Brittany Spaniels

[medxam]

Since my wife died a month ago, things are very lonely around here! I am seriously considering getting me another dog. Due to her prolonged illness, I have not been able to have one for several years. I had a Brittany Spaniel years ago and loved that dog. How many of you have one today? Any and all comments on this breed will be appreciated!

medxam

 

[Cooter Brown]

Doc, I've had Britts for years. Had two until I had to put down my old Rebel dog last month at 13 1/2.

Wonderful, affectionate dogs. Both of mine have been fine hunters as well. One thing I will say is that like most field dogs they can be very high energy and require a good bit of exercise, else they'll drive you nuts. Most Britts are field bred and thank goodness they haven't been ruined by being bred as pets/show dogs like so many other field breeds. Think Irish setter.

There is a good Brittany rescue group as well. You might be able to look at adult dogs to get some idea of temperament.

Are you planning on hunting the dog?

This was last summer. Rebel on the left, Traveller on the right:

 

[COL Jagdog]

Great dogs -- very loyal, generally easy to care for, and relatively easy to obediance train and handle as they are not a large dog.

Be sure to get a crate -- makes it much easier to house-train and is a safe place to leave your dog if you have to go to the store or run errands. I would microchip the dog and order some ID tags with your address and phone number to put on her collar.

Check Mendota Products, Inc. - Quality Dog Accessories -- they make great British-style slip leads and leashes (Academy often has them in stock).

Check the Brittany Spaniel breed association website as well for good breeders or buy a copy of Gundog magazine or the AKC Gazette for breeder listings.

Good luck with your puppy search.

 

[Pete99004]

I don't know where Cooter formed his opinon on Irish Setters, but it wasn't formed by actually knowing anything about the breed as it stands today.

That being said, you would find the Brittany Spaniel a great companion and faithful friend. BS rescue is another option that many people don't consider.

Online check: American Brittany Rescue :: American Brittany Rescue

they may have a dog that would fit your needs, without going the puppy route if you don't want start at ground zero.

Best to you.

Pete

 

[sipowicz]

So sorry to hear about your wife..I am sure God will help find you a wonderful dog who will help you though your loss.

 

[Cooter Brown]

I don't know where Cooter formed his opinon on Irish Setters, but it wasn't formed by actually knowing anything about the breed as it stands today.


Pete

I know some folks are doing a lot of hard work trying to breed the field back into the Irish setter. If you know of any true field lines please post a link.

 

[Rule3]

I can not help you with the Brittany but we a close relative a English Springer for over 12 years. The smartest dog I ever owned. We had her in obedience trials (not conformation)
She was a great dog, could adapt from all outdoors to being a house lap dog. Little smaller. Swim, retrieve even pointed as well as flushed.
Only drawn back was HAIR, gotta keep after them.
I wanted a Brittany we she passed but got a different breed.

 

[Pete99004]

Many of the field breeders don't have web pages but can be found at the Irish Setter Club of America breeder information page.

Here is a link to the dogs that participated and placed in the field trials last year.

2012 National Field Trial

My line is also very birdy but have show coats Gracewynd Irish Setters

Be happy to hook you up with a breeder in your neck of the woods.

Pete

 

[DeathGrip]

So sorry to hear about your wife..I am sure God will help find you a wonderful dog who will help you though your loss.

Nicely done.

That said, I've had the good fortune of being around Brittanies and they are very friendly dogs. If you have time and or space for them they can be great dogs. Just realize they have energy and a lot of it. It HAS to be burned off some how... What was it? "A tired pup is a good pup" or something like that.

 

[Cooter Brown]

Many of the field breeders don't have web pages but can be found at the Irish Setter Club of America breeder information page.

Here is a link to the dogs that participated and placed in the field trials last year.

2012 National Field Trial

My line is also very birdy but have show coats Gracewynd Irish Setters

Be happy to hook you up with a breeder in your neck of the woods.

Pete

Thanks for the links, Pete. Those are fine looking dogs--glad to see them. Haven't decided on my next dog--whether another Britt or a setter.

Sorry about the hijack, Doc. There's a breeder of good field dogs in NC--I got Traveller from him. If you need any help in your search, please let me know.

 

[smitty_bs]

They are very affectionate, loving and loyal dogs. I'm on my second one. Great hunters too!

Here she is at seven weeks old.

Here she is after a recent hunt.....

 

[jaykellogg]

I had one several years ago. I will say they are high energy dogs. He was a very smart dog and knew what a shotgun was for. I was always impressed watching him hunt. I had to keep him outside, he had flatulence after he ate his dinner, Phew! I had a 14 year old son who kept him exercised.

 

[ASA335]

I've loved 'em.

My sympathies for your loss.

I've had one. Loving, loyal and smart. I also like there smaller size and their tendency to hunt closer to me than many other pointing breeds.

Here's my last girl, Sandy:

She would gently greet me every day when I came home from work, not jumping up and down - just her tail/butt twitching while she waited to be recognized and patted on the head by me. She'd then spend the rest of the time close (but not under foot) to me. I was her most important person in the world. She loved being in the fields and forests with me, doing her best to find some birds for us.

My fenced-in half-acre property provided enough room for her to exercise in, and any toss-and-retrieve activity I added.

She grew old with me. At about twelve years of age she started having problems getting about and I could tell she wasn't comfortable anymore, so I had to let her go on a final trip to the Vet. She loved me to the end, and I her.

 

[longhair]

The best dog I ever had. Tried to train him to be a bird dog, but fortunately he was smarter than I. Became the greatest bird dog I was ever associated with in spite of my attempts. He was also a wonderful companion. Never tried to replace him as I felt it was unfair to the next Brit.

 

[Smithhound]

I 'inherited' one as a young man of 16. My neighbor moved from Tennessee back to Michigan and gave 'Coco' to his brother who lived 16 miles away from his house. That was a great dog, professionally trained for command and birding. Three or four days after Mr. Hayes had moved I drove by thier old house and there sat Coco on the front porch!
I called his brother and asked if he'd brought him over to hunt and was told that Coco had run off a day or so after Mr. Hayes had left for Michigan. He came over and we talked and determined that obviously Coco wasn't going to stay with him and had somehow made a 16 mile trip back to his old home so I might as well take her.
She was my constant companion untill she passed shortly before I left for the Air Force.
Someday, if I get the property for one to roam I'd like to get another Brittany, she sure was sweet.
RD

 

[Squarebutt]

I'm very sorry to hear of the loss of your wife. I hope a canine companion will come along to bring joy into your life. The few Brittanies I've been around have been great dogs - good companions and usually great hunters. Don't pass up a good springer, though. There was an English Springer spaniel in the house when I was born, and there have been a half-dozen more of them since then. We adopted a two-year old springer a couple of years ago, and she's great company. She gets us out into the fresh air every day for an hour, and she's crazy to hunt. I hope you find one as happy-go-lucky and friendly.

 

[GKC]

If you are wanting a companion, rather than a hunting dog, why not look for a dog to adopt rather than buy one? There are rescue groups who specialize in certain breeds, and there may be one who focuses on Brittany Spaniels. I can understand buying a pure bred dog if you are a serious hunter, and need the genetic traits, but for companionship a dog from a rescue group/shelter would give you more love than you could give him/her.