If it were a pointer, the Brittany would be the smallest of the pointers, but the breed’s working style also has setter qualities. It definitely doesn’t hunt like a Spaniel, and this is the reason the #AKC dropped the word “spaniel” from the Brittany’s name in 1982. Hunters develop dogs best suited to their own region, and much of Brittany, undeveloped until the 20th Century, was more rugged with diverse terrain than the rest of Western Europe. Consequently, the Brittany hunts in a fashion that’s more similar to much larger gundogs by pointing and/or setting. American fanciers have typically categorized dogs by purpose and use rather than appearance, and when the name was amended, England’s Kennel Club, the AKC, and the kennel Clubs of New Zealand and Australia dropped “spaniel” from the name.
Image: Brittany by © Jennay Hitesman | Dreamstime
The true reason the spaniel was dropped of the name is because the Brittany points. Spaniels flush.
Some Brittany’s will flush also. It’s just not considered a positive trait in a pointing breed so it’s not encouraged. Same goes for Setters.
It was abomination to drop “spaniel” from the name. Continental pointers such as the Picardy Spaniel, Blue Picardy Spaniel, French Spaniel, and Pont-Audemer Spaniel are all pointing dogs that retain Spaniel in their name.