Brittany spaniel

 

breed of medium-sized sporting dog whose origins may be traced back hundreds of years to France and Spain. It stands about 19 in. (48.3 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs between 30 and 40 lb (13.6–18.1 kg). Its dense, flat or wavy coat is dark orange and white or liver and white. Many Brittany spaniels are born tailless or very short-tailed, and a tail that is more than 4 in. (10.2 cm) long is docked to that length. Although it is a “leggy” spaniel, it has a compact body—its height at its shoulder often equals its body length. The Brittany is a first-rate hunter and may easily be trained to retrieve, both on land and water. It is the only spaniel that points its quarry. See dog.

Brittany
Adult Brittany
Alternative names
American Brittany Brittany Spaniel Epagneul Breton
Country of origin
France
Classification and breed standards
FCI:	Group 7 Section 1.2 #95	Stds
AKC:	Sporting	Stds
ANKC:	Group 3 (Gundogs)	Stds
CKC:	Group 1 - Sporting Dogs	Stds
KC (UK):	Gundog	Stds
NZKC:	Gundog	Stds
UKC:	Gun Dog	Stds

The Brittany is a breed of gun dog primarily bred for bird hunting. Although the Brittany is often referred to as a spaniel, the breed's working characteristics are more akin to a pointer or setter. Brittanys were developed in the Brittany province of France in the 1800s.

Appearance

A Brittany is typically quite athletic, compact, and solidly built without being heavy. Other characteristics include long legs, and their expressions are usually of intelligence, vigour, and alertness. Their gait is elastic, long, and free.

Some Brittanys are born with naturally short tails and others with long tails. If born with a long tail it is normally docked to a length of 3 to 10 centimetres (1 to 4 inches). In countries where docking is illegal long-tailed Brittanys should carry their tails level with the back or slightly lower.

Coat and color

The most common color pattern for Brittanys is white with orange patches. Other sometimes-seen colors are liver and white, black and white, liver tri-color and black tri-color. Any of these color combinations can be found in a clear or roan pattern with some ticking. The American Kennel Club and Canadian Kennel Club do not recognize black as an acceptable color for the breed, but it is allowed in all other registries worldwide. The coat is of moderate length, dense, flat, or wavy, with slight feathering on the ears and legs. Too much feathering is undesirable as it impedes the dog’s work in thick brush.

Size

Brittany Spaniels are almost always between 44-52 cm (17.5-20.5 in) tall at the withers, with the UKC and AKC preferring smaller dogs. They weigh 13.5-18 kg (30-40 lb). The dog is squareish when viewed from the side, with shoulder height equaling body length (from withers to base of tail). Show dogs have their tails docked in some countries. The tails of working or companion dogs are rarely left long.

Types

Many breeders differentiate between "American" Brittanys and "French" style Brittanys. Although generally recognized as sub-sets of the same breed, there are recognizable differences between the two. The American Brittany is taller and faster. It has been bred to cover more ground in order to hunt wide open spaces common in the United States. The French Brittany appears more "spaniel-like" in that it is smaller and the French Brittany generally works more closely to the guns.

Temperament

The breed is noted for being easy to train, sensitive, and sweet-natured. Many enthusiasts agree that it takes little more than a stern look or cross word to chastise a Brittany. As a consequence, care must be taken during training so as not to break the dog’s spirit. Brittanys are excellent with children but they are an exuberant breed and if not well supervised may accidentally harm a small child. Brittanys get along well with other dogs and enjoy working with other dogs as a team. Many Brittany enthusiasts encourage new Brittany owners to be a two dog family. The dogs are active and require frequent exercise and room to run. As pets Brittanys are first-rate companion dogs but they do need plenty of exercise. Their outgoing nature makes them poor candidates for protectors.

The Brittany makes a good house pet as long as it receives daily mental and physical exercise. If not given sufficient exercise, it can become destructive.

Health

Brittanies are generally healthy dogs, though some genetic disorders are prevalent. They can be prone to hip dysplasia and epilepsy. Their ears can be prone to infections.

References

• Thoms, Jerry. "The French Brittany". Gun Dog Magazine. 

External links

• The American Brittany Club
• Brittany Club of Great Britain
• The Brittany Spaniel Club of Canada
• Club de l'Epagneul Breton (USA)
• French Brittany Gun Dog Association of America Inc.
• American Brittany Rescue

Breeds of gundog
Pointers	English Setter  · Gordon Setter  · Irish Red and White Setter  · Irish Setter  · Pointer
Versatile gundogs	Ariege Pointer  · Blue Picardy Spaniel  · Bracco Italiano  · Braque du Bourbonnais  · Braque d'Auvergne  · Braque Français  · Braque Saint-Germain  · Brittany  · Cesky Fousek  · German Longhaired Pointer  · German Shorthaired Pointer  · German Wirehaired Pointer  · Large Münsterländer  · Old Danish Pointer  · Old Spanish Pointer  · Picardy Spaniel  · Portuguese Pointer  · Pudelpointer  · Small Münsterländer  · Spanish Pointer  · Spinone Italiano  · Vizsla  · Weimaraner  · Wirehaired Pointing Griffon
Retrievers	Chesapeake Bay Retriever  · Curly-Coated Retriever  · Flat-Coated Retriever  · Golden Retriever  · Labrador Retriever  · Nova Scotia Duck-Tolling Retriever  · Standard Poodle
Spaniels	American Cocker Spaniel  · Boykin Spaniel  · Clumber Spaniel  · English Cocker Spaniel  · English Springer Spaniel  · Field Spaniel  · French Spaniel  · German Spaniel  · Pont-Audemer Spaniel  · Russian Spaniel  · Sussex Spaniel  · Welsh Springer Spaniel  ·
Water dogs	American Water Spaniel  · Barbet  · Irish Water Spaniel  · Lagotto Romagnolo  · Portuguese Water Dog  · Spanish Water Dog  · Wetterhoun

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