The Brittany is the smallest, best known, and most popular of the French spaniels. It was named for the French province in which it originated as early as AD 150. Legend has it that the first tailless ancestor of the modern Brittany was bred about the mid-1800's at Pontou, a small town in Brittany province. The Brittany is quick and curious; it loves to run, scout, and hunt. It makes a good house pet, but needs physical exercise.