The Brittany Spaniel originated in France and was named after a province in France.
It is a long-haired, droopy-eared dog that has very similar behavior to the Setter. The main difference is that the Brittany Spaniel is slightly smaller in size. Its most distinctive features are a short tail and long ears.
It is often mistaken for a Spanish Setter, but in terms of body shape and demeanor, it actually resembles a squatting hunting dog, especially in terms of shoulder height, which is almost the same.
The breed naturally has a relatively short tail and the custom of docking, with the tail length generally not exceeding 10cm.
In the wild, this breed is an all-around hunting expert, capable of flushing, trailing, pointing, and retrieving game.
Some early records of the Brittany Spaniel are not very clear. Oppian, who lived around 150 BC, mentioned the dogs of these uncivilized people, stating that their sense of smell was much more sensitive than any other breed. Most Brittany Spaniels still retain this remarkable characteristic.
The Brittany Spaniel and the Welsh Spaniel are likely to have the same ancestor, and their development paths are quite similar. It is more likely that they interbred with each other because the two regions they were in were very close in geographical location and had mutual business exchanges. The Welsh Springer Spaniel and the Brittany Spaniel in modern times have very similar physical characteristics.
The accurate description of the Brittany Spaniel breed can be found in oil paintings and tapestries from the 17th century. The frequency of this type of depiction in art indicates that the breed was very common at that time.
In fact, the breed was officially named the Brittany Spaniel by the American Kennel Club on September 1, 1982. It was later infused with the bloodline of the English Setter in the 19th century. In the early 20th century, it regained development in its homeland, France, and began to gain popularity in the United States as well.
Brittany Spaniels are petite in size and are better suited for city living compared to larger hunting breeds.
With their keen sense of sight and hearing, combined with their smaller size, Brittany Spaniels can essentially go anywhere they are needed.
1. Dog infectious diseases
Dogs are prone to infectious diseases, such as canine distemper and canine coronavirus. Common clinical manifestations include fever, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, lethargy, difficulty breathing, bloody stools, purulent eye discharge, dry nose, cracked paws, etc.
In general, this type of infectious and life-threatening disease is more common in dogs during the weaning period or around 1 year of age. Puppies have a higher susceptibility rate, lower cure rate, and are more likely to leave sequelae.
How to prevent:
When bringing a dog home, it is recommended for the owner to choose a formal way to select a dog, vaccinate the dog on time, and do regular disinfection at home. Do not take the dog out for walks until it has completed the vaccination. Avoid contact with unfamiliar dogs and do not allow others to touch the dog's mouth and nose randomly.
2. Dog skin diseases
Because dogs often walk outside, they may accidentally contract various skin diseases. If a dog is infected with mites, bacteria, or fungi outside, it may have a long-term difficulty in curing. Therefore, all owners must pay attention to it. Clinical manifestations of dog skin diseases include greasy skin, peeling, redness, itching, papules, ulcers, pus, hair loss, scabs, etc.
How to prevent:
In daily care, it is necessary to keep the dog's living environment clean and tidy, avoid dark and humid environments. In addition, regular disinfection of the dog's living environment, internal and external deworming, the use of dog-specific bathing products, regular grooming, and supplementation of vitamins and fish oil are recommended.
3. Dog parasites
Common parasites in dogs include roundworms, heartworms, ticks, fleas, etc., which often cause skin diseases and intestinal diseases in dogs. They may cause vomiting and diarrhea in dogs, affecting the quality of life and physical development. Dogs with parasites are often weak and lethargic.
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How to prevent:
When feeding dogs, owners need to be careful not to feed them unsterilized raw meat or unknown meat sources. Internal deworming of dogs is recommended once every 3 months, external deworming once a month. When going out, prevent dogs from eating or licking randomly, and carefully check the dogs when returning home.
In the daily feeding, there should be about 500 grams of meat. And an equal amount of biscuits and dry vegetarian ingredients. Leftover food should be disposed of promptly and not fed again to prevent illness. Feeding should be done on a regular schedule and within 15-25 minutes, any excess food should be removed to cultivate the habit of eating at specific times. Clean drinking water should be provided 1-2 times a day.
The Brittany Spaniel is lively and needs to be taken for a walk every day or allowed to run and jump in the yard to reach a certain level of exercise.
As a long-haired, droopy-eared dog, it should be brushed daily and any stains and dust on the hair should be wiped off.
Bathe it regularly, increase the frequency of bathing in high temperature seasons. After bathing in cold seasons, dry the hair immediately to prevent catching a cold.
1. Do not bathe frequently
When bathing a dog, of course, it should not be too frequent. The frequency of bathing a dog depends on the dog's hygiene condition. In hot weather, it can be bathed one or two more times, while in winter, it can be reduced by one or two times. However, the total should not exceed 5 times. Otherwise, it will damage its fur and skin!
2. Brushing regularly
Dogs shed almost every day, especially in spring and autumn when seasonal shedding is more severe. To promote good hair growth, regular brushing is an important step. Pet owners can use a pet-specific comb to help dogs remove naturally shed hair and avoid tangling. Brushing once in the morning and once in the evening for about five minutes each time is sufficient.
3. Sunbathing
Sunbathing is beneficial to the growth of a dog's fur. Besides making the fur more shiny, letting the dog sunbathe can also help kill bacteria. During sunbathing, pet owners can let the dog exercise a bit, which can help improve the dog's physical fitness, promote blood circulation, and help grow healthier hair.
4. Deworming
Poor fur condition is closely related to parasites. Parasites absorb a large amount of nutrients from the dog's body, robbing them of necessary nutrition. Therefore, deworming is essential. It is recommended to deworm both internally and externally. Deworming medicine can cause significant harm to a dog's digestive system, so it is advisable to feed probiotics regularly to alleviate gastrointestinal discomfort.
5. Pay attention to diet
In order for a dog to have beautiful fur, it must have a good nutritional foundation and pay attention to daily diet. On one hand, feed the dog with nutritious and healthy dog food, selecting a suitable and nourishing dog food that meets the dog's needs. On the other hand, the dog can be given a moderate amount of lean meat, cooked egg yolks, and vegetable oil, etc.
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