Contents
The Brittany dog was originally bred for hunting and is an excellent bird dog. It is often referred to as a spaniel, but its working style is actually more similar to that of a setter or pointer. The name is derived from the Brittany province in France where the bred was developed in the 19th century. In this article you will find a lot of interesting Brittany dog information. Did you for instance know that some Brittany’s are born with naturally short tails, while others have long tails?
One of the most important aspects of proper Brittany dog care is to provide your dog with sufficient amounts of mental and physical exercise. This is a hard working dog and bored Brittany’s are known to develop destructive outlets for their energy. Another essential part of early Brittany dog care is to provide enough socialization. Brittany dogs are naturally soft and submissive, and without early (and safe!) exposure to people, animals, and strange sounds and sight, this softness can develop into excessive shyness and fearfulness.
Brittany dog puppies are extremely cute and charming, but before you decide to get one you should ask yourself if you are capable of caring for a dog for the next 10-15 years or more. You should also ask yourself if the Brittany dog is the ideal breed for you. The Brittany dog is a working dog, and it will not stay happy and healthy unless provided with adequate outlets for its energy and cleverness. You must also spend a lot of time with your dog; otherwise it can start barking a lot. Whining is common in stressed and exited specimens. Getting a Brittany dog puppy is great if you do not mind a shedding dog that needs a lot of brushing and combing. Shedding is an unavoidable part of owning a Brittany – these dogs shed more than you might think.
The Brittany dog is a clever dog that loves to learn new things, and it is renowned for being very easy to train. During Brittany dog training, you must remember that this is a sensitive dog that loves to please. Yelling at your dog will only make it scared. A simple NO said in a firm voice is enough to make this dog realise that it is doing something wrong. Even saying NO too much during training can break the spirit of this dog; when it does something wrong it is seldom out of spite, it is simply because it hasn’t fully understood what to do yet. Make the training sessions happy and fun and training Brittany dogs will be a piece of cake.
According to the American Kennel Club, the aim of Brittany dog breeding should be to create leggy dogs of medium size that has both the appearance and the agility of a great ground coverer. The ideal Brittany dog is closely knit, strong, energetic, vigorous and moves around quickly. It should be rugged, but never clumsy. Brittany dog breeding should strive to create dogs that are from 17 ½ to 20 ½ inches in height (measured from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders).
Most Brittany dog breeders focus on one of two Brittany dog varieties and make a clear distinction between the two. These two varieties are the American Brittany dog and the French Brittany dog. The American Brittany dog has been selectively bred to cover more ground, since there are more wide open spaces in the United States, and is therefore taller and faster. The French Brittany is not as tall and looks more like a spaniel. The French Brittany dog normally works closer to the guns than the American variety. When choosing among the various Brittany dog breeders, it is naturally important to find out which type of Brittany they breed. It is also important to pick a breeder that actively works to minimize the risk of hereditary disease, e.g. hip dysplasia and epilepsy.
The Brittany dog price varies a lot and it is important to find out what you actually get for your money. Simply picking the cheapest dog without any further investigation can turn out to be a very expensive choice in the long run if the dog turns out to be unhealthy or have serious behavioural problems. When comparing the Brittany dog price offered by different breeders you should also find out if the puppy has been vet-checked, vaccinated and de-wormed.