The Brittany
The Right Breed For You and How to Find a Reputable Breeder

Male vs. Female:
There honestly isn’t a lot of difference in our breed, but if you ask many of us with multiple dogs we tend to have a soft spot for the males. The boys tend to be a bit more your buddy while the girls are a little more independent. Both make excellent pets and train basically the same. The difference is more akin to “Hey, where are we going hunting today?” vs. “So I’m headed that way to hunt, you can follow if you want, or not. I don’t care!” As for marking, what many people don't realize is both males and females mark. Good house training from the start should prevent this in both sexes. The exception is when you have both intact males and females in the home, marking does seem to happen more often when a female is in season and the male wants to keep strange dogs away. But once again, good house training should prevent this.


Fence or No Fence:
I cannot stress enough how important fencing is for the Brittany. This breed runs. This breed also climbs! Without a fully fenced yard with fencing at a bare minimum 5’ high (and for some dogs, higher) I can promise you there will be a day your dog takes off. In fact, I can promise you many of them, if you’re lucky enough that your dog isn't involved in an accident. A 4’ fence is okay for some Brittanys but for many of them it’s an easy jump, or climb, over to the other side. I would not consider a 4’ fence safe for this breed. For some dogs a 8’ chain link fence would not be safe! They are easy to climb. I personally recommend a 5-6’ welded wire fencing.


Adoption vs. Buying:
Adoption is a term used to describe buying a rescue dog from a reputable rescue or shelter. It is also a term used by many backyard breeders and puppy mills to soften the sale of their puppies and dogs. If a “breeder” uses the word adoption to describe the purchasing of one of their puppies, walk away. The exception is there are a few breeders who also assist in rescue, but such breeders make a clear distinction between a rescue and a dog you are looking to purchase. Reputable breeders sell dogs, usually under contract (typically designed to protect the breeder, buyer, and the dog) though many (myself included) do not list a purchase price on our websites. A well-bred Brittany puppy will usually cost between $1500-2000.


Pet, Hunting or Competition Homes:
Not many people are looking for a puppy to compete with, though it is not unusual for a breeder to wait for such a home for a puppy with a lot of potential. With Brittanys, many of our dogs end up in hunting homes, which is great for the dogs because they get to do what they were bred to do. We expect all of our puppies to also be pets but typically many breeders restrict how many pet-only homes they place their puppies in. The truth of the matter is most Brittanys need a lot more to do than just hanging out around the house. Brittanys need a job, and it really doesn't matter what that job is. They excel at show, hunting, agility, obedience, therapy work, etc. Some of the behavior problems associated with a bored Brittany include destructive behavior, inappropriate elimination, separation anxiety, and hyperactivity.


“I only want a pet, why are they the same price?”:
Simply stated; regardless of structural quality, gender, or color every puppy is raised with the same care and regard to health and welfare as the next. Reputable breeders however do guarantee the health of their puppies and will usually refund some of the purchase price, or provide a replacement puppy if necessary depending on their individual contract.


“I want a breeder who really cares about their dogs”:
Great! So do I. But let’s evaluate what that means. Even the backyard breeder likely loves their dogs and the puppies they produce. They care for them and play with them for eight weeks and hand them off to their new homes. But what about before and after those 8 weeks in the breeders home? Prior to being bred, dogs should have had breed specific health testing to determine if they are a good candidate for breeding. For the Brittany this means at a bare minimum having OFA certification. OFA rates the quality of a dogs hips, and as breeders we try to only breed dogs with passing hip scores, reducing the chance of producing puppies with canine hip dysplasia (in Brittanys this is 15-19% of the breed!) Pennhip is another method for scoring hips which is perfectly acceptable, however there is no open database or pass/fail ratings like there is with OFA, therefore I would be wary of a dog with a Pennhip rating if the rest of the dogs in the kennel have OFA ratings. Many breeders also CERF (eyes) their dogs yearly, as glaucoma is an issue found in our breed. More likely than not if a breeder has done these things with their own dogs, that will reflect on the care they put into a litter of puppies. As a potential owner, find a breeder you feel comfortable calling for advice or support if something happens to your dog. A breeder should strive to be an expert in their breed and be able to guide you when you need it, or be able to refer you to someone who can. Being a breeder doesn't stop at 8 weeks, it’s for the life of the dog. And every dog deserves to have a healthy outlook for life starting from birth.

In summary, the Brittany is a wonderful breed. They are loving and smart, great family dogs and amazing hunters. They are also not for everyone. They run off, get into things, are a lot of dog for their 35 lbs, and they never really outgrow the puppy stage. You need a good sense of humor, patience and the knowledge that you'll never, ever, be smarter than your dog. If you have those three things this is probably the breed for you! If not, that's okay, there are many other wonderful breeds who may be a better fit. But choosing a dog is a 15 year commitment, so making sure you get the best fit for your family is important.