The Brittany Spaniel was named
after the French province where the breed was
originally developed. Unfortunately, early data on
this breed is unknown but it appears the Brittany
Spaniel was bred as a sporting dog. Then in the 17th
century, accurate information was discovered, also a
time when this bobtailed dog was showcased in
beautiful tapestries and paintings.
Many dog historians believe the Brittany was not
developed until the start of the 20th century, bred
with English pointers. As the breed became better
known, the orange and white variety was finally
registered as the first, authentic Brittany
Spaniel in 1907 by the French. Twenty-four years
later, the Brittany was introduced to America and
then in 1934, accepted as a breed with the American
Kennel Club for both show and sporting categories.
What makes the Brittany Spaniel so wonderful is that
while it remains a great show, hunting, and field
trial dog, it also makes an exceptional family pet.
Temperament
As mentioned, while the Brittany Spaniel is commonly
used in the show ring, for hunting, and field
trials, you will also find this dog is perfect for
the home environment. The Brittany is actually a
sweet, sensitive, and smart breed that is
exceptional with older children and other pets. Best
of all, the Brittany is easy to train, actually
eager to learn and please its master.
Keep in mind that this particular breed is fun
loving and playful. Therefore, while the Brittany
gets along great with babies and toddlers, you would
want to supervise to ensure the child were not
accidentally knocked down and hurt. However, if you
want a family pet and/or companion pet, you cannot
go wrong choosing this breed. Loving, faithful, and
appropriately protective, the Brittany has become a
favorite for many people.
Size and Color
This dog breed is compact but built solid and an
excellent athlete. While the Brittany Spaniel has
long legs, its tail is usually bobbed. Watching the
Brittany in action is a fun experience, as the dog
has a beautiful, free gait. Typically, this breed
stands between 17.5 and 22 inches at the withers.
Although some Brittany Spaniel clubs around the
country prefer the larger dog, both the American
Kennel Club and the European United Kennel Club like
the smaller end of the scale. As far as weight, male
and female should weigh anywhere from 30 to 45
pounds.
The body of this breed is mostly white although it
also has spots of liver or orange. In fact, you will
find tri-colored Brittany’s, which are white, liver,
and orange, a beautiful combination. In Europe, dogs
with black spots are acceptable but in the United
States, they are not. Other colors and color
combinations associated with the Brittany beyond the
standard white and orange, white and liver, and
tri-colored of white, orange, and liver include the
following, which can be seen as spotted, ticked, or
roan.
►
Liver Roan
►
Orange Roan
►
Black and White
►
Black, White, and Orange
►
Blue Roan
►
White, Black, and Orange
The Brittany’s coat is medium length but dense.
Additionally, the cost lies flat to the body, has
just a little bit of waviness, and around the legs
and ears, you would see soft feathering. Typically,
the feathering on the Brittany would be more intense
for show than with hunting or field trial at which
time it would become a deterrent to the task at
hand.
Feeding and Grooming Requirements
The Brittany Spaniel is somewhat different from
other breeds in that this dog has very specific
nutritional needs. To maintain the dog’s beautiful
coat, body size, temperament, and other qualities,
you want to choose foods that are designed for the
breed. For instance, food should be as close to what
the dog would find in its natural environment. By
keeping the diet free from foreign foods, the
Brittany will maintain strong and healthy glandular
and digestive systems.
What you need is the proper balance of
carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals, and
fatty acids. Although you could use high quality dog
food, many breeders and veterinarians suggest you
make fresh food, using only quality ingredients void
of preservatives. The most important thing about
feeding a Brittany Spaniel is to avoid feeding
vitamin C since the dog’s kidney and liver could be
damaged.
Then for grooming, you will find that the Brittany
does not need much, usually occasional brushing.
This particular breed does not require any type of
clipping so using a slicker brush twice a week would
suffice. This way, you will remove old, dry hair, as
well as any parasites that the dog might have
received while out hunting or working field trials.
Exercise Needs
This breed has medium to high energy so you want to
make sure it gets adequate exercise daily.
Typically, one hour a day walking would make for a
relatively happy dog. However, because the Brittany
Spaniel is a sporting dog, loving the outside, we
strongly suggest you spend adequate time playing,
training, going to the park, working field trials,
or hunting.
