruction, and by providing multiple resources on their website. We highly reccommend them as responsible & reputable breeders.
Submitted by: Marilyn Gilman on Oct 09, 2012
You might seek out your next Brittany from J & A’s Brittanys for their high quality breeding program. But I found that their philosophy struck a chord with me, because Ann and John Short do not just breed accessories for the hunter; they breed loving companions which also happen to be talented in the field, show ring, agility course – essentially, Brittanys with lots of potential. These people know the science, art, and heart of breeding Brittanys. Be prepared to undergo a thorough screening process as this family strives to place each puppy in loving and active households, with priority – but not exclusivity - given to hunters. Conformation, hunting ability, and temperament are paramount in their breeding program. Our 8-week-old Brittany pup entered our home happy, healthy, confidant, socialized, crate trained, and sleeping through the night. She is also a very good-looking Brittany, with beautiful markings and graceful comportment. These are the characteristics you can expect from a J & A’s puppy.
Ann and John devote an enormous amount of time to each puppy in every litter. Their work is impressive, and their love for their dogs (and your dog) is unparalleled. Ann & John are always eager to hear news and see pictures of our Brittany and her achievements. Of course our next Brittany will come from J & A’s Brittanys. We love that crew! Check out Ann’s blog at their web site. You’ll see what I mean about quality.
Submitted by: Helen & Hiram Connell on Oct 02, 2012
Tenzing
Tenzing came from Ann & John Short’s Jack & Molly Litter of Jan 2010. Ann & John did a great job of raising these puppies through their first 8 weeks. The Shorts let the puppies climb and play on different shaped objects such as tunnels, low walls and boxes.. John & Ann banged pots and pans at meal time so that the puppies would not be alarmed by loud noises.
Tenzing is loving, cute and loud, incredibly, energetic, intelligent and mischievious… all the characteristics of a wonderful Brittany. When he’s playing, he displays his glee with a fun happy face.
He’s a fantastic athlete. He runs through the woods like he owns them. He is easy to teach and is eager to learn new tricks. He is turning into a wonderful dog agility guy.
Submitted by: Peter Sipperly on Sep 28, 2012
We loved the interest our breeder showed in us and in matching the right pup with our needs and desires As far as I'm concerned, they found a perfect match. Additionally, our pup was very well socialized and people friendly when we picked him up at 10 weeks of age! Finally, he has a great nose, is smart and is an eager learner wanting to please both at home and in the field! We just love having him as a great little guy and a wonderful companion!
Submitted by: Robert Poulin on Sep 28, 2012
I own Two J&A Brittanys and would recommend them to anyone interested in a dog that hunts hard. Easy to train! The dogs have the physical stamina to adjust their hunting style to the cover/conditions. Great with the family and easy to raise in house setting.
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