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Breed History
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a European court favourite from as early as the 15th century, is often referred to as the "comforter spaniel" because of it's sweet, and loving nature. Cavaliers are bred to be companions and their favourite place to be is with their family either on a lap or by their side. Cavaliers are almost always depicted in the paintings of Gainsborough, Landseer, Van Dyck, and others, usually with their family members. This lovely small spaniel is not only pretty to look at; he is also intelligent, eager to please, learns easily, and does well in obedience and agility.
The Miniature Poodle
The original Poodles were water dogs used for retrieving. To this day, their conformation and the texture and pattern of their coats reflect the purposes for which they were bred. Miniatures and Toys have been bred down from the larger Poodles and they exhibit the same general characteristics. The Poodle is an active, intelligent, ruggedly-built dog which is at the same time elegant and refined. Well-bred Poodles in all three varieties have steady, calm nerves, hardy constitutions and they can be easily trained. Each one is a character and for that reason they make wonderful companions.
The Cavapoo
The Cavapoo originated in Australia where they are named the "Cavoodle". The Cavapoo, as it is known as elsewhere in the world, is a cross between the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Toy or Miniature Poodle. Cavapoos have been in America since the 1950's and are now a recognized hybrid. Cavapoos are friendly, good-natured and intelligent with the best of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and the Miniature Poodles qualities at the forefront.
The Brittany
The history of the Brittany actually begins some 10,000 years ago for it was then that early man began domestication of the dog but, that is probably too far to ramble in this short space. One of the tasks man looked to the dog to help him with was hunting and one of the dog types developed was the scent hunter. Two separate scent hunting breeds emerged, the short-haired type, which froze rigidly when it scented game, was known as the Spanish Pointer, and the smaller long-haired variety, which was taught to drop as it neared its quarry, was called the 'dog of Spain' or just 'Spaniel'. The Brittany is derived from early land Spaniels and setters and is generally believed to have been developed in the Bretagne region of France hence the name Brittany. It appears that there is irrefutable evidence that as early as 1850, local French sportsmen were crossing their spaniels with English Setters. One should note that the English Setter referred to here is probably not the dog that we know today. The Brittany is known for its intelligence, elegant appearance, and their gentle and sensitive nature. They are eager to please and enjoy being taught basic obedience, and they are quick learners. The Brittany is polite and gentle with everyone and peaceful with other animals, and today Brittanys make wonderful family companions.
The Brittanypoo
The Brittanypoo or Brittanydoodle is a cross between the modern-day Brittany and the Poodle (at Pleasant Meadows we use the Miniature Poodle). This is a relatively new mix that has emerged in the mid-2000s along with the "Spoodle-type" Doodles. This Hybrid has gained a lot of recognition for it's similarities to the already well-known Cavapoo. The Brittanypoo is gentle in nature, and a sporty family dog that compliments the Miniature Poodle's intelligence as the Brittany is also highly intelligent, and their love of people makes them well suited to most family types!
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