What a Dog Needs To Be in the Pink

In order to be, and feel, in the pink of condition all dogs need exercise. It is up to you to create the kind of environment for your dog, whatever his breed, that gives him enough exercise of the right kind. Unfortunately there is a widespread, but thoroughly unfounded, belief that a dog needs complete freedom to get proper exercise. You will hear people say "I wouldn't have a dog in the city. Dogs should be where they can be free to run." There are dog owners in suburban and country areas who follow this same cult. These are the people who turn their dogs out in the morning and then forget about them for the rest of the day. Then they wonder why their dogs become "tramps," chase cars, get into fights with other dogs and, in general, form habits that make them neighborhood nuisances.

Dogs love human companionship far more than freedom to roam. They are strongly domesticated animals. Furthermore, a dog left to his own devices becomes less and less your own dog and you miss the chief joys of dog ownership. Your dog wants to belong to you, not to the universe. Isn't it true that the most intelligent and companionable dogs you've known are those which live closely with their owners as a member of the family?

A dog's habits are formed by his environment. He can't be a "smart" dog if he is shut up in the cellar, tied out to a post or left in a kennel yard day after day with no opportunity to learn anything. He will be a dimwit through no fault of his own. Furthermore, he will feel unwanted and through frustration and idleness come bad habits.

Your Brittany will not only learn by being with the family and having attention, but he will get exercise by being taken on walks, by romping with the children. Your puppy will exercise himself in a number of ways. He chases butterflies, picks up a stick or a shoe and parades around with it. It is easy to divert these natural releases for his puppy energy to games that give him exercise.

Suppose you spend a little time each day throwing a ball for your pup. He soon learns that if he brings it back, you will throw it again. So he learns to retrieve. Suppose you take walks with him. He learns how pleasant companionship is and stays at your side. You talk to him and he soon learns his name and many other words. When you put him out in the yard, make it a point to speak to him occasionally. He won't be inclined to go away from home, even if he is free, for fear he will miss some of your charming conversation. Brittanys are not gregarious enough to be natural roamers, but even a homebody will go elsewhere for attention if he doesn't get it at home. In the matter of climatic environment a Brittany is rugged and fits into practically any category except possibly the frozen North or equatorial Africa. It is a favorite breed for hunting in Mexico where the temperature can soar to 80 degrees during the gunning season. Many Brittanys are owned in New England and the Great Lakes region and the majority have winter quarters in outdoor kennels.