All About Brittany Spaniels

The Brittany Spaniel

The Brittany is a medium-sized, leggy, dual-purpose dog, equally suited for sport and companionship. According to AKC Registration Statistics, it has surged in popularity in the last 50 years due to its talents as both a hunting and show dog. Originally called the Brittany Spaniel, it is now referred to simply as the Brittany, as its hunting style more closely resembles that of pointing breeds. Its dense, flat or wavy coat can be orange and white or liver and white in either clear or roan patterns.

The Brittany

A Look Back

The Brittany was named for the French province where it originated, but records of its development are largely lost. There is a great deal of resemblance between the Brittany and Welsh Springer Spaniel, which leads many people to believe that the two breeds share the same ancestors. It is possible that native Brittany spaniels mated with English pointing dogs around 1900, intensifying their hunting prowess in the process.

Right Breed for You?

The Brittany is strong, quick and agile, requiring exercise and activity to occupy his body and mind. He is a happy and alert dog who possesses willing attitude. Regular brushing is important, but their shorter coats need minimal maintenance.

If you are considering purchasing a Brittany puppy, learn more here.

Sporting Group; AKC recognized in 1934.

Average size: 30 to 40 pounds and 17 ½ to 20 ½ inches at the shoulder.

Bird dog, companion.

Brittany Breed Standard

General Appearance

A compact, closely knit dog of medium size, a leggy dog having the appearance, as well as the agility, of a great ground coverer. Strong, vigorous, energetic and quick of movement. Ruggedness, without clumsiness, is a characteristic of the breed. He can be tailless or has a tail docked to approximately four inches.

Brittanys (Complete Pet Owner's Manual)

by: Dan Rice D.V.M.

Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/28/2009)

Bred primarily as a bird dog, this energetic canine loves the outdoors and makes a fine pet for owners who can give it ample exercise. Barron's extensive line of Complete Pet Owner's Manuals presents information for non-specialist animal owners and prospective owners, with facts about each animal's origins and traits, as well as advice on purchasing, housing, feeding, health care, and much more. Each book is individually written by a trainer, breeder, veterinarian, or other animal specialist.

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Size, Proportion, Substance

Height--17½ to 20½ inches, measured from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders. Any Brittany measuring under 17½ inches or over 20½ inches shall be disqualified from dog show competition. Weight--Should weigh between 30 and 40 pounds.

Proportion--So leggy is he that his height at the shoulders is the same as the length of his body.

Body Length--Approximately the same as the height when measured at the shoulders. Body length is measured from the point of the forecast to the rear of the rump. A long body should be heavily penalized.

Substance--Not too light in bone, yet never heavy-boned and cumbersome.

Bobwhite Quail Hunting Kansas

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Head

Expression--Alert and eager, but with the soft expression of a bird dog. Eyes--Well set in head. Well protected from briars by a heavy, expressive eyebrow. A prominent full or popeye should be penalized. It is a serious fault in a dog that must face briars. Skull well chiseled under the eyes, so that the lower lid is not pulled back to form a pocket or haw that would catch seeds, dirt and weed dust. Preference should be for the darker colored eyes, though lighter shades of amber should not be penalized. Light and mean-looking eyes should be heavily penalized. Ears--Set high, above the level of the eyes. Short and triangular, rather than pendulous, reaching about half the length of the muzzle. Should lie flat and close to the head, with dense, but relatively short hair, and with little fringe. Skull--Medium length, rounded, very slightly wedge-shaped, but evenly made. Width, not quite as wide as the length and never so broad as to appear coarse, or so narrow as to appear racy. Well defined, but gently sloping stop. Median line rather indistinct. The occiput only apparent to the touch. Lateral walls well rounded. The Brittany should never be "apple-headed" and he should never have an indented stop. Muzzle--Medium length, about two thirds the length of the skull, measuring the muzzle from the tip to the stop, and the skull from the occiput to the stop. Muzzle should taper gradually in both horizontal and vertical dimensions as it approaches the nostrils. Neither a Roman nose nor a dish-face is desirable. Never broad, heavy or snippy. Nose--Nostrils well open to permit deep breathing of air and adequate scenting. Tight nostrils should be penalized. Never shiny. Color: fawn, tan, shades of brown or deep pink. A black nose is a disqualification. A two-tone or butterfly nose should be penalized. Lips--Tight, the upper lip overlapping the lower jaw just to cover the lower lip. Lips dry, so that feathers will not stick. Drooling to be heavily penalized. Flews to be penalized. Bite--A true scissors bite. Overshot or undershot jaw to be heavily penalized.

Brittany (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)

by: Richard G. Beauchamp

Amazon Price: $12.71 (as of 12/28/2009)

Developed in France from working setters and spaniels to produce a hunting dog who would be a biddable, loyal and versatile companion, the Brittany has proven itself in both fields. Although bred for function, the Brittany is a natural beauty in his handsomely fringed coat and appealing expression. The breed's affinity for children and its affection and playful personality have made him a favorite choice as a family pet. For the owners who can provide this energetic dog with the activity, stimulation and training he requires, the Brittany will not disappoint.

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Neck, Topline, Body

Neck--Medium length. Free from throatiness, though not a serious fault unless accompanied by dewlaps, strong without giving the impression of being over muscled. Well set into sloping shoulders. Never concave or ewe-necked. Topline--Slight slope from the highest point of the shoulders to the root of the tail. Chest--Deep, reaching the level of the elbow. Neither so wide nor so rounded as to disturb the placement of the shoulders and elbows. Ribs well sprung. Adequate heart room provided by depth as well as width. Narrow or slab-sided chests are a fault. Back--Short and straight. Never hollow, saddle, sway or roach backed. Slight drop from the hips to the root of the tail. Flanks--Rounded. Fairly full. Not extremely tucked up, or flabby and falling. Loins short and strong. Distance from last rib to upper thigh short, about three to four finger widths. Narrow and weak loins are a fault. In motion, the loin should not sway sideways, giving a zig-zag motion to the back, wasting energy. Tail--Tailless to approximately four inches, natural or docked. The tail not to be so long as to affect the overall balance of the dog. Set on high, actually an extension of the spine at about the same level. Any tail substantially more than four inches shall be severely penalized.

Whoa!

Forequarters

Shoulders--Shoulder blades should not protrude too much, not too wide apart, with perhaps two thumbs' width between. Sloping and muscular. Blade and upper arm should form nearly a ninety degree angle. Straight shoulders are a fault. At the shoulders, the Brittany is slightly higher than at the rump. Front Legs--Viewed from the front, perpendicular, but not set too wide. Elbows and feet turning neither in nor out. Pasterns slightly sloped. Down in pasterns is a serious fault. Leg bones clean, graceful, but not too fine. Extremely heavy bone is as much a fault as spindly legs. One must look for substance and suppleness. Height at elbows should approximately equal distance from elbow to withers. Feet--Should be strong, proportionately smaller than the spaniels', with close fitting, well arched toes and thick pads. The Brittany is "not up on his toes." Toes not heavily feathered. Flat feet, splayed feet, paper feet, etc., are to be heavily penalized. An ideal foot is halfway between the hare and the cat foot. Dewclaws may be removed.

A Feisty Little Pointing Dog: A Celebration of the Brittany

Amazon Price: (as of 12/28/2009)

The Britanny spaniel is first and foremost a gun dog. The breed's skill and antics in the field are wonderfully told in the 26 stories that comprise this tribute.

Hindquarter

Broad strong and muscular, with powerful thighs and well bent stifles, giving the angulation necessary for powerful drive. Hind Legs--Stifles well bent. The stifle should not be so angulated as to place the hock joint far out behind the dog. A Brittany should not be condemned for straight stifle until the judge has checked the dog in motion from the side. The stifle joint should not turn out making a cowhock. Thighs well feathered but not profusely, halfway to the hock. Hocks, that is, the back pasterns, should be moderately short, pointing neither in nor out, perpendicular when viewed from the side. They should be firm when shaken by the judge. Feet Same as front feet.

Brittany Spaniels Hunting in Co Cork Ireland

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Coat

Dense, flat or wavy, never curly. Texture neither wiry nor silky. Ears should carry little fringe. The front and hind legs should have some feathering, but too little is definitely preferable to too much. Dogs with long or profuse feathering or furnishings shall be so severely penalized as to effectively eliminate them from competition. Skin--Fine and fairly loose. A loose skin rolls with briars and sticks, thus diminishing punctures or tearing. A skin so loose as to form pouches is undesirable.

The Ultimate Guide to Bird Dog Training

The Ultimate Guide to Bird Dog Training: A Realistic Approach to Training Close-Working Gun Dogs for Tight Cover Conditions

by: Jerome B. Robinson

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/28/2009)

"Follow Jerry Robinson and your path to glorious and golden upland gunning over a great dog will become clear. Here, in one book, you will find everything you need to save time, money, and aggravation in developing the hunting companion of a lifetime."
--Lamar Underwood, former editor-in-chief, Sports Afield and Outdoor Life

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Color

Orange and white or liver and white in either clear or roan patterns. Some ticking is desirable. The orange or liver is found in the standard parti-color or piebald patterns. Washed out colors are not desirable. Tri-colors are allowed but not preferred. A tri-color is a liver and white dog with classic orange markings on eyebrows, muzzle and cheeks, inside the ears and under the tail, freckles on the lower legs are orange. Anything exceeding the limits of these markings shall be severely penalized. Black is a disqualification.

Let's Go Hunting!

Gait

When at a trot the Brittany's hind foot should step into or beyond the print left by the front foot. Clean movement, coming and going, is very important, but most important is side gait, which is smooth, efficient and ground covering.

Training Pointing Dogs

Training Pointing Dogs, 2nd

by: Paul Long

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/28/2009)

Sage guidance and backwoods wisdom make this a valuable source for training bird dogs.

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OhMe OhMe Mar 1, 2009 @ 2:18 pm

I think the Brittany Spaniel is beautiful and so is this lens. Thank you for all the great info.

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Tiddledeewinks Tiddledeewinks Jan 29, 2009 @ 11:35 pm

I love dogs! I had a beautiful Old English Sheepdog who died much too young last year, which left me heart-broken.

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Rick3 Rick3 Jan 26, 2009 @ 6:17 pm

Our britany we recused from a shelter in Las Vegas. She won Miss Congenality at our dog park in AZ. She also is the best soccer playion dog I have ever seen. A real Sweatheart...

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Joan4 Joan4 Jan 14, 2009 @ 10:25 pm

Beautiful dogs! Congratulations Giant Squid! lensrolling to a Dog Named Blue

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singaporehosting singaporehosting Jan 14, 2009 @ 6:13 am

Extremely lovely dogs, too bad it is not suitable for my environment. Love to have one of those when I can but frankly they don't really look like hunting dogs to me.....too cute to be hunting dogs.
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Temperament

A happy, alert dog, neither mean nor shy.

Disqualifications

Any Brittany measuring under 17½ inches or over

20½ inches

A black nose

Black in the coat

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