About The Breed

The following paragraphs are a summary of facts and thoughts pertaining to the French Brittany Spaniel that we have put together based upon our personal research, interaction with, and observation of the breed.

The certified 100% pure French Brittany Spaniel is, in our opinion, the ultimate close working pointing dog and personal companion that exists in North America today. No other breed that we have spent time with or hunted behind exhibits the unwavering consistency of performance in the field in the area of raw determination coupled with an ever present desire to willingly learn, conform to, and submit to the guidance of their handler as part of a true "team" effort. We in no way mean to slight or detract from any other breed, for they all have their positive attributes and loyal supporters, and rightly so. We are simply convinced beyond any doubt that the French Brittany is the breed most ideally suited beyond all others for the type of mixed bag upland hunting that we endeavor to pursue in the Dakotas, and they provide the maximum amount of aesthetic satisfaction per day spent in the uplands enjoying the total outdoor experience. Now that we have shared some of our personal, arguably subjective opinions on the breed with you let us move on to a basic physical description of the French Brittany.

Five different coat colors occur in the French Brittany. They are black/white, orange/white, liver/white, black/orange/white tri-color, and liver/orange/white tri-color. There are varying degrees of ticking and roan patterns within each of these coat color combinations.

The French Brittany Spaniel is generally the smallest of all the pointing breeds, usually standing 18 to 20 inches in height and weighing 30 to 40 pounds. The size of females tends to be toward the lesser end of this range, while males are normally toward the greater end. The physical size of these dogs is in no way indicative of the amount of desire or intensity with which they hunt. They are quite capable of running hard all day long through whatever type of cover one wishes to hunt them in, including the thickest CRP and heaviest sloughs.

The French Brittany hunts at close to medium range, depending on the size and density of the habitat being hunted. Our dogs are very easy to control and keep within the range we wish them to hunt at. They are always aware of the presence and proximity of their handler while maintaining an extreme intensity to find and point birds.

The French Brittany Spaniel is a very "personable" dog. As stated earlier, we have been around no other breed of bird dog that is so eager to please their master and learn as quickly and effortlessly as they do. These dogs have a very gentle disposition and are very tolerant of and patient with children. Aside from running full tilt through a field of switch grass to seek out and point a wild ringneck pheasant, their next favorite activity is running around the backyard or park chasing, tugging at, and playing ball with their favorite kid. These dogs do not respond well to harsh or heavy-handed training tactics. They excel when guided by consistent, quiet positive reinforcement. Although we know and understand that the canine psyche and behavior patterns are all built around conditioned responses, we frequently find ourselves amazed by the fact that these dogs seem to possess an almost human reasoning ability and understanding. The French Brittany does well in a kennel environment when circumstances dictate that they be so confined. However, they thrive when they are included in the family as a full time member of the household. Anyone who does not capitalize on this fact is missing out on a facet of the deeper bonding experience that transfers into the field and greatly enhances the overall upland experience.