Brittany Spaniel-STANDARD

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FCI-Standard N°95

BRITTANY SPANIEL

ORIGIN : France.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE OFFICIAL VALID
STANDARD : 25.03.2003.
UTILIZATION : Pointing dogs.
FCI-CLASSIFICATION : Group 7 Pointing Dogs and Setters.
Section 1.2 Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel type.
With working trial.
BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : Of French origin and more
precisely, from the centre of Brittany. At present, in first place
numerically among French sporting breeds. Probably one of the
oldest of the spaniel type dogs, improved at the beginning of the 20th
century by diverse outcrosses and selections. A draft of a breed
standard drawn up in Nantes in 1907 was presented and adopted at
the first General Assembly held in Loudéac (in former Côtes du
Nord department, now Côtes d’Armor), June 7, 1908. This was the
first standard of the « Naturally Short-Tailed Brittany Spaniel
Club ».
GENERAL APPEARANCE : Smallest of the pointing breeds. The
Brittany spaniel is a dog with a Continental spaniel-type head
(braccoïde in French) and a short or inexistent tail. Built
harmoniously on a solid but not weighty frame. The whole is
compact and well-knit, without undue heaviness, while staying
sufficiently elegant. The dog is vigorous, the look is bright and the
expression intelligent. The general aspect is « COBBY »
(brachymorphic), full of energy, having conserved in the course of its
evolution the short-coupled model sought after and fixed by those
having recreated the breed.
IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :
• The skull is longer than the muzzle, with a ratio of 3 : 2.
• Head is in proportion to the body.
• The depth of the chest, from withers to brisket, is slightly less
than half the height of the dog.
• The scapulo-ischial length (from the point of the shoulder to the
point of the buttocks) is equal to the height at the withers (the dog
fits in a square).
BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Dog adapting itself to any
environment, sociable, with an intelligent and attentive expression,
mentally balanced. Versatile pointing dog, for any game on any
terrain, precocious in revealing its hunting passion. Remarkable in
its searching for game, its gaits, its scenting ability, its ranging in the
field, its spontaneity and duration of pointing, its retrieving and its
aptitude for training.
HEAD : The features are fnely chiselled. The skin fits tightly.
CRANIAL REGION : Slightly rounded as seen from the front or the
side. Seen from above, the lateral surfaces are slightly convex. The
top lines of the head and the muzzle are parallel. The width of the
skull measured between the zygomatic arches is less than its length.
The supercilliary arches are not prominent but form a slightly
rounded curve. The frontal furrow as well as the sagittal crest are
slightly defined. The stop is moderate. The occipital crest as well as
the zygomatic arches are moderately defined.
FACIAL REGION :
Nose : Large, with very wide, humid and well-open nostrils, of a
colour in harmony with that of the coat, as is the case of the edges of
the eyelids and natural orifices.
Muzzle : Straight, with lateral surfaces practically parallel.
Lips : Not loose, not very large, relatively thin and fitting tightly.
The lower is discreetly masked by the upper whose contour bends
progressively until reaching the commisure, which is not too
apparent and tightly closed. The whole is free of depigmentation.
Jaws/Teeth : The teeth are set square to the jaws and form a complete
and healthy set. Scissors bite.
Cheeks : Not heavy, the skin fitting tightly.
Eyes : Slightly oblique. With an intelligent, soft and frank
expression. Somewhat oval, not protruding, with fine, well
pigmented, tightly fitting eyelids. The colour of the iris is in keeping
with the colour of the coat, preferably dark. Eye expression coupled
with upward movement of the base of the ears gives rise to the
true « Brittany expression ».
Ears : Set high, triangular in shape, relatively large and rather short,
(drawn forward, the tip of the ear reaches the stop). Partially covered
with wavy hair, especially in the upper part, the extremity being
covered by short hair. Always quite mobile when the dog is attentive
or in action.
NECK : Of medium length and well muscled, in the form of a
slightly curved, never arched, truncated cone. Set smoothly to the
shoulders and without dewlap.
BODY :
Topline : Level to the loins and the beginning of the croup.
Withers : Sufficiently mobile and hardly protruding, without being
loaded.
Back : Straight, short and rigid, well coupled.
Loin : Short, broad and muscular.
Hip : Very slightly slanting, broad and muscular.
Chest : Let down to elbow level, broad with ribs well sprung but not
barrel chested. Sternum wide and scarcely rising towards the rear.
The rearmost ribs long and supple.
Abdomen : Slightly tucked-up.
Flank : Slightly rising and short.
TAIL : Set high, carried horizontally (or slightly lowered), often
lively when the dog is attentive or in action. The Brittany Spaniel
can be born tailless or with a very short tail. When the tail is
docked the ideal length is from 3 to 6 cm, the docked tail should
not exceed 10 cm.
LIMBS
FOREQUARTERS :
General appearance : Limbs well poised. Joints flexible and sturdy.
Shoulder : Mobile, long (30% of the height at the withers), close to
the body with thick muscle. Its slope is that of a galloper, between
55 and 60 degrees from the horizontal. The tips of the shoulder
blades are separated by 5 cm (2 ’’).
Arm : Heavy, thick and very muscular. It is slightly longer than the
shoulder blade. The scapulo-humeral angle (between the shoulder
blade and the arm) is between 115 and 120 degrees .
Forearm : Muscular and clean. Slightly longer than the arm. It
should be practically perpendicular to the ground.
Elbow : Close to body – neither in nor out.
Metacarpus (Pastern) : Solid while maintaining a certain flexibility,
slightly oblique (between 15 and 20 degrees from the vertical).
Feet : Rather round, toes tight, pads firm, toenails short.
HINDQUARTERS :
General appearance : Limbs well poised and parallel when seen from
behind.
Thigh : Important with thick and bulging muscles. It should be
slanted between 70 and 75 degrees from the horizontal.
Lower thigh : Very slightly longer than the thigh with clean, bulging
muscles. Broad in the upper part, diminishing gradually in size
towards its junction with the hock. The angle between the upper
thigh and lower thigh is close to 130 degrees.
Hock : Clean, with visible tendons.
Metatarsus (Rear pastern) : Solid, nearly vertical when seen from the
side.
Feet : Longer than the forefeet, while maintaining the same
characteristics.
GAIT / MOVEMENT : The different gaits are easy but powerful,
even and lively. The legs move straight without exaggerated
bouncing of the body and without rolling, the top line staying level.
The canter is the most common gait in the field, the strides are rapid
and of medium length, the hind legs having little extension to the
rear (collected canter).
SKIN : Fine, tight fitting and well pigmented.
COAT
HAIR : The coat is fine but not silky, lying flat on the body or with a
hint of a wave. Never curly. Short on the head and the front of the
limbs. The hind part of the latter has a heavier coat, furnished with
abundant feathering, diminishing along their length down to the
carpus (wrist) or the tarsus (hock), or even lower.
COLOUR : White and orange, white and black, white and liver, with
more or less extensive irregular white patches. Piobald or roan,
sometimes with ticking on the top and sides of the muzzle or the
limbs.
Equally, in the case of tricolour coats, with tan spotting (orange to
dark tan) on the top and sides of the muzzle, over the eyes, on the
limbs, on the chest and over the base of the tail.
A narrow blaze is desirable with any colour of coat.
A self coloured coat is not allowed.
SIZE :
Heitght at the wither :
Males : 48 cm minimum (18,9 ’’) with a tolerance of 1 cm
(0,4 ’’).
51 cm maximum (20,1 ’’) with a tolerance of 1 cm
(0,4 ’’).
Ideal height : 49 to 50 cm (19,3 ’’ to 19,7 ’’).
Females : 47 cm minimum (18,5 ’’) with a tolerance of 1 cm
(0,4 ’’).
50 cm maximum (20,1 ’’) with a tolerance of 1 cm
(0,4 ’’).
Ideal height : 48 to 49 cm (18,9 ’’ to 19,3 ’’).
FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be
considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be
regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect
upon the health and welfare of the dog.
• Character : Timidity, shifty-eyed.
• Head planes : Somewhat divergent.
• Nose : Very slightly depigmented, interior of the nostrils
depigmented.
• Teeth : Pincer bite, teeth out of line.
• Muzzle : Pinched or snipy.
• Lips : Heavy, pendulous, upper lip covering the lower either
insufficiently or excessively.
• Eyes : Prominent, round or almond shaped.
• Ears : Hung too low or falling away too shaprly
• Back : Arched or saddle back.
• Croup : Too narrow or falling away too sharply.
• Abdomen : Bulky or too tucked up (whippety).
• Feet : Splayed, too round or too long.
• Neck : Heavy and lacking reach. Throatiness.
• Loin : Long, narrow, weak.
• Flank : Too hollow, often accompanied by a weak loin lacking
breadth.
• Limbs : Insufficient bone. Out at the elbows, pigeon toed, slew
feet.
• Coat : Not heavy enough on the body.
SERIOUS FAULTS :
• Behaviour : Sluggish .
• Skull : Zygomatic arches too prominent, stop very pronounced,
superciliary arches too prominent.
• Eyes : Light, mean look, haw-like expression.
• Neck : Excessively long, distinct dewlap.
• Gait : Poor mover.
DISQUALIFYING FAULTS :
• Aggressive or overly shy dogs.
• Any dog clearly showing physical of behavioural abnormalities
shall be disqualified.
• Lack of type : Insufficient breed characteristics, which means the
animal on the whole doesn’t resemble other samples of the breed.
• Height : Outside the limits defined by the standard.
• Head planes : Marked convergence.
• Abnormal markings : White spot on the ear or eye in a white
patch.
• Eyes : Very light in colour, heterochromia (eyes of different
colours), squinting entropion, ectropion.
• Jaws : Overshot or undershot mouth.
• Teeth : The first premolars of both jaws and the last molars of the
lower jaw are considered without importance. Can only be
admitted the absence of 2 PM2 or 1 PM2 and 1 PM3. Contiguous
absence of these two teeth (PM2 and PM3) is eliminating.
Absence of any other tooth is eliminating.
• Pigmentation : Distinct unpigmented areas on the nose or eyelids.
• Presence of dewclaws, even if rudimentary.
• Serious morphological anomaly.
N.B.:
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully
descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed
typical conformation should be used for breeding.