Brittany Dog
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[ Adult Brittany ]The Brittany is a breed of gun dog that is primarily bred for bird hunting. Although the dog is often referred to as a spaniel, the breed's working characteristics are more akin to a pointer or setter.
Appearance
Brittanys are mostly white with orange or liver spots. Individuals can
have spots in combinations of these colors. Some individuals also have
black spots but this is contrary to breed standard. The coat is of
moderate length, dense, flat, or wavy, with slight feathering on the
ears and legs. Too much feathering is undesirable as it impedes the
dog’s work in thick brush.
The breed standard calls for a dog weighing between 30 and 40 pounds (13
to 18 kg) and standing 17½ to 20½ inches (44 to 52 cm). The dog is
squareish when viewed from the side, with shoulder height equaling body
length (from withers to base of tail). Show dogs have their tails docked
in some countries. The tails of working or companion dogs are rarely
left long.
Many breeders differentiate between "American" Brittanys and "French" style Brittanies. Although generally recognized as sub-sets of the same breed, there are recognizable differences between the two. The American Brittany is taller and faster. It has been bred to cover more ground in order to hunt wide open spaces common in the United States. The French Brittany appears more "spaniel-like" in that it is smaller and the French Brittany generally works more closely to the guns.
Temperament
The breed is noted for being easy to train, sensitive, and
sweet-natured. Many enthusiasts agree that it takes little more than a
stern look or cross word to chastise a Brittany. As a consequence, care
must be taken during training so as not to break the dog’s spirit.
Brittanys are excellent with children but they are an exuberant breed
and if not well supervised may accidentally harm a small child.
Brittanys get along well with other dogs and enjoy working with other
dogs as a team. Many Brittany enthusiasts encourage new Brittany owners
to be a two dog family. The dogs are active and require frequent
exercise and room to run. As pets Brittanys are first-rate companion
dogs but they do need plenty of exercise. Their outgoing nature makes
them poor candidates for protectors.
[ Brittany Puppy ]
History
As the name implies, Brittanys were developed in the Brittany province
of France in the 1800s.
Training, method of work
Brittanys are happiest when hunting but make no mistake, Brittanys are
excellent companion dogs and can be wonderful family pets. See the
related sections in the gun dog article for details.
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Brittany Dog".
