DUAL PURPOSE GUNDOGS
About the brittany
The brittany is a breed that (as its name suggests) originated in France, where they are known as Epagneul Breton.
However, this name does not mean they are a brittany spaniel!
The term 'epagneul' refers to the longer coat, with all French pointing breeds being defined in this way:
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Epagneul francais and epagneul picard are both longer coated breeds
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'Braque', such as braque de bourbonnais and braque d'auvergne are smooth coated breeds
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'Griffon' such as korthals griffon have a wire coat
The brittany in the UK is classed as part of the hunt, point, retriever sub-group of gundogs, what is described by the FCI as "continental pointers" (group 7).
In general, these are dogs that are designed to cover a lot of ground while hunting. The purpose of a pointer is to work in areas where game is sparse, so to maximise efficiency the dog will run out for 100 to 300+ yards either side of the hunter (described as the 'beat'), running in a pattern so as to use the wind to its advantage.
During this time the hunter may walk in a straight line, thus covering far fewer miles than the dog does. Once the dog has scented the game it will stop on point, and will hold that point for as long as it takes for the hunter to catch up to the dog - which can be a fair while on open ground and difficult terrain!
This is very different to how spaniel breeds work! As spaniels do not stop and point when they scent game, they must remain within shooting range at all times. A spaniel will hunt around by the hunter's feet and dog and hunter will cover the ground together.
Therefore one of the main differences in spaniels and hprs is that a spaniel shouldn't range far from its owner, while a brittany will happily run off three fields away and out of sight if it is not trained and kept under control!
The brittany is not an easy dog.
It hunts faster and covers more ground than a lot of other hunt, point, retrieve breeds.
Do not be fooled by their small size! The French describe them as 'maximum quality in minimum volume' and that applies to hunting as well!
It is best suited to working open ground for rough shooting - such as snipe marshes, partridge fields, and grouse moors, where it really excels. If you shoot or work these sorts of areas you will be hard pressed to find a better dog than a brittany.
They can be used for beating and picking up, but they are less naturally inclined to these and will require more input to prevent them from breaking off to hunt. If you mainly do these activities a different breed would probably suit you better.
The brittany is not a common breed in the UK for a reason - we do not have as much of the terrain or type of work that suits them.
The breed can make an excellent active pet, if the owner is prepared to put in a lifetime of training.
Brittanies can and do succeed at agility, canix, and other sports - however their first love will always be game and hunting, and many owners have stories of dogs stopping mid-run to point!
The brittany is not a breed that is suited if you do 'long walks in the countryside'. Brittanies can be trained to heel off lead but they would much rather be off hunting!
Hours of exercise will not tire out a brittany. While physical exercise is important, they will be far calmer in the house following sessions of training and mental stimulation. For us we fulfil that with hunting and retrieving training.
A brittany that is not trained and kept under control is a liability - they may ruin your house and garden, and an uncontrolled brittany off lead may go missing for hours, during which time it could worry livestock or cause a road traffic collision.
This is not a breed to be considered lightly!
The brittany is a generally healthy breed, with no prolific health concerns.
However the Brittany Club of Great Britain continues to monitor and conduct surveys on health as a proactive measure.
Breeding stock should be hip scored and prospective buyers should view the scores before buying a puppy or using a stud dog - the lower the score the better, but generally a score around the breed median is acceptable.
Any UK registered dogs test results should be viewable on the Kennel Club website
(some other countries have their own websites)
If the dog is a foreign import then Canine Brucellosis should be considered.
With regards to temperament the brittany should be a happy and friendly dog, with no nervousness and absolutely no aggression!
Their grooming requirements are relatively low - some trimming is generally done on the ears, chest and feathering on the legs to neaten up appearance and to reduce tangles and burrs.
Other than that an occasional comb through and bathing if they get visibly dirty.
They can live outdoors, but equally at home they generally are very people-orientated. My two are very affectionate and like to follow me around the house and cuddle up on the sofas with us of an evening.
If you would like to know anything more about the breed or have any questions, please contact me or The Brittany Club of Great Britain