MyDogBreeds
Brittany is originated from France but American Staghound is originated from United States. Brittany may grow 25 cm / 9 inches shorter than American Staghound. Brittany may weigh 21 kg / 46 pounds lesser than American Staghound. Both Brittany and American Staghound has almost same life span. Brittany may have more litter size than American Staghound. Both Brittany and American Staghound requires Low maintenance.
One of the most intense bird dog breeds in existence is the Brittany, bred for hunt. The breed used to be called the Brittany Spaniel, but since the breed is closer to a setter or pointer, that moniker has been dropped. The Brittany is named for the French Province in which they were originally developed. Sometime from the 17th to the 19th centuries, the breed was developed. Images of a very similar dog can be found on 17th century paintings and tapestries. However, the first written description comes from 1850 by a Reverend Davies, describing a hunting episode. The breed was recognized officially in the early part of the 20th century and made a splash at the 1900 Paris Dog Show.
The first official standards were written in about 1907 and the breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1934.The Brittany is expected to point to and then retrieve birds and other small ground game. Because the Brittany both points and retrieves they are known in the U.K. as a Hunt, Point and Retrieve breed or an HPR, and they have more Dual Champions than the rest of the AKC Sporting group.
There are actually two types of Brittanys in the minds of many breeders. There is the “French” Brittany and the “American” Brittany. When the breed arrived in the United States in 1931 they became immensely popular in a short period of time. In 1942 American Breeders began the American Brittany Club, rewriting the French standard to fit the dog they knew. Today there are definitely difference between the two sub-sets that can easily be seen. The French dog is smaller than the American dog. The American dog is a runner pacing ahead of the hunter while the French dog works more closely with their human companions. Another visible difference is that the French accept black spotted Brittanys, while in the United States a black spotted coat is considered a fault. Both sub-sets are known for their willingness to follow human directions, their eagerness for the hunt, and their agility and speed.
Unfortunately, the European wars took their toll on this breed as they did on many others. Following the second World War, their numbers in Europe were drastically reduced. The French had stop breeding them altogether during the war. It was in this depleted gene pool that the French agreed to accept the black spotted Brittany. Along with the U.S., Canada also does not recognize the black spotted Brittany.
The American Staghound is hunting dog and type of sighthound that is not recognized as a separate breed. They have historically been bred to hunt coyotes and then other game. Even though they are not considered a separate breed some of their breeding lines have existed much longer than some officially recognized breeds. The American Staghound is a cross between the Greyhound and the Scottish Deerhound. There was probably some Borzoi mixed in as well. The Staghound is believed to have traveled with General Custer across the American West.
The breed is a long-legged running dog with the speed of a Greyhound, the sighting ability of sight hounds and more endurance than any running breed. They are incredible athletes with amazing agility and have been bred to course game – coyotes mostly – and therefore are bred with a very intense prey drive. In the past they chased stags and deer and today they chase coyotes and hare. Coyotes are much faster than wolves and fight just as hard. The American Staghound is the only breed fast enough to track down the coyote. However, the breed is not recognized by the AKC.
Hunting with an American Staghound today is not very different from hunting with them in medieval times. Strict breeding practices and the non-commercialization of the breed has led to the almost perfect preservation of this hunting breed. They have not changed very much over the centuries. They have been breeding Staghound to Staghound since the early 1800’s. At times very, good hunting dogs from Greyhound and Deerhound stock are added to the mix. For hundreds of years now the closed breeding has led to what might be the finest coyote chasing sighthound possible.
The Brittany is much like other hunting dogs – pointers and retrievers – in size and stature. He is solid and strong but not heavy. He is compact with an average size head and floppy ears, docked tails or short natural tails, and expressively intelligent looking eyes. He is athletic, energetic, and alert. He has a long, elastic and free gait. The French dog is smaller and the dog with black spots is accepted. The American Brittany is larger and only a tri-color of orange, liver and white is acceptable.
When you look at the American Staghound you can clearly see the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound lines. They have strong running muscles in their long legs and deep chest. He is of course a sight hound, so his vision is acute.
His running endurance is second to none. It is this endurance in running all day that makes the American Staghound difference from the Scottish Deerhound and the Greyhound. Yes, both the Deerhound are greyhound are great runners, but the American Staghound runs just as fast with an endurance level ten times that of the other hounds. His heavy bones structure and thick skin are also different from the other racing fast sight hounds.
The Brittany is particularly trainable and friendly. They love to play and are sweet-natured. They don’t due well with harsh correction though and a stern look will cause them to wither. Socialize them young or they can become shy around strangers. They are loyal and family oriented. They can easily become attached to their humans.
This dog was bred to run fast and long after something it sees. They are not considered hyperactive but won’t live well in a confined space such as an apartment or condo. You will need a single-family house with a large yard. Though they are affectionate, family dogs, they are not cut out to be guard dogs. They are not especially protective or territorial, though they may bark at what they can see in the distance.
They are calm in their homes if exercised enough and great with children. They are often gentle and loving. They are pack oriented and accept other dogs, but they are not welcoming toward cats or other prey sized animals. Be careful with the AS around small children as he might knock them down or see them as prey as well. They consider anything smaller that runs to be prey.
When chasing prey, they are not only fast and enduring, they are tenacious and courageous. Remember that this is a breed that has been bred true in order to hunt and only in order to hunt. Their hunting instincts will override almost any other. Over the centuries only the best hunters were allowed to be bred so that only the best hunters would be born.
The breed is a hardy one and Brittanys are mostly healthy dogs. In Europe 1 in 5 dogs dies of old age and that age is usually 14 or 15 years. They do have a few issues that they may be susceptible to. These would include:
The American Staghound has been bred so consistently within the breed and true that they exhibit very few health problems. All running dogs are susceptible to joint issues, but the Staghound has less than most. Two issues they do face more often are a problem with anesthesia if they ever need it and the propensity to be vulnerable to bloat. Since they are a centuries old hybrid there are no real health issues born of genetics.
Don’t overfeed your Brittany. Keep him at hunting weight by feeding a half a cup up to 2 cups per day depending on the size of your dog and activity levels. Serve this in two meals not one.
Ears – prone to infections – make sure that you check them and wipe them out routinely to prevent infections.
Hip Dysplasia – bones don’t fit well into joints – this can be genetic or otherwise, causing lameness and arthritis. If severe it can require surgery to correct.
Epilepsy – mild or serious seizures are possible. This can be genetic/hereditary but is set off by an infectious disease of the brain, head injury, poison, tumor, or metabolic disorder. There is no cure, but medication can be very effective.
Hypothyroidism – Low levels of thyroid hormone – can cause drooping eyelids, obesity, lethargy, mental difficulties or irregular heat cycles or all of this. Medication is available as it is for humans but must be taken daily for the rest of the dog’s life
Canine Discoid Lupus Erythematosus – autoimmune disease that is rare in dogs. Cats and humans can also have it. It is a skin disease and does not become the more serious and deadly Systemic Lupus. The Discoid version of this disease causes loss of pigmentation and a scaling on the nose which can then progress to the skin around the ears, eyes and genitals. There could be ulcerated lesions and tissue death in more severe cases. Sun exposure can make the condition worse.
The Brittany is a hunting dog that acts like a pointer but will retrieve fowl and birds in the water or on land. If you don’t hunt, the Brittany can still be your family dog. They need lots of exercise and mental stimulation. They need a job if they are not going to hunt and expect them to be distracted by every bird they see. Try flyball, agility, FAST CAT, field trials and dock diving. They are very task oriented and have boundless energy. They excel at obedience and confirmation as well.
It is important that you don’t ever over feed you American Staghound as they are thin and bred to run. Even though they are heavier boned than their closest relatives, they are still very susceptible to obesity if overfed. The adult AS should be fed about 4-6 cups of dry food every day in at least 2 meals but 3 of more would be better. This will prevent bloat.
As previously mentioned there are no genetic issues with the health of the American Staghound. Bred for one reason and one reason alone for many centuries has led to this healthy state. Also, as stated previously they can have issues with bloat and anesthesia. The issue with anesthesia comes from the fact that the American Staghound has very little body fat to muscle ration. The issue with bloat or torsion can be avoided with many smaller meals and not running your Staghound right after they eat a large meal.
Of course, the American Staghound loves to run and if you are not going to hunt with her, you will have to find another source of vigorous physical activity. Every day from puppyhood on the AS must be stimulated mentally and physically in order to grow and mature correctly. He must have a home where the freedom to run is an everyday experience, not a dog park once a week. If you ride bikes, race walk or run on a daily basis this might be the dog for you. They obviously excel at games like lure coursing and can be good at agility.