Understanding the Brittany

You will have read what you can about Brittanys on the internet and in whatever books you can find, etc., but has anyone mentioned that although a perfect size, with an easily maintained coat and an affectionate nature, the Brittany is a challenge to keep particularly for a novice owner?

Without wishing to be too negative it is best to tell it warts and all, rather than have to rehome a Brittany at a later date because the reality of owning one did not match expectations. The Brittany’s demands and high energy levels are not compatible with everyone’s life style.

The most important thing to understand about Brittanys is that they are gundogs bred to locate game birds.  Brittanys originated in France where game is scarce and the people who keep Brittanys there are mostly shooting people who need a dog that is capable of tireless work over a large area and is relentless in pursuit of the quarry. By breeding only the best to the best, the Brittany has become more than capable of performing the function for which it was intended.  Thus the Brittany is a hunterholic which is an attribute that does not sit happily with peaceful domesticity.  If a French person wants a pet dog they usually chose a breed like a Yorkie or a Bichon - not a Brittany.

It is necessary to appreciate how a Brittany behaves instinctively.  Like many other Continental gundog breeds, it is a Hunt, Point, Retriever.  As such, it is a wind scenting and pointing dog not a ground scenting, flushing dog like our native spaniel breeds.  The name Brittany Spaniel is incorrect and misleading.  A ground scenting dog like an English Springer Spaniel works comparatively close to you and pushes up the birds.  A wind scenting dog like the Brittany quarters well ahead of the handler and when it detects game it will point it so that the guns can move up.  Brittanys are not Enid Blyton dogs.  It is not impossible to get them to run along beside a bicycle and to play ball in the local park but that kind of behaviour does not come naturally to a Brittany and it needs to be taught.

So to be a successful Brittany owner and to be able to enjoy such a special dog, a lot of consistent obedience training is required. This should not only be carried out sympathetically as the Brittany has a sensitive nature but by the whole household because a Brittany is highly intelligent and can soon detect if there are weaker members of the family and will take advantage of them.  It is strongly recommended that the whole family attend the local obedience classes which gives both dogs and owners the opportunity to socialize and focuses on teaching the owners how to train their dog. Although a Brittany appears to learn quickly its’ natural instincts will always remain close to the surface so bear this in mind and practise training exercises regularly to reinforce what has already been learned.

In addition, gardens will need to be secure and doors will have to be kept closed.  Other pets are not a problem if the Brittany is a puppy when it is introduced to them but as with young children, they should not be left together unattended. 

Once the ground rules have been established, the possibilities open up not only for lovely long walks in the countryside but for further training in activities such as gundog work, agility, flyball, etc. The more occupied and stimulated a Brittany is the less likely it is to become bored and destructive.

If you still want a Brittany and can give it the attention and commitment it deserves for the whole of it’s lifespan of approximately 12 – 15 years there is no other criteria that you need that does not apply to any kind of dog, namely love, suitable food, exercise, accommodation, and although Brittanys are generally very healthy, pet insurance to help in case of the unexpected.

Brittanys are the most popular gundog in France but here in the UK the breed is numerically still quite small and so it is not always possible to get a Brittany just when you want one and without having to travel.