Brittany (Spaniel Bretón): everything you need to know

Veterinary and insurance guide · Petplan Spain Team · Updated 2026

The Brittany (in Spain, Spaniel Bretón, and sometimes called the Brittany Spaniel) is a compact, energetic and exceptionally versatile gundog that has become one of the most popular hunting and family dogs in Spain. Agile, tireless and eager to please, it both points and retrieves, and it channels that same enthusiasm into family life as an affectionate, biddable companion. It needs an active home, but rewards it with devotion and easy trainability. In this guide we cover the breed’s origin, temperament, the conditions we most often see in the clinic, the real veterinary costs to plan for in Spain, and why Petplan pet insurance is the best choice for your Brittany.

Origin and history of the Brittany

The Brittany takes its name from the Brittany region of north-western France, where it was developed in the 19th century as an all-round hunting dog for small game. Compact and quick, it earned a reputation as a “big dog in a small body”, able to point, flush and retrieve across varied terrain. It spread widely through France and Spain — where it is hugely popular among hunters — and on to the rest of the world. The FCI classifies the Brittany in Group 7 (pointing dogs), standard nº 95. Modern breeding maintains both a working hunting line and a successful show and companion type.

Physical characteristics

The Brittany is a compact, square, athletic gundog with a dense, lightly feathered coat. Its key features are summarised below.

Temperament and character

The Brittany is bright, sociable and devoted, combining a tireless working drive with a gentle, sensitive nature. It bonds closely with its family, is typically excellent with children and other dogs, and is one of the easier gundogs to train thanks to its eagerness to please. That sensitivity is the key thing to respect: the Brittany does not cope well with harsh handling and thrives on patient, positive, varied training. It is a true working dog at heart, so it needs plenty of exercise and a sense of purpose; given that, it is an affectionate, well-mannered and adaptable companion.

Common health problems in the Brittany

The Brittany is a robust, athletic breed with relatively few inherited problems, but responsible owners and breeders watch for several conditions.

Hip dysplasia is the main orthopaedic concern and a reason to choose puppies from hip-screened parents. The breed has a recognised predisposition to idiopathic epilepsy, which usually appears in young adulthood and is generally well managed with medication. Its drop ears make ear infections common, especially in an active dog that swims and works in cover, so regular ear checks are important. Hypothyroidism is occasionally seen in middle age, and eye conditions such as glaucoma and lens luxation are recognised. A rare hereditary complement (C3) deficiency exists in some lines. Overall, however, this is one of the healthier sporting breeds.

Financially, this matters: lifelong management of epilepsy or a thyroid condition, hip treatment or eye surgery can each run from several hundred to several thousand euros.

Coat care and feeding

The Brittany’s coat is easy to maintain: a weekly brush keeps it clean and tidy, with a little more attention to the feathering on the legs and ears to prevent mats and to remove burrs after time in the field. Because of the drop ears and its love of water, the ears should be checked and dried regularly to prevent infection. Routine nail and dental care complete the picture. On feeding, a good-quality diet matched to this active dog’s workload, in measured portions, keeps it lean and protects its joints.

Exercise and stimulation

This is a high-energy sporting breed that needs substantial daily exercise — long walks, running, retrieving games and ideally some form of work for its mind, whether that is gundog training, scent work or canine sports. A Brittany that is well exercised is calm and biddable at home; one that is under-stimulated can become restless and noisy. It loves to run and has good recall when trained, making it a wonderful companion for runners, hikers and active families with space to let it move.

Why Petplan is the best choice for your Brittany

For an active sporting breed with predispositions such as epilepsy and hip disease, good insurance is a sensible safeguard. Petplan is the best choice in Spain because its cover is designed for these needs: it includes the hereditary and chronic conditions the Brittany is prone to, lets you choose any vet in Spain with no closed network, and renews for life without excluding conditions that develop as your dog ages — important for a condition like epilepsy that needs lifelong management. For a Brittany, the average premium is around 335 EUR per year on intermediate cover.