Tell me all you can about Brittneys

[Big Dave2]

Here is a little background about me:

I currently own a cocker spaniel/house dog who is getting up in years and may have to be put down soon. I would like to replace her, when that time comes, with a dog that I can also hunt with as well as being a house dog/companion for me my wife and 5-yr old son. I don't currently hunt a lot, maybe 3 or 4 times a season mostly pheasants but would like to do more grouse hunting, but I would hope that number would go up if I had a hunting companion.

Yes, I have been inquiring recently about GSP's and Vizslas but I think that these dogs may be too big for me. We live in a 2 bedroom rambler with an average or smaller than average town lot. I do live in a smaller somewhat rural community and have access to farms and other land to excercise a dog but even the best intentions are not always followed through on.

I have long admired the Brittneys. I have never hunted with one but what I have heard about them is all positive. They are the right size dog for my situation but the only problem may be the hair. The only thing that I am allergic to is dogs. This sucks because I love dogs but every time I touch one I have to remember to wash my hands quick or things get ugly if I touch my hands to my nose or eyes. This is why I was looking into the shorter haired dogs. I know that the allergie lies in the dander of the dog but the shorter the dogs hair(and the less of it that is lying around)the better it is for me and my allergies.

I guess I don't have much in the way of specific questions at this time. I would just like to hear any opinions or advise on my situation that any of you may have. I wish there were a small, short-haired hunting dog but I do not know of such a dog. Also I am not necessarily stuck on getting a pointing dog but right now I am leaning in that direction because after hunting behind a vizsla 2 yrs ago for the 1st time, I was really impressed and found it to be a way cool experience to watch a dog go on point.

Thanks,

Dave

[kentuck_ike]

Dave,

I breed brittanys and have also owned a cocker. I don't have allergies and no one in my family is allgeric to dogs.

That said, in my expreices with both cockers & brittanys, cockers have longer hair, shed more & also have more dander.

I totally enjoy hunting behind my brittanys, as I am sure other breed lovers enjoy their dogs.

If you want any info on my dogs, other questions about brittanys, or upcoming litters shoot me an e-mail [email protected]

happy hunting to all!

Ike

[Big Dave2]

I was hoping to hear from you on this Kentuck Ike. When I am ready to buy I will certainly give you a call.

What is the hair of a Brit like? Do you have to get them trimmed ever or is the coat maintained with brushing alone? Our Cocker's hair as you stated gets pretty long and we have to get her shaved down so she looks more like a short hair dog and not at all like a cocker but she seems to enjoy the short hair and in her younger days she would get more energetic right after a hair cut.

What are your brits like in the house? Do they mello out with time or do they stay rambunctios most of the time?

How are they with kids and other dogs? This is very important to me being a father of a 5-yr old.

Do these dogs naturally like water? I do not hunt waterfoul at this time but you never know what might happen in the future and I only have room for 1 dog. I would think it would be hard for a dog that small to swim and retrieve a duck, but what do I know. How about goose in a field? Are they too heavy for a Brit?

Thanks for the info. I am really looking forward to having a new hunting companion someday. Where are you located? Maybe I could come over some day and spend a little time with yours and see what I think.

Thanks again,

Dave

[kentuck_ike]

Dave,

You don't really need to do much more than routine brushing & bathing. I do sometimes trim the feathering on the legs & chest during hunting season to keep burs off.

All of my breeding dogs have been house broke, when I get a new dog it spends the first year as our house. This way we get a really true read on the personality of each dog. They do settle some with time, but exercise is the real key. Hunting dogs are bred to run, So they do need a good dose of exercise often.

As far as kids go, I have twin daughters that will 5 in January, A son that turns 3 today, & a son that turned 1 in August. On top of that my wife does daycare in our home. The dogs love the kids & the kids love the dogs. You have to be smart when introducing pups to kids. My pups have been socialized around the kids which really helps. Introduction is also the key to other dogs.

I don't hunt waterfowl. My dogs do like water if you spend time in the water with your pup the odds are good that they will also like water.

As far as retreiving ducks & geese, I know of a brittany that was retrieving geese in the field at 6 months old. The thing to remember is that the fur on a brit doesn't insulate well when it is wet. So late season duck hunting isn't a good idea with them.

I live in LeRoy, 45 miles south of Rochester. Any time you want to come down and see my dogs just let me know. The bird numbers aren't the greatest here but we could possibly do some hunting if it works for you. I can also get you a list of references.

I am a hobby breeder, I try to produce good pups. I am also willing to stand behind my dogs, and offer training help when needed.

Thanks, Ike

[Big Dave2]

Thanks for all the help Ike. I am really interested in getting a Britt. I saw on your HSOforum that your current litter is all sold, do you have any idea when you may be having another litter? Like I said I am very interested and if you would like to e-mail me any specifics such as prices and such my e-mail address is: [email protected]

Also I was wondering your opinion on female vs. male. I was on a HSOforum that had a FAQ section about Brittneys and it stated that in a britt a lot of times a female can be more stubborn and a male is more affectionate to its owners unlike most other breeds that seem to be the other way around. Do you find this to be true in your dogs? I know that each dog is different but I thought maybe you could make a generalization about the dogs that you have experience with.

Thanks again,

Dave

[kentuck_ike]

Dave,

I have a litter due Nov. 1st, The pups should be ready the week before Christmas. I'll also e-mail you with prices.

As far as male vs. female goes. I have read hunting studies that have been done that indicate very slight differences in the sexes. The final scores on 200 dogs were only 2% different, Males held a slight edge most likely because of size & stamina. As far as stubborness goes, I'd say that is more dog to dog, then males to females. I feel that females can be a little more high energy. I think that a nuetered male makes the best house/family dog.

Thanks, ike

[CodyDawg]

I have a 14.5 yr old Brittany and a 5 mo old. I really like the breed and they make a good house dog...although my young one is struggling with potty training but seems to be coming out of it. They do shed about twice a year in my experience. My older one is the dog that all others will be measured against, she was a fantastic pheasant dog with over 1,000 birds shot over her. As stated, they are not a cold weather water dog, but they do hunt upland in cold weather (I have been out in -20 degree weather with no issues). Some dont retrieve all that well, be sure to work on that early. My dad has a brittany that doesnt retrieve at all, but I think most of that was his fault. Good luck.

[jparrucci]

I went through a situation similar to you last year at about this time. I wanted a dog for upland game hunting, with the possibility of retrieving a few ducks as well. I live in a newer townhome, so I needed a smaller dog, as a lab or GSP would be too big for my place. I chose a brittany (thanks to the help from the people on this site) and I have been loving the decision since. It is my first dog, and I don't have the time/money/effort to put into in depth training, but the dog has been awesome. Great house dog. My wife and I bought a set of electric clippers, and we keep his hair short, just for the fact that it keeps the house clean of hair. He doesnt seem to mind at all. For what limited time I have had to train him, he has been beyond awesome. As far as retrieving goes, just play fetch with him as much as possible. I like to throw a wood duck dummy for that game, and he loves to bring it right back and do it again. As far as pointing goes, everything for him has been instincts, and all I've done is some whistle training so I can control him in the field. The only draw back to him is that he REALLY needs good exercise daily. If there is a day where my wife or I dont hve the time to give him a run or let him outside and play for a while, he can be crazy in the house. Like I said before, if I had a home with a yard, I think that would solve this problem, since we can't just toss him outside and say go play. All said, I can't say enough good things about the breed, as this dog has been awesome. Good luck.

[Heidi]

I just got back from Morris pheasant hunting with my newer Brittney. I was invited to join a new group that has hunted out there for years together. Saying my thank you's Sunday afternoon, I asked them if I could come back again and was told "Only if you bring back your dog!" Didn't say much for me, but says alot about the Brittney breed. It is loads of fun to see her on point and knowing that a bird is going to bust out. They really enjoyed seeing this. Yes, the dog sheds and that will be a problem for you. My dog weighs 35 lbs. and is just the right size for the family pet. Likes to swim in the lake, as all dogs do. Won't retrieve a dead bird, but will pin it down to the ground and catch a running criple. I'll vote yea on the Brittney

[Big Dave2]

Thanks to everyone for the helpfull replies. I was glad to hear from you jparrucci. I read your previous posts about choosing your britt when I did a search on this topic. I was wondering how it worked out for you. I am glad to hear you like your dog. Thanks again to everyone!

Dave

[TRITC]

I'll chime in on this topic as well. I have two britts; a five year old female and a 1.5 year old male (that we got from American Brittany Rescue at about 10 months old). Both dogs absolutely love people, especially kids. In fact the only time we have difficulty keeping the dogs in the yard is when the neighbor kids come by. They both also get along with other dogs just great. Of course how you socialize the dogs is a huge factor in all of this but britts are definitely an easy going, get along with anybody kind of dog.

As for hunting; I also do not have a lot of time to spend on training and the britt is a great dog for this situation. Both of my dogs are very good natural hunters and have pointed from day one (yeah sometimes it’s just a grasshopper, but it’s still a point). The only real training I've done is with control (heal, come, whoa...); the hunting thing really is natural, plus britts naturally stay close which is great for grouse hunting. Both of my dogs also love the water, although they do not stand up to the cold wet weather of waterfowl hunting.

TRITC

[tashit]

We are on our second Britt and my third will also be a Britt, no question. They have been the perfect dogs. Excellent hunters and excellent family dogs. All of the little kids just love her. I won't ramble on because I would just be repeating what was said above but you will be very happy with a Britt.