Brittany Puppies: Adopt or Buy in Australia?

Should you adopt or buy a Brittany?

Either route can work. The Dogs Australia breed standard, which places the Brittany in Group 3, Gundogs, opens with “smallest of the pointing breeds” and describes “a versatile pointing dog, for any game on any terrain, precocious in revealing its hunting passion”. Its temperament line reads: “A dog adapting itself to any environment, sociable, with an intelligent and attentive expression, mentally balanced.”

A registered breeder who scores hips, checks eyes and is open about epilepsy in the lines gives you the best odds against the breed's known problems and a puppy you raise yourself. Rescue gives you a dog whose energy and manners you can see first; check the live listings, as numbers change daily. The route to avoid is an online ad for a cheap “Brittany Spaniel” with no health results and no breeder you can check.

Reference figures: the RSPCA Victoria adoption page, read 12 November 2026. Not a quote. Breeders and rescues set their own prices and change them, so check with them.

What is a Brittany like to live with?

Cheerful, keen and on the go. Dogs Victoria describes Brittanys as happy, alert dogs, neither shy nor mean, energetic and fun loving, enjoying the company of people of any age, and loyal, affectionate and eager to please, as well as good watchdogs. It says ideal owners allow the Brittany inside the house as part of the family, and should be active people who enjoy the outdoors and will walk the dog every day.

Be realistic about the exercise. The UK Royal Kennel Club lists more than 2 hours of exercise a day for the breed, and Dogs Australia's puppy-choosing advice says a working dog or gundog “will be active in mind and body and will require regular occupation and a lot of exercise”. Dogs Victoria notes the Brittany was first imported to Australia in 1974. Our Brittany exercise and drive guide covers what that energy means day to day.

Sources: Dogs Australia breed standard, Dogs Victoria and the Royal Kennel Club, read 12 November 2026.

Which health tests should a Brittany breeder show you?

Dogs Victoria calls the Brittany generally a healthy breed, but says conditions that occur occasionally include hip dysplasia, epilepsy and eye disease, and recommends asking breeders what health testing they do. Here is what Dogs Victoria names, next to what two overseas bodies list: the UK Royal Kennel Club and the US national breed club's recommendations published by the American Kennel Club. The overseas lists are for asking an Australian breeder questions, not Australian rules:

Sources: Dogs Victoria Brittany profile, the Royal Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club's list of national breed club recommendations, read 12 November 2026. A buying checklist, not veterinary advice. Our Brittany health guide covers what these conditions mean once you own one.

None of these bodies lists a DNA test for epilepsy in the breed, so the honest answer comes from the breeder: ask whether any dogs in the pedigree have had seizures, and ask to see hip score and eye certificates for both parents, with names that match the litter. Dogs Victoria warns that a claim of “clear of all hereditary disease” based on a DNA test alone should ring alarm bells, because there are many breed-specific diseases without a DNA test; hips and elbows, for example, are checked by X-ray scoring.

How much is a Brittany puppy from a registered breeder?

We quote no breeder price, because we found no current one. In November 2026 we read the own websites of Brittany breeders who are members of Dogs Australia state bodies, leaving out listing and classified sites. One member breeder's site gave a ballpark range, which it says is not a quote, but nothing on that page showed the figure was current in 2026 (the page was last edited in 2024), so we do not repeat it; the others we read published no price. We found no guide price from a breed club or state body. We cannot speak for every breeder, so ask each one.

Ask for the price in writing and compare what it includes: the parents' hip scores and eye results, the vet check, vaccination and microchip, whether the puppy is on the Limited Register with a desexing agreement, and whether the breeder will take the dog back if your circumstances change. Dogs Australia also suggests asking whether your own vet can check the puppy.

You may need to wait for a litter. Dogs Australia's registration figures show 120 Brittanys registered in 2025, against 217 in 2021 (registrations, not litters bred). The dog cost calculator gives a first-year budget beyond the purchase.

Survey of member breeders' own websites, November 2026. Any price a breeder gives you is theirs to set; prices change, so check with them. Nothing here is a quote.

What do Brittanys in rescue look like?

It varies. Check the live listings above, as numbers change daily; a Brittany in rescue may be an adult or a Brittany cross, and a good rescue will tell you how the dog is with children, other dogs, recall and time alone. If you adopt, ask what is known about the dog's health history, including any seizures, and ask your vet about a hip and eye check. Our Brittany adoption guide covers the adoption steps in Sydney.

If you are flexible on breed, browse family dogs listed by rescues: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide.

What does a rescue Brittany cost?

Reference only, not a quote. These are the fees each rescue published on the date shown; fees change and some dogs are priced individually, so check with the rescue. Read our guide to adopting a dog in Australia.

How do Brittany puppy scams work?

Scamwatch warns that scammers set up fake websites, and fake profiles on social media and online marketplaces, for pets that do not exist, and that if a pet is very cheap it is likely a scam. Dogs Victoria's puppy scam fact sheet adds that fake ads may display microchip, source or membership numbers lifted from legitimate breeders. Checks to make before you pay:

• Health results. Ask for the parents' hip scores and eye results, with certificates whose names match the litter.
• Colour. The standard allows white with orange, black or liver (including tricolour coats with tan), and does not allow a self-coloured (solid) coat, so ask exactly what you are being sold if a “Brittany” puppy is one solid colour.
• Borrowed numbers. Dogs Victoria says to contact the organisation a seller claims membership of and check the number is valid and matches the breeder's name, location and breed.
• Copied photos. Dogs Victoria passes on the ACCC's advice to use a reverse image search to check whether the photos appear on other websites.

Our guide to puppies for sale in Australia has the state-by-state table of breeder numbers, how to check each one, and what to do if you have already paid.

When is a registered breeder the better choice?

Rescue is not right for everyone, and if you want a Brittany puppy specifically, waiting for a registered breeder is reasonable. Check these before you pay:

1. Registration. Ask for the breeder's prefix and membership number and check them through Dogs Australia's breeder search or your state body.
2. Hip scores for both parents.
3. Eye examinations for both parents.
4. An honest health history of the lines, including any seizures.
5. A written contract covering health problems, register type, desexing and whether the breeder will take the dog back.

Is a Brittany the right dog for you?

The appeal is real: a friendly, easy-care, medium-sized dog that wants to be part of the family. Be honest about three things before you apply anywhere: hours of exercise every day and somewhere safe to run, patient training for recall in a dog bred to range and point, and a place for the dog inside the house with you. Not sure? Try the what dog breed is right for me quiz, the dog exercise calculator and the adoption readiness check, and compare with our guide to medium-sized dog breeds.

Find a Brittany near you

Brittanys and Brittany crosses listed by rescues, by city:

• Brittanys for adoption in Sydney
• Brittanys for adoption in Melbourne
• Brittanys for adoption in Brisbane
• Brittanys for adoption in Perth
• Brittanys for adoption in Adelaide

Our Sydney Brittany guides: Brittany adoption in Sydney, Brittany health issues, Brittany exercise and drive.

More gundog adopt-or-buy guides: German Shorthaired Pointer, Vizsla, English Setter, Irish Setter, Toller.