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Animal register · DogIn the app

Brittany

Brittany Spaniel, Epagneul Breton

The Brittany is a pointing dog from France, where it is called the Epagneul Breton. The Royal Kennel Club describes a very energetic, intelligent dog that hunts, points and retrieves, gentle and affectionate yet full of life and exuberance, with a dense, fairly fine coat, high-set triangular ears and a tail that is often naturally short; the standard colours are orange, liver or black with white, roan or tricolour, and the height is 48–51 cm for dogs and 47–50 cm for bitches. PetPrep draws it orange and white.

The Royal Kennel Club recommends more than 2 hours of exercise a day and grooming more than once a week, and gives its lifespan as over 10 years. The AKC says Brittanys are high-energy dogs that need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation, are gentle and tend to be patient with children, and that weekly brushing keeps them looking their best. PetMD adds that early socialisation of puppies is a must, that they don't do well when left alone for long periods and that, bred to hunt birds, they have a high prey drive.

Available in the 12-week PetPrep Challenge (paid breed).

Updated:

Brittany — photo (AI)
AI-generated photo

At a glance

Size
medium — The Royal Kennel Club S298
Adult weight
males 13.6–18.1 kg, females 13.6–18.1 kg — American Kennel Club S300
Daily exercise
more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S298
Brushing
more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S298
Shedding
sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S298
Lifespan
more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S298

Key facts from the sources at the bottom of the page. Where sources differ, each value is listed.

Who it suits

Good for:

Keep in mind:

  • needs lots of exercise every dayS298
  • needs mental challengesS301
  • loves company — best with someone home most of the dayS302
  • shedsS298
  • strong prey drive — may chase small petsS302

The same tags as in the app. Each tag is backed by the sources listed at the bottom of the page.

What it needs

From breed standards, kennel clubs, veterinary charities and studies. Where sources differ, each one is shown.

Exercise

  • Daily exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S298

Coat and grooming

  • Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S298
  • Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S298
  • Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S298

Meals

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • 8–12 weeks: 4 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 3–6 months: 3 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • 6–12 months: 2 meals a day — ASPCA S18
  • Adult: at least 2 meals a day — VCA Animal Hospitals S19
  • Senior: 2–3 meals a day, smaller portions — Dogs Trust S14

Lifespan

  • Lifespan: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S298

Life stages

  • Reaches adult size at: about 12–15 months (guidance for its size class) — PetMD S10

General guidance for dogs (not breed-specific):

  • Puppy: until about 6–9 months — AAHA S11
  • Young adult: until 3–4 years — AAHA S11
  • Senior: the last 25 % of the expected lifespan — AAHA S11

Size and weight

  • Size: medium — The Royal Kennel Club S298
  • Height at the withers: males 48–51 cm, females 47–50 cm — The Royal Kennel Club S299
  • Adult weight: males 13.6–18.1 kg, females 13.6–18.1 kg — American Kennel Club S300

Training

  • No. 19 in Stanley Coren's ranking of working and obedience intelligence. — Wikipedia S35
  • FCI standard no. 95, group 7 (pointing dogs); origin: France. — FCI S296

Questions and answers

Answered only from the sourced facts on this page; every answer names its sources.

How much exercise does a Brittany need?

According to our sources, the Brittany needs this much exercise: more than 2 hours a day — The Royal Kennel Club S298.

How long does a Brittany live?

According to our sources, the lifespan of the Brittany is: more than 10 years — The Royal Kennel Club S298.

How big does a Brittany get and how much does it weigh?

Size and adult weight of the Brittany, according to our sources: Size: medium — The Royal Kennel Club S298; Adult weight: males 13.6–18.1 kg, females 13.6–18.1 kg — American Kennel Club S300.

How much grooming does a Brittany need?

Coat and grooming of the Brittany, according to our sources: Brushing: more than once a week — The Royal Kennel Club S298; Shedding: sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S298; Coat: medium length — The Royal Kennel Club S298.

Who is the Brittany a good fit for?

Our sources describe the Brittany as a good fit for: an active family — The Royal Kennel Club, American Kennel Club S298S301; family life — PetMD S302; families with children — American Kennel Club, PetMD S301S302. Keep in mind: needs lots of exercise every day — The Royal Kennel Club S298; needs mental challenges — American Kennel Club S301; loves company — best with someone home most of the day — PetMD S302; sheds — The Royal Kennel Club S298; strong prey drive — may chase small pets — PetMD S302.

Game rules, not veterinary advice

How PetPrep simulates it

In PetPrep one real week is one month of the pet's life. These are the rules the game uses for this breed. PetPrep chose them from the sources on this page; they are not care instructions for a real animal.

Life stageStartsMeals a dayDaily step goal
Puppyarrives at 2 months4; from month 3: 3; from month 6: 21,000 steps per month of age (2,000 on arrival), up to 12,000 from month 12
Young dogmonth 929,000 → 12,000 steps
Adultmonth 36 (3 years)212,000 steps
Seniormonth 90 (7.5 years)29,000 steps
  • Step goal = minutes of daily exercise × 100 steps: an adult gets 2 hours, so 12,000 steps a day.
  • Learns commands 1.5× as fast as the mixed breed of the free plan.
  • Becomes a senior in month 90 (7.5 years) — the last quarter of the breed's expected lifespan.
  • Walks count real steps from Apple Health or Health Connect (with permission, read-only) and the phone's motion sensor — no GPS.
  • Combing once a week.
  • Care: trimming the nails every 4 weeks — a task for the child.

Each game number is a PetPrep decision recorded with its sources. — PetMD, AAHA, Dogs Trust, ASPCA, VCA Animal Hospitals, The Royal Kennel Club, Purdue University Canine Welfare Science, Wikipedia, British Journal of Sports Medicine, American Kennel Club S10S11S14S18S19S21S24S35S45S298S301

Health

For information only, not vet-reviewed. Ask your vet about your own animal.

  • Hip dysplasia, a loose, poorly developed hip joint, occurs in the breed and can eventually lead to arthritis. — PetMD S302
  • Epilepsy, a brain disorder that can cause seizures, occurs in the breed. — PetMD S302
  • An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism), which can affect weight, skin and energy levels, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S302
  • Cataracts, which cloud the lens of the eye and can lead to vision loss, can occur in the breed. — PetMD S302

Before you buy: what to check with the breeder

Questions to settle before you take a puppy home. The points are advice from vets, welfare charities and kennel clubs; each cites its source.

For every breed

  • See the puppy with its mother, where it was born. — PDSA, RSPCA K1K2
  • The puppy should not leave its mother before 8 weeks of age. — PDSA K1
  • Ask for the pedigree. Under FCI rules a pedigree may be issued for correct parentage only. — FCI K7
  • Ask to see the health-test results of both parents. Which tests matter depends on the breed. — PDSA, British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K1K9K10
  • National kennel clubs can set breeding rules that go beyond the FCI's — ask the breed club which tests the parents need. — FCI K7
  • Ask for a written sale contract that records the puppy's background and health. — British Veterinary Association, FOUR PAWS UK K9K10

Laws on the minimum age, microchipping and vaccination differ by country — check the rules where you live.

Health tests of the parents for this breed

We have not yet found a reliable source that lists health tests for the parents of this breed. Ask the breed club and the breeder which tests the parents have done.

Similar breeds

Other dogs in the register with similar needs — each with sourced facts.

Sources

Every fact on this page cites one of these sources.

  1. S10PetMD — S. C. Mitchell, DVM, DABVP, 2025-05-20 — When Do Dogs Stop Growing?https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/when-do-dogs-stop-growing
  2. S11AAHA — 2019 AAHA Canine Life Stage Guidelines — Canine life stage definitionshttps://www.aaha.org/resources/life-stage-canine-2019/canine-life-stage-definitions/
  3. S14Dogs Trust (UK) — Caring for an older doghttps://www.dogstrust.org.uk/dog-advice/life-with-your-dog/at-home/looking-after-an-older-dog
  4. S18ASPCA — General Dog Carehttps://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/general-dog-care
  5. S19VCA Animal Hospitals (2025-02-21) — Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Doghttps://vcahospitals.com/pets-first/know-your-pet/feeding-times-and-frequency-for-your-dog
  6. S21The Royal Kennel Club (UK) — Puppy feeding tipshttps://www.royalkennelclub.com/health-and-dog-care/health-dog-care/health/health-and-care/a-z-of-health-and-care-issues/puppy-feeding-tips
  7. S24Purdue University Canine Welfare Science (content: Pet Leadership Council 2019, bedogsmart.com) — Dog Fitness and Exercise (PDF)https://caninewelfare.centers.purdue.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Dog-Fitness-and-Exercise.pdf
  8. S35Wikipedia — The Intelligence of Dogshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Intelligence_of_Dogs
  9. S45British Journal of Sports Medicine (2018) — Tudor-Locke C. et al. How fast is fast enough? Walking cadence (steps/min) as a practical estimate of intensity in adults. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2017-097628https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6029645
  10. S296FCI — FCI breeds nomenclature — EPAGNEUL BRETON (95)https://fci.be/EN/nomenclature/EPAGNEUL-BRETON-95.html
  11. S298The Royal Kennel Club — Brittany — breed information page (Breeds A to Z)https://thekennelclub.org.uk/search/breeds-a-to-z/breeds/gundog/brittany
  12. S299The Royal Kennel Club — Brittany — breed standardhttps://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/breed-standards/gundog/brittany
  13. S300American Kennel Club — Official Standard for the Brittany (PDF, approved 1990-04-10)https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Brittany.pdf
  14. S301American Kennel Club — Is the Brittany a Good Fit for Your Lifestyle?https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeds/brittany-right-for-you/
  15. S302PetMD — Brittany (Brittany Spaniel) — dog breed health and carehttps://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/brittany-spaniel
  16. K1PDSA — Getting a puppyhttps://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/puppies-dogs/getting-a-puppy
  17. K2RSPCA — Buying a puppyhttps://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/dogs/puppy
  18. K7FCI (copy hosted by Norsk Kennel Klub) — International Breeding Rules of the FCIhttps://nkk2023.stage22.coretrek.no/getfile.php/131987377-1520848467/Dokumenter/Registrering/FCIs%20avlsregler%202013.pdf
  19. K9British Veterinary Association — What should you consider when buying a puppy?https://www.bva.co.uk/news-and-blog/blog-article/what-should-you-consider-when-buying-a-puppy/
  20. K10FOUR PAWS UK — Questions to ask when buying a puppyhttps://www.four-paws.org.uk/our-stories/publications-guides/questions-to-ask-when-buying-a-puppy

PetPrep is a simulation for families. This page is not veterinary advice — for a real animal, ask a vet or the breed club.

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