Britany (formally known as Brittany spaniel) is a great hunting dog, they can accompany you and retrieve your hunted bird all day long. Due to their strong nose, they can find out from pheasants to chukar seamlessly.
In France’s Brittany region hundreds of years ago Brittany was purposefully developed (mixed-bred) to create a loyal, energetic, agile, and friendly hunting dog. Their name still reflects their origin.
Besides, their instincts reflect that those who have developed Brittany hunting dog a hundred years ago, their purpose has been successful. That’s why a hundred years later you can have a loyal, energetic dog breed like Brittany.
In this article, you can explore Brittany’s behavior, Physical appearance, Requirements, and one of the most important facts that most people overlook when they decide to buy a Brittany hunting dog.
Physical characteristics
Brittany is a medium-sized sporty dog breed. Their height typically goes between 17 to 21 inches and their weight goes between 30 to 40 pounds. Their colors don’t have variety like a rainbow. Britanny hunting dog’s normal color range is between Orange-white, liver-white, and in rare cases dark-brown and white.
Sometimes, they are born with short tails. A short-tailed Brittany dog may look funny, but You must be impressed by their vigor, loyalty, retrieving, and pointing skills.
Breed OverviewAs I told you above, the Brittany hunting dog breed was developed by hunters to retrieve and point their prey.
But don’t be frustrated if you are not a hunter and already intend to buy or adopt a Brittany companion. You can still buy or adopt them if you are physically alive and love outdoor activities. You have to burn out Britanny’s high energy in one way or another (hunting, exercise, playing, etc…)
They will be very loyal and love to please you, only when you can fulfill their demand.
They have gotten curiosity, intelligence, agility, endless energy, and a strong nose from their ancestors.
- Hunting abilities: A Brittany can accompany you on a whole day hunting mission without losing their patience and attention.
You can use them as a pointer and retriever. Two features make them very good at pointing and retrieving. Their strong nose helps them find out prey like a magnet and secondly, their innate agility gives their hunting skills completion.
To get the most out of them, pointing and retrieving training is a must (we strongly advise a positive reinforcement training method). Their high trainability makes them easier to train than other typical dog breeds.
Some of these breed dogs splash into the water to retrieve prey from the water. But if you don’t get any of those, don’t get upset. Because in this world nothing is 100% perfect.
- Is Brittany friendly with kids? Yes, they behave well with kids and should enjoy your curious kids‘ accompany. Your kids can be perfect playmates for Brittany. But we advise you to supervise your kids and Brittany-dog playtime. Since every dog has different life experiences and behaviors.
- Brittany with other pets: Brittany hunting dogs are also friendly toward other pets only when they are raised with them (hunting dog). If you face any kind of behavioral problem including aggression toward other pets, the trump card is socialization. Socialization is the best medicine for dog behavioral problems.
- Brittany’s guarding capabilities: Their guarding level is mediocre, they finish their guarding duty after ringing the bell (which means they bark toward a stranger, and don’t offense).
So, you can use them as a guard dog considering your requirements.
- Brittany as a family dog: You can use them as a family dog, but you must give them regular exercise for their wellbeing. Because of their tremendous energy, if you don’t give them regular exercise and mental stimulation, they will surely develop behavioral problems.
- Can you leave them alone? No, they don’t like being alone. Long-time loneliness could result in separation anxiety. The consequence will be behavioral problems.
The overlooked fact (Exercise and time required)
The most common mistake people make when they buy or adopt a sporty, high-energetic dog is that they don’t consider their capabilities to provide them regular exercise and time.
It is also true for Brittany’s hunting dog. Generally, people are very busy, they don’t have enough time fostering dogs like Brittany. General public buy a highly energetic dog without considering the dog’s time and exercise requirements, and their (owner’s) time limitations. As a result, they are not able to fulfill Brittany’s dog time and exercise requirements.
Now can you guess what could happen to the dog? Due to lack of exercise and mental stimulation, the dog will develop behavioral problems. Besides, the owner cannot endure bad behavior day after day. Consequently, the dog loses their home and becomes a stray dog.
So before buying a sporty dog, it is crucial to ask yourself do you have time to give your dog the necessary time and exercise.
Additionally, if you are living in an urban areas, The Britanny hunting dog may not fit with you. They are not apartment dogs, they need open space to play and exercise.
Training and Obedience
Yet, if you have selected Brittany as your puppy and are confident that you can fulfill their time and exercise demands, in that case, it is important to know that some training will help you and your dog live a long happy life together and build relationships.
For example, Toilet training, Socialization, stay training, lay down training, sit training, etc…
Note: We encourage you to use Positive reinforcement techniques while training your dog. This technique makes training fun and helps the owner to train their dog properly.
Health and hygiene
In this section, you can dive into Brittany’s common health issues and how to take care of your hunter companion. ok, without further babbling. let’s start.
Common health issue
Throughout their lifetime they are very healthy. But like other dog breeds, Brittany’s breed is also prone to some diseases. Now, I will walk you through those diseases’ descriptions.
- Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is a common orthopedic condition in dogs, including Brittany Spaniels. It occurs when the hip joint doesn’t fit properly into the hip socket, leading to wear and tear, inflammation, and arthritis over time. This genetic condition can result in pain, reduced mobility, and difficulty performing certain activities.
- Epilepsy: Epilepsy is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures or convulsions. While the exact cause is often unknown, it can have a genetic component in some cases. Epileptic seizures can vary in severity, and affected dogs may experience episodes of involuntary muscle contractions, loss of consciousness, and abnormal behavior during the seizure.
- Hypothyroidism: occurs when the thyroid gland does not create enough thyroid hormones. This hormonal imbalance can affect a dog’s metabolism and lead to various health issues. Common symptoms in Brittany Spaniels may include weight gain, lethargy, hair loss, skin problems, and intolerance to cold temperatures.
- Cataracts: Cataracts are a common eye condition in dogs, including Brittany’s, characterized by the clouding of the lens. This cloudiness can impair vision and, if left untreated, may lead to blindness. Cataracts can be caused by genetic factors, aging, or underlying health conditions. Symptoms may include a white or cloudy appearance in the eye, changes in behavior, and difficulty navigating the environment.
Grooming (Take care)
It is not hard to take care of Brittany due to their low maintenance. They have a medium size coat. Per week, one to two-time hir of brushing would be enough. For their well-being, you should also trim their nails once a month and brush their teeth often. Bath as needed. If you go for a hunt in wet and muddy areas frequently, then your pups will need to bathe frequently.
Food Demand of Brittany’s
Brittany Spaniel’s normal food demand is 1.5 to 2 cups of dry balanced food divided into two meal. Don’t leave out food in your puppy’s bowl all the time. Free feeding is detrimental to dogs’ health.
Though their food demand can vary depending on their age, size, physical activity, metabolism, and food quality. If you are confused about Brittany’s food demand, we advise you to seek professional veterinarian advice.
Overall, the Brittany hunting breed is good for some people. In our Brittany exploration mission, I have introduced you to its unique traits, from pointing and retrieving skills to its friendly and intelligent nature. This breed’s boundless energy makes it a superb outdoor partner, while its affectionate and friendly nature also makes it a good family dog.
Before making Brittany a trusted company for you, you should consider your responsibilities for example regular exercise, proper training, attentive grooming, and food requirements.
Finally, it is up to you to decide whether The Brittany hunting dog is for you or not. I have given you all the necessary information to make your decision.
