History

The breed was originally named after the French province where it originated. From 1934 to 1982, the American Kennel Club (AKC) registered the lop-eared longhaired dog and named it the Brittany Hound. As a long-haired lop dog, the Brittany Hound behaves in a similar way to the Setter Hound, except that it is physically smaller than the Setter Hound but larger than the Long-haired lop-eared dog. It has a short tail and a pair of characteristic long ears. In fact, the breed was officially named the Brittany Spaniel by the American Kennel Club on September 1, 1982.

While it is gaining acceptance for this breed of hounds to breed offspring with common characteristics, it is actually the time when the development and popularity of most dog breeds is waning. Early records of the breed are ambiguous, when it was called Bretagne or Brittania, possibly referring to the British Isles (Great Britain) rather than a French province, as Brittany was known as Armorique until the 5th century. When Oppian, who lived in 150 BC, described the uncivilized people of Brittany (or Britain), he mentioned that their dog's sense of smell surpassed that of all other dog breeds. Most Brittany Spaniels today still have this trait.

From this point of view, it is possible that the Breton and Welsh breeds share a common ancestor and developed along similar paths. They are more likely to breed with each other. Because the two regions are very close geographically, and there are many commercial exchanges. You only have to look at today's Welsh and Brittany Spaniels and you'll see that they have similar physical characteristics.

The first recorded forms of accurate description of the Breton Hound breed were in 17th century oil paintings and tapestries. The frequent occurrence of this recorded form of the Breton Hound breed shows that the breed was fairly common at the time. A painting by Oudrv (1686-1745) showing a red-and-white dog staring at a partridge and an oil painting of a Breton-like breed also appear in Jansteen ) In the school's Flemlsh oil painting exhibition, other oil painters also showed oil paintings of the same type of dog breed. From this, it can be seen that this type of dog commonly exists on the north coast of France and the Netherlands. It even extends to the German wachtelhund. Because today there is a type of dog breed in the region that closely resembles the Brittany Spaniel in appearance and abilities.

According to folklore, the first tailless ancestor of the modern Breton spaniel was bred in Ponton, a small town in the Dowrron Valley, around the mid-19th century. It is the offspring of a red-and-white female dog owned by an old local hunter and a yellow-and-white male dog brought to Brittany by a famous English athlete (dog lover) to hunt for the mountain owl. Of the two tailless puppies produced in this litter, only one was deemed worthy of keeping. In the field of hunting dogs, this dog's role is a miracle, because it has become the root of a popular dog breed. All of its offspring pups are either tailless or have a short tail. There is no more definitive description of the Brittany Hound before 1850. It was only that year that a man named Reverend Davies recorded that the carhalx hunted with a smaller censored dog whose coat was as smooth as a pointer hound. , but it is very suitable for activities in the bushes. At that time, it was believed that this kind of dog had a strong appetite for hunting and was trained to hunt for prey, which was especially popular with poachers. Because the characteristic of this profession is that the dog he uses is easy to control. This description is very consistent with the characteristics of the Brittany Hound.

It is speculated (but there is at least one example) that the native long-haired lop-eared dog in Brittany was bred with the English pointer hound around 1900. The owners of these English dogs went on holiday to France to hunt mountain sandpipers. These breeding behaviors are believed to effectively reinforce the changes in the main qualities of this long-haired lop-eared dog, while the basic characteristics are preserved.

The Breton Spaniel became a recognized breed in 1907. At that time, a yellow-and-white dog called "Boy" was registered as the first dog named L'epagneul Breton (queu courte naturelle). The name was shortly abbreviated to simply L'epagneul Breton. In fact, as early as this time, the Brittany Spaniel has been completely divided into different types of French long-haired lop-eared dogs.

The earliest standards were developed in 1907. Early standards required dogs to have short tails at birth to reduce the appearance of long-tailed dogs during breeding. The black and white dog does not meet the standard requirements. This standard requirement for a viviparous short tail was soon discontinued.

The breed was introduced to the United States in 1931. It was officially recognized by the AKC in 1934. The original breed standard was translated directly from France and was very difficult to understand. In 1942, the Breton Spaniel Club of America completed a new standard based on the original standard and replaced the original breed standard with this clear and concise new standard.

The Brittany Spaniel is widely loved in the United States for its laudable qualities as a hunting dog. Its small size and natural hunting qualities satisfy the needs of the modern American female hunter. Its first-class sense of smell and strong hunting desire are the two main characteristics of this dog. Its smaller size makes it more suitable for urban living than some larger retrievers. Its sight and hearing, as well as the range of its small size, made it more suitable for hunting grounds with densely intersecting road networks and fences nearby today.

Many Brittany Spaniel breeders have this idea: they want it to be good looking and a good hunting dog. For this purpose, the Brittany Spaniel has been shown in competitions in the United States for nearly 30 years, with more than 150 dogs of the breed winning the double title of both good looks and good hunters.

Original Origin

Origin: France

Alias: Brittany Spaniel

English name: Brittany Spaniel

Purpose: Foraging, companion dog

Life: 13-14 years

Personality

is an excitable, alert breed that is both Gentle and not easily startled. Extremely easy to tune and smart, but sometimes a little jittery.

FCI Standard

Size

Height: Shoulder height is about 17.5 inches to 20.5 inches, if it is lower than 17.5 inches or higher than 20.5 inches, it is a disqualification.

Weight: About 30-40 pounds.

Proportion: Legs are long and graceful, so body length equals shoulder height.

Body Length: Equal to height at withers. Body length is the distance from the chest to the buttocks.

Physical: The bones should not be too light, but not so heavy that they appear bulky.

Head

Expression: Alert and enthusiastic, but with a soft, bird-hound expression.

Eyes: Well placed on the head, protected by thick, expressive eyebrows. Eyes that are overly full or protruding are faults. Must have the correct face, otherwise it is a serious defect. The underside of the eye is well-defined, so the lower eyelid cannot be everted, have bags under the eyes or exposed nictitating membrane, have sludge or weeds. Dark eyes are ideal, but light (amber) eyes are acceptable. Light-colored or uncomfortable-looking eyes are serious defects.

Ears: Set high above eye level, short and triangular in shape, slightly drooping, extending to half the length of the muzzle. Flat and close to the head, covered with short, relatively short hair with slight bangs.

Skull: Medium length, round, slightly wedge-shaped, but well-proportioned. Broad, but not excessive, as wide as the length, not too wide to look bulky, not too narrow to resemble a racing dog. Very sharp, but slightly sloping stop, blurred midline. Posterior occipital only protruding to the touch, laterally arched. There should be no "apple heads" and no jagged stops.

Muzzle: Medium length, about 2/3 the length of the head (the muzzle is from the tip of the nose to the stop, and the head is from the back of the occiput to the stop). The muzzle is tapered, tapering laterally or longitudinally towards the nose. There is neither a Roman nose nor a plate face. Neither broad and heavy nor slender.

Nose: The nostrils are wide open, allowing deep breathing and a better sense of smell. Closed nostrils are a defect. Never shine. Colors: Brown, Camel, Shade of Brown, Dark Pink. A black nose is a disqualification. Bichromatic nose mirrors are a defect.

lips: Closed tightly, the upper lip covers the chin and lower lip. Lips are dry; so the appearance is not tangled. Drooling is a serious flaw. A drop in the upper lip is a defect.

Bite: True scissor bite, overshot or undershot bite are serious faults.

Neck, Topline, Body

Neck: Moderate length, no fat, although fat is not a serious defect . Strong, but not overly muscular, well articulated with sloping shoulder blades, no slump or sheep neck.

Topline: Slightly sloped from the highest point of the shoulder blades to the base of the tail.

Chest: Deep, extending to the elbows. Not too wide or too rounded to affect the position of the shoulder blades and elbows. Ribs are well supported, have good depth and width, and provide ample room for the ribcage. A chest that is too narrow or a flat chest is a fault.

Back: Short and straight, never sunken, saddled, swayed or arched. Slightly droops from hip to base of tail.

Lump: Round. Fairly plump, not overly lifted, weak or slumped. The loin is short and strong, the distance from the last rib to the upper thigh is short, about 3 to 4 fingers wide. A narrow and weak waist is a defect. When exercising, the waist cannot swing left and right, so that the back does a "Z"-shaped movement and wastes energy.

Tail: Tail from tailless to about 4 inches long, native or docked. The tail should not be so long that it affects the overall balance of the dog. The high position is actually an extension of the spine, at the same level as the spine. A tail longer than 4 inches is a serious defect.

Forequarter

Scapula: The scapula is not very prominent, the distance between the shoulder blades cannot be too far apart, and the distance in the middle is about 2 fingers width. The shoulder blades are sloping and muscular. The scapula is almost at a 90-degree angle to the upper arm bone, and the shoulders are flat. The shoulders of the Breton Spaniel are slightly higher than the hips.

Front Legs: Viewed from the front, vertical, but not too wide apart. Elbows and feet are neither turned in nor out. The follicles are slightly inclined. The downward flank is a serious defect. Leg bones neat and graceful, but not too delicate. Heavy bones or slender legs are serious faults. Must appear both substantial (bone and muscle) and pliable. The height of the elbow is equal to the distance from the elbow to the withers.

Paws: The paws are strong, slightly smaller than the Sandpiper, compact, with well-arched toes and thick pads. The Breton Spaniel does not have "up toes" and the toes do not have a lot of feathering. Flat feet, open feet, paper-thin feet, etc. are serious defects. The ideal foot should be bounded between the rabbit foot and the foot. Dewclaws can be removed.

Hindquarters

Broad, strong, and muscular, with powerful thighs and flexed knees to provide the right angle for a strong drive. Hind Legs: The knee is bent, the angle of the knee should not be so large that the hock is too far behind the body. A straighter knee should not be considered a defect until the referee has not observed him from the side. The knee joint cannot be turned outward to form a bull limb. The thighs are feathered, but not excessively, extending halfway between the thighs and the hocks. The hocks (posterior f-bones) are slightly shorter, turning neither in nor out. When viewed from the side, perpendicular to the ground. Seems solid when the referee shakes him.

Paws: Same as forelimbs.

Coat

Thick, flat or wavy, not curly. Neither bristle nor silk. There are a few bangs on the ears. The forelegs and hind legs are feathered, but a small amount is preferable to a lot. Long, thick feathering is a serious defect, and they are firmly excluded from competition. Skin: Delicate and rather loose. Excessively loose, pocket-like skin is undesirable.

Colors

Orange and white or liver and white, with clear or mixed patterns. Solid stripes are ideal. Orange or liver color forms variegation or markings. Faded colors are undesirable. Three colors are allowed, but not ideal. Tricolor means liver and white dogs with orange markings on the eyebrows, muzzle, cheeks, inside the ears and under the tail, and spots on the lower part of the fading. Any color other than this is a serious defect. A black coat is a disqualification.

Gait

When trotting, the Breton Spaniel's hind paws will rest on the footprints of the fore paws, coming or leaving, moving Cleanliness is important, but the most important thing is to observe the gait from the side, which should be smooth, efficient and with a long stride.

Disqualification

Shoulder height below 17.5 inches or above 20.5 inches.

Black nose.

Black coat.