Brittany is a fairly popular French breed whose demand is decently high all around the world and that includes India as well. This spirited breed is quite popular in India and more and more people are looking to raise these canines as their pets. But, the question is, are Brittanys good for India/Indians? And, looking at their decent adaptability in different kinds of weather conditions (either cold or hot), their friendly and affable personality, their manageable grooming needs and finally, their high level of intelligence and trainability, we can certainly say that, the Brittany is a fine breed to be raised in India and any owner would be happy to have these enthusiastic and sprightly canines in his/her life.
Brittanys are compactly built medium-sized canines who are known for their energetic and lively character. These dogs are highly agile and quick in nature and they are always ready to spend their ample amount of energy on some kind of physical task or activity. The official standards for the Brittanys are given as follows:
The average weight of the Brittany canines lies somewhere between 14-18 Kilograms. The male Brittanys are usually just a little bit heavier and taller than their female counterparts. The average height of these canines is anywhere around 17-21 inches (at the shoulders).
|
GENDER |
WEIGHT |
HEIGHT |
|
MALE |
16-18 kg |
17-21 inch |
|
FEMALE |
14-18 kg |
18-20 inch |
The Brittanys have a fairly dense coat which can be wavy or flat-lying but should not be curly in nature. The whole body must be evenly covered with light feathering but profuse and long furnishings are not desirable.
The Brittanys possess a lean but sturdy body. Their neck is of medium length and is free from any throatiness. The Chest region is decently deep but not so wide or rounded. The Back area is rather short and straight and their tail is usually docked to maintain the overall balance of the whole body. The forelegs and hind legs are both slightly sloping, muscular, strong and are of decent length.
They have a medium-sized, slightly wedge-shaped skull which is evenly made and is somewhat rounded. Their eyes are fairly well set in the head and are mostly found in darker color tones. But, lighter shades are also allowed. The ears are short, triangular in shape and lie flat and close to the head.
Their jaw region is finely built and they possess a true scissors bite. Their overall muzzle is of medium length and it starts to taper both horizontally and vertically as it reaches the nostrils.
The Brittanys are immensely affectionate and friendly canines who are not only highly amiable and kind to their owners and loved ones but they also are fairly sociable in nature. They are happy to meet new people and are usually quite warm with them, but early socialization (at a young age) is still extremely important for them. They love to please their owners a lot and they normally do so by being responsive and alert during the training sessions and they usually learn all the things which are taught to them in a very little time. These canines are also quite well known for their energetic and playful personality. They require a lot of exercise on a daily basis to remain contented and healthy and they are at their happiest when they are exercising, performing some kind of activity or playing with their family members in a park or in an open area. The temperamental traits of the Brittanys are listed below:
As with the case with all Sporting Breeds, the Brittanys are also high-spirited, dynamic and active canines who possess stupendous amounts of energy inside them. These dogs are generally considered to be awesome house pets, but it’s important to know they are not meant for everyone.
These canines do love and respect their owners and family members and they are fairly loyal and faithful to their loved ones but they require a pretty high amount of exercise on a daily basis to remain in the right shape. And, the exercising sessions are not only good for their health and body but are also immensely important for these dogs’ mental well-being and happiness. They can become frustrated and exasperated if they are not receiving the required levels of exercise and physical work. Also, these dogs don’t like to be alone for long periods of time and thus they require the attention of the people who are close to them almost all the time.
But, if someone is fine with this breed’s high exercising needs, then these canines can be a pretty great option for anyone who is looking to raise a vivacious and cheerful dog. The Brittanys are easy to train, they require minimal grooming, they are kind to strangers, cats, and other dogs and are also very gentle and careful with small kids. Therefore, these canines would be a perfect fit (almost) for a canine lover who wants to be a pet parent.
The Brittany canines are usually divided into two types which are based on their overall size and stature. These types are:
Coming to the various colors in which their coat is found in, then they are as follows:
|
Adaptability |
**** |
Sensitivity Level |
***** |
|
Affection Level |
***** |
Potential for mouthiness |
*** |
|
Apartment-Friendly |
*** |
Drooling Potential |
*** |
|
Barking Tendencies |
*** |
Energy Level |
***** |
|
Friendly towards dogs |
***** |
Health Issues |
*** |
|
Friendly towards other animals |
**** |
Intelligence |
***** |
|
Child Friendly |
***** |
Playfulness |
***** |
|
Exercise Needs |
***** |
Shedding Level |
*** |
|
Grooming Needs |
** |
Social Needs |
***** |
|
Good for novice owners |
*** |
Stranger Friendly |
*** |
|
Trainability |
***** |
Watchdog Ability |
*** |
|
Tolerates Heat |
*** |
Tolerates Cold |
**** |
Brittanys require a good-quality feeding material to remain fit, fine and full of energy. Food that is high in proteins and other essential nutritional elements is a good choice for these canines. They should be fed twice in a day when they are fully grown, but as a puppy, they can be given 3-4 meals in one day but then the quantity should be reduced.
As stated earlier, these dogs possess a lot of energy inside them, hence they need to spend that energy on some task or activity on a regular basis to remain fully healthy and happy. So, these dogs require a pretty high amount of exercise daily and it is very important for their physical and mental health that they receive the necessary amounts of exercise and physical work regularly. Long walks in a park, lengthy running or jogging sessions, extensive play-time with their loved ones; these are all immensely important for a Brittany and should never be ignored by the owners.
These canines are always eager to please their owners and they are fairly obedience in nature. Hence, their compliant character combined with their great intelligence levels means that training these pooches is very easy and fun for the owners/trainers. These canines learn new skills and commands fairly quickly and are highly responsive during the training sessions.
These dogs require a minimal amount of grooming to look good and neat. Their coat is needed to be brushed only once or twice in a week. Occasional baths and trimming of nails are more than enough for them to remain tidy. And, their ears should be cleaned whenever necessary to avoid any infections or ear-related issues. Also, these dogs only shed their coat on a seasonal basis and that too in a limited manner.
Brittany is an extremely healthy breed and these canines will most likely remain fit and fine throughout their lifetime if they are given proper care, nutrition, and physical work or exercise. But, like any other dog breed, the Brittanys also can get affected by some common health-related issues which are as follows:
Visits to a veterinarian’s clinic are rare and infrequent in the case of the Brittanys because of their general good health and fitness.
The Brittany canines came into existence in the 1800s. They originated in the French region which is known as Brittany, and that became the inspiration behind their name. This breed was created by crossing various small Spaniels and the English Setters. And, because of the inclusion of spaniels, the Brittanys were used to be called as Brittany Spaniels in the past.
These canines were very good at hunting birds and their strong scenting abilities certainly helped them in that regard. They became highly popular amongst the hunters because of their obedient and responsive personality and their exceptional pointing and retrieving skills.
The Brittanys first came to the United States in the 1920s and they were recognized by the AKC in the year 1934. And, gradually, these canines started to move to other countries as well and their popularity and demand both rose in various parts of the world. Their name was officially changed from “Brittany Spaniel†to only “Brittany†in the year 1982 because their traits and characteristics were more close to a Setter than a Spaniel.
