First of all, let’s clear up the confusion in the breed’s name. Back in the 1980’s the name Brittany Spaniel morphed into just plain Brittany. It was deliberately done to differentiate the Brittany, which is a pointing dog, from the spaniels which are flushers – most notably the Springer Spaniel and Cocker Spaniel. Old habits die hard and a lot of people still refer to the breed as Brittany Spaniels. To me, Seamus is a Brittany.
The Brittany and German Short-Hair, were introduced to North America from Europe. That is to say, the Continent of Europe as opposed to the British Isles where traditional bird hunting breeds originated. The Brittany was developed in Brittany, a northern section of France, hence the name.
The Brittany is often confused with the Springer Spaniel, the main differences being the Brittany points and has a cropped tail. The breed’s colorings are liver and white, orange and white or a brownish, almost black, spotting of the entire body and face. The common traits of all Britts are their tenacity, loyalty and stamina, all combined to make one great hunting machine.
Seamus is the second Brittany I’ve owned and I’ve come to love the breed. Aside from their shedding (their coat needs lots of grooming unless you give it a field cut) the only other characteristic that needs care is their propensity to have their feelings hurt. It sounds like a cliché, but it happens vary easily and you’ll know when a Britt pouts. A Britt hunts a lot better once he gets over his hurt feelings.
They are a healthy breed but because their ears flop and cover the opening to the ear canal, they need care to avoid infection caused by parasites and other things. Hip dysplasia can also be a problem and should be checked for as well as knowing if the strain the pup came from has a history, which is a good reason to deal with a reputable breeder.
TD