Friendly and full of energy, the Brittany Spaniel is a dog perfect for families with children. They are also eager to please their owners, enjoy being taught basic obedience and are quick learners. Do you want to know more about this breed before getting your own? You’ve reached the right place. In today’s article, we tell you more about the Brittany Spaniel.
Origin of Brittany Spaniel
The Brittany Spaniel’s origins are in French Brittany, in the center of France, hence its name. It was bred as a hunting and tracking dog and is considered the oldest and most versatile of the spaniel breeds. It is even assumed that this variety of spaniel originated in the mid-1800s by crossing a native female with a Welsh spaniel, resulting in a new breed of dog that was ideal for hunting, while being docile and aesthetically appealing.
Types of Brittany Spaniels
Brittany Spaniels are medium sized and have a compact and muscular body, without having a heavy appearance. They are active, light and agile animals. There are no different types of Brittany Spaniels, but they can be born with different shades of color in their coat.
Colors
The colors of the coat of the Brittany Spaniel can be diverse, but the most characteristic are white in the background tone with brown, orange or black spots. There are also black Brittany Spaniels.
Types of Hair
The hair of the Brittany Spaniel is generally fine and long, straight but not wavy or curly. It can be wavy in certain areas of the animal’s body, which usually turns into a slight fringe due to its medium length on the dog’s chest and the back of its legs.
Character and Behavior of the Brittany Spaniel
By nature, the Brittany Spaniel is generally a curious, jovial and attentive dog. They are active, playful and very friendly, which is why, as mentioned earlier, they are also ideal for families with children. It should be noted that, also by nature, it is generally a very energetic breed. Also, it is an excellent hunting dog.
Advice, Training and Education
The education of a Brittany Spaniel is usually easy, as they are relatively quick learners. In addition, they are very attached to their owners and have a considerable tendency to please their owners.
Given their hunting nature, it is important to exercise and train them so that they can control their hunting instincts. Since they are very active dogs, it is advisable that the animal has a space in which it feels comfortable and that allows it to move around.
Ideally, he should be in a house with a patio, have three daily outings of thirty minutes to an hour, and have activities in a controlled space. However, for a Brittany Spaniel puppy under two years of age, his daily physical activity should be limited to a half hour. We will use positive reinforcement to teach him the basic activities: sit, call, etc.
Brittany Spaniel Puppy
The Brittany Spaniel puppy needs special care that cannot be given to an adult dog. First of all, he must stay with his mother for a minimum of 40 days after his birth. This so-called weaning must be done in different phases: first, he will be given a special formula for puppies and after 50 days, he will be able to receive a food adapted to puppies.
How to Feed a Brittany Spaniel According to Its Age?
Puppy
Brittany Spaniel puppies should be fed with age-appropriate food after fifty days have passed since they were weaned. To complete the weaning process, a special puppy milk formula should be fed first.
Adult
For adult Brittany Spaniels, it is ideal to feed them a diet based on adult foods and to provide fresh water daily. Your dog’s diet should contain chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine and fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6). In general, it is the veterinarian who will advise us on the quantities and the food we should provide to our canine companion.
Senior
For the senior Brittany Spaniel, the same thing happens as for the adult one: it is the veterinarian who will advise us on the quantities and the food to provide. In general, the ideal is that it is a diet based on food adapted to their age.
There you go! So what are your thoughts on the Brittany Spaniel? Let us know in the comments below.