United Pet Club

Brittany breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC.

Size

Size
MeasureFCIAKCUKCKC
Height at the withers, male48–51 cmNo rulingNo ruling48–51 cm
Height at the withers, female47–50 cmNo rulingNo ruling47–50 cm
Height at the withersNo ruling44.5–52.1 cmunder 44.5 cmDisqualifyingover 52.1 cmDisqualifying44.5–52.1 cmunder 44.5 cmDisqualifyingover 52.1 cmDisqualifyingNo ruling
Tail length3–6 cmover 10 cmFaultunder 10.2 cmover 10.2 cmFaultunder 10.2 cmNo ruling
WeightNo ruling13.6–18.1 kg13.6–20.4 kgNo ruling
Height to length1111
Skull to muzzle1.51.51.51.5
Shoulder angle115–120°90°90°No ruling

Conformation

Conformation
FormFCIAKCUKCKC
BiteScissors biteStandard (“Scissors bite”)Standard (“A true scissors bite”)Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”)Standard (“perfect regular scissor bite”)
BiteOvershotNo rulingFault (“Overshot or undershot jaw to be heavily penalized”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Overshot or undershot bites”)No ruling
BiteUndershotNo rulingFault (“Overshot or undershot jaw to be heavily penalized”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Overshot or undershot bites”)No ruling
DentitionFull dentitionStandard (“form a complete and healthy set”)No rulingStandard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)No ruling
StopModerateStandard (“The stop is moderate”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Stop moderate”)
Head shapeApple domeNo rulingNot recognised (“should never be "apple-headed"”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Apple headed”)No ruling
Facial profileRoman (convex)No rulingFault (“Neither a Roman nose nor a dish-face is desirable”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Roman nose”)No ruling
Facial profileDished (concave)No rulingFault (“Neither a Roman nose nor a dish-face is desirable”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Dish faced”)No ruling
Muzzle shapeTaperedNo rulingStandard (“Muzzle should taper gradually”)Standard (“It gradually tapers both horizontally and vertically”)Standard (“Muzzle tapered but not snipy”)
Muzzle shapeSnipyNo rulingNot recognised (“Never broad, heavy or snippy”)No rulingFault (“Muzzle tapered but not snipy”)
Eye shapeOvalStandard (“Somewhat oval, not protruding”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Somewhat oval in shape”)
Eye shapeObliqueStandard (“Slightly oblique”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“slightly obliquely set”)
Eye setProminentNo rulingFault (“A prominent full or popeye should be penalized”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Prominent, full or pop eyes”)No ruling
Ear setHighStandard (“EARS: Set high”)Standard (“Set high, above the level of the eyes”)Standard (“set high on the head, above the level of the eyes”)Standard (“Set and carried high”)
Ear carriageDrop (pendant)No rulingStandard (“Should lie flat and close to the head”)No rulingStandard (“falling flat against the cheek”)
Ear carriagePendulousNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Serious Fault: Pendulous ears”)No ruling
Ear tipRoundedNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“Ends of the ears are very slightly rounded”)Standard (“slightly rounded at tip”)
Neck lengthMediumStandard (“NECK: Of medium length”)Standard (“Neck - Medium length”)Standard (“is of medium length”)Standard (“Medium length”)
Neck shapeArchedNot recognised (“slightly curved, never arched”)No rulingStandard (“The slightly arched neck”)No ruling
Neck shapeEwe neckNo rulingNot recognised (“Never concave or ewe-necked”)Fault (“Serious Faults: Ewe necked. Concave neck”)No ruling
DewlapNone (clean throat)Standard (“without dewlap”)Standard (“Free from throatiness”)Standard (“is free of throatiness”)No ruling
ToplineLevelStandard (“Topline: Level to the loins and the beginning of the croup”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
ToplineSloping to the rearNo rulingStandard (“Topline - Slight slope from the highest point of the shoulders”)Standard (“Topline is slightly sloped from the withers”)Standard (“Topline slopes slightly from withers to croup”)
ToplineSwaybackNo rulingNot recognised (“Never hollow, saddle, sway or roach backed”)No rulingNo ruling
ToplineRoach (arched)No rulingNot recognised (“Never hollow, saddle, sway or roach backed”)No rulingNo ruling
ChestBroadStandard (“Chest: Let down to elbow level, broad”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
ChestBarrelFault (“ribs well sprung but not barrel chested”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
ChestDeepNo rulingStandard (“Chest-Deep, reaching the level of the elbow”)Standard (“The chest is deep, reaching to the level of the elbows”)Standard (“Chest deep. Brisket reaching to elbow”)
ChestNarrowNo rulingFault (“Narrow or slab-sided chests are a fault”)No rulingNo ruling
Tuck-upModerateNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“a rounded, moderate tuck-up”)No ruling
Tuck-upPronouncedNo rulingFault (“Not extremely tucked up”)No rulingNo ruling
Tail setHighStandard (“TAIL: Set high”)Standard (“Set on high”)Standard (“The tail is set high”)Standard (“Set high”)
Tail carriageLevelStandard (“carried horizontally (or slightly lowered)”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“carried horizontally or slightly lower”)
Tail carriageLow (hanging)Alternate (“carried horizontally (or slightly lowered)”)No rulingNo rulingAlternate (“carried horizontally or slightly lower”)
Tail lengthTaillessAlternate (“can be born tailless or with a very short tail”)No rulingNo rulingAlternate (“Naturally tailless, short”)
Tail lengthNatural bobtailNo rulingNo rulingAlternate (“It is a natural bob or customarily docked”)No ruling
FeetCat footStandard (“Rather round, toes tight, pads firm”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“Rather round, tight and compact”)
FeetSplayedNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Serious Faults: Flat feet. Splayed”)No ruling
HocksCow-hockedNo rulingNo rulingFault (“Faults: Fat or weak hindquarters. Cow hocks”)No ruling

Markings

Markings
MarkingFCIAKCUKCKC
Tan pointsNo rulingAlternate (“classic orange markings on eyebrows, muzzle and cheeks, inside the ears and under the tail”)No rulingNo ruling
BlazeStandard (“A narrow blaze is desirable with any colour of coat”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
SpotsDisqualifying (“Abnormal markings: White spot on the ear or eye”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
ProcedureFCIAKCUKCKC
Tail dockingAlternate (“When the tail is docked the ideal length is from 3 to 6 cm”)Alternate (“Tailless to approximately four inches, natural or docked”)Alternate (“natural bob or customarily docked to a length no longer than four inches”)Alternate (“Naturally tailless, short or previously customarily docked”)
Dewclaw removalNo rulingNo rulingAlternate (“Dewclaws may be removed. Removal of rear dewclaws is preferred but not mandatory”)No ruling

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Brittany colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Brittany color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Brittany in Black, White, Blue, Liver, Tan and Orange. Standard patterns: Bicolour, Tricolour, Piebald, Parti-colour and Roan.

Coat: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BlackStandard (“white and black”)Disqualifying (“Black & White”)Standard (“black and white”)Standard (“black/white”)Standard (“white and black”)
WhiteStandard (“White and orange, white and black, white and liver”)Standard (“Orange & White”)Standard (“Orange and white, liver and white, and black and white”)Standard (“Orange/white, liver/white, black/white”)Standard (“White and orange, white and black, white and liver”)
BlueStandard (“Piobald or roan”)Disqualifying (“Blue Roan”)Standard (“black and white, in clear or roan patterns”)Standard (“Black & White Roan”)Standard (“Piebald or roan”)
LiverStandard (“white and liver”)Standard (“Liver & White”)Standard (“liver and white”)Standard (“liver/white”)Standard (“white and liver”)
TanStandard (“tan spotting (orange to dark tan)”)Not recognisedNo rulingNot recognisedStandard (“tan spotting (orange to dark tan)”)
OrangeStandard (“White and orange”)Standard (“Orange & White”)Standard (“Orange and white”)Standard (“Orange/white”)Standard (“White and orange”)
AlbinoNot recognisedNot recognisedDisqualifying (“Albinism”)Not recognisedNot recognised
Patterns
BicolourStandard (“with more or less extensive irregular white patches”)Standard (“Orange and white or liver and white in either clear or roan patterns”)Standard (“in clear or roan patterns”)Standard (“Orange/white, liver/white, black/white”)Standard (“with more or less extensive irregular white patches”)
TricolourStandard (“tricolour coats”)Standard (“Liver White & Orange”)Fault (“Tri-colors are allowed but not desirable”)Standard (“tricolour”)Standard (“tricolour coats”)
PiebaldStandard (“Piobald”)Standard (“the standard parti-color or piebald patterns”)No rulingNot recognisedStandard (“Piebald”)
Parti-colourNo rulingStandard (“the standard parti-color or piebald patterns”)No rulingNot recognisedNo ruling
RoanStandard (“Piobald or roan, sometimes with ticking”)Standard (“Liver Roan”)Standard (“in clear or roan patterns. Some ticking is desirable”)Standard (“roan of any of these colours”)Standard (“Piebald or roan, sometimes with ticking”)
SpottedNo rulingAlternate (“Spotted”)No rulingNot recognisedNo ruling
SolidNot recognised (“A self coloured coat is not allowed”)No rulingNo rulingNot recognisedNot recognised (“A self-coloured coat is not allowed”)
Eyes: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
BrownNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“brown to dark”)No ruling
Dark brownStandard (“preferably dark”)Standard (“Preference should be for the darker colored eyes”)Standard (“Darker colored eyes are preferred”)Standard (“brown to dark”)Standard (“preferably dark”)
AmberNo rulingStandard (“lighter shades of amber should not be penalized”)Standard (“lighter shades of amber are not to be penalized”)No rulingNo ruling
Light brownFault (“Eyes: Light, mean look”)Fault (“Light and mean-looking eyes should be heavily penalized”)Fault (“Light-colored eyes”)No rulingFault (“Eyes: Light, mean look”)
Patterns
Odd-eyedDisqualifying (“heterochromia (eyes of different colours)”)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingDisqualifying (“heterochromia (eyes of different colours)”)
Nose: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKUSA
BlackNo rulingDisqualifying (“A black nose is a disqualification”)Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”)No ruling
LiverNo rulingStandard (“shades of brown”)Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”)No ruling
IsabellaNo rulingStandard (“fawn, tan”)Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”)No ruling
PinkNo rulingStandard (“deep pink”)Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”)No ruling
Patterns
Butterfly noseFault (“Very slightly depigmented, interior of the nostrils depigmented”)Fault (“A two-tone or butterfly nose should be penalized”)Fault (“Butterfly nose. Two-toned nose.”)Fault (“Very slightly unpigmented, interior of the nostrils unpigmented”)

What the rulings mean

Standard
Described by the club's breed standard.
Alternate
Registrable with the club but not described by its breed standard, such as an AKC alternate colour.
Fault
Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalised.
Disqualifying
The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this colour or pattern.
Not recognised
The club does not accept this colour or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Brittany's colors can change over its life.

  • Blackchanges toRust

    Coat · With body condition · can change back

  • Blackchanges toGrey

    Coat · Progressive

  • Blackchanges toBrown

    Coat · In the sun · can change back

  • Whitechanges toRoan

    Coat · With age · from 2 weeks

  • Blackchanges toSnow nose

    Nose · With the season · can change back

  • Blackchanges toPink

    Nose · With the season · can change back

Published standards