There is nothing worse than a dog that sheds its fur all over your furniture, especially when you have had a long day at work and the last thing you want to do is clean up after your Britany spaniel when you get home.
Brittany spaniels are moderately shedding dogs, but you can prevent stray hairs from your dog from landing on your carpet by doing a weekly brushing. Brittany spaniels are easy to groom, but brushing their coats every week keeps their coat in good condition. You only need to bathe your Brittany when necessary.
Minimal grooming is one of the perks of owning a Brittany Spaniel, but the little you do helps a lot. We will expand more on their coats and how often they shed, and how to groom them.
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Are Brittany Spaniels Hypoallergenic?
Brittany’s are not hypoallergenic, and they can cause allergies in some instances. Truthfully, no dog is hypoallergenic; even dogs that don’t shed at all can be allergenic as the issue isn’t their hair but rather their flaky skin.
With that said, some breeds are more suitable for owners who suffer from allergies, and these breeds produce little dander and shed minimally.
Shedding is an issue because flaky skin collects in the hair, so the more a dog sheds, the more he will spread immune triggers around the home.
Brittany’s are not the best option for someone who is searching for a hypoallergenic breed. However, there are better suited-breeds, such as hybrid, designer dog breeds like the Yorkipoo and Bernedoodle.
Some purebreds can be hypoallergenic, like the poodle, Yorkshire terrier, and Bichon Frise.
Brittany Spaniels shed evenly year-round, there may be some increase during spring, but they shed continuously throughout the year.
Shedding (or molting) is expected in healthy dogs. They shed because the old hair ceases growth and falls out to make way for the new hair.
Shedding is nothing to be worried about. However, dog hairs on your clothes, upholstery, and floors are unsightly.
You can easily keep shedding at bay with weekly brushing to remove your dog’s old fur before it falls off. However, certain factors like poor diet, stress, stress, fleas and some health issues can cause more shedding than usual.
If you have any concerns about your Brittany’s coat, you should bring it up with your veterinarian.
You can’t stop your dog from shedding, and there is no quick fix; however, grooming is your best defense. Thankfully grooming is neither complicated nor time-consuming with a Brittany Spaniel as they are healthy and biddable dogs, requiring little regarding treatment or extra care.
How To Groom A Brittany Spaniel
Brittany Spaniels are easy to groom because they have a single-layered, wavy coat. Weekly brushing is sufficient to keep their coat healthy and to stop their fur dropping on your clothes, floors, and upholstery.
Some owners brush daily; it’s a judgment call each owner must make. Bathing is also essential for times when your dog’s coat gets dirty, like if he has jumped in the mud, etc.
Brushing Your Brittany Spaniel
Brushing removes old, loose hair and dirt from the fur. It distributes its natural oils to lubricate the hair, making it shine. It cuts down on cleaning your home. It strengthens the connection between you and your Brittany Spaniel, and it allows you an opportunity to check for lumps and bumps that may require veterinary attention.
To brush your Brittany, you must take the following steps:
- It’s best to brush your dog outdoors or in a designated part of your home specifically for brushing pet hair to prevent dog hairs in your living area
- Brush your dog’s hair with a pin brush going in the hair’s growth direction
- Then use a slicker brush to detangle and clean the feathering on his coat
- If the hair is knotted, begin brushing from the bottom of each hair strand and brush out to the end, removing knots as you go
- Work upwards until you can brush easily from the roots to the tip
- Smooth out your dog’s coat in the direction of the growth using a natural bristle brush
Bathing Your Brittany Spaniel
For times when you must bathe your Brittany Spaniel, you must gather all your supplies in advance to washing him. A wet dog and no towels are a recipe for disaster!
Brush your dog’s coat before you get him wet. This will also remove knots or mats in his feathers. Be sure to protect your pet’s inner ears from water and his eyes from soap.
You can use a cotton ball in each ear’s opening, and you can apply ophthalmic ointment to his eyes; the ointment is available at a pet store, vet, or groomer.
Encourage your Brittany to get into the tub and reward him when he does. Wet him with lukewarm water and massage a mild dog shampoo into his fur, starting from his neck then working towards the tail.
Please do the same with his chest and belly, under his back legs, and below his tail. Use a cloth to wash your dog’s face and a clean one to remove suds, do not lather his face.
To kill fleas on your Brittany, wet and lather him thoroughly, starting with his neck to prevent fleas from leaving his body and traveling to his ears to hide. Insecticidal shampoo isn’t necessary; all you need to do is leave on regular dog shampoo for around ten minutes to drown the fleas.
Shampoo residue can leave your dog’s fur sticky and irritate his skin, so be sure to rinse him thoroughly. Run your hands all over his body to ensure that you removed all the soap, which will feel slimy and leave bubbles on your hands if still there.
Be mindful that soap often hides in your dog’s armpits, groin, and between the ribs, so pay special attention to those regions.
When your dog’s coat is squeezed of excess water, gently pat it down dry as much as you can with a towel. Then praise and reward your dog with a treat before you gently let him go.
It’s always a good idea to put a collar on your dog to stop from running and rubbing himself on your furniture and furnishings – if you’re outdoors, you don’t want him to leap straight into the dirt. You can allow your Brittany’s fur to air dry or speed things up with a hairdryer set on cool.
Trimming Your Brittany’s Feet, Neck, And Ears
Brittany Spaniels benefit from trimming their feet, neck, ears, among other areas, to remove loose hairs. Your local breed club can inform you of grooming workshops or locate someone who can teach you. For now, you can find out here how to trim your Brittany Spaniel and improve his appearance.
Trimming The Feet
Long hair between your dog’s toes can be trimmed to prevent it from collecting debris like plant matter and stones. Here’s how to trim your Brittany’s feet:
- Use straight sheared to trim the hair beneath the foot.
- Use a slicker brush to brush hair between toes and on top of the foot against the growth. Use thinning or straight shears to trim the hair to a neat short length on top of the foot.
- Comb the fur on the back of the pastern against the grain and trim it to 1/2 inches.
- The feathers on your Brittany’s back legs should reach halfway to the hocks, and the feathers on the front legs should be around 2 to 4 inches use thinning shears. Toward the bottom of the leg, trim the feathers to about an inch.
- The feathering on your Brittany’s underside should be only 1 or 2 inches below the elbow and trimmed with thinning shears.
Trimming The Neck
Some dogs grow a lot of hair on their necks, and if it’s wavy or curly, it can look particularly thick. For a tidier look, trim the fur on the front and sides of your Brittany’s neck from the ears to above the sternum, using clippers or scissors. The neck is a tricky area, so it’s best to have a breeder or groomer demonstrate how.
The most straightforward trim consists of removing long hair from the back of your dog’s ears and side of the neck, using clippers with a number 10 blade or scissors. Trim in the direction of the hair’s growth.
Trimming The Ears
Brittany’s ears are long and floppy and can get a bit fuzzy looking if you don’t tidy them up from time to time. Use thinning shears to cut natural lines and carefully trim the outside edges of the ears. If your dog has lots of long fur in the underside of the ear flap, trim that also.
Final Thoughts
The Brittany Spaniel doesn’t shed a lot and doesn’t have significant blowouts. Nevertheless, he isn’t hypoallergenic and requires some maintenance to keep his fur healthy and prevent hair from falling on your clothes and floor.
Weekly brushing is essential and bathing when necessary. If you are not certain how to trim your dog, your breeder or local dog groomer will happily show you how.
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