About Brittany Spaniels

• 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, vigor, and alertness. Their gait is elastic, long, and free.
• Tails: 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 centimeters (1 to 4 inches).
• Size: Brittanys are almost always between 17.5-20.5 in tall. They weigh 25-30 lbs. The dog is square-ish when viewed from the side, with shoulder height equaling body length.
• Temperament: The Brittany makes a good house pet as long as it receives daily mental and physical exercise.

American vs French Style Brittanys

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 American Brittany is taller and faster. It has been bred to cover more ground to hunt wide open spaces common in the United States. The French Brittany appears more “spaniel-like” in that it is smaller, and the French Brittany generally works closer to the guns. However, many breeders consider these “differences” to be unsound generalizations and that North 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 color since 1956 while it is still considered a fault in North America. Originally known as the Brittany Spaniel, the word “spaniel” was dropped in the USA some years ago, as fanciers thought the Brittany was “the only pointing spaniel” and therefore they wanted to avoid confusion with English spaniels (Cockers, Springers, etc.), which are flushing and not pointing dogs. But this was probably in total ignorance of the existence of many other pointing spaniels well known in Europe (French Spaniel, Épagneul Picard, Munsterlander, etc.).

The breed is noted for being easy to train, sensitive, and sweet-natured. Many enthusiasts agree that it takes little more than a stern look or cross word to chastise a Brittany. As a consequence, care must be taken during training so as not to break the dog’s spirit. Brittanys are excellent with children, but they are an exuberant breed and, if not well supervised, may accidentally harm a small child. Many of these loveable dogs will, if allowed, even climb up on your lap and rest their head on your shoulder. Brittanies get along well with other dogs and enjoy working with other dogs as a team.

Many Brittany enthusiasts encourage new Brittany owners to be a two-dog family. The dogs are active and require frequent exercise and room to run. As pets, Brittanys are first-rate companion dogs, but they do need plenty of exercise. Their outgoing nature makes them poor candidates for protectors.

Brittany Puppies Currently Available