MyDogBreeds
Pekingese is originated from China but French Brittany is originated from France. Pekingese may grow 25 cm / 10 inches higher than French Brittany. Pekingese may weigh 13 kg / 28 pounds lesser than French Brittany. Both Pekingese and French Brittany has almost same life span. Pekingese may have less litter size than French Brittany. Pekingese requires Moderate maintenance. But French Brittany requires Low maintenance
This is an ancient dog breed that originated in China. Known also as Lion Dogs, they are toy dogs that have always been a popular choice for Chinese royals.
DNA analysis tells us that these dogs are one of the oldest dog breeds there are and over the years, the dog has barely changed in looks.
The dogs found their way out of China, and as they started spreading to the USA and the UK, Pekingese clubs started emerging. A pekingese dog was registered by the American Kennel Club in 1906, and the Pekingese Club of America was formed in 1909.
Brittanys are the product of France, actually developed in the Brittany Province. They are gun dogs designed to hunt birds. Referred to more often than not as a Spaniel their method of working is much more in line with the setters and pointers. They are believed to be developed somewhere between the 17th and 19th centuries, but not recognized until the 20th century. Orange and white dogs were portrayed on 17th century tapestries, hunting and retrieving. In 1850 the Reverend Davies wrote the first record of Brittanys that was verifiable.
The Brittany was recognized for the first time in 1907 as their own breed even though they participated in the Paris Dog Show in 1900. Once recognized the standards were written as well. It was not until 1931 that the breed was recognized in America and 1934 before the American Kennel Club approved them. Until 1982 they were known as the French Brittany Spaniel. The Spaniel was dropped in ’82. In the United Kingdom the Brittany is known as an HPR (Hunt, Point and Retrieve) breed and they do so with both birds and small game such as hares. The Brittany’s have more dual champions than any other American Kennel Club Sporting Breed in both Confirmation and Field Trials.
There are some differences between the current day French Brittany and the “American Brittany”. They are the same breed but different sub-sets and there are differences that can be noted between the two. The French Brittany is smaller than the newer American version and works closer to the hunter and the guns, while the American Brittany runs ahead of the hunter quite often. Some breeders however don’t consider these differences to be sub-sets and believe that the American breeders should accept the French standards reflecting the origin of the breed.
The Pekingese is a dog which stands at between 30 – 45 cm and weighs anything from 3 to 7kg.
His double coat can be fawn, cream, apricot, grey, or black or even a mix of some of these colors.
The Pekingese is known for its flat- or squashed face and his large, bulging type of eyes. His body is low to the ground and is somewhat longer than what it is tall. He has long, silky, feathery ears and his tail is plumed and essentially held over his back. The face usually has a black mask.
The Pekingese is a stubborn, independent, intelligent dog, but with his human family he is loving and loyal. People often look at the Pekingese and think that it is a delicate dog that just wants to sit on your lap and be cuddled. But this isn’t the case and the Pekingese is a dignified, robust, bold, confident dog. He is essentially an indoors dog though and will be content for a while to lie close to his human companion. He is calm and quiet indoors but is also game for some activity, being quite a playful dog.
The Pekingese is the kind of dog that will slot easily into city or country living. He gets on well with children but if he could choose, he would prefer to live with calm, consistent adults, as he doesn’t gel too well with raucous, undisciplined children.
He is a wilful dog and will require being trained and socialized to make him obedient and more amicable.
The French Brittany is an energetic, compact, solid, athletic dog. They have average size heads, intelligent expressions, floppy ears, and a long, elastic and free gait. Most Brittanys are born with short tails but if not, they are docked outside the United Kingdom. Docking is illegal in the United Kingdom so those Brittanys might have a long tail.
Their coats are orange roan, orange and white and liver roan. A tricoat of orange, liver and white is allowed within a specific placement of the three colors.
Sometimes when his hair has grown long and he has a ribbon in it he may be looked upon as shallow, pathetic and nothing but lapdog. In reality his heart is brave, tough, dignified and confident.
All the Pekingese wants is to be a normal and loving pet for the right kind of person who appreciates all his strong characteristics.
He is capable of being quite lively and protective of his human family. Give him love and treat him kindly and firmly and you’ll find out why he is such a popular dog breed.
Very friendly with children
Dual champions in Field Trials and Confirmation. They both point and retrieve.
They are not as adaptable as some hunting breeds. They are very active and need space both indoors and out. They are not recommended for life in apartments in the city. A rural environment is best. They do not adapt well to the damp and cold weather.
They are very intelligent and have very high learning ability.
The Pekingese can live to be between 10 – 15 years of age. One of the main medical problems with this dog is his squashed face which can be a source of breathing problems for him.
The large, bulging eyes can also cause quite a few problems such as glaucoma, cataracts and eye ulcers. With Entropion the eyelid of the eye rolls inward and irritates the eyeball.
Your Pekingese shouldn’t be left outside as with his breathing problems, he isn’t good with regulating body temperature and can overheat in hot weather.
Generally, a hardy breed that is mostly healthy, the Brittany in France usually lives on average 12 years 6 months. In the UK the average if 12 years and 11 months and many dogs living to be 14 or 15. Some of the health issues that might pop up for the Brittany include:
Nothing is set in stone when it comes to the diet of your Pekingese or any other dog for that matter. How much a dog eats will depend on his breed, his age, his size and his activity levels.
Every dog is an individual and your Pekingese is too. Good food however dictates a lot on how healthy your pet will be so it will be to his benefit to give him the best quality commercially manufactured food there is.
He loves a bit of variety too so if you chop up some boiled chicken, brown rice and some wholesome vegetables such as carrots, spinach and sweet potato and add this to his kibble occasionally he will be delighted. He doesn’t want anything unusual or spicy because he can’t bear to have an upset stomach.
He must never be without a continuous supply of fresh, cool water.
The Pekingese doesn’t have serious exercise needs, and a little bit of running and exerting himself can have him snorting and grunting. A slowish walk outside will satisfy his exercise needs.
The coat of the Pekingese is long and thick and if you choose to keep it that way it will require brushing at least twice a week. Some people prefer to have the dog’s hair cut professionally as then it is easier to manage.
Feed puppies a high quality puppy food designed for medium sized dogs. Give about one to one and a half cups per day in 2-3 meals.
For the adult French Brittany feed a high quality adult dry food designed for medium sized dogs. Give about two cups per day in 2 meals.
Excellent vision and scent
The French Brittany is an active and enthusiastic bird dog that loves to exercise. They have the stamina and drive that goes with an efficient and successful hunting dog. They need daily exercise, regular walks and excel at field trials and confirmation. They are also good at lure chase, flyball, rally and obedience.