Some Health Issues with Brittany Dogs

The Brittany is a generally healthy breed, but like all dogs, there can be some problems that may arrise later in the animlas life.  Some of the health issues that may afflict Brittanys include PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), hip dysplasia, heart defects, epilepsy, glaucoma, and skin problems, such as allergies.

The above information was gathered from the following websites:

puppiesndogs.com

gmbrittanyspaniels

Dangerous Foods for Dogs

With the Easter holiday upon us, I thought I'd share some foods that are dangerous to our four legged furry friends.  According to WebMD, here is a list of some of the foods that are not safe to feed pets:

• Avocado
• Alcohol (beer, liquor, wine, etc.)
• Onions and Garlic
• Coffee, Tea and other caffeine
• Grapes, Raisins, Persimmons, Peaches, Plums
• Milk and other Dairy Products
• Macadamia nuts, Candy, Gum, Chocolate
• Fat Trimmings and Bones
• Raw Eggs, Raw Meat, Raw Fish
• Salt, Sugary Foods and Drinks
• Yeast Dough

The website also gives a list of spices kept in pantry cupboards that will harm animals and also suggests against giving dogs medicines designed for humans, as they can be harmful also.  It then goes on to suggest certain human foods and fruits that are ok to give to animals.  If you’d like to read the article in more detail the website is:

Dangerous Foods That Dogs Should Never Eat

Brittanys on point video

I found this video on YouTube with three Brittany's pointing a bird.  I though it was pretty neat, so I figured I'd share.

Jasper's afraid of thunderstorms

I had to chuckle to myself earlier in the week when we had the nasty thunder/lightning/hail storm.  I was laying in bed watching tv when the storm began.  I thought nothing of the storm and was hoping the power didn't go out in the middle of my show.

To my suprise, I heard the jingle of Jaspers collar tags and within seconds, he had jumped into bed with me and curled up right in front of me and started trembling and whining as it was hailing and storming outside.  I giggled because I found the situation funny, but at the same time I felt bad for him because he had no clue what was going on.  I guess he may have thought whatever was going on outside was going to come in and get him.  I talked to him and patted him on the head a few times, which seemed to calm him down till the storm blew over.  Once it did, he jumped off the bed and went about his "merry dog way" as if nothing had happened. 

another Brittany rescue organization

While browsing online I found another Brittany rescue organization.  They are the NBRAN (National Brittany Rescue and Adoption Network).  I've never heard of this organization but did check out their website.

According to their website they are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and a network of caring and dedicated volunteers in the United States and Canada who are passionate for dog rescue, especially the Brittany.

If you'd like to check out their website, it is: http://nbran.org/

Brittanys on Dogster

If anyone has not been on http://www.dogster.com/, you should really check it out.  There is alot of good information on things to not feed your pet and ways to network with other dog owners.  I have been registerd on Dogster for some time with Jasper.  I really enjoy reading the discussion forums they have.  Here are a few things they have listed on their site about Brittanys:

• 1,394 Brittanys on Dogster
• The breed is very welcoming.
• Gets along with everyone in family
• Very charming when guests come over
• Eager to please and easy to train
• People-oriented dogs
• Healthy Brittany can live to be 12 years old

If you would like to read more about what the site has to say about the breed, please visit:

http://www.dogster.com/dog-breeds/Brittany

More Brittany Fun Facts

The Brittany’s country of origin is France.  The breed was developed from champion setters and spaniels owned by wealthy English hunters who would travel to France to hunt and leave their dogs with caretakers in France.  The Brittany was developed out of the line of dogs that were left with the caretakers in France.  Brittany’s were first named Brittany Spaniel until “Spaniel” was dropped in 1982. When the Brittany was accepted by the AKC in 1944, the American Brittany Club wanted the breed recognized as Brittany and not Brittany Spaniel due the breeds hunting style not resembling that of a spaniel.  The AKC would continue to recognize the breed as the Brittany Spaniel until it was discovered that the breed worked in the field not like a spaniel, but as a versatile hunting dog and the name was changed in 1982.

The Brittany is considered as part of the sporting group by the AKC.  They are also considered a Versatile Hunting dog.  The Brittany is one of six breeds of dog recognized by the AKC as a Versatile Hunting dog.  Some other dogs that are in the same hunting class are the German Shorthaired Pointer, the German Wirehaired Pointer, and the Weimaraner. A Versatile Hunting dog is a dog that has been specifically bred and trained to hunt and point game; as well as retrieve game in land and water.  They are also trained to track wounded game in land and water.   

I have posted the website that I got this information on the links page of this blog.

more info about the brittany spaniel temperment

While searching the web for more information to share about Brittany’s I found a website that talked about temperament and how they deal with other animals.  It said that if your Brittany is well socialized then it will be polite and gentle with people and with other animals. The site also said that the breed tends to be timid and have excessive submissiveness in some ways, so it is best to socialize your puppy early as to promote a confident temperament.

It also stated that Brittanys tend to be sensitive and "soft" dogs; that they are willing to please and are better responsive to a calm voice. The site also states that the breed may not do well in an environment with loud voices and a lot of tension.

The site also lists a few other traits of the breed.  Some of those are that they are good with strangers, peaceful with other animals, hyperactive when not properly exercised, may get separation anxiety, very inquisitive sniffer, excitable or submissive urination when nervous or excited and persistent whining when stressed or excited.  I have listed the site on my links page where I got this information

a little more background about the Brittany

Brittany’s are an easily trainable breed.  They are very willing to learn and please their owner.  They are a very high energy dog and need attention and a medium/large fenced yard that they can run around in.  It is highly recommended to give them adequate mental and physical exercise to keep them busy or they will find something to get into and it may not be what you want them to. 

They have a very curious temperament and are also very friendly.  They are a hunting dog and are considered a pointing breed.  They are a very independent dog and really do not play well with other dogs.  They tend to be picky towards which dogs they are friendly with.  Brittany’s are very people friendly and good with children.  Brittany’s are very affectionate and extremely friendly.  This breed is not recommended for anyone who cannot exercise the dog daily because it is a very high energy dog and requires a lot of attention.

There is very little shedding, but it is recommended to brush the dog every couple days due to there being some feathering on the dogs ears, legs and chest and it will help avoid any possible fur matting.  The Brittany is a fairly good watch dog but not recommended as a guard dog because it is a very friendly dog and may let strangers pass as “friends” instead of an intruder. 

While major health issues are not a problem, hip dysplasia, skin allergies, eye problems, and occasionally, epilepsy are sometimes seen in this breed.  The Brittany is a bird dog and considered a pointing breed.  It is used to hunt birds like grouse and pheasant.  It is also a good breed to use for pointing field trials.  The Brittany is also thought to be a cross between an English setter and small French land spaniels.  

Jasper's sick

I had to take Jasper to the vet last thursday due to a bad skin rash around his tail.  He got a shot and has to be on antibiotics for 14 days.  He's getting better.  The shot he got made him drink alot of wather and go to the bathroom alot since last thursday. Due to my husband's and my work schedule we didnt want to leave him at home alone and go to the bathroom all over the place in the house monday through today so my inlaws were nice enough to keep Jasper at their house till today.  The shot is wearing off and he's not drinking and going as much, so that is a good thing.  I'm very greatful my inlaws were nice to keep an eye on Jasper this week and will be happier when he's not on the antibiotics anymore.

Jasper and the drive thru window

I thought I would tell a cute story about Jasper this week.  It is something that happened about 2 years ago.  Jasper is a genuinely friendly dog and loves people.  He also likes going for rides in the car.  I was out one day with Jasper in the car and went through Wendy’s drive thru to get something to eat.  The young lady at the first window commented on how cute Jasper was and asked if he could have a French fry.  I told her yes and she said she’d meet me at the second window.  When I got to the window and the other young lady handed me my food, the young lady from the pay window comes running over with a French fry.  Jasper is in the back seat trying to stretch up front to sniff what was in the bag and see what this person was handing out at the window, so I pulled up so the back window was at the drive thru window and put the window down.  She handed the fry out the window and he leaned out and took it.  She patted him on the head and told me that I made her day and thanked me.  I told her she was welcome and drove off.  So now, every time I go through Wendy’s, McDonalds or any other fast food place with Jasper in the car, he starts whining an tries to stick his head out of the drivers side window thinking the person at the window is giving him a French fry.

I had him in the car about 2 weeks after the Wendy’s ordeal and he started pacing in the back seat because he somehow knew he was in a drive thru.  I put my thing in the tube to send in the bank and Jasper is intently staring down the teller in the window.  She chuckled and told me he was a cute dog and I said thank you as she sent the tube back through with my receipt and a doggie biscuit for him.  He kindly stuck his nose in the tube thinking he was going to get the biscuit out.  I got it out and gave it to him and thanked the teller, then pulled away.  He is a spoiled dog and I love him dearly.

Information about the Brittany

 

I have taken the following information directly from the AKC website.  The link to this information is:
http://www.akc.org/breeds/brittany/

AKC MEET THE BREEDS®: Brittany

The Brittany is a medium-sized, leggy, dual-purpose dog, equally suited for sport and companionship. According to AKC® Registration Statistics, it has surged in popularity in the last 50 years due to its talents as both a hunting and show dog. Originally called the Brittany Spaniel, it is now referred to simply as the Brittany, as its hunting style more closely resembles that of pointing breeds. Its dense, flat or wavy coat can be orange and white or liver and white in either clear or roan patterns.
A Look Back
The Brittany was named for the French province where it originated, but records of its development are largely lost. There is a great deal of resemblance between the Brittany and Welsh Springer Spaniel, which leads many people to believe that the two breeds share the same ancestors. It is possible that native Brittany spaniels mated with English pointing dogs around 1900, intensifying their hunting prowess in the process.

Right Breed for You?
The Brittany is strong, quick and agile, requiring exercise and activity to occupy his body and mind. He is a happy and alert dog who possesses willing attitude. Regular brushing is important, but their shorter coats need minimal maintenance.
If you are considering purchasing a Brittany puppy, learn more here.

• Sporting Group; AKC recognized in 1934.
• Average size: 30 to 40 pounds and 17 ½ to 20 ½ inches at the shoulder.
• Bird dog, companion.

© The American Kennel Club, Inc.

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Brittany Breed Standard

Sporting Group

General Appearance
A compact, closely knit dog of medium size, a leggy dog having the appearance, as well as the agility, of a great ground coverer. Strong, vigorous, energetic and quick of movement. Ruggedness, without clumsiness, is a characteristic of the breed. He can be tailless or has a tail docked to approximately four inches.
Size, Proportion, Substance
Height--17½ to 20½ inches, measured from the ground to the highest point of the shoulders. Any Brittany measuring under 17½ inches or over 20½ inches shall be disqualified from dog show competition. Weight--Should weigh between 30 and 40 pounds. Proportion--So leggy is he that his height at the shoulders is the same as the length of his body. Body Length--Approximately the same as the height when measured at the shoulders. Body length is measured from the point of the forecast to the rear of the rump. A long body should be heavily penalized. Substance--Not too light in bone, yet never heavy-boned and cumbersome.
Head
Expression--Alert and eager, but with the soft expression of a bird dog. Eyes--Well set in head. Well protected from briars by a heavy, expressive eyebrow. A prominent full or popeye should be penalized. It is a serious fault in a dog that must face briars. Skull well chiseled under the eyes, so that the lower lid is not pulled back to form a pocket or haw that would catch seeds, dirt and weed dust. Preference should be for the darker colored eyes, though lighter shades of amber should not be penalized. Light and mean-looking eyes should be heavily penalized. Ears--Set high, above the level of the eyes. Short and triangular, rather than pendulous, reaching about half the length of the muzzle. Should lie flat and close to the head, with dense, but relatively short hair, and with little fringe. Skull--Medium length, rounded, very slightly wedge-shaped, but evenly made. Width, not quite as wide as the length and never so broad as to appear coarse, or so narrow as to appear racy. Well defined, but gently sloping stop. Median line rather indistinct. The occiput only apparent to the touch. Lateral walls well rounded. The Brittany should never be "apple-headed" and he should never have an indented stop. Muzzle--Medium length, about two thirds the length of the skull, measuring the muzzle from the tip to the stop, and the skull from the occiput to the stop. Muzzle should taper gradually in both horizontal and vertical dimensions as it approaches the nostrils. Neither a Roman nose nor a dish-face is desirable. Never broad, heavy or snippy. Nose--Nostrils well open to permit deep breathing of air and adequate scenting. Tight nostrils should be penalized. Never shiny. Color: fawn, tan, shades of brown or deep pink. A black nose is a disqualification. A two-tone or butterfly nose should be penalized. Lips--Tight, the upper lip overlapping the lower jaw just to cover the lower lip. Lips dry, so that feathers will not stick. Drooling to be heavily penalized. Flews to be penalized. Bite--A true scissors bite. Overshot or undershot jaw to be heavily penalized.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck--Medium length. Free from throatiness, though not a serious fault unless accompanied by dewlaps, strong without giving the impression of being over muscled. Well set into sloping shoulders. Never concave or ewe-necked. Topline--Slight slope from the highest point of the shoulders to the root of the tail. Chest--Deep, reaching the level of the elbow. Neither so wide nor so rounded as to disturb the placement of the shoulders and elbows. Ribs well sprung. Adequate heart room provided by depth as well as width. Narrow or slab-sided chests are a fault. Back--Short and straight. Never hollow, saddle, sway or roach backed. Slight drop from the hips to the root of the tail. Flanks--Rounded. Fairly full. Not extremely tucked up, or flabby and falling. Loins short and strong. Distance from last rib to upper thigh short, about three to four finger widths. Narrow and weak loins are a fault. In motion, the loin should not sway sideways, giving a zig-zag motion to the back, wasting energy. Tail--Tailless to approximately four inches, natural or docked. The tail not to be so long as to affect the overall balance of the dog. Set on high, actually an extension of the spine at about the same level. Any tail substantially more than four inches shall be severely penalized.
Forequarters
Shoulders--Shoulder blades should not protrude too much, not too wide apart, with perhaps two thumbs' width between. Sloping and muscular. Blade and upper arm should form nearly a ninety degree angle. Straight shoulders are a fault. At the shoulders, the Brittany is slightly higher than at the rump. Front Legs--Viewed from the front, perpendicular, but not set too wide. Elbows and feet turning neither in nor out. Pasterns slightly sloped. Down in pasterns is a serious fault. Leg bones clean, graceful, but not too fine. Extremely heavy bone is as much a fault as spindly legs. One must look for substance and suppleness. Height at elbows should approximately equal distance from elbow to withers. Feet--Should be strong, proportionately smaller than the spaniels', with close fitting, well arched toes and thick pads. The Brittany is "not up on his toes." Toes not heavily feathered. Flat feet, splayed feet, paper feet, etc., are to be heavily penalized. An ideal foot is halfway between the hare and the cat foot. Dewclaws may be removed.
HindquarterBroad strong and muscular, with powerful thighs and well bent stifles, giving the angulation necessary for powerful drive. Hind Legs--Stifles well bent. The stifle should not be so angulated as to place the hock joint far out behind the dog. A Brittany should not be condemned for straight stifle until the judge has checked the dog in motion from the side. The stifle joint should not turn out making a cowhock. Thighs well feathered but not profusely, halfway to the hock. Hocks, that is, the back pasterns, should be moderately short, pointing neither in nor out, perpendicular when viewed from the side. They should be firm when shaken by the judge. Feet Same as front feet.
Coat
Dense, flat or wavy, never curly. Texture neither wiry nor silky. Ears should carry little fringe. The front and hind legs should have some feathering, but too little is definitely preferable to too much. Dogs with long or profuse feathering or furnishings shall be so severely penalized as to effectively eliminate them from competition. Skin--Fine and fairly loose. A loose skin rolls with briars and sticks, thus diminishing punctures or tearing. A skin so loose as to form pouches is undesirable.
Color
Orange and white or liver and white in either clear or roan patterns. Some ticking is desirable. The orange or liver is found in the standard parti-color or piebald patterns. Washed out colors are not desirable. Tri-colors are allowed but not preferred. A tri-color is a liver and white dog with classic orange markings on eyebrows, muzzle and cheeks, inside the ears and under the tail, freckles on the lower legs are orange. Anything exceeding the limits of these markings shall be severely penalized. Black is a disqualification.
Gait
When at a trot the Brittany's hind foot should step into or beyond the print left by the front foot. Clean movement, coming and going, is very important, but most important is side gait, which is smooth, efficient and ground covering.
Temperament
A happy, alert dog, neither mean nor shy.
Disqualifications
Any Brittany measuring under 17½ inches or over 20½ inches
A black nose
Black in the coat
Approved April 10, 1990
Effective May 31, 1990

Still figuring things out

I'm still figuring out how to post photos and thing on here and how to navigate around since I've never used this service or done any type of blogging.  Hopefully by next wrrk I will have figured everything out and will be posting things about Brittany's and stuff.

very first entry

This is my very first entry ever on a blog.  I am hoping to use this as an informational blog on the brittany dog.  I currently own a 6 year old male brittany named Jasper.  He is a loveable dog and the first brittany dog I've owned.  He is orange and white. I will be posting photos on here of him and information about the breed as well as some quirky things Japser does that makes me laugh.  Please don't be afraid to comment on anything I post or to ask me a question.  I will try to answer questions as best I can or try and aim the person asking the question in the right direction to find the answer.