Brittany spaniel

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Brittany

Adult Brittany
Other names	American Brittany Brittany Pointer Brittany Spaniel Brittany Wiegref Epagneul Breton
Country of origin	France
Traits Weight Male 15.8 - 24.9 kg (35 - 55 lb) Female 15.8 - 22.6 kg (35 - 50 lb) Coat Medium length flowing. Color Orange and white, liver and white, black and white (not universally accepted), tricolour, orange roan, liver roan, black roan
Classification & standards FCI Group 7 Section 1.2 #95 standard AKC Sporting standard ANKC Group 3 (Gundogs) standard CKC Group 1 - Sporting Dogs standard KC (UK) Gundog standard NZKC Gundog standard UKC Gun Dog standard

The Brittany is a breed of gun dog bred primarily 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. Brittanies were developed in the Brittany province of France in the 1800s.

Description

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).

Brittanys come in a variety of colours, where an orange and white coat or liver and white are most common in the American Brittany; other colours include orange roan and liver roan, all of which are acceptable in the show ring. The American Brittany Standard does specify an acceptable tri-colour of liver, orange, and white with very specific color placement which is also acceptable in the show ring.

Size

Brittanys should range in a height of 17 inches to 20.5 inches at the withers (17.5 to 20.5 in America), with females at the lower end and males taller. A properly constructed and healthy Brittany maintains a weight between 36 and 43 lb (16 to 19 kg), depending upon height. North American field lines tend to be larger, with many dogs reaching a healthy weight of 45 to 50 lb (20 to 23 kg).

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 French Brittany appears more "spaniel-like" in that it is smaller and the French Brittany generally works more closely to the guns, but will work according to the local terrain. However, some breeders consider these "differences" to be unsound generalizations and that American standards should be updated to reflect the breed's standard in its country of origin, i.e. France, where black has become an acceptable coat colour since 1956 while it is still considered a fault in America. Originally known as the Brittany Spaniel, the word "spaniel" was dropped in the USA some years ago, as the American Brittany Club persuaded the American Kennel Club to discontinue the use of the term "spaniel" for this breed. When translating the Latin version of the Brittany's name, it was assumed that spaniel was attached, as the Brittany does resemble a spaniel-like dog. Spaniels, such as Springers and Cockers, are used for flushing game, while Brittanys are more akin to pointers and all-purpose sporting dogs. Known in the Uk as an HPR breed [Hunt, point, and retrieve.] they are expected to point & retrieve all birds and ground game up to and including hare.

Temperament

A liver and white Brittany

The breed was originally bred as a hunting dog and noted for being easy to train and sweet-natured. The breed is generally more sensitive to correction than other hunting breeds, and harsh corrections are often unnecessary.^[1][2] Brittanies are all around sound dogs, as they are excellent family pets as well as working dogs in the field.

The dogs are active and require frequent exercise and room to run, and a fenced yard is essential. At least one long walk is required daily to satisfy the needs of most Brittanys, and many Brittanys will need more than this.^[3] The breed sometimes gets a reputation for being crazy or uncontrollable, but these problems are almost invariably due to lack of exercise and training, and are not commonly seen in well cared-for dogs.^[1] If not given sufficient exercise, love, and socialization, Brittanys can become destructive or develop compulsive or neurotic behaviors. The Brittany makes a good house pet as long as it receives daily mental and physical exercise, as well as superb socialization on a regular basis.

Brittanys can become very shy if not thoroughly socialized, and even among well-socialized dogs there is significant variation in levels of friendliness. Some are highly gregarious and actively seek companionship, others are more unfriendly.

With more American dual champions (dogs with titles in both conformation shows and field trials) than any other breed,^[2] the Brittany maintains strong hunting instincts in all bloodlines.

Health

Brittanys are generally healthy and hardy dogs. Because of their floppy ears which tend to trap moisture in the ear canal, Brittanys need their ears cleaned regularly. They usually live 15-20 years. Hip dysplasia is not uncommon and epilepsy has been known to occur in the breed. American fanciers encourage owners of affected dogs to submit DNA to UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Lab for their ongoing research into the Brittany and canine health.

History

The name "Brittany" is taken from a region in northern France where the Brittany originated almost 1,800 years ago. Images of Brittanys were first seen on tapestries and paintings from the 17th century. These images depicted orange and white dogs hunting and retrieving game. The first written and verifiable record of Brittanys comes from a hunting description written by Reverend Davies in 1850. Davies described hunting with small "bobtailed" dogs who were pointed and were excellent retrievers. It was around the same time that the modern Brittany is rumored to have been bred by mating 2 types of English sporting dogs.

The Brittany was first recognized as a breed in 1907 when and orange and white male named "Boy" was registered in France. As a result, the first standards were outlined in the same year. America first recognized the Brittany in 1931 and the breed was approved by the American Kennel Club in 1934. In 1982 the "Spaniel" was officially dropped from the name and the breed became simply known as "Brittany."

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Kilcommons, Brian; Wilson, Sarah. Paws to Consider. pp. 132-133. ISBN 0-446-52151-5. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Brittany Primer, The American Brittany Club
3. ^ "American Brittany Rescue: Choosing a Brittany". http://americanbrittanyrescue.org/index.php?module=Pagesetter&func=viewpub&tid=3&pid=10. Retrieved 2009-10-03. 

• Thoms, Jerry. "The French Brittany". Gun Dog Magazine. http://www.gundogmag.com/gundog_breeds/brittany_0717/. 

• American Kennel Club [1]

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Epagneul Breton

• Club de l'Epagneul Breton (France)
• Brittany Club of Great Britain
• Club L'Epagneul Breton Australia
• The American Brittany Club
• The Brittany Spaniel Club of Canada
• Club de l'Epagneul Breton (USA)
• French Brittany Gun Dog Association of America Inc.
• American Brittany Rescue
• National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network
• American Kennel Club - Brittany