Quick answer
Which is the better overall choice, Brittany or Old English Sheepdog?
Go with the Brittany if you want a dog that's easier to train and cheaper to groom. The OES makes sense mainly if its calmer, watchful nature is what you're after and you don't mind the coat work.
Brittany Spaniel or Old English Sheepdog? On paper they differ most on grooming need, and on the scales Old English Sheepdog is the heavier at 60–100 lbs. Here is how the two compare on everything that shapes an ordinary week.
This is for someone already down to Brittany Spaniel and Old English Sheepdog and deciding between them. For this pair the decision usually turns on grooming need and good for first-time owners, so those are covered first and in most detail. Anyone choosing from a flat has a clear answer here: Brittany Spaniel rates 3/5 against 2/5. Breed history is left out; what follows is what you will actually live with.
Between Brittany Spaniel and Old English Sheepdog, grooming need is what separates them, and Brittany Spaniel is the lower-effort dog of the two to keep.
Choose Brittany Spaniel if you are in a flat or a smaller home, this is your first dog and you do not want a standing grooming appointment.
Choose Old English Sheepdog if your walking routine is modest.
| Feature | brittany | old english sheepdog | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size class | medium | large | Equal |
| Weight | 30–40 lbs | 60–100 lbs | Equal |
| Height | 17–20 in | 20–24 in | Equal |
| Lifespan | 12–15 years | 10–12 years | brittany |
| Exercise need | High (4/5) | Moderate (3/5) | old english sheepdog |
| Grooming need | Low (2/5) | Very high (5/5) | brittany |
| Shedding | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | brittany |
| Energy level | High (4/5) | Moderate (3/5) | Equal |
| Barking | Low (2/5) | Moderate (3/5) | brittany |
| Apartment suitability | Moderate (3/5) | Low (2/5) | brittany |
| Good for first-time owners | High (4/5) | Low (2/5) | brittany |
| Tolerates being alone | Low (2/5) | Low (2/5) | Equal |
| Trainability | Very high (5/5) | Moderate (3/5) | brittany |
| Good with kids | Very high (5/5) | Very high (5/5) | Equal |
| Good with other dogs | Very high (5/5) | High (4/5) | brittany |
| Friendly to strangers | High (4/5) | High (4/5) | Equal |
| Cost level | Moderate (3/5) | High (4/5) | brittany |
| Coat | Medium, wavy coat | Long, shaggy double coat | Equal |
| Origin | France | Various | Equal |
| Typical monthly cost | $90–$180 | $110–$240 | Equal |
| Typical first-year cost | $1,300–$2,500 | $1,700–$3,200 | Equal |
The Brittany sits at 30-40 lbs and 17-20 inches, a wiry, sportsman's build. The Old English Sheepdog is in an entirely different weight class -- 60-100 lbs and up to 24 inches at the shoulder, with a heavier-boned frame under all that hair. Picking the Brittany up isn't a two-person job; picking up an OES definitely can be. If floor space and a smaller car trunk matter to you, the weight gap alone should settle a lot of the rest of this decision.
Brittanys rate high (4/5) on exercise need -- they were bred to run the field all day and expect a real outlet, not a stroll around the block. The OES comes in at moderate (3/5): still an active dog, but content with a solid daily walk plus yard time rather than an hour of hard running. If you want a jogging partner, the Brittany is the one that will actually keep pace.
This is where the two breeds pull apart hardest. The Brittany's grooming need is low (2/5) with moderate (3/5) shedding -- a weekly brush handles it. The OES sits at very high (5/5) grooming and high (4/5) shedding, and that long shaggy double coat mats fast without regular brushing and periodic clips. Budget real weekly time for an Old English Sheepdog's coat, or budget real money to have someone else do it.
The Brittany scores moderate (3/5) for apartment living against the OES's low (2/5) -- neither is a natural apartment dog, but the larger OES struggles more with cramped space. Barking runs low (2/5) for the Brittany and moderate (3/5) for the Sheepdog. Both tolerate being left alone poorly (2/5 each), so neither suits long solo days regardless of square footage.
Trainability tells the real story: the Brittany rates very high (5/5), the OES a more middling moderate (3/5). Paired with a first-time-owner score of 4/5 versus 2/5, the Brittany is simply the easier dog to bring home without prior experience. The OES isn't untrainable -- sheepdogs are working stock -- but it takes a more patient, consistent hand.
Both breeds score very high (5/5) with kids, so families don't have to choose on that front. The Brittany edges ahead with other dogs (5/5 versus 4/5), and both are equally friendly to strangers (4/5). If you're weighing this pair for a multi-dog household, the Brittany has a slightly easier time of it, though the gap is small.
The Brittany's expected lifespan of 12-15 years beats the OES's 10-12, a real difference over a dog's life. Both breeds share hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and bloat risk. The Brittany's sheet also carries elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, epilepsy, and separation anxiety; the OES's shorter list adds cataracts and primary ciliary dyskinesia. Neither list is short enough to skip pet insurance.
Cost level rates moderate (3/5) for the Brittany and high (4/5) for the OES, and the dollar ranges back that up: $90-$180 a month for the Brittany against $110-$240 for the Sheepdog, with first-year costs of $1,300-$2,500 versus $1,700-$3,200. Most of that gap is coat maintenance -- grooming bills add up fast on a dog rated 5/5 for grooming need.
Brittany Spaniel weighs 30–40 lbs and lives 12–15 years; Old English Sheepdog weighs 60–100 lbs and lives 10–12 years. The two diverge most on grooming need, good for first-time owners and trainability. They are level on tolerates being alone, good with kids and friendly to strangers, so those cannot decide it. The comparison marks an easier option only where one exists. Facts like weight and country of origin are not scored. Both dogs are rated from the same dataset, which is what makes the numbers comparable with each other even though any individual dog sits somewhere inside its breed's range.
The Old English Sheepdog, by a wide margin. It runs 60-100 lbs and up to 24 inches tall, while the Brittany tops out around 40 lbs and 20 inches. Expect roughly double the dog in every dimension with the OES.
The Old English Sheepdog, clearly. It rates very high (5/5) on grooming need and high (4/5) on shedding, versus low (2/5) and moderate (3/5) for the Brittany. That long double coat needs regular brushing to avoid matting.
The Brittany is the stronger pick, rated high (4/5) for first-time owners against the OES's low (2/5). Its very high (5/5) trainability score makes it more forgiving of a novice's mistakes.
Neither is ideal, but the Brittany fares better at moderate (3/5) apartment suitability versus low (2/5) for the OES. Both dogs also tolerate being alone poorly, so apartment life works best with someone home most of the day.
Plan on $90-$180 a month for a Brittany and $110-$240 for an Old English Sheepdog. First-year costs run $1,300-$2,500 and $1,700-$3,200 respectively, with the Sheepdog's grooming needs driving most of the gap.
Yes -- hip dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and bloat show up on both lists. The Brittany's sheet is longer overall, including elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, and epilepsy, while the OES adds cataracts and primary ciliary dyskinesia.
The Brittany, typically 12-15 years against the OES's 10-12. That's up to three extra years on average, worth weighing alongside the size difference since larger breeds generally run shorter lifespans.
Go with the Brittany if you want a dog that's easier to train and cheaper to groom. The OES makes sense mainly if its calmer, watchful nature is what you're after and you don't mind the coat work.
Brittany owners budget $90-$180 a month; OES owners budget $110-$240, mostly from grooming.
The Brittany, rated high (4/5) versus the OES's moderate (3/5) -- it wants to run, not just walk.
The Brittany, at 12-15 years versus 10-12 for the Old English Sheepdog.
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