The Epagneul Breton

The moment you bring an Epagneul Breton into your home, life will never be the same. Renowned for their excellence in the field, these "little" dogs will capture your heart with their bright intelligent expressions and joyful nature.

Truly versatile, the Epagneul Breton is an aggressive hunter in the field, tenaciously finding, pointing and retrieving game in all types of terrain and environments. In the home, they are calm and sociable, making them desirable companions for all ages. With proper care and exercise, they are adaptable, easily trained, and get along well with other animals.

Also known as the "French Brittany," the Epagneul Breton originated in the central region of Brittany in France. It is one of the oldest spaniel-type dogs and the smallest of the pointing breeds. Its body is compact, often described as "cobby" or square. The coat is slightly wavy with feathering on the legs.  Acceptable colors are white and orange, white and black, white and liver, and tricolored. The dog is energetic and endurant, able to hunt vigorously alongside bigger sporting breeds. It is close-working in hunting style, instinctively quartering in the field and finding birds that long-ranging dogs often miss.

The Epagneul Breton was first brought to North America in the 1930s and 1940s. Through selective breeding, the "American Brittany" evolved as a taller, faster, more strong-willed version of its ancestors, also eliminating the black color in the coat. Wishing to retain the original and unique characteristics of the breed, a group of Epagneul Breton breeders and owners formed the Club Epagneul Breton of the United States in 1997. The Club works with the United Kennel Club to promote the breed and provide opportunities for competition events in the field and show ring.     

A complete listing of breed characteristics can be found on the United Kennel Club (UKC) web site.

A wealth of educational resources, artwork, and history related to the breed is available on The Epagneul Breton Foundation, Inc., web site. CEB-US and many of its members support the work and educational goals of the foundation which is operated and managed by an independent board of trustees as a nonprofit corporation existing solely for educational, scientific and charitable purposes pursuant to Section 501(c)3.