Patricia
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Visit to Callac- the capital of the Breton!It was 8 years ago since I had visited this really Breton little town and really can say how lovely it still is. As Guy had mentionned- I think it was him!!- a lovely Welsh lady who owns the Cafe de la Place - opened late on a Sunday night for us. Thank God for the British, as on Sundays and Mondays everything dies in France! Including the 2 Boulangeries who decided to go on holidays...at the same time 
To say the Breton breeders are passionate about their dogs is an understatement. Their enthousiasm for the coming shooting season could be felt and especially for the " Demoiselles" ie the woodcock. A very noble game held in high estime.
We were lucky to meet up with Michel lefloc'h and his well known Rocky de St Tudec, Boy and of course the latest winner of the Nationale, Cachou. A couple of other CEB members were in Callac for different reasons and of course, the bottles flowed with chat on dogs-what else!-
These people are really nice, open and interested in our ways too.
But you cannot go to Callac without visiting some of the " Big kennels". Another stop to Patrick's kennel was first on the Agenda as I couldn't wait until the Monday  When I went back again.
Seeing the baby puppies and the 16 week old ones quartering their ground, holding staunch point and all retrieving simply gave me a knot in my throat. How does he do it? 2 mornings with this immensely talented man taught me more about what can be done with young Brittanys. Another trip further up the road after enquiring at yet another Cafe ( that is all that is open apart from the church!) and off we go to see Herve Bourdon for the first time. Herve was busy trimming his Wisteria in the garden and greeted us with a huge smile. He has an infectious grin and has to be the most cheeky of the big kennels! 
His archive books are fabulous going back to 1892... Pictures, memorabilia etc could all be found in his office.
Thre was no more time to see anyone else but the museum was a real insight into the breed; even showing a rotating Brittany with ALL the proportions , angles, measurements etc...Only wish we had something like this here! I was told by Michel the paces and gallop of the Breton were being filmed as yet another project is under way. Always going forward, and finding new things to develop on the breed.
Those Breeders/ trainers have such passion for their work, it is contagious and inspiring...
Dogs? Lots of them...Black, Tri, liver now tailless too...yes I stumbled on a young Black Keranlouan...and yes, Barbara did mention some tailless dogs? Patrick has concern for future laws...
The little black dog is " brachyoure"  !and I had to own up to Alan what I had done 
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doganjo
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Great reading, Patricia. Can you give me some of that for Breed notes please?
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Patricia
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Take what you want Anne!
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Mugi
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That rotating dog should be obligatory for any aspiring judge to see - I stood looking at it repeat for ages and found it fascinating putting a plain visual to the breed seminar I had done a few months before. Ok you aren't hands on but equally with it not being a dog you have no distraction around expression, behaviour or colour to detract from the underlying shapes of muscle on bone.
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guy
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Re: Visit to Callac- the capital of the Breton! | Patricia wrote: | Herve Bourdon ...
His archive books are fabulous going back to 1892... |
I have finally tracked down a copy of his book - much more expensive than when I held a copy in Corah
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!and I had to own up to Alan what I had done |
Is this code for you bought it ?
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Patricia
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Hummmmmm....... Yes. I am missing Lorca so much...the little black...horor. The side looks, the company, the excitement I felt when he used to swing on point...the way he glanced when he quartered...Suddenly here it was, the same look...I love Black Brittanys and have done so since the days I discovered Ray's Joymonds Victoria. Love at first sight!
Alan is busy working and I called him..." hummm...guess what? I have fallen for a little Black dog( Keranlouan because ...the trust is there....)Story to follow much later 
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kandjt
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I know what you mean about black dogs, a certain daughter of Lorca has completely changed our attitude to black Brittanys.
Could we not arrange for M. Morin to come over and give a masterclass on his approach to training the Brittany?? I'd certainly clear my diary and dig deep into my dog fund to attend such a masterclass
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Patricia
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Keith...The way those puppies hunted and pointed...left me speechless. The whole attitude gave me thought for changing my way of training. I was quizzed... as Patrick has a way at looking straight at you with very direct questions - What age do you start your pups? "4 months...too late, you need to introduce passion at 7 weeks. 2 of his puppies backed each other at 9 weeks! I was flabasgated. The excitement at seeing so many youngsters is difficult to describe and I am one who always want to progress in my knowledge of the breed. So I had gone wrong there. Those little Spanish quails...Gosh, do they fly...Can't find them or eggs apart from Spain...
Puppies on pigeons in release boxes, the quartering, the way the babies swing on point....  Emotional. I will go back again as I still have so many questions.
Then, differently to Patrick- He is happy on his quad in all weathers, trailer full of dogs, plus more in front, hunting and putting his energy in producing such quality- Herve Bourdon. Cheeky smile, curly hair and sunglasses perched on his head. totally chilled. Done the rounds, trialled, seen the difficulties of family life when Professionals. Herve has the attitude the Brittany should be an intelligent dog for rough shooting. How one of his champions had " a little pea" instead of brain, and how much you can achieve with pure training. On conformation: The hole now incurred from lack of new judges who could have learnt form the "Master" Georges Riva. If in doubt, ask , these people won't be round for ever.
I am not sure Patrick would come over, he is a private man, but I feel very very lucky to have met him along with Michel Lefloc'h- these are people who trial, breath and love Bretons.
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kandjt
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Patricia - thank you for a wonderful post, in many ways it is confirmation of certain aspects of training that I've been considering and implementing for a number of years now.
When I started training gundogs many years ago invariably the recommemdation that training shouldn't begin until the dog was at least 6 months old and it was better to wait until they were a year old. Even in the lastest HPR book the author recommends to wait until 3 months to start basic training. Over the years I've been teaching my pups to hunt fairly early on which I've found gives a dog with lots of go. I also teach my labs to hunt which I've found helps tremendously with their gamefinding later on, those of you who have seen Cassie work will understand. I have never introduced my pups to game at 7 weeks old but after seeing one of Derry Argues videos had already made my mind up to do so with any new pups and M. Morin has certainly confirmed my decision to do this.
If M. Morin wouldn't come is it possible to get another top French trainer to come over. I've been to a number of professional trainers in this country, but have never been convinced that they understood fully the nature,character and style of a Brittany, they seemed more at home with a german type HPR. I would be very interested to hear what a dedicated Brittany trainer had to say.
I can also relate to what M. Bourdon has to say about the Brittany being first and foremost a roughshooters dog. I was influenced in my attitude to Brittanys by M. Willems who called them a 'poachers dog', a dog that will find game if it is there. The guns in my syndicate are always happy to see BB because they know she'll find them something. I very often get invites to go out shooting not to take my gun but to take BB.
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doganjo
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I can understand perfectly what Patricia means - I saw these little babies doing this too - I am delighted that my Belle( a Keranlouan daughter - Spot - Pat used to own him) is so birdie - but she is also obedient and although they must have that passion from very early in their career it is no use at all without control. They do not seem to need that control so much in France from what I saw anyway, but for trials we need it here, but perhaps not quite so much for roughshooting. I hope she passes this hunting passion on to her babies. She certainly did with the previous ones - both boys are coming along very nicely from what I hear. So it's not just Patrick's training that is so excellent but also the breeding lines behind that! He is an expert on that too.
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Patricia
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What Patrick and Herve pass on is generations of breeding/ training/ competing field dogs. Assessing rough shooting dogs and field trial dogs.
Herve is third generation from the Cornouaille kennel, Patrick the second. What will happen when they go? 
I sold Spot as the males he produced were not Brittany enough ( for me) in conformation and I was told to beware Italian blood in some cases.
I will try to put a pic of little Black dog if I can-or better ask my son  -
Just received my French magazine, great photos Anne
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Ghilliegumdrop
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I see you and Alan are in there as well Patricia
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doganjo
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Not got mine yet. Will email Pierre
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Liz
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Bill and I were lucky enough to see Patrick's kennel a couple of years ago, and were so impressed by the way the very young pups were starting working, retrieving from water, etc, etc. His enthusiasm and love for his dogs was so strong.
Anne - my French magazine came this morning - it must just take longer to get to Scotland
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doganjo
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No, just remembered forgot to pay membership so I'll just have a squinty at Margaret's when I'm down and rejoin next year.
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Anne Eissing
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Great posts, Patricia! Iīm really jealous, itīs one of my dreams to meet all this origin brittany people and learn much more about breeding and handling the brittany.
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doganjo
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You'll be amazed with Patrick's set up, Anne - if you can manage to go you should - so well organised, lovely healthy and happy dogs, (around 200 Brittanys the time we were there).
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Patricia
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Anne E...Visiting Patrick is a MUST .Though he is very serious and I try my hardest to get a smile out of him( cracked it this time ) Other dogs I have imported have been hard to match Ivry and Lorca.
In cleanliness indoors and outdoors. They are extremely well socialised, calm and not noisy.( I hate barking dogs all the time)
I trusted Patrick first time round after my disaster bringing in dysplastic dogs from elsewhere. That trust is the key to a good relationship between customer and breeder/ trainer.
I have never seen puppies from large kennels go into the kitchen to be sociable, have their ears cleaned regularly after a trip to the field. So they never have problems with them later. I have never seen around 200 dogs and pups so clean and quiet. Not one dogs does not come to you... They all come out to be worked, they are well travelled back and forth to the fields...
Alan was keen to have another Keranlouan but preferred tailless. It was meant to be as this little Black dog jumped at me..He is still only young and I normally buy adults, but the important factor is there: trust.
Please go and see this kennel if you can, it is worth it.
If you also have time go and say Hello to Herve Bourdon he is lovely and very friendly...
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Waldo
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Hi Patricia,
Did I read that correct "around 200" dogs at the one kennel?
That must truly be an amazing operation if that's correct, I can't imagine the magnitude of something that big!
Or, did I just mis-interpret it?
Cheers,
Waldo
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Patricia
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No Waldo, you did not misinterpret
Cleanest, best run imo...
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Anne Eissing
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You are right Waldo, I visit a kennel with more than 200 brittanys in at the NE 2007 near Callac, but it was a really negativ experience. MAny dogs were very fearful, some looked like they never leave the kennel, some did stereotype movement the hole time, horrible.
But sadly we couldnīt stay and visit Patrick Morins kennel, because our car needed fuel and we had to search for a petrol station, this was not so easy in the countryside of Callac. I am really impressed by the things Patricia told about the Keranlouan kennel. I will definnitely visit them in the near future.
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Waldo
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I'm still having trouble grasping the concept of 200 Britt's in the one kennel. We really are a bit isolated in some way's over here as our numbers are so very small by comparison, call that a positive or a negative it all just depends on your view at the time?
Cheers,
Waldo
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Patricia
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There is only one kennel I did not visit or have visited before in Callac.
I have bought 4 Keranlouan now. Having imported 11 dogs by now, I will say they have been by far the most balanced.
I have had some bad experiences with well bred dogs - bought as pups-which are poorly socialised as babies( the critical time) or just don't turn out to be good enough. Some real disappointments, including size issues, or others, even sometimes behaviour issues relating to spending too much time in kennels.
Disenchanted I told myself no more pups.
When you walk in one of the Keranlouan paddocks with many little baby puppies, it can happen to tread on one's foot by accident. Then their breeder picks it up and gives it a cuddle so they are not traumatised  What a difference this makes
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doganjo
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Patrick really is superb. I remember when we were there, two pups were taken to the lake to retrieve a duck and one of them jumped straight in. The other was wanting to go in but just didn't quite have the courage. He very gently bent down and eased it into the water - and it took off like a bat out of h - - l to catch it's litter brother and grabbed the soggy duck so they brought it back together.
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