The Brittany Spaniel originally was found in
Breton. In a painting by Oudry in the early 1700s there is a
portrait of a tail-less spaniel about the size and color of the
Brittany that is pointing a partridge. The breed became popular
with local poachers in the 1800s because of its agility and small
size and its extraordinary ability to point and flush the birds,
combined with a desire to retrieve and a willingness to work.
In modern times, the Brittany has become the
most popular of the "pointing" breeds in the United States. It is
extremely "birdy" and is tireless in the field. It will retrieve
the birds also, which is not common with most of the pointers. The
"Britt" also fits well into a household, being affectionate and
friendly. He is a small dog with a love of the outdoors, being
agile and compact he can fit into an urban household but needs to
be well exercised. This is a dog whose first love is bird hunting
and it is an independent dog. It loves nothing better than to work
with its human master on a "partnership" basis to bring in the
birds. There are many hunters who swear by this dog as being one
of the best bird hunting dogs they have ever had, once they have
had a "Britt" they will never switch their loyalties. This is a
breed that has retained a strong hunting presence in both England
and the United States and it is not uncommon for "dual
championships" (championships in conformation and hunting trials)
to be shown in the show ring.
The Brittany is a smaller dog, standing 17
to 20 inches in height, with finer bones than many of the larger
pointers. The coat should be somewhat sparse and lying flat with
some waviness, although the dogs shown in the ring have a fuller
coat it is not necessarily part of the standard of the breed. The
coat should not be so heavy as to catch the burdocks and weeds but
rather thin enough and silky enough that the dog can travel
through heavy underbrush with ease. Colors can be everything from
orange and white to liver and white with orange and white being
the most popular. Black is not allowed. The Brittany should be an
athletic dog with the stride of the rear foot landing in the print
of the front foot or beyond when moving. The tail is either short
or bobbed.
In matters of temperament the Brittany is
not overly aggressive and its behavior befits its function. It has
never been used as a "guarding dog" but only as a "bird dog" and
this is its first interest. It is friendly to humans but does not
"crave" the human companionship as much as it craves the joy of
the hunt. It is a willing worker and has a "soft" nature, it is a
dog that is easy to train and does not need harsh discipline.
