Team Brittany

Our Dogs - Nellie Rose, LuLu & Henry

Nellie Rose -

Nellie Rose was the inspiration for Happy Dogs. She was my first Brittany and my Novice A obedience dog. At nine years old, Nellie had accumulated 70 points and all the wins she needed for her OTCH. But our options for training were mostly outside and our ability to train was too often limited by the hot weather of South Carolina.

We discovered that we were not alone. There were so many other people looking for indoor places to train – so we began looking for a property to start our business.

Nellie Rose became an Obedience Trial Champion before we opened Happy Dogs but there would be no Happy Dogs without her and the journey we shared.

I taught Nellie many complex skills, but I learned so much more from her. I was fortunate to have this little white hunting dog on the end of my leash and I could not have loved her more.

 

LuLu -

LuLu is my second Brittany. She loves to hunt and spends most of her day doing it in our backyard. Her real hunting career was cut short when I learned that she had a lumbosacral spinal abnormality. Anyone watching her will notice the hitch in her step and the way her spine curves into a crooked sit. With a commitment to a fitness and a conditioning program LuLu became an accomplished obedience dog and remains active in her retirement.

LuLu proved that there is not much she cannot do —although she certainly does have some preferences. She is a conformation champion and earned a UDX3 and OM3 before retiring from formal obedience. She remains eager to train and insists on coming along with Henry every chance she gets. If LuLu could talk, I think she would say, “please bring me along for training, let me jump, retrieve, do articles — anything, just don’t ask me to heel.”

 

Henry -

Henry stole my heart the moment he crawled into my lap. There is never a dull moment in his presence. I have a lot of plans and big goals for this crazy boy. He is taking me in new directions and presenting challenges the girls never did.

Spending time in the field makes Henry whole. He loves birds and we love our time spent together in the bird field. He is a breed champion, has earned his first hunting title and is working his way through the obedience classes.

Thanks to Nellie, Henry has an opportunity to train in the rings at Happy Dogs. And, he has LuLu to thank for the Happy Dogs gym!