Brittany
Group 3: Gun dogs
Height:
Male: 49 – 50 cm
Female: 48 – 49 cm
Energy Level: High
Original Function: Setting
Lifespan: 12 – 16 yrs
Recommended for: Active people & families.
About This Breed
The Brittany is a blend of the spaniels and the setter characteristics. In the 19th century, a puppy was born with a short tail and happened to be an excellent worker in the field. As matings along the lines improved this is the Brittany Spaniel that we know today.
The Brittany is a very active breed, who is highly intelligent, biddable and keen to please. He also is affectionate, kind, and loves to be part of the family. He needs both mental and physical stimulation – such as working, obedience or agility to keep his mind occupied. He is also passionate in his hunting and is therefore not suitable for novice pet owners who are not prepared to give him the exercise he needs, (as his nose will take him miles away if not trained).
General Characteristics
Appearance: Medium sized, strong body, ears high set & hang to the side of the head. Nose & eye colour blends with the body colour. Tail is usually short about 10cm.
Temperament: A dog adapting itself to any environment, sociable, with an intelligent and attentive expression, mentally balanced
Characteristics: A versatile pointing dog, for any game on any terrain, precocious in revealing its hunting passion. Remarkable in its searching for game, its gait, its scenting ability, it’s ranging in the field, its spontaneity and the duration of pointing, its retrieving and its aptitude for training.
Colour: White and orange, white and black, white and liver with more or less extensive irregular white patches. Piebald or roan, sometimes with ticking on the top and sides of the muzzle or the limbs. Equally, in the case of tricolour coats, with tan spotting (orange to dark tan) on the top and sides of the muzzle, over the eyes, on the limbs, on the chest and over the base of the tail. A narrow blaze is desirable with any colour of coat. A self coloured coat is not allowed.
Coat: Fine but not silky, lying flat on the body or with a slight hint of a wave. Never curly. Short on the head and the front of the limbs. The hind part of the latter has a heavier coat, furnished with abundant feathering, diminishing along their length down to the carpus (wrist) or the tarsus (hock), or even lower.
Grooming: A small amount of trimming may be needed around the ears and feathering in preparation for the show ring. A good brush once a week is sufficient to keep his coat in good order.
Exercise: regular exercise, such as walks off lead, plays in the park are great to keep them in shape.
Health: