AMERICAN BRITTANY NEWSLETTER - OCTOBER 2019
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SWEET DREAMS
Let Sleeping Dogs Lie
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When you watch your dog as they sleep, do you ever wonder what is going on in their minds or why they sleep in the position they do? Well, let’s explore and see if you can find out more about your dog.
Puppies sleep 18 – 19 hours a day and adult dogs get about 12 – 14 hours of sleep. Before dogs even settle down to rest they might circle and dig for the perfect spot. This is a holdover from their wolf background. Just like you might fluff your pillows or get the blankets just right, your dog is trying to get the perfect spot that will be cool or warm depending on the temperature.
If they are lightly dozing because of boredom or taking a quick nap, you will notice that their ears will perk up right away when they hear something that might be interesting. If you start to hear soft barks or whimpering or see them twitching and wagging of their tail they have relaxed into REM sleep – the most restful portions of their sleep. Scientific evidence suggests in REM, dogs are dreaming about their daytime activities. If your dog is having lots of movement and barking, it can be a nightmare. If this is the case, try gently calling their name and stroking their back.
SLEEPING POSITIONS
Dogs may change positions during the night for various reasons. Maybe a more comfortable position or they are cold, too warm, sore, or to be near someone they love is the reason. The following are main sleeping positions that you might find your dog in when they are catching some shut eye. With no scientific studies on sleeping positions, trying to figure out the reason why or what they mean is a bit like reading your horoscope – it’s fun, but take it with a grain of salt.
Side Sleeper
If your dog sleeps on their side, they are feeling pretty safe since they are exposing their vital organ. The submissive wolf lies on their side to show that he is not a threat. Dogs that sleep in this position are said to be calm, happy-go-lucky and have a strong bond with the family.
Fuzzy Bagel
These dogs are curled up so tight that their nose and tail are almost touching. This curled up position is also called the FOX. This dog has protected not only their vital organs, but their throat, neck and face. They are also retaining their body heat. This position makes it harder for a dog to get up quickly. These dogs are generally thought to be gentle, shy, sweet and easy going.
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SuperPup
If your dog sprawls on her stomach with paws stretched out you have a superpup in your home. These dogs are ready for action the moment they hear it. They are full of energy and ready to play. Puppies can usually be seen in this position
Belly Curl
This dog is on his belly, but the front paws are tucked underneath the body or off to their side. This dog is not getting a good sleep, since their limbs and muscles are not relaxed. It would be hard for them to reach REM sleep.
Crazy Legs
If your dog is on their back, with legs in the air you have an independent, laid back dog that is very comfortable in your home. Besides exposing their vital organs, some people say that the dog is cooling off by letting the breeze hit their paws and thinner hair on their stomach. Others say that if a dog is hot they would pant or do what my dog does – lay by the air vent. For whichever reason, it is probably a very comfortable position for your dog
Half Crazy Legs
If you find your dog sprawled on their back, back legs out, but the front legs curled on the chest, leave your dog be. Tucking in the front legs lets you know that they want to be left alone. Whether in the Half Crazy Legs or the full Crazy Legs it is harder for your dog to jump up, so we can assume that they are comfortable and confident in their surroundings.
Snuggle Butts
If your dog likes to snuggle up to you or their doggy siblings, it is not because they are cold. They can usually keep themselves warm. Your dog just might be bonding and showing you that they want to get as close to you as possible.
No matter what position your dog sleeps in, know that they are in the position that is most comfortable for them and they feel safe and loved in your home.
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ROXY (AKA FOXY)
A PUPPYMILL DOG: SAFE LOVED & MAKING STRIDES
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As a smart girl, Roxy had learned ways of coping with her former life at the puppy mill. Accustomed to being fed sporadically, for example, Roxy would eat a few bites of her meal, then hoard the remainder of it. When staying with her foster family, Roxy realized plenty of food was available. Now there was no longer a need to hide it under her blanket.
Roxy and three other puppy mill Britts were fostered by Robin Flood, a long-time ABR volunteer with extensive experience in dog’s emotional issues. All were buoyed by Robin’s belief that they were capable of leaving the past behind them. To help Roxy and the others move forward, Robin consistently exposed them to different stimuli.
Roxy and up to 12 other dogs walked as a pack each day. Prior to that, none of the puppy mill Britts had ever walked on a leash or even worn a collar. During these five-mile daily walks, Roxy encountered humans as well as horses, alpacas, ducks, chickens, cows, and cats.
This helped to prepare Roxy for a new life with Collen Pfaff. As a first-time adopter, Collen says there was a learning curve from the very beginning. Unable to relax during the entire 40-minute drive to her new home, Roxy continuously jumped from the front seat to the back seat. After they arrived, she immediately found the farthest corner of the house to hide. At their first meeting, she was overwhelmed by the high energy of Storm, the resident Brittany.
Roxy warmed up to Storm within a few days, but still wanted to hide from people, including members of her new family. Collen kept her on a leash inside the house for nearly two weeks to force her to remain nearby. When Roxy was finally permitted off-leash, she would stretch out in the doorway to keep an eye on Collen. Eventually, she summoned enough courage to curl up on the opposite end of the couch from her new mom.
As a way of building trust and establishing a bond, Collen spent time alone with Roxy each day. They started with leash training around the neighborhood. The short walks progressed from a six-foot leash to a 20-feet leash and then eventually a 50-foot check cord. This ultimately enabled Roxy to find the confidence to run freely around the yard with no desire to escape.
Roxy has been a part of the Pfaff family since April. With lots of love and attention, Roxy has worked through most of her issues. She returns the affection to her humans. Rather than hiding from visitors, she now stays in the same room and occasionally allows them to pet her. Sometimes she even seeks their attention. No longer bogged down by fears, she enjoys increased energy. This enables her to play more vigorously with Storm. They are true fur siblings now.
But perhaps most telling of all, Roxy now boasts a healthy appetite. Rather than hoarding her food, she gobbles it so enthusiastically that Collen recently bought her a slow-feed bowl.
Note: Roxy’s name was originally Foxy. During the adoption process, a bit of confusion ensued until paperwork revealed Roxy was really Foxy. By that time, however, Collen already thought of her girl as Roxy, so the name stuck. We will follow the progress of the ‘original’ Roxy in an upcoming issue.
Look for Cabella’s story in our November issue. She was fostered by Robin Flood and adopted by the Wheeler-Vickery family.
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Mommie’s early years prove somewhat of a mystery. She came to ABR as an overfed and overbred five-year-old. She was found wandering the streets of Delaware with a severely stretched and saggy ‘lady region’, a bare hind-end and weighing 70 pounds. It’s assumed she was used as a puppy mill breeder and then abandoned after her perceived usefulness ended.
Jen and Mike Mostello provided plenty of TLC and some medical intervention when they adopted Mommie in 2012. After a year of exercise, healthy diet and love, Mommie’s weight dropped to 46 fit pounds. Jen says the sweet girl is up for anything now, as long as it involves family. Thrilled to welcome her human brother Michael into her life in 2016, the two immediately became best friends. They team up in Halloween costumes and visits with Santa and the Easter Bunny. Mommie enjoys her own special day each July when the family celebrates her birthday. “And most importantly” says Jen, “Mommie is included in our bedtime snuggles and has never lost her spot between us.”
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FEATURED BRITTANYS AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION
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Cali
is a petite young pup (estimate 1 year old, 19 lbs) being fostered in
Massachusetts.
Cali came as a shy little thing from Serbia but quickly adapted and now she shines and thrives. Don't let her size fool you! Big things come in small packages and that describes Cali's personality in a nutshell. Cali is currently being fostered in a home with another young Brittany as well as two small children, ages 3 months and an active toddler 2.5 years. She has adapted AMAZINGLY. She is very good with both the other dog and the kids. Cali would do best in a home with another dog as she enjoys the canine companionship and must have a secure physically fenced yard.
She's smart as a whip and her confidence continues to build. She responds proudly to her good girl praise and is eager to please. With continued patience, TLC and training, she's well on her way to living her BEST life. Her history is unknown, but it seems like she might have a been a street dog. She can be a little guarded about her food but not aggressive. She will growl from time to time about food or over a toy but will share her food bowl with our other dog (begrudgingly and a little vocal) but without any actual issue. She is an absolute love bug so if you’re prepared to have your heart stolen, fill out our
adoption application
and mention Cali.
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Ryder
is a very sweet, extremely handsome 2-year-old boy who just loves to play! His mother was a Brittany and his father was a German Short Hair Pointer. He looks like your typical Britt, just bigger. Who doesn’t like more to love? He also has gorgeous tail feathers. Ryder loves playing fetch and getting tummy rubs. He is very affection, and good with other dogs. Ryder is currently living in
Utah
where his foster family has been quite impressed at his beauty, affection and stamina. Ryder needs to live in a home with a secure, tall fence, as he can be an escape artist. If given a chance, he will jump onto anything and over the fence. What a clever boy he is! He’s full of love and energy so he’s a fantastic choice for an active family. If you think you’d be a good fit for this lovable boy, please fill out an
adoption application
and mention Ryder.
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Brothers Ben
(black and white) and
David
(brown and white) have come all the way from Spain to live in
Maryland
while waiting for their forever home. They were scared to come out of the crate at first, but now they like to explore the house. They are especially frightened of men; they clearly didn’t have a good experience with them in Spain. Their foster dad has been super patient and they are getting less afraid of him a bit more each day. They love to run together in the big fenced yard, and they love walks—always on the lookout for birds and scurrying creatures. Ben loves rolling in the grass especially after it rains - it feels so goooood! He’s learned to hold his own when playing with the three other dogs of the house. When it comes to humans, he’s very gentle and is a great candidate for a home with small children. David also likes to play with all of the dogs, but at times he lingers behind to observe rather than join the crazy chaos. He tends to be a bit rougher in play and sometimes needs to have the energy diverted to playing outside where all the dogs can rip and run. Hands down, David’s favorite place to be is outside playing and rolling in the grass. David still has moments of panic and tends to tear out of the room when startled. Individual adoptions will be considered for these boys. If you have love and patience in your heart and life for David and/or Ben, please submit an
adoption application
and mention one or both dogs.
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2019 Quilt Raffle Tickets Now Available
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Purchase raffle tickets for this stunning quilt on our website! Tickets for this original masterpiece are $5/each.
The drawing will be held on Saturday, November 23, 2019, at the ABC Nationals.
Good luck!
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ABR WREATH FUNDRAISER
A portion of all sale proceeds will be used for the medical needs and transport of
dogs in the care of the American Brittany Rescue.
Use group code 9WKY2W
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ENJOY THESE FALL BRITTANY PICTURES
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ABOUT THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE
American Brittany Rescue, Inc. is an organization that was formed in 1991 as a cooperative effort of Brittany owners, breeders, trainers, and fanciers who ABR believes have a responsibility not only for their own dogs and the dogs they produce, but for the breed as a whole.
THE AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE MISSION
ABR's mission is to provide the leadership and expertise via a network of trained volunteers to take in stray, abandoned, surrendered and/or impounded purebred Brittanys, provide them with foster care, health and temperament screening, an opportunity for any necessary rehabilitation and to assure their health and placement into new homes. In order to fulfill this mission, ABR's volunteers remain flexible and adaptable to current and future business environments and they remain dedicated to the organization.
ABR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Terry Mixdorf, President
Terrie Johnson, Vice President
Cheri Wilson - Chair
Michelle Falkinburg, Secretary
Diana Doiron, Treasurer
Tiffany Dexter
Nancy Hensley
Sandra Oelschlegel
AMERICAN BRITTANY RESCUE E-NEWSLETTER TEAM
Brittany Boler
Jeannine Connors
Judie Cutting
Autumn Fenton
Lori Gartenhaus
Patricia Gillogly
Melissa Tapply DiLello
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