Brittany
Sweet, adaptable, playful and devoted. From Brittany, France.
Non-Sportingmedium breedBrittany, FranceStandards checked
Standards checked: this profile's facts are checked against the breed standards of the AKC, The Kennel Club and the FCI, as described on our methodology page.
Gallery
Real photos from licensed sources only, each credited to its creator.
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Photos show different individual dogs from licensed libraries, not one dog growing up. Stage labels are approximate, the way a careful editor would judge them.
About the Brittany
From Brittany, France, the Brittany is a medium sized companion breed whose traditional work was to be close company for people, a role dogs have filled for thousands of years. This breed's whole job description is you. In return for company and gentle training you get a shadow who would not dream of being anywhere else.
History
Companion and toy dogs are as old as wealth itself: little dogs appear in art and graves from ancient Egypt and China to the courts of Europe. The AKC recognizes the breed today, and its standard is the reference most US breeders work to.
Personality
Sweetness leads every description of the Brittany, and for once the stereotype undersells it. This is a devoted, adaptable companion that organises its life around its people, following from room to room and resting within touching distance whenever possible. Under the gentleness sits a real bird dog's brightness and sensitivity: Brittanys notice tone, mood and routine, learn quickly and wilt under harsh handling. They are playful without being frantic, busy without being demanding and friendly with the world at large. Puppies are busy and charming; adults keep a youthful sparkle for years. Owners consistently describe a dog whose whole job description is you, and who takes that job very seriously indeed.
Temperament and traits
Energy (3/5)
Trainability (3/5)
Grooming needs (3/5)
Shedding (3/5)
Barking (3/5)
Good with children: Good with children
With other dogs: Good with dogs
With strangers: Friendly with strangers
Apartment life: With enough exercise
Coat and care
Coat: Dense, flat or slightly wavy coat of medium length, with light feathering on the ears and backs of the legs. It sheds moderately and brushes out easily once a week.
Colors: Standard colors: piebald orange-and-white, liver-and-white or black-and-white.
Measure meals rather than free feeding; this breed does best on a routine of consistent meals, training in short sessions and daily exercise matched to its type. Brush weekly and check ears, teeth and nails as part of the routine. Small mouths crowd teeth, so dental care starts early and stays daily. Small dogs also chill fast: coats in winter are kindness, not costume.
Exercise and grooming
Exercise
The exercise record for this breed sits at 30 to 45 minutes on paper, and owners should treat that as a floor for an older or quiet dog, with most Brittanys happiest when walks include off lead running in safe places, retrieving games and scent work on top. This is a gundog type in a compact frame, with a busy brain that values variety: new routes, fields and woods keep the nose and mind working. Puppies build up gradually with short play sessions. After exercise, check the ears and give the coat a once over for burrs and seeds. The combination of a real walk and ten minutes of training games is the Brittany formula for a settled evening.
Grooming
The coat is deliberately practical: a weekly brush through keeps it clean and comfortable, with tidying of the feathering on the legs, chest and tail as needed. In mud and burr season, check the coat after walks and comb out seeds and tangles before they settle. The ears follow the spaniel rule in the breed's care notes: check them as part of the weekly routine and keep them clean and dry, since hanging ears trap moisture. Small mouths crowd teeth, so dental care starts early and stays daily where possible, and coats in winter are kindness for a lean, fine coated dog in cold weather rather than costume.
Training and daily life
Training
Brittanys are soft, willing learners that respond to short, cheerful, reward based training and shut down under harshness. Keep sessions brief and varied, use food and play as wages and finish while the dog is keen. The priorities are recall, because a birdy nose can carry a young Brittany a long way, lead manners, and a settle for the house, since this companion breed needs an off switch as much as skills. Socialise puppies widely so the adult is as friendly and adaptable as the breed promises. Housetraining follows the standard routine and is usually straightforward in a dog this eager to please.
Living with a Brittany
The Brittany fits active family life gracefully: sweet with children, good with other dogs, friendly with visitors and moderate in size and demands. A flat can work when the exercise is genuinely delivered, because indoors this breed is devoted and settled, often found asleep as close to a person as physics allows. They dislike being left alone for long days, having been bred as close companions as much as workers. The household picture includes moderate shedding, an enthusiastic welcome and a dog that would like to join every outing, ride and walk. For people who want gundog character without gundog size, the Brittany is one of the dog world's best kept secrets.
What a Brittany costs
Food cost
About $25 per month for a typical 35 lb adult eating roughly 2.3 cups a day of a standard quality food ($1.60 per lb). Full breakdown in our food expense calculator.
Activity and exercise
Plan 30 to 45 minutes a day of walks, play and training. Under exercised dogs of most breeds invent their own projects, and they rarely pick good ones.
Insurance cost
Typical US range $34 to $61 per month for accident and illness cover. Estimate only, based on market ranges for this breed's risk profile; see the insurance estimator and the insurance guide.
On the monthly figures above, a typical adult year runs to about $301 for food and $408 to $732 for insurance, before routine vet care, grooming and gear. Year one costs more: vaccinations, spay or neuter surgery, a crate, bedding and training all land at once.
Growth: puppy to senior
How weight typically builds with age for a medium breed, and when full size arrives.
| Stage | Age | Typical weight |
|---|---|---|
| Puppy | 8 weeks | about 4 to 6 lb |
| Puppy | 4 months | about 10 to 13 lb |
| Young | 6 months | about 16 to 21 lb |
| Young | 9 months | about 22 to 30 lb |
| Adult | 12 months | about 26 to 35 lb |
| Adult | 18 months | about 30 to 40 lb |
| Adult | Full grown | 30 to 40 lb (standard range) |
| Senior | From about 8 years | Healthy weight stays in the adult range; watch for slow gain or loss |
Growth pattern follows the size class growth curves published by the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, applied to the adult weight range in the breed standard. Individual puppies vary; steady growth matters more than hitting any single number, and your vet's growth checks come first.
Life stages
Puppies need gentle socialisation, short play sessions while joints grow and early dental habits, since small mouths crowd teeth. Housetraining follows a routine of frequent trips and praise. Adolescents are energetic and curious; keep training short, frequent and fun, and build recall carefully in safe areas. Adults enjoy a long, sound prime, and the standing jobs are weight control, ear checks and keeping the dog's company needs met. From around ten, seniors need twice yearly vet checks, continued daily walks at a kinder pace and dental attention. Brittanys commonly stay bright and devoted deep into old age.
Health
Hip screening and eye checks are the mainstays, with epilepsy reported in some lines. A generally sound, energetic gundog. Ask to see health test results for both parents before you commit to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask.
Conditions to know about
- Hip dysplasia: Hip screening is the mainstay of Brittany breeding health. Ask for both parents' hip results before committing to a puppy; a good breeder will offer them before you ask.
- Eye conditions: Annual eye checks are part of the breed's recommended testing, because inherited eye problems occur in gundog breeds. Breeders should provide current eye certificates.
- Epilepsy: Epilepsy is reported in some Brittany lines. It usually appears in young adult dogs and is generally managed well on daily medication; breeders should be asked directly about seizures in their lines.
Facts follow the Brittany breed standard (AKC, The Kennel Club and FCI standards agree on the essentials for this breed). Health notes summarize the conditions breed clubs and veterinary bodies most often flag for this breed. They are general information for choosing and caring, not a diagnosis or a substitute for your vet.
Gear for Brittany owners
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Brittany questions
How long do Brittanys live?
A typical lifespan is 12 to 14 years. Weight control, dental care and screening for the breed's known conditions give a dog the best chance of reaching the top of that range.
How much does it cost to keep a Brittany?
Food for a typical adult runs about $25 a month at a standard quality tier, and accident and illness insurance usually falls between $34 and $61 a month in the US. Try the full cost calculator for a complete year one and yearly picture.
Are Brittanys good with children?
Good with children. As with every breed, supervise dogs and children together and teach children to respect the dog's space.
How much exercise does a Brittany need?
Plan on 30 to 45 minutes a day, split between walks, play and training games. Puppies and seniors need gentler, shorter sessions.
Is the Brittany a spaniel?
Despite the old name Brittany Spaniel, the breed is a pointing breed, closer in work to setters and pointers than to the flushing spaniels. The word spaniel was dropped from the official name in 1982.
Do Brittanys make good family dogs?
Yes. They are sweet, adaptable and playful, good with children and other dogs and friendly with visitors. The requirements are real daily exercise and company, as this devoted breed dislikes being left alone for long stretches.
How much grooming does a Brittany need?
Very little by spaniel standards: a weekly brush, tidying of the feathering and the usual ears, teeth and nails routine. The coat is deliberately practical.