16ga.com ~ View topic - looking at springers and brittanies . . .

Member Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 258 Location: Nordern MN

Was on a drive in the countryside yesterday and saw a couple springers(?) out in someone's yard. Then I got to wondering how one tells the difference between a springer and a brit w/o asking the owner. Is there any sure fire method?

This is a serious inquiry, but I reckon there'll be some humorous responses as well . . . which is as it should be!

Thanks guys,

NR

Member Joined: 04 May 2005 Posts: 123 Location: Oregon

Mod 97 the quickest way to tell is to wait till the owner turns his back then throw out a dead bird. If it points it's a Brittany, if it tries to flush it's a Springer. Laughing

But seriously most American Brittany's have some orange on them while Springers don't. There are some black and white French Brittany's out there in which case you look at the ears, length of hair and the length of the legs. The FB will be built more square while the Springer will have longer hair and be longer then they are tall for the most part.

Larry

Guest

Generally the Springer will be larger than the Brittany and the Brittany will smell like two week old road kill from rolling in it.

Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 77 Location: Lynchburg, VA

---- and a Springer will smell like road kill WITHOUT rolling in it !

A picture is worth a thousand words, here's a link to the AKC webpage that shows pics of the different breeds. The Springer is under English Springer. Also keep in mind that the pictures are of show dogs but you will get the idea.

http://www.akc.org/breeds/index.cfm?nav_area=breeds

I have only owned two dogs: a springer and a brit. The springer had incredible drive and was awesome in every way, including retrieving. Ducks, upland, anything. Only problem: he didn't point. Not always easy keeping up with a flusher.

My brit is 55 lbs of energy, very smart, very loyal, and beautiful. Doesn't like to retrieve, and I never force broke him. If you hunt flat land alot, springers are great. If you hunt chukars or huns out west, go for a pointing breed. Setters and pointers will run circles around my brit, I'm ashamed to admit.

Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 12 Location: St. Paul, MN

The Brit/Springer ID problem is an interesting one. I own a 1 1/2 year old liver and white Brittany (a lean 38 pounder named Chuck). I went to a hunting/sporting event last fall with Brits and Springers all over. Left and right people were commenting on my "Springer," while I kept correcting them, and finally gave up. Then I came across some other similar dogs and, strangely, wasn't so sure. Normally I can tell (head shape, coloring, etc.), but now and then . . . .

Both dogs are terrific. My brother-in-law just bought a black and white Springer pup. Which brings me to another issue. Pointers and Flushers hunting together. I did a fair amount of it last year (my first year hunting, and my Brit's - both of us are loving it, but I have more to learn and he), but most of it was either alone or with a bunch of Labs and other flushers. I ended up preferring to hunt alone (with just my dog and maybe another hunter or two). There was one exception, hunting with a friend and his eight-year-old Chessie. The dog is a great flusher, but slow and methodical enough that doesn't bump my dog's birds. Any thoughts?

We haven't hunted with any other pointers yet, but I plan to do some this year. I recently met a local hunter with an English Setter. I also plan to attend a few St. Croix Valley Brittany Club (east of St. Paul) events so I can get to know them better.

All of my hunting so far has been pheasants, but I plan to go after grouse this year. I have some scouting missions planned very soon.

BTW, I'm new to this blog. Actually, this is my first blog. I normally don't have time for this sort of thing, but after reading it for a while, I decided I needed to make an exception.

Member Joined: 02 Feb 2006 Posts: 602 Location: western pa

The CBR is also an asset near water. They do have a tendency to let other dogs know that retrieves belong to them. Dad had springers when we were kids, good,busy hunters and delightful family dogs. Never had a Brittany but I've hunted with a few and was favorably impressed with them.

Manalive
Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:58 pm

Joined: 02 Apr 2007
Posts: 5
Location: St. Paul, MN

The Brit/Springer ID problem is an interesting one. I own a 1 1/2 year old liver and white Brittany (a lean 38 pounder named Chuck). I went to a hunting/sporting event last fall with Brits and Springers all over. Left and right people were commenting on my "Springer," while I kept correcting them, and finally gave up. Then I came across some other similar dogs and, strangely, wasn't so sure. Normally I can tell (head shape, coloring, etc.), but now and then . . . .

Both dogs are terrific. My brother-in-law just bought a black and white Springer pup. Which brings me to another issue. Pointers and Flushers hunting together. I did a fair amount of it last year (my first year hunting, and my Brit's - both of us are loving it, but I have more to learn and he), but most of it was either alone or with a bunch of Labs and other flushers. I ended up preferring to hunt alone (with just my dog and maybe another hunter or two). There was one exception, hunting with a friend and his eight-year-old Chessie. The dog is a great flusher, but slow and methodical enough that doesn't bump my dog's birds. Any thoughts?

We haven't hunted with any other pointers yet, but I plan to do some this year. I recently met a local hunter with an English Setter. I also plan to attend a few St. Croix Valley Brittany Club (east of St. Paul) events so I can get to know them better.

All of my hunting so far has been pheasants, but I plan to go after grouse this year. I have some scouting missions planned very soon.

You may not want to mix a flushing dog with a pointer (especially if you own the pointer) because when on point, the last thing a pointer wants is to have another dog come in and flush his prize.

I hunt with a fellow that has a brittany (big running for a brittany) and a springer, and he hunts them together all the time as well as with my pointers and another buddy's setter. His dogs are much better schooled than mine Embarassed

and his springer honors a point by sitting. Unfortunately for the springer, he usually just gets some retrieving work as the pointers, setter, and brittany find most all of the birds before he does. Sad

Here's a picture of the springer honoring a pair of spinones (Italian pointing dogs - 85 & 95 lbs) who are honoring the brittany; the springer is in the background to the left. That's something that you don't see everyday!! Very Happy

Member Joined: 15 Mar 2005 Posts: 358 Location: Houston

Speaking of Brittanies, if you're looking for a pup, there are two still available from this litter:

http://lufffrenchbrittanys.com/page13.html

Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 12 Location: St. Paul, MN

Highcountry: That's a great photo! I'll have to show it to my brother-in-law (who has the new Springer). It took me a while to decide on a Brittany. My brother-in-law decided on the Springer because he thinks it will be less time-consuming to train (he had a GSH before). I've never had a flusher, so I'm not so sure. I did put a fair amount of yardwork in with my dog, but I have to say instinct and breeding played a big part with him. I was very fortunate with my dog (especially with me being such a new hunter). Not only is he turning out to be a great gun dog, but he's a fantastic family dog too, very mild-mannered and well-behaved in the house, for a Brittany (unaltered too - or is that uncut?).

Manalive, sounds like you hit the jackpot on a good dog. Good genes translate into a good dog.

I believe that they consider an unaltered dog as "intact". Very Happy

Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 12 Location: St. Paul, MN

Actually, I think I read the term in an old book called Training and Hunting the Brittany Spaniel, by Ralph Hammond and Robert Hammond. Despite all the talk about how neutering will reduce a dog's dominant behavior (humping and the like), I'm not convinced that it makes a difference. It has more to do with training than anything else. Many dogs, male and female, neutered, spayed or not, will do it if they are allowed to. I recently saw a neutered male lab humping his neutered brother. Hmm. I don't think the term, "cut", is used anymore, but it does show how many hunters at one time felt about the practice. Our dog's breeder strongly discouraged us from having our dog neutered. We haven't yet, and see no reason why we should.

Member Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 258 Location: Nordern MN

Do some research on pros and cons of gettting dog neutered . . . should be able to google more info than you'll ever read!

My opinion is that neutering them is a good idea - but I'd wait until the dog is mature or nearly so. At least wait till he learns to lift his leg.

The pros of neutering - unless your dog is very special and you intend to breed it there is no benefit for him to carry the extra baggage. Keeping them around increases chance of cancer and risk of injury - such things as barbwire fences. I also think that once a dog learns what they are for, it can be a big distraction that you as an owner don't need.

thanks to those who responded about how to ID a brit vs. a springer!

NR