Description

Many breeders do make a differentiation between the American Brittany and the French style Brittany, however, they are considered subsets of the same breed. There are some recognizable differences found. For instance, the American Brittany is taller and faster whereas the French Brittany is more "spaniel-like" in its smaller stature and tends to work more closely with the guns.

The Brittany has a very athletic appearance and should never appear to be heavily built. Their appearance is to be elegant, compact, and long-legged. Brittany\'s can be born with either short or long tails. Long tails are typically docked to the length of about 1 to 4 inches. In countries where tail docking is illegal, long tailed Brittany will carry their tails level with their back or slightly lower.

The Brittany is a hunting dog. This gives them their agility and stamina. The Brittany although smaller, is still a very muscular dog without appearing to be heavy set. They have been well adapted to working in the field and this appears in many of its characteristics. There are heavy eyebrows and deep set eyes to protect the eyes from briars. They have a deep set chest and well-sprung ribs which allow them to have endurance for a day of hunting. The Brittany has extremely muscular thighs and substantial angulation to allow them to propel quickly through brush and trees to find and search for birds. Their skin is also loose enough to roll so that puncture wounds and skin injury are lessened when the dog is running through the brush. The Brittany is still commonly used as hunting dogs because of their moderate size. This makes them easily transportable. They are used especially for hunting woodcock, partridge, and hare. They are highly energetic and rarely tire.

Coat Description

The coat of the Brittany is slightly wavy and dense coat that lies flat. The Brittany is a single coat dog. It is not curly but some feathering on the legs does occur. Minimal feathering is preferred over excessive feathering. Excessive feathering on the legs can eliminate them from being able to appear in competition. The texture of the coat should not be wiry or silky. Some fringing does appear on the ears as well.

Orange can also appear in the inside of the ear, under the tail, and some freckles on the legs. Black is a disqualifying color. The American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club do not recognize black as an acceptable color.

History

The origin of the Brittany is somewhat unknown. There is speculation of it being the cross of an Orange and White Setter and some not clearly identified French dog. The dog is suggested to have originated in the French province of Brittany. The Brittany was first shown in 1896. It is one of the most popular pointing dogs for bird hunting. It is considered to be the smallest of the gun dogs. The Brittany to this day is still used widely for its work as a hunting and gun dog.

Temperament

The Brittany is a highly intelligent and obedient dog due to its history as a hunting dog. They are eager to please and have a very loving and gentle personality. However, they are highly independent and are considered to be free thinkers. They are consistently happy and enthusiastic. This makes them very good natured and easy to care for. However, it must be noted that the Brittany must be raised around children from puppyhood to be well mannered around them. Some are also known to be very nervous and hyperactive. Typically the Brittany has a very jolly personality and makes a very good companion dog.

The Brittany is not a dog for everyone. They tend to become hyperactive and experience separation anxiety when left alone. This can make them destructive around the home. They also tend to whine and bark excessively when excited or stressed. They are very inquisitive and enjoy sniffing and therefore will follow their nose until they are completely out of sight. They are also known to show some fearfulness towards people when they are not properly socialized from a young age. The Brittany is also very sensitive to stressful situations. For instance, if people in the home are arguing or there are family troubles the Brittany will pick up on it and become very nervous. This is when the dog will become withdrawn and anxious and start to whine or bark. Brittany dogs deserve to be in a calm, harmonious, and loving home.

The Brittany tends to get bored very easily and needs to have consistent mental and physical entertainment. It is important for the dog to have both mental and physical stimulation in order to prevent destructive chewing and excessive barking. This rambunctious behavior can become intolerable so it is important for the owner to ensure that the dog receives enough mental and physical stimulation. The best physical stimulation for the Brittany is a long run in a field or swimming playing fetch.

They also exhibit a natural softness that can cause problems as well. It is important for the Brittany to be socialized at an early age so that the softness does not turn into fearfulness or shyness. Brittany\'s are also known to have dribbling and urination when they become overly anxious or excitable.

It should be mentioned that the Brittany can have a range of personalities and therefore all the above temperament positives and negatives may or may not apply. Some can be very lovable and timid. These are the Brittany\'s that could never be used as a hunting or gun dog because they will react to loud noises. Others are very outgoing and playful and love to be around people.

Thyroid Disease - High Risk

The Brittany ranks #24 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. There is a high risk of obtaining a dog that will develop thyroid disease. For this reason you should make sure you, or your breeder, are testing all dogs before breeding.  It may even be a good idea to test dogs that you don't plan on breeding so that any instance of disease can be traced back to breeding pairs and eliminated.

You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here

Other Health Problems

Glaucoma: Is an increased pressure within the eye. The drain in the eye becomes closed or clogged but the eye continues to produce fluid. This can cause the eye to stretch and enlarge. Glaucoma can be both a genetic problem and a secondary problem when another eye condition causes the increase of fluid.

Spinal Paralysis: Can cause hind leg paralysis. There has been recent research to show that cells in the spinal cord can be redeveloped.

Hip Dysplasia: Can cause joint stiffness and pain. It resembles arthritis like symptoms. This is a genetic condition and therefore if it is not found in their line of breeding, they will not develop it.