Breed Guide and Insurance Plan: Brittany Spaniel

Table of Contents

Introduction to Brittany Spaniels

Brittany spaniels have fun-loving and upbeat personalities that make them a true joy to have around the house and in your life. These agile and versatile dogs are smaller than setters and have beautiful coats that come in white, orange, and reddish-brown colors. Brittany spaniels excel in sports training and are very trainable for hunting and simple playtime activities. Active and outdoorsy families love Brittany spaniels because of their high energy and all-around friendliness.

If you are thinking about adopting or purchasing a Brittany spaniel, here are some things to know about the breed and how to take the best care of your new dog at any age.

Size of Brittany Spaniels

When a Brittany spaniel is fully grown, you can expect the dog to weigh about 30 to 40 pounds and stand at about 17.5 to 20.5 inches tall. Although many of these dogs are done growing by 12 months, others may continue to get a little larger until 16 months of age. The size differences between male and female Brittany spaniels are minimal, and these dogs are considered to be of medium size.

Here’s how big you can expect your Brittany spaniel to get when fully grown.

Weight Chart	3 months	6 months	9 months	12 months	16 months
Male and Female Brittany Spaniels	13-16 lbs.	23-30 lbs.	27-35 lbs.	30-28 lbs.	30-40 lbs.

Characteristics of Brittany Spaniels

Both families and sportsmen adore Brittany spaniels because of their versatility. However, these dogs have a high energy level that isn’t the right fit for everyone. They are enthusiastic dogs that have a true joy for life and can be challenging to keep up with if you aren’t in good shape! Brittany spaniels are task-oriented and love having a job to do, but they can be sensitive to harsh words and actions, so always be sure to treat your dog with love and respect.

As you get to know a Brittany spaniel’s personality, here’s what you can expect based on his or her breed characteristics:

Breed Characteristic	Level (High, Medium, Low)
Affectionate with People	High
Good with Kids	Medium
Good with Pets	High
Need for Exercise	High
Energy Level	High
Intelligence Level	High
Able to Be Trained	Medium
Amount of Barking	Medium
Amount of Shedding	Medium

History of Brittany Spaniels

The Brittany spaniel is named after the Brittany region in western France, which is next to the English Channel and the Bay of Biscay. French hunters developed the breed to be versatile bird dogs that could hunt ducks, pheasants, partridges, and other types of birds. Brittany spaniels have been featured in 17^th century paintings and were very common in Europe during this time period in history.

The Brittany spaniel breed came to the U.S. in the 1930s, and the American Kennel Club registered its first Brittany spaniel dog in 1934. The AKC shortened the name of the breed to just Brittany in 1982 after the American and French lines diverged and Brittanys in the U.S. began having more in common with pointers. Still today, Brittany spaniels are used as field hunting dogs and successfully compete in dog shows.

Brittany Spaniel Standard Information

Brittany spaniels are unique in that they have long legs and light bones. This helps these dogs be very quick on their feet and cover a lot of ground with their movement. These are athletic, eager, and alert dogs that are bred to have heavy eyebrows for eye protection and a square proportion. Brittany spaniels have a rugged movement style and are excellent at covering ground in a vigorous way because of the way they have been bred over the years.

Here is an overview of the breed standard information for Brittany spaniels:

Head:

Eager and alert with a soft expression
Well-set eyes in heat with expressive eyebrows
Short and triangular ears
Medium length and rounded skull
Medium length muzzle that tapers gradually
Fawn, tan, brown, or pink nose (not black)

Neck, Topline, Body:

Medium length neck, free from throatiness
Deep chest reaching level of the elbow
Tail not too long to affect the dog’s balance

Forequarters:

Shoulder blades not too wide apart
Pasterns slightly sloped
Leg bones clean and graceful
Feet hallway between the hare and cat foot-style
Dewclaws may be removed

Hindquarters:

Broad, strong, and muscular hindquarters
Thighs well feathered, not profusely
Hocks moderately short but not pointing in or out

Coat:

Wavy, flat, and dense coat
Not curly, wiry, or silky
Ears with little fringe
Some feathering on front and hind legs

Color:

Orange and white or liver and white with clear or roan patterns
Some ticking is desirable
Tri-colors are allowed but not preferred

Gait:

Hind foot should step into or beyond print from the front foot while trotting
Clean movements
Smooth, efficient, and ground-covering side gait

Caring for Brittany Spaniels

Brittany spaniels live an active lifestyle and do well with a large yard or even acres of land where they can run around. They are not ideal for apartment living unless a family spends a lot of time outside and exercising the dog. These dogs love wide-open spaces and thrive with a little freedom. But you’ll need to teach them to come back when called and keep your Brittany spaniel occupied mentally and physically to prevent destructive behavior.

Here are some general tips for taking the best care of a Brittany spaniels:

Best Living Environments:

Home with a large yard
Open acreage, such as a farm
Not ideal for apartment living
Don’t leave dogs alone for long periods of time
Supervise children around dogs (may be too rambunctious for younger children)

Type of Exercise:

Hiking with family members
Running around in a yard or open space
Hunting activities
Sports and agility training

Mental Enrichment:

Puzzles and stimulating games to exercise the mind
Agility and obedience activities for a challenge

Training Strategies:

Do not use harsh words or actions with these sensitive dogs
Be consistent and playful with training
Train dogs to do sports for physical and mental stimulation

Grooming Tips:

Generally easy to groom with weekly brushing
Only occasional baths or use dry shampoo between baths
Not excessive shedders
Trim nails once or twice per month

Common Health Problems of Brittany Spaniels

Something good to know about Brittany spaniels is that these dogs are part of a very healthy breed that has minimal health concerns. The average life expectancy for a Brittany spaniel is 12 to 14 years. The national breed club for this type of dog recommends that breeders have parents tested with a hip evaluation and ophthalmologist evaluation to screen for possible genetic issues.

These are some of the most common health issues that arise with Brittany spaniels:

Epilepsy
Hip dysplasia
Hypothyroidism
Elbow dysplasia
Eye diseases

Diet and Nutrition for Brittany Spaniels

Brittany spaniels need about 1.5 to 2 cups of dry dog food each day, divided into two meals. Some recommended types of commercial dog food for Brittany spaniels are Royal Canin Medium Adult Dry Dog Food, Purina Pro Plan Sport All Life Stages Performance Dry Dog Food, Hill’s Science Diet Dry Dog Food, and Iams ProActive Health Adult MiniChunks Dry Dog Food.. Brittany spaniels are prone to having sensitive stomachs, so you may need to try a few different dog food brands before finding one that agrees with your furry friend’s digestive system.

Where to Adopt or Purchase Brittany Spaniels

The American Brittany Club, Inc. is a breed-specific club that was founded in 1942 and offers resources for breeders and education. There are also many rescue groups that specialize in helping these Brittany spaniels get adopted, such as the National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network (NBRAN), American Brittany Rescue, the Brittany Foundation, and the Independent Brittany Rescue and Rehabilitation. Depending on where you get your Brittany spaniel from, the cost of adoption could be around $100, while purchasing a Brittany spaniel from a reputable breeder might cost more like $500 to $1,100.

Related Breeds

If you like what you have been learning so far about Brittany spaniels and think this might be the right dog for you, it might also be fun to learn about similar and related breeds of dogs. Here are some dogs that share common characteristics with the Brittany spaniel:

English pointer
German wirehaired pointer
German shorthaired pointer
Clumber spaniel
English springer spaniel
Boykin spaniel
Deutscher wachtelhund

Pet Insurance for Brittany Spaniels

To be prepared for whatever comes your Brittany spaniel’s way, it is a smart idea to enroll your dog in a pet insurance plan from Healthy Paws at an early age. Our pet insurance plans allow you to take your Britany spaniel to any licensed vet and covers everything from emergency care to genetic conditions, vet specialists, and alternative care.

To get started, request a Brittany spaniel pet insurance quote today and enjoy peace of mind that you’ll never have to make a difficult decision between finances and taking the best care of your canine companion.