Warburton's Heavenly Poodles

AKC MEET THE BREEDS®

Get to know the Brittany

Sporting Group

Get to know the Brittany

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.

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.

Breed Standard

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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.

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 forechest 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Country of Origin: The Brittany (also known as the ‘American Brittany’, ‘Brittany Spaniel’, and ‘Epagneul Breton’) originated in the Brittany province of France in the 1800’s from crosses of the English Setter and small Spaniels. It is a skilled bird hunter with excellent scenting abilities. The Brittany’s pointing and retrieving skills and high level of obedience made it popular among hunters, particularly poachers. Brittanys were first imported to North America in the 1920’s and recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1934 (the registered name was changed from ‘Brittany Spaniel’ to ‘Brittany’ in 1982, out of recognition of its more ‘setter’-like hunting style), but took a while to catch on popularity due to the absence of a long tail. The Brittany has slowly risen in popularity due to its small size, easygoing personality, and excellent hunting skills. It is today the most popular pointer in field trials.

Size: The Brittany has a shoulder height of 43-53 cm (17-21 in) and weighs 14-18 kg (30-40 lbs). It has a brown or pink nose, small, highly set, triangular ears, and an alert expression. Brittanys are compact and muscular with long legs and naturally short or cropped tails up to 10 cm (4 in) in length. They are approximately as long as they are tall. Some breeders distinguish between ‘American Brittanys’, which are taller and faster for the wide American plains, and ‘French Brittanys’, which are more similar to Spaniels.

Coat: The Brittany has a medium length, dense, flat or wavy coat with feathering on the legs. The most common color is white with orange markings. Other colors for Brittanys are white and liver, white and black, liver tricolored and black tricolored. Any pattern may be solid or roan with ticking. Some registries allow black Brittanys.

Character: The Brittany is athletic, intelligent, quick and curious. It is a kind, adventurous breed which shows a large measure of independence. If not sufficiently exercised, the Brittany will become destructive.

Temperament: The Brittany gets along well with children, but should be monitored around small children due to its high energy level. The Brittany gets along well with other dogs and pets; Brittanys are recommended for homes of at least two dogs so they have a companion for play at all times. They are kind to strangers, which makes them a poor choice for personal protection.

Care: The Brittany requires little maintenance; only weekly grooming with a brush is required. The Brittany has a lifespan of 12-13 years. It is a generally healthy breed, but susceptible to some common canine maladies such as hip dysplasia (malformed hip joint which can cause lameness or arthritis), epilepsy, and ear infection.

Training: The Brittany has a well deserved reputation for being easy to train due to its intelligence and obedience. It has a strong desire to please its master and is usually ready to accept direction. Brittanys are highly sensitive; any discipline beyond a harsh word or stern look is strongly discouraged and unlikely to prove beneficial.

Activity: The Brittany requires an hour or more of serious exertion every day. It is not sufficient to take the Brittany for walks, which makes it unsuitable for apartment life. The Brittany is happiest living where it can run freely and take part in field sports.

Brittany's are intelligent, sensitive, non-confrontational, gentle
yet very energetic, and are often referred to as having a soft
disposition.

Brittany's require plenty of daily exercise in a safe area.  They
love to run, play, and generally just hang out with you.  They
thrive on attention and love.  They are never mean nor vicious
as this is NOT characteristic of the breed.

Brittany's smaller size (30 to 40 pounds) and personality make
them a true dual purpose dog for families.  They make great
family pets and wonderful hunting dogs thus they are one of the
most popular choices for families with kids and a hunter.  Most
families allow their Brittany in their home.  We feel that
Brittany's who are made an integral part of the family perform
better in the field.

They do not thrive living life in a kennel or being cooped up
all day.   They will chew and dig when bored so lots of chew
toys and free space are essential.  They can be mischievous
if left alone in the home so crate training is a great idea
(we recommend it).  They may dig and chew when bored
(see Brittany FAQ's page)

Our Brittany's hail from great, proven, hunting dogs as well as companion dogs.  We enjoy them as indoor pets, outdoor exercise partners (daily), and of course, good hunting buddies.

 It is best to not try to replicate a wonderfully informational web page about Brittany height/weight standards, therefore, we invite you to visit the AKC website for all of the Brittany conformation standards and such. (Very good site)...Come right back to enjoy our recipes and other free and neat Brittany stuff.

Breed Group: Sporting

Weight: 30-40 lbs

Height: 17.5-20.5 inches

Color(s): orange and white, liver and white, or tricolored

Overview

An intelligent breed, this dog does well in hunting sports. A gentle breed that is very obedience and very eager to please. Alert, lively, and independent, this breed is overall good-natured. The Brittany Spaniel is generally good with children and other pets if socialized properly throughout puppyhood.

Character

The Brittany Spaniel loves water. Described as a very friendly and loyal companion, this dog also does well in a country environment. Originally bred for hunting, this breed has natural protective instincts. This breed is considered a very popular companion dog.

Temperament

Happy and alert, this breed has a great presence. Easy to handle, and affectionate, this breed would make an ideal house pet if given the right care and exercise to keep him happy. This breed requires a gentle, yet somewhat firm hand, as they can be hyperactive.

Care

A relatively light shedding breed, this dog does require regular brushing to keep coat from becoming matted. Bathing once a month is recommended. Some trimming is necessary if to be used for show.

Coat

Silky, feathered beautiful coat is medium length and does not require much maintenance. Colors accepted are Orange and White, Liver and White, Black and White, Liver tri-color, and Black Tri-color.

Training

As this breed is rather hyperactive, they can become bored easily. Consistent training and a firm hand is recommended to keep you and your spaniel happy. This free thinking breed responds well in hunting or retrieving sports and is easy to train.

Activity

A medium sized yard is a must for this rambunctious breed. This breed has plenty of stamina to keep you on your toes and does require regular exercise. Would do best in a home with at least a medium sized yard, and an active owner.

Ownership

If you are looking for Brittany (Better Known As The Brittany Spaniel) puppies for sale from reputable Brittany breeders or to adopt Brittany from a Brittany rescue then make sure you understand as much about the dog breeds you are interested in as you can. Every puppy breed is different. Begin your research by reading the breed information about the Brittany puppy above. Search our dog breeds section to find Brittany puppies that make great pets.