BRITTANY PUPPIES | HUNTER'S HEART

OUR 2023 LITTER

We are taking reservations for our 2023 litter. All puppies will have intact tails and dewclaws. The first step is to email your completed screening form to Carla at [email protected]. 

BRITTANYS AREN'T FOR EVERYONE

Brittanys are NOT a good choice of pets for most families, since they are athletes requiring daily mental and physical stimulation. These are high maintenance dogs that need a job to do, during hunting season, and every day of the year. Without a job to do, Brittanys can misbehave, be destructive, and end up in shelters or rescues. Yes, Brittanys are good with kids. But their energy level is too high for most families who only want a quiet, calm companion. 

Please don't consider a Brittany unless you're searching for a high drive dog to be an actively engaged partner that fits into your already active lifestyle. With a job to do, our Brittanys are happy to run and sniff all day long, then settle down at your feet when you get home.

BRITTANYS ARE A BAD CHOICE IF YOU WANT A DOG THAT:

• Calmly lies on the couch all day
• Doesn't run around sniffing a lot of the time
• Won't jump into mud puddles
• Doesn't really need exercise every day, especially when you're sick or busy
• Doesn't behave like a Brittany.

Please look for a dog that matches your current lifestyle and energy level so you and your dog can both be happy!

Ruby training at the airport. Shiny floors, vents and crowds: no problem! 

ABOUT  CARLA SIMON

From bed bugs to birds, from medical detection to nosework, Dr. Carla Simon, MD, BSc, MBA has trained thousands of students worldwide since 1999. Carla Chairs the Working Dog Committee of the Canadian Association of Professional Dog Trainers. She's a professional service dog trainer, and a sought-after speaker who drew a sold-out crowd of more than 600 at UBC’s Chan Centre for the Performing Arts. Hunter's Heart has been featured in the Pointing Dog Journal, the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants Journal, Dogs in Canada, and Clean Run magazines. 

PUPPY TRAINING

Training puppies should be fun. We provide a solid foundation, including early introduction to obedience, gunfire, retrieving, agility and playing motivational games.

In the video, Lula progresses from a recall to playing hide and go seek. She's learning to find her human, which is crucial while hunting, hiking, or for search and rescue training. 

COST AND DETAILS

An 8-week-old puppy costs $2500 Cdn + tax. This is split into 3 payments: a $200 non-refundable deposit and signed contract are required to reserve a puppy, $500 is due when the pups reach 2 weeks of age, and the remainder is due when the pups reach 8 weeks of age. The price includes deworming, first vaccination and health check by a vet, microchip, CKC registration papers and our written guarantee. The earliest that puppies can safely go to their new homes is 8 weeks of age.

We encourage families to pick up their puppy if at all possible. Canadians may be able to fly home with your puppy in a soft sherpa crate under your seat, if your puppy is small enough. Many puppies have traveled large distances and they generally do very well (with rare cases of car sickness).

Hunter's Heart is renowned for extensive socialization. Litters are whelped in the bedroom and grow up in the living room. Even before the puppies ears are open, we fire a capgun before food and going for a run. This classical conditioning means that by the time that puppies go to their new homes, loud noises are either ignored, or a reason to come running in anticipation of something rewarding. Provided that owners transition to louder guns in the field, slowly and at decreasing distances, the puppies are off to a good start in accepting gunfire.

Every litter is exposed to birds and scent. As early as 5 weeks of age, puppies start their scent detection training. We also work on retrieving, agility and balance.

Carla matches puppies with families based on temperament testing at 8 weeks of age. Please note that we cannot accommodate preferences for color, size or markings. Matches based on a cute appearance are far less likely to succeed in the long term. If you want a hunting dog, we'll match you with a bold pup who offers flash-points, excels at scent training and/or is highly motivated to retrieve. If you have young infants at home, we'll match you with a less active pup who is less boisterous and enjoys spending time with children.

As an all-breed Canine Good Neighbour Evaluator for the Canadian Kennel Club, and former Behavior Assessor at the Calgary Humane Society, Carla offers extensive experience evaluating good versus risky temperaments. Our puppies' temperaments are guaranteed in writing, as long as you complete a 6-week puppy socialization class (in your hometown).

We give our puppies the very best start we can, but when you bring your puppy home you need to continue socializing and training to ensure that they are a joy to live with rather than a problem adult.

A puppy is a lifetime commitment, for both families and the breeder. All puppy owners must sign a purchase contract, non breeding agreement, and paperwork from the Canadian Kennel Club. (Registration papers are included in the price.) Hunter's Heart will take back any dog we bred, at any age, for any reason.

INTACT TAILS AND DEWCLAWS

Please note Hunter's Heart does not dock our puppies' tails or remove dewclaws. These functional parts of the body help a dog to run at top speed, turn, climb out of icy waters, and balance, for maximum performance and longevity. 

Kessler summarized: “The tail is not a limb but is an appendage… the muscular structure and activity are in integral part of the normal bodily shape and function, especially the perineal region… The tail is known to be a counter-balance for dogs in action, especially when moving at high speeds, turning sharply, balancing, jumping or climbing, and, according to traditional water-dog breeds, a rudder in the water'”.

We support the CVMA Position Statement on cosmetic alteration. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association Canine Tail Docking FAQ, justification of carrying out preventive tail amputation on working dogs “lack substantial scientific support”.

The Canadian Kennel Club now allows Brittanys to be shown with intact tails and dewclaws without any penalty (as of January 2023). More dog owners worldwide are not docking and cropping, but leaving tails and dewclaws intact.