Canis lupus familiaris
Brittany
Featured photobrittany.jpgThe Brittany is a French Breton pointing-spaniel crossed with English Setter and Pointer lines. The Brittany was developed in the Argoat region of Brittany, France, in the mid-19th century by crossing local landrace spaniels with English Setters and Pointers.
Quick facts
- AKC group
- Sporting
- Origin country
- France (Brittany)
- Origin period
- Mid-19th century
- Coat type
- Medium
- Coat colors
- Orange and White, Liver and White, Black and White, Tricolor
- Average lifespan
- 12-14 years
- Recognition
- AKC 1934 · FCI 1954 · UKC 1948 · Group 7 — Pointing Dogs (Section 1.2: Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel type)
Origin
The Brittany takes its name from the historic French province of Brittany, where 19th-century records describe a small landrace spaniel-type used for both pointing and retrieval. Crosses with English Setters and English Pointers brought to the region by visiting British sportsmen are documented in the mid-19th century. Arthur Enaud drew up the first formal breed standard in 1907 and presented it to the Société Centrale Canine, which recognized the breed in 1908 under the name Épagneul Breton.
Recognition
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1934, the United Kennel Club followed in 1948, and the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 95) in 1954. The FCI assigns the breed to Group 7 — Pointing Dogs (Section 1.2: Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel type).
Standard
The FCI and AKC standards describe a compact, leggy dog with the longest leg-to-body ratio of any modern spaniel, well suited to the rough Breton terrain. The medium-length coat is flat or wavy, never curly, with light feathering on the legs and ears. Recognized colours are orange-and-white, liver-and-white, black-and-white (FCI only — disqualified under the AKC standard), and tricolour. The breed stands 44-52 cm at the withers.
Sources & further reading (3)
- kennel-club-registry — accessed 2026-05-04
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-05-04
- fci-standard — accessed 2026-05-04
Frequently asked questions
What is the Brittany's AKC group?
The American Kennel Club places the Brittany in the Sporting Group. The Sporting Group gathers pointers, setters, retrievers, and spaniels — breeds developed to assist hunters in locating, flushing, or retrieving game birds. The breed's foundation working role was as a French Breton pointing-spaniel crossed with English Setter and Pointer lines.
When was the Brittany officially recognized?
The American Kennel Club admitted the breed in 1934; the United Kennel Club followed in 1948; the Federation Cynologique Internationale published the international standard (FCI No. 95) in 1954.
What is the average lifespan of a Brittany?
Kennel-club longevity surveys place the Brittany's average lifespan in the 12-14 years range. The figure here represents the spread reported by the major parent-club studies and the Kennel Club (UK) purebred-dog health surveys.
