Brittany
American Brittany, Brittany Spaniel, Brittany Wiegref, Epagneul Briton, French Brittany
The Brittany is still referred to as a spaniel in many countries due to its appearance. However, the American Kennel Club dropped spaniel from its name in 1982, as in the field they are an all-around gundog, capable of tracking, flushing, setting, pointing and retrieving. Common quarry includes woodcock, pheasant, duck, and partridge. Along with the disagreement in name, size and color differ around the world, leading some to recognize two separate breeds, the American Brittany and the French Brittany Spaniel.
Brittany Standards
- 18-21"
- 28-33 lbs
- medium-sized gundog
- born with a short tail or docked where legal
- single coat, lightly feathered
- tricolor
- white and black
- white and liver
- white and orange
History of the Brittany
Brittanys originated in the province of France of the same name and in their early history were mostly restricted to the western Argoat Forests in this region. Their ancestry is unknown, however, paintings and tapestries of dogs resembling today’s dog have existed since the 17th century. Some have guessed at the Welsh Springer Spaniel or English Setter as possibly contributing to the bloodline, with either (or both) mating with native French dogs. Early dogs were much more spaniel-like, it is thought that Pointer blood was added sometime in the 19th century to create the dog we know today.
Related Breeds: