The Brittany, also known as the Brittany Spaniel, is the national dog of France, and a true hunt, point, retrieve breed.
It is a medium-sized dog built for pace and agility, with longer legs than other spaniels to help it cover large amounts of ground quickly. It has a dense double coat that can be either flat or wavy, with feathering on the legs and comes in combinations of white and vivid orange and liver. Sussex Spaniels are bright and friendly dogs, with lots of energy. Their good nature makes them excellent family pets which get on well with children, other dogs and household pets. Due to their athleticism and boundless enthusiasm and energy, this breed is best suited to outdoorsy owners and families who can keep up with their high demand for exercise. In addition to lots of walks and runs, they will also relish obedience training, and agility and flyball activities. Without sufficient exercise and attention, this breed can become bored and can be prone to barking, roaming, or other destructive behaviour. Welsh Springers are hardy dogs that can often live into their teens.
History
The Brittany is named after the French province from which it originates. Formerly known as the Brittany Spaniel, it was founded on a breed of spaniel found in Northern France, to which English Setter and Pointer blood were added. This mix produced a true hunt, point, retrieve breed. Due to this mixed heritage and characteristics, the word spaniel was dropped from its name.