I was wondering if you folks could advise me - I've been researching (on the
web) all the various dog breeds and am very interested in adopting a
Brittany however one thing that just about every web site notes about the
dogs is a high energy level! Now, I would have just brushed right by this
had I seen it on one or two sites, but EVERY site mentions this !!!! I'm
looking to adopt a dog that will go for daily walks with me (30-45min per
day avg), rides in the car every day, and be an all around friend and
companion to both me and an elderly parent that lives at home with me.
Therein lies my concern - when I'm at work I'm worried that a Brittany may
be too much to handle if she gets restless from all this 'energy' they
reportedly have and may become disruptive to my mother. Now, my mother is
not an invalid, is quite mobile, and has much experience with dogs over the
years, and has recently had to put a dog down so there is a big hole in her
heart that needs filling! Everything I read about the Brittany seems to
point to a Brittany as the perfect breed - are these sites overplaying the
'energy level' of this breed? Or, would I be making a huge mistake by
adopting one for our circumstances? Hope you can help.

--
Rick Piatt

"RickPiatt" composed these thoughts and posted them
news:EnRmg.114877$Ce1.51753@dukeread01:

I was wondering if you folks could advise me - I've been researching
(on the web) all the various dog breeds and am very interested in
adopting a Brittany however one thing that just about every web site
notes about the dogs is a high energy level! Now, I would have just
brushed right by this had I seen it on one or two sites, but EVERY
site mentions this !!!! I'm looking to adopt a dog that will go for
daily walks with me (30-45min per day avg), rides in the car every
day, and be an all around friend and companion to both me and an
elderly parent that lives at home with me. Therein lies my concern -
when I'm at work I'm worried that a Brittany may be too much to handle
if she gets restless from all this 'energy' they reportedly have and
may become disruptive to my mother. Now, my mother is not an invalid,
is quite mobile, and has much experience with dogs over the years, and
has recently had to put a dog down so there is a big hole in her heart
that needs filling! Everything I read about the Brittany seems to
point to a Brittany as the perfect breed - are these sites overplaying
the 'energy level' of this breed? Or, would I be making a huge
mistake by adopting one for our circumstances? Hope you can help.

--
Rick Piatt




Brittanies are wonderful dogs, but they tend to be a lot more active than
suits me. I've seen a few younger dogs that have been exceptions. As
they age, after about age three, they tend to settle down. They are bird
hunting dogs that are intended to work all day afield and not tire.
They have wonderful dispositions

"RickPiatt" wrote in
news:EnRmg.114877$Ce1.51753@dukeread01:

I was wondering if you folks could advise me - I've been researching
(on the web) all the various dog breeds and am very interested in
adopting a Brittany however one thing that just about every web site
notes about the dogs is a high energy level! Now, I would have just
brushed right by this had I seen it on one or two sites, but EVERY
site mentions this !!!! I'm looking to adopt a dog that will go for
daily walks with me (30-45min per day avg), rides in the car every
day, and be an all around friend and companion to both me and an
elderly parent that lives at home with me. Therein lies my concern -
when I'm at work I'm worried that a Brittany may be too much to handle
if she gets restless from all this 'energy' they reportedly have and
may become disruptive to my mother. Now, my mother is not an invalid,
is quite mobile, and has much experience with dogs over the years, and
has recently had to put a dog down so there is a big hole in her heart
that needs filling! Everything I read about the Brittany seems to
point to a Brittany as the perfect breed - are these sites overplaying
the 'energy level' of this breed? Or, would I be making a huge
mistake by adopting one for our circumstances? Hope you can help.

--
Rick Piatt




I was renting a cottage when I first got Zoe as a puppy, and my landlord
had a Brittany. He had about 10 acres that were electronically fenced,
and Katie stayed outside all day, and ran and ran and ran. And she would
play with Zoe at any opportunity, and she would wear the puppy out.
Seriously. She was the highest energy dog I have ever met.

Walks will not be enough for your dog, she will need good, long, off-
leash runs, maybe even daily. Nobody had taught Katie to fetch, but that
could be a good way to run off energy. I don't know how Brittanys do in
dog sports, but I do know that they bond very closely with their owners
and love to be with them, so I expect they would enjoy agility and such.
My landlord took his dog hunting sometimes, which she loved.

Those sites are not underestimating the Brittany energy level -- they
have more energy than Jack Russells, imo, and longer legs! They are
sweet, sweet dogs, and I think would make a great pet for you if you
figure out how to get her the exercise she will need.

Oh, and Katie was about 12 years old when I knew her. They don't slow
down as they age.

If you change your mind about the Brittany, you might want to consider an
older dog from a shelter or rescue group -- someone who loves walkies but
also loves to hang around the house, and is already housetrained and a
bit easy to handle. I recently adopted a Pomeranian from a rescue group,
and he is a great companion and is like walking a feather. Just something
to think about.

--
Catherine
& Zoe the cockerchow
& Queenie the black gold retriever
& Max the Pomeranian
& Rosalie the calico

Catherine,

Thanks for your response ... this is what I was afraid of. When I first
saw your response something inside of me said, "yup, I knew that would be
the case". Its funny you should mention the possibility of adopting an
older dog from a pound - I was already considering that also. That is
exactly how I adopted my last dog and it was a wonderful experience.

--
Rick Piatt





"ceb" wrote in message
...
"RickPiatt" wrote in
news:EnRmg.114877$Ce1.51753@dukeread01:

I was wondering if you folks could advise me - I've been researching
(on the web) all the various dog breeds and am very interested in
adopting a Brittany however one thing that just about every web site
notes about the dogs is a high energy level! Now, I would have just
brushed right by this had I seen it on one or two sites, but EVERY
site mentions this !!!! I'm looking to adopt a dog that will go for
daily walks with me (30-45min per day avg), rides in the car every
day, and be an all around friend and companion to both me and an
elderly parent that lives at home with me. Therein lies my concern -
when I'm at work I'm worried that a Brittany may be too much to handle
if she gets restless from all this 'energy' they reportedly have and
may become disruptive to my mother. Now, my mother is not an invalid,
is quite mobile, and has much experience with dogs over the years, and
has recently had to put a dog down so there is a big hole in her heart
that needs filling! Everything I read about the Brittany seems to
point to a Brittany as the perfect breed - are these sites overplaying
the 'energy level' of this breed? Or, would I be making a huge
mistake by adopting one for our circumstances? Hope you can help.

--
Rick Piatt




I was renting a cottage when I first got Zoe as a puppy, and my landlord
had a Brittany. He had about 10 acres that were electronically fenced,
and Katie stayed outside all day, and ran and ran and ran. And she would
play with Zoe at any opportunity, and she would wear the puppy out.
Seriously. She was the highest energy dog I have ever met.

Walks will not be enough for your dog, she will need good, long, off-
leash runs, maybe even daily. Nobody had taught Katie to fetch, but that
could be a good way to run off energy. I don't know how Brittanys do in
dog sports, but I do know that they bond very closely with their owners
and love to be with them, so I expect they would enjoy agility and such.
My landlord took his dog hunting sometimes, which she loved.

Those sites are not underestimating the Brittany energy level -- they
have more energy than Jack Russells, imo, and longer legs! They are
sweet, sweet dogs, and I think would make a great pet for you if you
figure out how to get her the exercise she will need.

Oh, and Katie was about 12 years old when I knew her. They don't slow
down as they age.

If you change your mind about the Brittany, you might want to consider an
older dog from a shelter or rescue group -- someone who loves walkies but
also loves to hang around the house, and is already housetrained and a
bit easy to handle. I recently adopted a Pomeranian from a rescue group,
and he is a great companion and is like walking a feather. Just something
to think about.

--
Catherine
& Zoe the cockerchow
& Queenie the black gold retriever
& Max the Pomeranian
& Rosalie the calico

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 11:29:00 -0400, Handsome Jack Morrison
wrote:

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 08:45:23 -0400, "RickPiatt"
wrote:

I was wondering if you folks could advise me - I've been researching (on the
web) all the various dog breeds and am very interested in adopting a
Brittany however one thing that just about every web site notes about the
dogs is a high energy level! Now, I would have just brushed right by this
had I seen it on one or two sites, but EVERY site mentions this !!!!
looking to adopt a dog that will go for daily walks with me (30-45min per
day avg), rides in the car every day, and be an all around friend and
companion to both me and an elderly parent that lives at home with me.
Therein lies my concern - when I'm at work I'm worried that a Brittany may
be too much to handle if she gets restless from all this 'energy' they
reportedly have and may become disruptive to my mother. Now, my mother is
not an invalid, is quite mobile, and has much experience with dogs over the
years, and has recently had to put a dog down so there is a big hole in her
heart that needs filling! Everything I read about the Brittany seems to
point to a Brittany as the perfect breed - are these sites overplaying the
'energy level' of this breed? Or, would I be making a huge mistake by
adopting one for our circumstances? Hope you can help.

I'm going to basically agree with other posters
(yes, the Brittany has a high-energy level, etc.) but take a different
tack.

All dogs have a need for exercise, mental stimulation, training, etc.
The Brittany is no worse than, say, a Lab, when it comes to energy
levels, yet the Lab can make for just a wonderful pet and personal
companion. So can the Brittany.

If the Brittany meets your basic requirements, and you're willing to
walk and exercise her every day, and provide her with a modicum of
mental stimulation (obedience training, retrieving, etc.), and your
mother is willing and able to engage her from time to time in walks,
training, etc., you should do just fine with a Brittany.

You probably won't find many Brittanys at your local shelters, so you
may have to contact a regional or national Brittany rescue
organization. One thing about getting an adult Brittany, is that
you'll have a pretty good idea of what the dog's energy levels are.
Although it's sometimes hard to judge that while the dog is still in
the shelter.

You also might want to consider getting one from a responsible
breeder. Make sure that you look at the dog's parents carefully,
because they are the best judge of what kind of dog you're going to
end up with. Brittanys are like any other breed; some are more
"energetic" than others. Some may have washed out of field-training,
for example, because they lacked enough drive. A started dog like that
can make for an outstanding pet and companion, even for a novice.

So take your time and look for one that comes closest to meeting your
(and your mother's) needs. You're going to be responsible for your
decision for maybe 12+ years - so make it a good one.

Good luck!

--
Handsome Jack Morrison

Thanks for the advice! This afternoon I was driving down a street not far
from my home on the way to a lake that I like to walk around every evening
(about a 35-45 minute walk) and lo and behold, I saw a gentleman walking a
Brittany down the street! This amazed me because I have no recollection of
ever seeing a Brittany before my search began a few days ago. Well, I
stopped and talked with him at length - he apparently has owned his Brittany
for about 8-10 years and tells me that in his case all the dog requires to
keep her happy is a half hour walk in the morning before he goes to work
followed by a similar walk at night after supper. Of course, the dog has
numerous toys in the fenced in back yard and loves to chase squirrels,
birds, etc every day as well. He said when the dog was younger he would
take it to a baseball field and let it run like crazy once in a while too
.... is this closer to what you think is normal or would you say that this
man is NOT exercising his Brittany sufficiently?

What I'm looking for is an adult Brittany - say about 4-5 years old. I know
I don't have time to train a puppy - and goodness knows that a puppy would
be too much for my mother to put up with as well at her age. This man told
me that his Brittany, while slowing down as she's pretty old now, is still
full of energy and that once she hit about 5 years old she was very
manageable with the regiment I outlined in the paragraph above.

I can't tell you how seriously I'm taking this decision - as you said, this
is a long term decision and I wouldn't want to do anything that would make a
Brittany suffer (whether from boredom, lack of exercise, etc). If I make
this commitment, it's for life! That Brittany and I will be pals for life
with no excuse given!

--
Rick Piatt







"Handsome Jack Morrison" wrote in message
...

I'm going to basically agree with other posters
(yes, the Brittany has a high-energy level, etc.) but take a different
tack.

All dogs have a need for exercise, mental stimulation, training, etc.
The Brittany is no worse than, say, a Lab, when it comes to energy
levels, yet the Lab can make for just a wonderful pet and personal
companion. So can the Brittany.

If the Brittany meets your basic requirements, and you're willing to
walk and exercise her every day, and provide her with a modicum of
mental stimulation (obedience training, retrieving, etc.), and your
mother is willing and able to engage her from time to time in walks,
training, etc., you should do just fine with a Brittany.

You probably won't find many Brittanys at your local shelters, so you
may have to contact a regional or national Brittany rescue
organization. One thing about getting an adult Brittany, is that
you'll have a pretty good idea of what the dog's energy levels are.
Although it's sometimes hard to judge that while the dog is still in
the shelter.

You also might want to consider getting one from a responsible
breeder. Make sure that you look at the dog's parents carefully,
because they are the best judge of what kind of dog you're going to
end up with. Brittanys are like any other breed; some are more
"energetic" than others. Some may have washed out of field-training,
for example, because they lacked enough drive. A started dog like that
can make for an outstanding pet and companion, even for a novice.

So take your time and look for one that comes closest to meeting your
(and your mother's) needs. You're going to be responsible for your
decision for maybe 12+ years - so make it a good one.

Good luck!

--
Handsome Jack Morrison

"RickPiatt" composed these thoughts and posted them
news:Is%mg.114929$Ce1.49058@dukeread01:

Thanks for the advice! This afternoon I was driving down a street not
far from my home on the way to a lake that I like to walk around every
evening (about a 35-45 minute walk) and lo and behold, I saw a
gentleman walking a Brittany down the street! This amazed me because
I have no recollection of ever seeing a Brittany before my search
began a few days ago. Well, I stopped and talked with him at length -
he apparently has owned his Brittany for about 8-10 years and tells me
that in his case all the dog requires to keep her happy is a half hour
walk in the morning before he goes to work followed by a similar walk
at night after supper. Of course, the dog has numerous toys in the
fenced in back yard and loves to chase squirrels, birds, etc every day
as well. He said when the dog was younger he would take it to a
baseball field and let it run like crazy once in a while too ... is
this closer to what you think is normal or would you say that this man
is NOT exercising his Brittany sufficiently?

What I'm looking for is an adult Brittany - say about 4-5 years old.
I know I don't have time to train a puppy - and goodness knows that a
puppy would be too much for my mother to put up with as well at her
age. This man told me that his Brittany, while slowing down as she's
pretty old now, is still full of energy and that once she hit about 5
years old she was very manageable with the regiment I outlined in the
paragraph above.

I can't tell you how seriously I'm taking this decision - as you said,
this is a long term decision and I wouldn't want to do anything that
would make a Brittany suffer (whether from boredom, lack of exercise,
etc). If I make this commitment, it's for life! That Brittany and I
will be pals for life with no excuse given!

--
Rick Piatt







"Handsome Jack Morrison" wrote in
message ...

I'm going to basically agree with other posters
(yes, the Brittany has a high-energy level, etc.) but take a
different tack.

All dogs have a need for exercise, mental stimulation, training, etc.
The Brittany is no worse than, say, a Lab, when it comes to energy
levels, yet the Lab can make for just a wonderful pet and personal
companion. So can the Brittany.

If the Brittany meets your basic requirements, and you're willing to
walk and exercise her every day, and provide her with a modicum of
mental stimulation (obedience training, retrieving, etc.), and your
mother is willing and able to engage her from time to time in walks,
training, etc., you should do just fine with a Brittany.

You probably won't find many Brittanys at your local shelters, so you
may have to contact a regional or national Brittany rescue
organization. One thing about getting an adult Brittany, is that
you'll have a pretty good idea of what the dog's energy levels are.
Although it's sometimes hard to judge that while the dog is still in
the shelter.

You also might want to consider getting one from a responsible
breeder. Make sure that you look at the dog's parents carefully,
because they are the best judge of what kind of dog you're going to
end up with. Brittanys are like any other breed; some are more
"energetic" than others. Some may have washed out of field-training,
for example, because they lacked enough drive. A started dog like
that can make for an outstanding pet and companion, even for a
novice.

So take your time and look for one that comes closest to meeting your
(and your mother's) needs. You're going to be responsible for your
decision for maybe 12+ years - so make it a good one.

Good luck!

--
Handsome Jack Morrison





I believe we all suggested an older brittany. They start getting sane at
about 3-4

RickPiatt wrote:

I can't tell you how seriously I'm taking this decision - as you said, this
is a long term decision and I wouldn't want to do anything that would make a
Brittany suffer (whether from boredom, lack of exercise, etc). If I make
this commitment, it's for life! That Brittany and I will be pals for life
with no excuse given!

It's really wonderful to see someone puttting so much thoughtful
consideration into the decision to get a pet. There's nothing wrong
with a high energy dog, and I really like Britts, but I'd like to
suggest another way of looking at it. Matching levels of energy and
focus between dog and human are far more important than time spent
exercising or age. Active involvement with a dog is much more than
physically tiring them out. If dog and owner aren't equally intense,
somebody in the relationship is going to be frustrated. Usually both
of them. There are more and less intense dogs in every breed. So,
beyond breed, look closely at individual dogs.

Lynn K.

On Fri, 23 Jun 2006 19:26:31 -0500, diddy wrote:

[]
So take your time and look for one that comes closest to meeting your
(and your mother's) needs. You're going to be responsible for your
decision for maybe 12+ years - so make it a good one.

Good luck!

I believe we all suggested an older brittany.

Yes.

They start getting sane at about 3-4

They starting getting "sane" around the time that someone starts
training them and providing them with sufficient exercise.

People like to say that Labs are nuts too, until 3-4 years of age.

Ain't true about Labs, either.

--
Handsome Jack Morrison

Spaniel breeds are known for high energy levels. Having said that,
select your dog carefully and do proper obedience training and you
could very well bring a dog with high energy into your home. It is my
opinion that you can typically make most dogs work in most situations
if you train your dog well. Good luck!
RickPiatt wrote:
I was wondering if you folks could advise me - I've been researching (on the
web) all the various dog breeds and am very interested in adopting a
Brittany however one thing that just about every web site notes about the
dogs is a high energy level! Now, I would have just brushed right by this
had I seen it on one or two sites, but EVERY site mentions this !!!! I'm
looking to adopt a dog that will go for daily walks with me (30-45min per
day avg), rides in the car every day, and be an all around friend and
companion to both me and an elderly parent that lives at home with me.
Therein lies my concern - when I'm at work I'm worried that a Brittany may
be too much to handle if she gets restless from all this 'energy' they
reportedly have and may become disruptive to my mother. Now, my mother is
not an invalid, is quite mobile, and has much experience with dogs over the
years, and has recently had to put a dog down so there is a big hole in her
heart that needs filling! Everything I read about the Brittany seems to
point to a Brittany as the perfect breed - are these sites overplaying the
'energy level' of this breed? Or, would I be making a huge mistake by
adopting one for our circumstances? Hope you can help.

--
Rick Piatt