The Brittany Spaniel originally was found in Breton. In a painting by Oudry in the early 1700s there is a portrait of a tail-less spaniel about the size and color of the Brittany that is pointing a partridge. The breed became popular with local poachers in the 1800s because of its agility and small size and its extraordinary ability to point and flush the birds, combined with a desire to retrieve and a willingness to work.