Brittany Spaniel Breed Information

Last updated Sep 2, 2020 1

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.

Brittany Spaniel 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.

Brittany Spaniel 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.

Brittany Spaniel 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.

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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.

Brittany Spaniel 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.

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breed overview brittany spaniel