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
| Measure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Height at the withers, male | 48–51 cm | No ruling | No ruling | 48–51 cm |
| Height at the withers, female | 47–50 cm | No ruling | No ruling | 47–50 cm |
| Height at the withers | No ruling | 44.5–52.1 cmunder 44.5 cmDisqualifyingover 52.1 cmDisqualifying | 44.5–52.1 cmunder 44.5 cmDisqualifyingover 52.1 cmDisqualifying | No ruling |
| Tail length | 3–6 cmover 10 cmFault | under 10.2 cmover 10.2 cmFault | under 10.2 cm | No ruling |
| Weight | No ruling | 13.6–18.1 kg | 13.6–20.4 kg | No ruling |
| Height to length | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Skull to muzzle | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Shoulder angle | 115–120° | 90° | 90° | No ruling |
Conformation
| Form | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BiteScissors bite | Standard (“Scissors bite”) | Standard (“A true scissors bite”) | Standard (“meet in a scissors bite”) | Standard (“perfect regular scissor bite”) |
| BiteOvershot | No ruling | Fault (“Overshot or undershot jaw to be heavily penalized”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Overshot or undershot bites”) | No ruling |
| BiteUndershot | No ruling | Fault (“Overshot or undershot jaw to be heavily penalized”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Overshot or undershot bites”) | No ruling |
| DentitionFull dentition | Standard (“form a complete and healthy set”) | No ruling | Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”) | No ruling |
| StopModerate | Standard (“The stop is moderate”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Stop moderate”) |
| Head shapeApple dome | No ruling | Not recognised (“should never be "apple-headed"”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Apple headed”) | No ruling |
| Facial profileRoman (convex) | No ruling | Fault (“Neither a Roman nose nor a dish-face is desirable”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Roman nose”) | No ruling |
| Facial profileDished (concave) | No ruling | Fault (“Neither a Roman nose nor a dish-face is desirable”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Dish faced”) | No ruling |
| Muzzle shapeTapered | No ruling | Standard (“Muzzle should taper gradually”) | Standard (“It gradually tapers both horizontally and vertically”) | Standard (“Muzzle tapered but not snipy”) |
| Muzzle shapeSnipy | No ruling | Not recognised (“Never broad, heavy or snippy”) | No ruling | Fault (“Muzzle tapered but not snipy”) |
| Eye shapeOval | Standard (“Somewhat oval, not protruding”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Somewhat oval in shape”) |
| Eye shapeOblique | Standard (“Slightly oblique”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“slightly obliquely set”) |
| Eye setProminent | No ruling | Fault (“A prominent full or popeye should be penalized”) | Fault (“Serious Faults: Prominent, full or pop eyes”) | No ruling |
| Ear setHigh | Standard (“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 ruling | Standard (“Should lie flat and close to the head”) | No ruling | Standard (“falling flat against the cheek”) |
| Ear carriagePendulous | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“Serious Fault: Pendulous ears”) | No ruling |
| Ear tipRounded | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Ends of the ears are very slightly rounded”) | Standard (“slightly rounded at tip”) |
| Neck lengthMedium | Standard (“NECK: Of medium length”) | Standard (“Neck - Medium length”) | Standard (“is of medium length”) | Standard (“Medium length”) |
| Neck shapeArched | Not recognised (“slightly curved, never arched”) | No ruling | Standard (“The slightly arched neck”) | No ruling |
| Neck shapeEwe neck | No ruling | Not 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 |
| ToplineLevel | Standard (“Topline: Level to the loins and the beginning of the croup”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| ToplineSloping to the rear | No ruling | Standard (“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”) |
| ToplineSwayback | No ruling | Not recognised (“Never hollow, saddle, sway or roach backed”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| ToplineRoach (arched) | No ruling | Not recognised (“Never hollow, saddle, sway or roach backed”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| ChestBroad | Standard (“Chest: Let down to elbow level, broad”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| ChestBarrel | Fault (“ribs well sprung but not barrel chested”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| ChestDeep | No ruling | Standard (“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”) |
| ChestNarrow | No ruling | Fault (“Narrow or slab-sided chests are a fault”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Tuck-upModerate | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“a rounded, moderate tuck-up”) | No ruling |
| Tuck-upPronounced | No ruling | Fault (“Not extremely tucked up”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Tail setHigh | Standard (“TAIL: Set high”) | Standard (“Set on high”) | Standard (“The tail is set high”) | Standard (“Set high”) |
| Tail carriageLevel | Standard (“carried horizontally (or slightly lowered)”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“carried horizontally or slightly lower”) |
| Tail carriageLow (hanging) | Alternate (“carried horizontally (or slightly lowered)”) | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“carried horizontally or slightly lower”) |
| Tail lengthTailless | Alternate (“can be born tailless or with a very short tail”) | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“Naturally tailless, short”) |
| Tail lengthNatural bobtail | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“It is a natural bob or customarily docked”) | No ruling |
| FeetCat foot | Standard (“Rather round, toes tight, pads firm”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Rather round, tight and compact”) |
| FeetSplayed | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“Serious Faults: Flat feet. Splayed”) | No ruling |
| HocksCow-hocked | No ruling | No ruling | Fault (“Faults: Fat or weak hindquarters. Cow hocks”) | No ruling |
Markings
| Marking | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tan points | No ruling | Alternate (“classic orange markings on eyebrows, muzzle and cheeks, inside the ears and under the tail”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Blaze | Standard (“A narrow blaze is desirable with any colour of coat”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Spots | Disqualifying (“Abnormal markings: White spot on the ear or eye”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
Cropping, docking and other procedures
| Procedure | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tail docking | Alternate (“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 removal | No ruling | No ruling | Alternate (“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.
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Standard (“white and black”) | Disqualifying (“Black & White”) | Standard (“black and white”) | Standard (“black/white”) | Standard (“white and black”) |
| White | Standard (“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”) |
| Blue | Standard (“Piobald or roan”) | Disqualifying (“Blue Roan”) | Standard (“black and white, in clear or roan patterns”) | Standard (“Black & White Roan”) | Standard (“Piebald or roan”) |
| Liver | Standard (“white and liver”) | Standard (“Liver & White”) | Standard (“liver and white”) | Standard (“liver/white”) | Standard (“white and liver”) |
| Tan | Standard (“tan spotting (orange to dark tan)”) | Not recognised | No ruling | Not recognised | Standard (“tan spotting (orange to dark tan)”) |
| Orange | Standard (“White and orange”) | Standard (“Orange & White”) | Standard (“Orange and white”) | Standard (“Orange/white”) | Standard (“White and orange”) |
| Albino | Not recognised | Not recognised | Disqualifying (“Albinism”) | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Patterns | |||||
| Bicolour | Standard (“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”) |
| Tricolour | Standard (“tricolour coats”) | Standard (“Liver White & Orange”) | Fault (“Tri-colors are allowed but not desirable”) | Standard (“tricolour”) | Standard (“tricolour coats”) |
| Piebald | Standard (“Piobald”) | Standard (“the standard parti-color or piebald patterns”) | No ruling | Not recognised | Standard (“Piebald”) |
| Parti-colour | No ruling | Standard (“the standard parti-color or piebald patterns”) | No ruling | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Roan | Standard (“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”) |
| Spotted | No ruling | Alternate (“Spotted”) | No ruling | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Solid | Not recognised (“A self coloured coat is not allowed”) | No ruling | No ruling | Not recognised | Not recognised (“A self-coloured coat is not allowed”) |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown to dark”) | No ruling |
| Dark brown | Standard (“preferably dark”) | Standard (“Preference should be for the darker colored eyes”) | Standard (“Darker colored eyes are preferred”) | Standard (“brown to dark”) | Standard (“preferably dark”) |
| Amber | No ruling | Standard (“lighter shades of amber should not be penalized”) | Standard (“lighter shades of amber are not to be penalized”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Light brown | Fault (“Eyes: Light, mean look”) | Fault (“Light and mean-looking eyes should be heavily penalized”) | Fault (“Light-colored eyes”) | No ruling | Fault (“Eyes: Light, mean look”) |
| Patterns | |||||
| Odd-eyed | Disqualifying (“heterochromia (eyes of different colours)”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Disqualifying (“heterochromia (eyes of different colours)”) |
| Color or pattern | FCI | AKC | UKC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | No ruling | Disqualifying (“A black nose is a disqualification”) | Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”) | No ruling |
| Liver | No ruling | Standard (“shades of brown”) | Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”) | No ruling |
| Isabella | No ruling | Standard (“fawn, tan”) | Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”) | No ruling |
| Pink | No ruling | Standard (“deep pink”) | Standard (“Accepted colors include black, brown, fawn, tan and deep pink”) | No ruling |
| Patterns | ||||
| Butterfly nose | Fault (“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
Sources
Each ruling comes from the club's published breed standard or color list.