Brittany Spaniel

The Brittany’s lineage goes back to the 1800s in France, where sportsmen crossed small spaniels with English Setters to produce dogs that suited their needs. They had strong noises, and an insatiable appetite for work, and were either tailless or stub-tailed. The dogs became popular with the French elite because of their obedience and energy level, plus their ability to point and retrieve. The first registered Brittany dog was in 1907, and they came to the Americas through Mexico around 1925. It took a while for the breed to be accepted, but the dogs soon proved their worth as hard workers with incredible stamina despite their small size.

This is a dog that is practically tireless, so Brittany owners should have an energy level that matches. They enjoy vigorous exercise and will thrive with an owner who is active and fit. Overachievers, Brittany Spaniels love a go-go-go attitude and have the stamina to keep up with an active lifestyle. They loathe being alone and can become destructive, so owners will need to understand that they might have a persistent shadow in a Brittany.

Owners should be prepared to devote a lot of time to exhausting the Brittany Spaniel through walking, running, retrieving, games, and more. They are clever and have enormous stamina both physically and mentally. They are capable of learning all sorts of things and will be gold medalists in dog sports if given the opportunity.

While the Brittany Spaniel is not a large dog, it is an active one. A large fenced-in yard is this dog’s dream, with plenty of room for running and training. Variety is the spice of life when it comes to leash walks, especially ones where they are allowed to pick up scents.

Flat or slightly wavy, their medium-length coat has some feathering on the front and back legs. A brush twice a week can help their coats look shiny and stay detangled. Paw pads and ears should be checked and cleaned regularly.

Reward-based training is the name of the game for Brittanys. They love retrieving games, scent-based games, and hide-and-seek-type games. Best of all, they love being with their owners doing something active. A bored Brittany Spaniel is a destructive one, so it’s important to challenge them mentally and keep them physically active. They will need to work on recalling and learning how to leave items or drop them from their mouths.

If a family is active and has dog experience, the Brittany Spaniel can make a great companion. They don’t love sitting around all day but don’t do well with loud or super busy families. They can get intense separation anxiety and can be easily overstimulated. They do best with older children or families with no children who can devote a lot of time to loving their dogs.

The cost of a Brittany Spaniel from a breeder is significantly more than the cost of adopting one from a local shelter or rescue. The adoption fee usually covers additional items such as spaying or neutering, vaccines, and microchipping.