History of the Epagneul Breton

This breed goes back much earlier than to its official creation, in 1907, as many ancient authors do confirm.

It used to be a local variety of the spaniels (in French this words designs any dogs with semi long wavy fur) that were then to be found in all Europ. Its development in the Armorican peninsula forged it similar to the hard region where it lived, where everything is small, healthy, strong, and courageous.

Indisputable of the lineage of the dogs of Oysel, described by Gaston Phoebus, passion for hunting is deeply engraved in its genes. The opening of its region to tourism from Great Britain probably allowed some blood mixing during the XIXth century, to which setters (who are also “spaniels”) as well as springers (who are spaniels too) brought their contribution, yet not allowing to measure objectively what was casual and what was intentional.

Sometimes born tailless (bob) or with a short tail, the modern type of the Epagneul Breton has been defined by the 1908 standard, which followed only by one year the foundation of the Club de l’Epagneul Breton, at Loudéac, by Mr. Arthur Enaud, a lawyer, who was its first chairman.
The stupendous and continuous success of this breed gives evidence to the relevant choices made by the Breton promoters.

The present policy of the Club is to continue the work of the founders by promoting a dog that is sound, dynamic, a clever and efficient hunter with a superior skill.

Proper reward of these efforts, among all the French breeds, the Epagneul Breton is the most widespread in the world!