“type is everything thAt MAKes A brittAny A brittAny: MODERATE SIZE, MOVEMENT AND PROPER COAT.”
3. What do you like best about the Brittany? HNE: Their eagerness to please, no matter what the event. JF: The Brittany is the absolute best dog for upland game bird hunting. Taking the breed as a whole, there is no other breed that comes close. I am sure there are argu- ments from others, many for specific traits, but if I am going Quail or Pheasant hunting, give me a Brittany any day. My hunting companion was a GSP, but day in and day out the Brittanys were the stars of the day. BGS: A lot of dog in a small package! I love watching a Brit- tany work in the field. I love that “what one sees is what one gets”. 4. What defines “type” for you? HNE: I have no preference for “type” as long as the dog meets the standard. I don’t care if the dog is a 20 ½ -inch bitch or a 17 ½ -inch male, liver and white, orange and white, roan or tri-color. A solid color head or a full blan- ket doesn’t affect my judgment. JF: To me, type for a Brittany is a square, compact, orange and white or liver and white dog that is moderate and balanced in all parts AND moves with outstanding side gait—moving, looking, and acting like he or she could hunt birds in the field all day long. BGS: Type is everything that makes a Brittany a Brittany: moderate size, movement and proper coat. 5. Does it impress you that this breed has more dual champions than any other breed? Why do you sup- pose that is? HNE: At last count, there are 635 Dual Champion Brittanys in the history of the breed. This really doesn’t surprise me since the primary stated purpose of the American Brittany Club is to promote “training and showing
Brittanys in the field and in the show ring; to discourage the breed from becoming split into groups of field dogs and bench dogs and to strive to keep it forever a dual dog.” JF: Absolutely, this is what defines the breed to me. BGS: The American Brittany Club fully supports and pro- vides opportunities for breeders/owners/handlers to par- ticipate in both types of competitions, often on a show site or nearby location. The history of most Sporting dogs includes information of their duality. The importance of Dual championships in most breeds preserves the standard of the breed. It is promoted especially in the Brittany by the ABC. 6. If you had to name one thing that you think is most important when judging a Brittany, what would that be? HNE: If you were to evaluate the most important aspect of this breed it would probably be side gait. JF: Sound, efficient movement. BGS: Trying not to belabor the point: Movement and movement. 7. Are there any traits in this breed you fear are becoming exaggerated? HNE: My personal experience in watching the breed recently in the show ring is the absence of reach on the side gait. Too many of the dogs have what I call “flying fronts”. Rather than reaching with the front, these dogs are bringing the front limbs forward rather stiff. JF: I have not seen any particular exaggerations that are memorable when considering the majority. It is my view that the Brittany breeder’s belief in the mantra of “The DUAL Dog” has been a guiding light that has kept
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