Brittany

The Brittany, or Brittany Spaniel, is a French gun dog of spaniel type, bred mainly for hunting birds. It comes from Brittany in north-west France, and it is one of five French spaniel breeds. In French it is the Épagneul Breton.

History

The breed took shape in Brittany between the 17th and 19th centuries. Tapestries and paintings from the 17th century show orange and white dogs of a similar type hunting and retrieving game. The first written description dates from 1850, when the Reverend Davies told of hunting with small bobtailed dogs that pointed and were excellent retrievers. The modern breed is thought to have been formed around the same time by mating such dogs with English Setters.

It was first recognized as a breed in 1907, when an orange and white dog named Boy was registered in France, and the first standard was drawn up that year. The American Kennel Club approved the breed in 1934, and in 1982 dropped the word Spaniel from its name.

Appearance

The Brittany has a spaniel-type head and a cobby build. The tail may be naturally short, missing altogether, or of full length, in which case it is usually carried more or less level. Where the law allows, it may be docked to between 3 and 6 cm.

The coat may be black and white, orange and white or liver and white, either pied or roan, or it may be tricolored. Solid colors are not accepted. The French standard gives a height of 47 to 51 cm.

The American Brittany has been bred differently from the French and international dog. It is somewhat larger, with a blockier head. The American Kennel Club standard gives a height of 44 to 52 cm (17.5 to 20.5 in) at the withers, and the dogs weigh 14 to 18 kg (30 to 40 lb). They are generally smaller than setters but longer in the leg than spaniels. The American standard accepts a tricolor of liver, orange and white with the colors in particular places.

Care and health

A French study in 2015 found a median lifespan of 12.6 years. A British study in 2024 found 11.1 years, below the average of 12.5 for all dogs.

North American studies found the breed somewhat predisposed to hip dysplasia, at 4.22 percent against 3.52 percent overall, and to have a slightly higher than average rate of glaucoma. Its rate of elbow dysplasia, 1.7 percent, was among the lowest of 60 breeds studied.

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