BreedQuestBreedsSportingBrittany
Brittany

Brittany

A compact, tireless pointing dog — all engine, easy to love.

At a glance: Small for a versatile gundog, the Brittany points and retrieves with tireless drive. Bright, sensitive and eager to please, it bonds closely with its family and thrives with an active owner and a job to do.

Vital stats

SizeMedium · 44–52 cm
Weight13–18 kg
Life expectancy12–14 years
EnergyVery high — 1–2 hours/day
SheddingLow–moderate
CoatDense, flat or wavy coat · orange & white, liver & white
GroupSporting · FCI №95 / AKC

Breed traits

Friendliness

Affectionate with family
Good with children
Good with other dogs
Openness to strangers

Care

Shedding level
Grooming effort
General health
Drooling

Mind

Trainability
Energy level
Barking
Prey drive

Temperament

Bred by Breton farmer-hunters who needed one modest dog to point, flush and retrieve, the Brittany is the definition of willing. It's high-octane outdoors — quartering ground at speed, freezing on point — and gentle, almost soft, indoors. Deprive it of work and the energy resurfaces as pacing, whining and creative mischief.

BreedQuest census: The Brittany has produced more dual champions — dogs titled in both the show ring and the field — than any other AKC sporting breed.

Habits & quirks

The freeze

Mid-walk, mid-play, mid-anything: one interesting scent and the whole dog turns to statue.

Happy hum

An under-stimulated Brittany narrates its feelings in whines and warbles.

Bird radar

Pigeons in the park are pointed with complete professional sincerity.

Cuddle switch

After a proper run, the field rocket becomes a lap-sized heat pad.

Care

ExerciseOne to two hours of hard exercise daily — running, fetch, field work; a merely walked Brittany is an under-exercised one.
TrainingQuick and eager but soft-tempered; keep sessions short and positive and it learns almost anything.
GroomingA weekly brush and the occasional tidy-up; the flat coat sheds moderately and repels dirt well.
HealthA notably healthy sporting breed; good breeders still screen hips and eyes.

How much should I feed a Brittany? →

Common questions

Are Brittanys good family dogs?

Yes — affectionate, gentle and playful, they suit active families who can give them one to two hours of exercise a day.

Are Brittanys easy to train?

Very — eager and quick, but sensitive, so keep training positive; harsh corrections shut them down.

Do Brittanys bark a lot?

They're moderate barkers but enthusiastic whiners — an under-exercised Brittany vocalises its frustration. Meet the exercise need and they're pleasantly quiet.

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