All, my JRT is getting to be very old now. He turned 14 in December. I'm now contemplating my next dog, but we'll likely not make a move on that front until Roscoe has passed on. That said, I've taken an interest in Brittanys. I floated the idea to my wife and she responded with all of the negatives of the breed - separation anxiety, a tendency to pee when they get excited, a need for lots of stimulation and exercise, shedding, etc.

While I'm a new upland bird hunter, this is something I'd like to do more of in the future. That is my main attraction to this breed, but, in the event that my dreams of becoming an regular upland hunter never materialize, are Brittanys good family dogs if/when they're not hunting? How have you found the above issues my wife cited? Are they really a problem? I think if we decide to go the Brittany route, we'll likely get her from Flying O in Ore City. I've been in contact with the owner and he says he'll have some puppies ready around March.

I had a Springer Spaniel when I was younger, but too young to really remember what it was like to own a hunting/bird dog. All I know is that my JRT gave us all we could handle when he was a puppy, but he eventually settled down into a very good family dog.

Any advice or thoughts regarding Brittanys are appreciated. Give me the good/bad/ugly. Thanks.

Yes, a Brittany has more personality than other pointing breeds. They are more likely to hunt within eyesight too. It's a good idea and you should do it.

There's tons of public bird hunting all over the country. You can hunt birds in any state W of the Mississippi for the cost of a license, a few tanks of gasoline, and a good pair of boots.

I've had a total of 5 in my life, with 3 together at one point (one of which came from Flying O).

The Good:

They are great family dogs. The 3 I had when my daughter was born were great with her from day 1. Even now, the last one of those 3 that is still with us sleeps in my daughter's bed with her. They are great pointers, but not always the strongest retrievers. I had one that was a better duck dog than most labs I've hunted over, but also had one that wouldn't get in water past his shoulders. IMO, they are one of the smartest breeds of bird dog which makes them very easy to train, but can also make them stubborn.

The Bad:

The shedding is on par or a little higher than most breeds, but it is white so it shows up a lot more. The hair, especially around their ears, also tends to pick up all kinds of crap out in the field and it is painful to get it out. People always told me "they'll calm down after the first 2 years" but mine didn't calm down until at least 5. It took quite a bit of work to keep them from jumping up on people when they first walked in, etc. If you don't have time to walk them daily, make sure you have another dog so they can get some energy out.

Great dogs! I don't think Brittanys are any more oddball than any other breed, if you can deal with a Jack Russell you can deal with a Brittany.

My brother has a pack of 3 English pointers and 1 Brittany. The pointers will haul ass looking for birds while the Brittany will always stay within eyesight. She will stop and turn around to look for us and wait for us the catch up.

Great dog.

I probably shouldn't be so extreme, but I'd go so far as to say that my Brittanys have never flushed a bird that was out of shooting distance. They hunt that close. My experience is that they're mostly flushers, so they sometimes get too excited to hold a point, but just let your breeder know what you want. There's plenty of versatility in the breed. I've also run them all day in shinnery oak and sand dunes without having issues. They're hearty.

Mine have also been great house dogs and good with other pets and kids. In my house, there's no such thing as a working dog. You're a member of the family first. I think it fosters a great bond and we both seem to truly appreciate the time we spend together afield. They have a lot of energy and a lot of love for their family. They're eager to please and don't do well with harsh criticism.

As a few pointed out already, the hair sucks. They shed a lot and the collect stickers in the field like mad. I always keep mine with field cuts (burred about 1/4").

At the end of the day, my only complaint about Brittanys is that they don't live forever. I miss every one of mine.

I've got 2. They're polar opposite in almost every way except appearance. But both great dogs. Neither have separation anxiety or pee when excited, not sure where that came from. Shedding is moderate but manageable. Both great pets, marginal hunters but that's my fault.

Has anyone had experience with Brittanys and not been a hunter? With this thread and the Brittany breeder thread a few days ago I'm thinking one might be good for our next dog. I can handle high energy with fetch, walks/runs and swimming at the lake house, but if we aren't planning to hunt with it are we just asking for trouble?

streetfighter2012 said:

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Has anyone had experience with Brittanys and not been a hunter? With this thread and the Brittany breeder thread a few days ago I'm thinking one might be good for our next dog. I can handle high energy with fetch, walks/runs and swimming at the lake house, but if we aren't planning to hunt with it are we just asking for trouble?

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Any dog with good hunting bloodlines could be an issue if they have high prey drive. Chickens, rabbits, mice, voles, squirrels, birds in general, and just about anything else that moves can all trigger instinctual reactions which may or may not cause problems for you. That being said, even hunters have to deal with this during the off season.

Give whatever dog you choose a job, work with them regularly and keep them active and your issues should be minimal. I'd seriously consider spending time with whatever breed you think you want before getting one. They may be too much to handle. My GSP is 10 years old and I don't know how many people we meet hat still think she's a puppy because of all the energy she has.

I'm not a fan of Brittany Spaniels, at the least the ones I've been around. Way too spastic, they peed everywhere, and weren't well trained. Most of that could be attributed to the owner/trainer rather than the dog though. Note: me and my dog didn't like those particular people or dogs, so there may be something to be said about why I didn't like them.

I do know a few people that hunt them and love them, especially for quail. They tend to work closer and can get in and under some of the brushy cover that quail like to hide in. The only bad thing that hunters I know say about the good ones is that you need to work several of them in rotation if you plan to do serious hunts that cover lots of ground, just because they get tired a little quicker than some of the bigger dogs.

I have a Brittany and don't hunt her. Great family dog. She was off the wall hyper the first 3 years however as soon as she turned 3 she became a super lazy dog that wants to sleep or lay around all the time when at the house.

I do think she suffers a bit from separation anxiety as she's always wanting to be around us or cuddle up next to us.

Trains very easy and is super smart. You will have to make sure your backyard is super secure or they will find a way out. She's like Houdini when it comes to escaping the back yard.

Edit: also of note, we put in a doggy door and those things are awesome. She never was bad at peeing in the house before the door but would not be able to hold it occasionally. Since we have put it in she hasn't pottied in the house 1 time

Out of the dozen dogs I have owned in my lifetime, my one Brittany was the best dog I ever had.

I do not understand the statement about energy. My Brittany had more energy, for a longer time than any large hunting dog I ever saw, and also see repeatedly other websites describing the Brittany's "undying stamina".

One more note.... my Brittany was high energy, always ready to be moving. My neighbor had a Brittany, that was also a good hunting dog, and that Brittany was as calm as any dog you ever saw, so they definitely have the spectrum of personalities.

Unfortunately I won't own a Brittany again because I do not want to comb the grassburs or cockleburrs out of the coat..... only short-haired dogs for me!

One example of a websites list of "High Stamina" dogs:

https://www.justdogbreeds.com/stamina-dog-breeds.html