Some Brittanys I Have Known

He was so independent and rugged and strong looking. He wasn't pretty but he had character. Turned out in a big field, instead of running with other young Brittanys, he went his own way, finding it more interesting to search out the alder patches in the far corners. He was roan and heavy­coated; and in comparison with the other pups, he looked like a shaggy little bear. I hadn't intended getting a Brittany pup. My luncheon host was a great Brittany fancier and when I mentioned that "sometime" I might like a Brittany, one about a year old and ready for training, he said, "Let's go take a look at some." And so I went home with Uly; his registered name was Ulysses.

It was a hot August day. The pup had never been in a car before. Not knowing that any dogs would be leaving, the kennel man had fed them all. I had no crate in the car so Uly was on the seat beside me. He had a lot more than but­terflies in his stomach, but I thought I could get him home before he began upchucking. I didn't, and since he had been drooling down the back of my neck all the way, his dinner landed over my shoulder and into my lap. Hot, soaked with drool and dirty, with a ruined dress to boot, at that moment I could have parted with him for a nickel. A year later no money could have bought him.

He was a quiet pup and seemed completely at home in his new kennel. Turned out with the other dogs he was friendly enough but made no special overtures. He was pleasant in a sort of "take me or leave me" way with us, as if he had a great many important things to think about if he were left alone.

Of course, I could hardly wait to see what he would do on game birds; so very soon with two friends and their Eng­lish setter pups we went to a place where we knew there were pheasants. DIy put on a great show of hunting but when he flushed a bird he never glanced at it, simply went on his way. That was unusual. A bird dog puppy usually chases his very first bird. We went out several times. He continued to be utterly indifferent. Didn't this dog have any nose or interest? I took a lot of kidding from my friends: "Are you sure his name isn't Useless ... maybe you have to speak French to him." But I wouldn't give up, and let this be a lesson to anyone with a hunting breed pup, some­times the slow starters make the best dogs.