Brittany Spaniel...

[Ice_man]

I'm looking to get my first bird dog/pup. I grew up with GSP and labs my whole childhood and loved hunting behind them as upland game dogs. With getting a new pup I want to transition from doing less waterfowl and focusing a little more upland game. I've looked into a GSP but am highly considering getting a Brittany. I also do want a pointing breed. Nothing more nostalgic or beautiful than a good point on upland game.
I know GSP I may get a dog that hunts a little harder but have a more energetic dog at home. With Brittany's my understanding is they can be more mellow at home but maybe don't have the natural drive of a GSP.
This will more than likely be an indoor dog as well. Having a smaller frame Brittany is also a plus. Since hunting season is mostly September-January it will be a family pup half the year and hunting dog during the fall months. So I'm looking for a dog/breed that transitions well.
Am I off my rocker with wanting a Brittany?
Also, if you do have a Brittany I would love to see some in the field photos!
Thanks!

 

[sierracharlie338]

I don’t think you are but I’ve never had a Brittany. That is actually what I was looking for when I found my crackhead GSP. I couldn’t touch a Brittany for the price I found my gsp and so my decision was made. My female is only 50lbs and does ok as a home dog. We have to walk/run/play as much as possible to keep her from total chaos in the house but as she gets older she is mellowing out more.

 

[Eleven]

I want a Brittany too. I’m no help in that I’ve never hunted behind one, never owned one. But I want one now for the same reasons as you; a good versatile hunter that can come inside the home and ride in the truck up front when I’m running errands. I like the history of the Brittany, too.

 

[t_carlson]

I've had a few britts, including one that was my favorite "once in a lifetime" dog.

They can be pretty energetic. I've owned a GSP, and with that sample of one, I would not agree that britts are less wound up. Anecdotal, though.

There are three big differences I think you will see. First, britts (and other spaniels I've owned) are very much companion dogs. They want to be with you more so than other breeds.

The second difference is the coat. That long hair is a maintenance issue, plain and simple. You may or may not spend a hour or two digging cockle burrs out after many hunts.

Third, they are very intelligent, to the point of being devious. Not a bad thing, and quite often its amusing.

Aside from that, I think any other differences come down to the individual breeding rather than the breed. Britts are one of the "big four" breeds you see in field trials like NSTRA and AKC, the other three breeds being English Pointers and Setters and GSPs. That should tell you in terms of hunting ability, its a wash from breed to breed. Those four seem to comprise 80-90% of the winning field trial dogs.

They're great dogs. I'll own another one someday. They may or may not like water. Mine didn't. So if you still want to do a little light waterfowling (they cannot handle a real cold swim) they may not be your thing.

I've been pretty impressed with some wirehairs I've been around. From what you describe, they might be a great breed for you too. That will probably be my next pointing dog.

 

[Irish Miner]

Certainly wouldn't say you are "off your rocker", britts are great dogs.

My wirehaired pointing griffon is a family dog year round and come hunting season he's ready to go. His switch is always on and is energetic like most bird dogs and needs exercise daily to stay healthy, happy and behaved. Big time velcro dog. Bonus for very low shedding in the house. Downsides in having a griff - burr magnet comparable to a britt I suppose and doesn't like the heat. He excels in the fall and winter months with colder weather. He's a solid 60 lbs.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

 

[taskswap]

I've only owned one Britt but one other thing I noticed, they're natural trail dogs. I never hunted upland with mine but with no training at all he would take off about 25 yards down a trail in front of me, then criss-cross it back and forth. That's a natural flushing behavior but I've never had a dog so automatically mirror me on a trail like that... Every dog is different, just my 2c.

 

[Gravel Road]

Go for it!
I have a young female French Brittany and she is awesome. My first bird dog and was so easy to train. They are supposed to be a versatile breed and that's the truth. She'll hunt anything. I was very surprised how little she sheds.
She's snoozing on the couch next to me right now

Dove hunting with an audience

 

[ceejay]

It sounds very reasonable to me. Brittany's are a good pointing dog choice for a lot of people. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to get a puppy from a well proven breeding of a line top hunting dogs ....... don't skimp on this.

 

[KenLee]

Have you considered a Boykin Spaniel? My male fluctuates between 32 and 34 pounds.
They aren't as good on upland birds as the old school pointers and English Setters I grew up walking behind and training 40-45 years ago, but nothing is. Boykins are good with other dogs and cats, and spectacular with people. Work for upland birds, waterfowl, even tracking wounded deer. I'd never claim they are the best at any of those things individually, but a good combination of hunting traits and house dog.
Bonus is they are probably the most entertaining dog I've been around. Smart, handsome and goofy looking at the same time. They looks they give you are hilarious. If you've never been around one, watch some videos on the web.

 

[SloppyJ]

A couple years back I duck hunted with a Brittany. I went to a buddy's duck camp with him in Southern AR and his cousin brought his new dog. I had never seen one before and people were giving him hell for the odd choice of duck dog. However, she was a very well mannered dog and was extremely smart. She retrieved birds with ease and I was extremely impressed. I gained a lot of respect for that breed and wouldn't mind having one honestly. I like your choice.

 

[Ice_man]

Go for it!
I have a young female French Brittany and she is awesome. My first bird dog and was so easy to train. They are supposed to be a versatile breed and that's the truth. She'll hunt anything. I was very surprised how little she sheds.
She's snoozing on the couch next to me right now

Dove hunting with an audience
View attachment 787349

Beautiful dog! I've been leaning more towards a liver color variation and this has me second guessing!

 

[Ice_man]

Have you considered a Boykin Spaniel? My male fluctuates between 32 and 34 pounds.
They aren't as good on upland birds as the old school pointers and English Setters I grew up walking behind and training 40-45 years ago, but nothing is. Boykins are good with other dogs and cats, and spectacular with people. Work for upland birds, waterfowl, even tracking wounded deer. I'd never claim they are the best at any of those things individually, but a good combination of hunting traits and house dog.
Bonus is they are probably the most entertaining dog I've been around. Smart, handsome and goofy looking at the same time. They looks they give you are hilarious. If you've never been around one, watch some videos on the web.

I have. A good friend of mine has a pair that we hunt pheasants with every year. Little bird finding machines and very impressive. I've just settled on wanting more of a pointing breed. But very handsome dogs.

 

[yfarm]

Friend has a britt and I have a gsp, hunt together with both dogs. Both do the job fine, both are female and equally affectionate. Both live inside as house dogs. GSP runs circles around the britt, has higher tolerance for high temps and can hunt longer with greater distance. But either does the job well.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Speaking of liver color…

 

[Russp]

So I have a GSP and a setter. I will be sticking with setters moving forward. From the ones I've been around just better house dogs than GSP's and less neuratic. So the other dog you might want to look at are setters. My GSP is 6 and is now starting be a good house dog, my setter is 1 and is a better house dog, but once hunting has as much drive as any dog I've been around. I haven't hunted with many brittanys but for strickly upland hunting I think you are on the right track and I would choose between a pointer, GSP, setter or brittany.

 

[Turkeytider]

I wouldn’t spend a moment worrying about a hard hunter vs. a family dog curled up on the couch in front of the fireplace. The two are absolutely in no way mutually exclusive. Ask me how I know!

 

[TSnave]

I had a Brittany and he was a great dog both to hunt over and as a house dog. His only problem was after a long drive in the truck I learned to let him out to run off some steam in a place I wasn't going to hunt so he'd be ready to hunt when I was. I do remember him running down a wounded pheasant and bringing it to me, still alive. I didn't realize it and it got out of my hand and took off so he chased it down and brought it to me again, giving me the side eye.
For my next dog I wanted something smaller so I went to a field bred English Cocker and she's also good at both, but as a flusher, not a pointer. If the birds are running rather than holding, she does tend to chase a little far sometimes.
May very well get another Brittany someday, just to get back to a pointer.