Paul and Lynn Morrison, owners of Little Brownies Kennel, live in Michigan. They have been breeding, showing, training, and hunting American Water Spaniels for more than 30 years. These days, other than hunting, they primarily participate in AKC Performance Events where they often showcase their breed around the Midwest and East Coast at AKC spaniel hunt tests. They built the Little Brownies bloodline from the ground up, using the knowledge they gained from studying a multitude of books, attending educational programs offered by the AKC, breeder seminars, veterinary college breeder symposiums, and theriogenologist seminars.
AKC: How did you get started in breeding dogs?
Paul: We obtained our first American Water Spaniel in 1988 and fell in love with her. We quickly learned about just how rare the breed is and started showing to help showcase it. People we met at various dog shows encouraged us to continue showing and started to educate us about breeding. After a year or so of considering the idea of starting a breeding program, we decided to take the plunge. We obtained a male that we could use as a stud and found another female that we could add to our home. After obtaining the health clearances on these dogs who would become our foundation male and female, we did our first breeding, and our first litter was born in 1992.
AKC: What is the most important thing to know about your breed?
Paul: There is no one thing but we would start by saying that they are not little Labradors, as some of the retriever enthusiasts seem to think. They are spaniels and have energy levels and learning tendencies that are rather nuanced and relate best to the spaniel breeds. Further, we would warn buyers of potential health issues and explain that this breed is not immune to certain problems. It appears some people think that because the breed is rare it may be less prone to issues than other breeds and that is simply not the case.
AKC: What is your favorite question to ask of potential puppy buyers?
Paul: Tell me about your experience with dogs and why you are interested in the American Water Spaniel and Little Brownies Kennel?
AKC: What are the main qualities you look for in potential owners?
Paul: We want to know that a potential buyer has put some effort into considering this breed and is not simply looking for the first puppy they can find. The same holds true for our kennel. We want to form a relationship with our buyers and not simply sell a puppy to whoever wants to buy one. If a person is simply looking for the first American Water Spaniel they can buy, our kennel is probably not for them. We offer a lot of advice on the raising of our pups, on health and temperament issues, and we want to keep in close contact whenever possible. Many of our buyers have come back to us for multiple dogs over the 30+ years and they tell us that they do this because of the relationships we have formed and the joy our dogs have brought them.
AKC: What is the best advice you would give to novice breeders?
Paul: Get yourself a mentor who is willing to work with you on a regular basis. A mentor that can answer your questions regarding genetics, puppy care, whelping, finding a good veterinarian, and so much more. Make sure that the mentor is willing to take a phone call at 3 am when your girl seems to be having problems and can calmly walk you through the situation. We have a few of our puppy buyers that we have mentored and continue to mentor over time. Then, connect with a veterinarian who has worked with breeders and is well educated about canine reproduction and puppy care. If you can find a theriogenologist – a reproductive specialist – that would be ideal.
AKC: Do your dogs participate in AKC sports?
Paul: Yes, these days we primarily participate in AKC spaniel hunt tests, and I have been an AKC spaniel hunt test judge since 1995. We have also participated in conformation shows and obedience trials with our American Water Spaniels and used them as demonstration dogs at judges’ education seminars.
AKC: What do you like best about breeding dogs?
Paul: Watching the puppies develop both physically and mentally over the course of eight short weeks. Seeing these little ones go from small, squirming little pups to pups that can run, play, swim, and solve problems that arise, in such a short time, is truly something to behold, in an up-close-and-personal way.
AKC: Do you have a favorite breeding story?
Paul: Yes, in the 1990s, before we moved to the country to train field dogs, we owned a dog training and grooming facility, in a major metro area in Michigan. One of our clients was a veterinarian who trained with us regularly for both conformation and obedience trials. One day, after having observed our work with our pups and hearing about our breeding program, she came to us and asked if she could come and observe the whelping process. She explained that veterinarians get very little training in the process of whelping and that their education is primarily centered around c-sections and other problems that can arise post-partum. This veterinarian had never observed an actual whelping process from start to finish and asked if she could do so with one of our upcoming litters.
Of course, we said yes and were very honored that she chose to observe us rather than any of her clients. After sitting through the birth of one of our litters she stated that she was impressed by the amount of work involved in the process, how important it was to be fully prepared, and how responsive we were to every little problem that surfaced, and we were able to solve. As many have stated since, people have no idea how much work goes into the breeding and whelping of a quality litter, including many veterinarians.