SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION :
"During presentation of the project for the standard, we regretted the fact the we were not allowed a section that we consider very important, namely scientific; in Europe, all scientists ancient and modern, often refer to this. For this reason, we are using this commentary to insist briefly on this aspect, if only to fix the type "Breveligne" or "COB" for well ribbed up, short and compact in proportion, which is particular to the Epagneul Breton the only one of this type among the pointer gundogs. Parallel also known as "Braccoide" according to the classification of Doctor Pierre MEGIN and "Breviligne" according to that of Professors BARON and DECHAMBRE. This classification having been established not on the model favored by MEGIN, but on three criteria: size, profile and proportions, that in order : Eumetrique, Rectiligne, and Breviligne."

DATE of PUBLICATION of the ORIGINAL STANDARD (in French): 3/13/2001

UTILIZATION : Gundog

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :
Group 7 Pointing Dogs and Setters. Section 1.2 Continental Pointing Dogs, Spaniel type. with working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :
Of French origin and more precisely, from the center of Brittany. At present, in first place numerically among French sporting breeds. Probably one of the oldest of the spaniel type dogs, improved at the beginning of the 20th century by diverse outcrosses and selections. A draft of a breed standard drawn up in Nantes in 1907 was presented and adopted at the first General Assembly held in Loudéac (in former Côtes du Nord department, now Côtes d'Armor), June 7, 1908.
This was the first standard of the "Naturally Short-Tailed Brittany Spaniel Club".

GENERAL APPEARANCE :
Smallest of the pointing breeds. The Epagneul Breton is a continental spaniel type (braccoïde in French), either short-tailed or tail-less. Built harmoniously on a solid but refined frame, the whole is compact and stocky, without undue heaviness, while staying sufficiently elegant. The dog is vigorous, the look is bright, and the expression intelligent. The general aspect is "COBBY" (brachymorphic), full of energy, having conserved in the course of its evolution the short-coupled model sought after and fixed by those having created the breed.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :
The skull is longer than the muzzle, with a ratio of 3 : 2. Head is in proportion to the body.



The depth of the chest, from withers to brisket, is slightly less than half the height of the dog. The scapulo-ischial length from the point of the shoulder to the point of the buttocks) is equal to the height at the withers (the dog fits in a square).



BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT :
Dog adapting itself to any environment, sociable, with an intelligent and attentive expression, mentally balanced. Versatile pointing dog, for any game on any terrain, precocious in revealing its hunting passion. Remarkable in its searching for game, its gaits, its scenting ability, its ranging in the field, its spontaneity and duration of pointing, its retrieving and its aptitude for training.

HEAD: The features are finely chiseled. The skin fits tightly.

CRANIAL REGION:
Slightly rounded (Braccoid) as seen from the front or the side.  Seen from
above, the lateral surfaces are slightly convex. The top lines of the head and the
muzzle are parallel. The width of the skull measured between the zygomatic arches is
slightly less than its length. The supercilliary arches are not prominent but form a slightly
rounded curve. The frontal furrow as well as the sagittal crest are slightly defined. The
stop is moderate. The occipital crest as well as the zygomatic arches are moderately
defined.



FACIAL REGION:

NOSE:
Wide, with damp, large, wide-opened  nostrils, of uniform color and without colorless areas in harmony with the color of the coat, as is the case of the edge of the eyelids and natural orifices.

MUZZLE:
Straight; seen from above, from the thinning below the eye to the prominence of the first upper carnasal, the sides are parallel, then harmoniously rounding to meet the nose.  The width of the muzzle is close to 1/2 the width of the skull.

LIPS:
Without slackness, not too deep, quite fine and fitting well.  The lower discretely hidden by the upper with the curving progressively into the corners of the mouth, which are not very defined and tight. The whole is free of de-pigmentation.

JAWS/TEETH:
The teeth well-set, complete and healthy. Scissors bite, full 42 count.

CHEEKS:
Not very full, skin taut. Any slackness, clearly localized around the eye, hinders the definition of the area and is often associated with dewlaps.

EYES:
Slightly oblique. With an intelligent, soft and frank expression. Somewhat oval, not protruding, with fine, well pigmented, tightly fitting eyelids. The color of the iris is in keeping with the color of the coat, preferably dark.   The eye expression coupled with the upward movement of the base of the ears gives rise to the true Epagneul Breton expression.

EARS:
Set high, triangular in shape, relatively wide and rather short, (drawn forward, the tip of the ear reaches the stop). Partially covered with wavy hair, especially in the upper part, the extremity being covered by short hair. Always quite mobile when the dog is attentive or in action.

NECK:
Of average length, short rather than long and thin, well-muscled, like a flattened cone in shape and very slightly curved but never really rounded.  Well enough clear of the shoulder, without dewlaps.

BODY:
Viewed as a whole, drawn within an almost perfect square, its length must be only very slightly smaller than the height, at the risk of loosing its allure.

TOP-LINE:
Harmonious connection with the neck; straight in line up to the loin, then croup to start of the tail.

WITHERS:
Sufficiently mobile and not very pronounced, without being thickened. Points of the shoulder blades are 5 cm apart.

BACK:
Straight, short, rigid, wide and muscular.  Intimately connected to the loin.

LOIN:
Short, broad and muscular.  Compact, never curved, receiving the locomotive impetus of the hindquarters.

CROUP:
Very slightly sloping to the base of the tail.  Wide and muscled.


CHEST:
Let down to point of elbow, broad with ribs well sprung but not barrel chested.
Sternum wide and scarcely rising towards the rear. The rearmost ribs long and supple.

ABDOMIN:
Slightly tucked-up.

FLANK:
Not very raised or extended.

TAIL:
The Epagneul Breton can be born tail-less or with a short-tail. The tail attaches high, carried horizontally or slightly hanging, hiding the vulva in the female.  Wagging when the dog is attentive or in action.  In Countries where docking is forbidden, it would seem improper to define a rule for the Epagneul Breton born long-tailed.  (The French club does not give an opinion as to the standardization of this carriage, but adds "during a show, a dog coming from a country which has banned tail docking by law will in no case be penalized for having an un-shortened tail")

(Tail Carriage defined CEB France 2/2002 - The docked tail of an adult dog shall not exceed 10cms,the ideal length   being 3 to 6 cms. The tail will be carried horizontally, level with the backline or slightly beneath this line.
A tail carriage above the horizontal line is considered a fault.)

LIMBS:
The limbs are well poise parallel to the vertical axis of the body, without deviation.


FOREQUARTERS:

SHOULDERS:
Mobile, long (30% of the height at the withers), close to the body with thick muscles.  Its slope is that of a galloper, between 55 and 60 degrees from the horizontal. Viewed from the front they lay in close to 20 degrees, where the highest point of the shoulders are 5 cm. apart.

ARM:
Its bone support is the humerus.   Wide, thick with protruding muscles, it is slightly longer than the shoulder blade, about 31% the height of the withers.  The scapulo-humeral angle (between the shoulder blade and the arm) is between 115 and 120 degrees.


FOREARM:
The radius and ulna are muscular and clean. Slightly longer than the arm. It should be practically perpendicular to the ground.

ELBOW:
Close to body - neither in nor out.

Metacarpus (Pastern):
Solid while maintaining a certain flexibility, slightly oblique ("sloped") (between 15 and 20 degrees from the vertical).

FOOT:
Rather round, toes tight, pads firm, toenails short.

HINDQUARTERS:
Parallel to the vertical axis of the body when viewed from behind.

THIGH:
Broad with thick and  prominent  (Well developed) muscles. It should angle between 70 and 75 degrees from the horizontal.

LOWER THIGH:
Very slightly longer than the thigh with clean, well developed muscles. Broad in the upper part, diminishing gradually in size towards its junction with the hock. The angle between the upper thigh and lower thigh is close to 130 degrees.


HIPS:
Lower than the withers, slightly prominent. The points of the hips are level with
the back.

HOCK:
Clean, very solid with visible tendons. (Often confused, the hock is uniquely the joint and not the metatarsus)

Metatarsus (Rear pastern):
Strong, nearly vertical when seen from the side.

HIND FOOT:
Slightly longer than the front feet, while maintaining the same characteristics.

GAIT / MOVEMENT:
The different gaits are easy, proud, happy but powerful, regular and lively.  Those of a little COB which is full of energy.  The limbs move in line without exaggerated vertical oscillation and without rolling from the out side.  The back line rests firm.  The gallop is main gait in the field, strides are rapid and of a medium length, the hind legs having little extension to the rear (collected cantor).

SKIN:
Fine, tight fitting and well pigmented.


COAT:

HAIR:
The coat is fine but not silky, lying flat on the body or with a hint of a wave. Never curly. Short on the head and the front of the limbs, the latter has a heavier coat, furnished with abundant feathering, diminishing along their length down to the carpus (wrist) or the tarsus (hock), or even lower.  In shows to conform to the standard fur which is too abundant or insufficiently long can be penalized.

COLOR:
White and orange, white and black, white and liver, with more or less extensive irregular white patches. Piebald or roan, sometimes with ticking on the top and sides of the muzzle or the limbs. Equally, in the case of tri-color coats, with tan spotting (orange to dark tan) on the top and sides of the muzzle, over the eyes, on the limbs, on the chest and under the base of the tail. A restricted blaze at the top of the head is desirable with any color of coat. A self colored (uni-colored) coat is not allowed.
(Note:  France separates the breed into 2 color varieties- Orange & White, and any Other allowed color)


SIZE:

HEIGHT AT THE WITHER:

MALES:
48 cm minimum (18.9") with a tolerance of 1 cm (0. 4").  {18.5"}
51 cm maximum (20.1") with a tolerance of 1 cm (0. 4").  {20.5"}
IDEAL HEIGHT: 49 to 50 cm (19.3" to 19.7").

FEMALES:
47 cm minimum (18.5") with a tolerance of 1 cm (0.4 ").   {18.1"}
50 cm maximum (19.7") with a tolerance of I cm ( 0.4").    {20.1"}
IDEAL HEIGHT: 48 to 49 cm (18.9" to 19.3").


FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

CHARACTER: Timidity, evasive look.
Head planes: Somewhat divergent.
NOSE: Very slightly de-pigmented, interior of the nostrils de-pigmented. (Butterfly)
JAWS: Teeth badly set (Pincer bite).
MUZZLE: Pinched or snipy.
LIPS: Heavy, pendulous, upper lip covering the lower either insufficiently or excessively.
EYES: Prominent, round or almond shaped.
EARS: Hung too low or falling away too sharply.
BACK: Arched or saddle back.
CROUP: Too narrow or falling away too sharply (Steep).
ABDOMEN: Bulky or too tucked up (whippet-like).
FEET: Splayed too round or too long.
NECK: Too heavy and lacking reach; Throatiness.
LOIN: Long, narrow, weak.
FLANK: Too hollow, often accompanied by a weak loin lacking breadth.
LIMBS: Insufficient bone. Out at the elbows, pigeon toed, slew feet.
COAT: Not heavy enough on the body.
TAIL: Carried above the horizontal line of the back


SERIOUS FAULTS:

BEHAVIOR: Sluggish.
SKULL: Zygomatic arches too prominent, stop very pronounced, superciliary arches
               (eyelid arches) too prominent.
EYES: Light, mean look, haw-like expression.
             (Haws loose skin around the eyes like a hound, leaving a pocket)
NECK: Excessively long, distinct dewlap.
GAIT: Any problem in the gaits. (abnormal, limping, etc.)


ELIMINATING FAULTS:

Any fault in temperament such as: snapping, aggressiveness towards dog or
              man, excessive shyness.
LACK OF TYPE: Insufficient breed characteristics, which means the animal on the
              whole doesn't resemble other samples of the breed.
HEIGHT: Outside the limits defined by the standard.
HEAD PLANES: Marked convergence.
ADNORMAL MARKINGS: White spot on the ear or eye in a white patch.
EYES: Very light in color, heterochromia (eyes of different colors), squinting
              entropion, ectropion.
JAWS: Overshot or undershot mouth.
TEETH: The first premolars (PM1)of both jaws and the last molars (M3) of the lower     
jaw are considered without importance. A limit of 2 PM2 or 1 PM2 and 1 PM3 can be missing. Contiguous (in succession) absence of these two teeth (PM2 and PM3) is eliminating. Absence of any other tooth is eliminating.
PIGMENTATION: Distinct un-pigmented areas on the nose or eyelids.
   Presence of (rear) dewclaws (6th or 7th vestigles) , even if rudimentary.
   (meant but not written clearly)
   Serious morphological anomaly.
N.B. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into
     the scrotum.