Brittany vs German Shorthaired Pointer
Side by side
Brittany
German Shorthaired Pointer
Adult weight
Males 14–18 kg (31–40 lb); females 13–17 kg (29–37 lb) (breed club figure)1
Males 25–32 kg (55–71 lb); females 20–27 kg (44–60 lb) (breed club figure)2
Fully grown
11 months, both sexes5
Shedding
Sheds through the year
Grooming
Brushing a few times a week
A brush once a week
Exercise
Plenty
Class
Field
Field
Which suits you
Size
The German Shorthaired Pointer is much larger: about 26 kg (57 lb) as an adult, against 16 kg (34 lb) for the Brittany.
Lifespan
In UK vet records the German Shorthaired Pointer lives longer: a median of 13.4 years, against 11.1 for the Brittany.
Grooming
The Brittany needs more grooming, brushing a few times a week, where the German Shorthaired Pointer needs a brush once a week.
Temperament
They differ most on affection (Brittany: affectionate on its own terms; German Shorthaired Pointer: a lap or leaning dog) and on independence (Brittany: keen to work with you; German Shorthaired Pointer: cooperative, with its own ideas).
Alike
Both are rated the same on intelligence: needs daily brain work.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Brittany
Pointing dogs · Medium
In temperament it is quick, eager and soft-natured, with great stamina and a strong wish to work with its handler; it tends to respond poorly to harsh handling.
German Shorthaired Pointer
Pointing dogs · Medium
In temperament it is friendly, intelligent and willing, with plenty of drive and stamina.
Breed traits
Day to day
Brittany
German Shorthaired Pointer
Activity
Needs lots of exercise
Needs lots of exercise
Intelligence
Needs daily brain work
Needs daily brain work
Handler demand
Differs
Needs steady training
Needs an experienced owner
With people
Brittany
German Shorthaired Pointer
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Bonded to its family
Bonded to its family
Independence
Differs
Keen to work with you
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Brittany
German Shorthaired Pointer
Sensitivity
Needs a calm, predictable home
Needs a calm, predictable home
Voice
Barks to alert, then settles
Barks to alert, then settles
Prey drive
Likely to chase small pets
Likely to chase small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The German Shorthaired Pointer grows to the heavier adult, about 26 kg against the Brittany's 16 kg.
Brittany
German Shorthaired Pointer
More comparisons
Compare the Brittany with
Sources
- 1American Kennel Club. Brittany breed page. ↑
- 2American Kennel Club. German Shorthaired Pointer breed page. ↑
- 3
- 4
- 5Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 6
- 7
- 8Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 9Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 10American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
- 11
Parts of this page were written by AI ·