by Eileen Hughes | Working Brittanys by Eileen Hughes |
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-2- This is because in France, most people have access to some form of rough shooting and the Brittany is the ideal breed. Also if you buy a Brittany in France you will be certain of the dogs working ability because there is no split between show and working dogs. To become a Show champion you have to have proved your working ability, and to become a Field Trial Champion you have to win at a show. At the annual club show in France the biggest class of the day is the Field Trial class, usually about 40 dogs who, to qualify ,have all been placed in Field Trials. In addition they must conform to the standard for the breed, which was written to enable the breed to work. You certainly won't see any crooked front legs or long backs, which would be detrimental to a dogs ability to work! The breed was imported into this country from France in 1981 by Mr.Stanley Smith, although a few dogs were brought into the country by American servicemen or Englishmen who had been working in America, [the Brittany had been imported into the U.S.A. in 1928]. An English club was formed in 1984 and was officially registered with the Kennel Club in 1985. Numerically the breed increased from 9 dogs registered in 1982 to 153 dogs in l995, but in 2002 only 98 dogs were registered. The club ran its first Novice Trial in 1989 and continues to run events to help members train and work their dogs. The present Field Trial Secretary is:- Mr. R. Fairbrother, 10 Croftway, Markfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9UG. Tel: 01530 244428. The Brittany Club website is: http://www.brittanyclub.co.uk Although numerically the breed is small we have produced two Field Trial Champions. The first to be made up was Angie Lewis's Riscoris Fleur de Lys in 1988, and the second John Lambert's Bestobel Hiver in 1997. The breed has also proved itself to be an excellent Falconer's dog as they will hold a point for up to half an hour. When the breed first came into the country they were criticised for being poor retrievers, but I have not come across this and wonder if this could be a training problem. Their favourite occupation is hunting and if allowed to hunt too much and too early this can dominate other disciplines. They are a very lively breed, described in the standard as "energetic and intelligent", which is true. It is not the breed for everyone, they can be wilful and hunt for themselves, but they learn very quickly and have excellent noses, and never "switch off'. They hunt at a fast exciting pace and are staunch natural pointers - there is no need to encourage them to hunt, the problem is usually in stopping them. They are also very adaptable. I owned a bitch who for three seasons I took out beating, with the occasional retrieve. I was then invited to "pick-up" on a shoot, short of pickers-up in the Quantocks. I accepted the invitation and was pleasantly surprised. My little bitch sat quietly in the woods and marked all the birds down in the Rhododendron bushes, which I found difficult, and then collected them all at the end of the drive. She even followed a runner over two fields, into rushes, and then into a large hole in a stone wall. In her effort to get the bird out, she pulled the tail feathers out which resulted in lots of rude remarks when I returned with the bird! I have recently purchased a new puppy from a Gamekeeper in Banbury who uses his bitch to stalk deer and the puppy instinctively knew what to do. They also excel at Agility and have competed in Obedience. In any discipline they need firm training at an early age as the photographs show. It is a mistake to take a young dog out hunting before it is trained to the whistle. The breed makes a good family dog being affectionate and loyal especially with children. They are happy to sleep in a kennel or in the house, but need to be occupied and exercised. Most of the dogs in the country at the moment are from recent French imports and have strong working instincts. I do hope that it stays like this and that the breed doesn't become too popular as only a show dog. Current show entries are low and most people seem to either love or hate the Brittany, but if you choose to own the breed you will never be bored! |
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