JayPatrol
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Is that a type of Spaniel?As Amy is now enjoying her freedom (10 days now) I find I’m quite frequently asked the same question.
It normally goes like this.
Q. Oh she’s lovely. What breed is she?
A. She’s a Brittany.
Q. Oh, really? Is that a type of Spaniel?
So far I think I’ve chosen one or more responses from the list below (partly depending on how early it is in the morning and how cold and/or wet it is).
1. No, nothing like.
2. Well, not really.
3. Well, they have spaniels in their ancestory but the “Spaniel” was dropped from their name in 1982
4. Well,they’re more like pointers really.
5. They’re really classified as HPRs or Hunter Pointer Retrievers or ‘versatile’ gun dogs
6. No, but the colouring can be quite similar and they have these lovely ears
7. Well, it’s true that the word “epagnuel” is often mis-understood to be derived from Spaniel (from Spain) whereas it may in fact come from “s’espagnir“ - to lie down [pillaged from epagneulreton.org.uk - thanks Guy!  ]
8. Yes, in a way.
9. Oh yes, absolutely - you’ve totally nailed that one.
The motivation for my question isn’t because I take offence at people thinking our Amy is a Spaniel - I have met some very beautiful Spaniels.
It’s more born out of wanting to provide an short, accurate, helpful and friendly response.
Click to see full size image
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Dave A
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Hi
You are doing better than i did, on taking my 1st Britt out of the car on a shoot day i was asked " what are doin with a bloody hyena " followed by "stick to what you know and get another ESS ", my reply is not printable. 
Dave A
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doganjo
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After 26 years with this breed I have given up - I just say 'they don't do the same work as a spaniel but they do look similar, don't they'
Worst thing we came across was the President of Gundog Breeds of Scotland judging Brett our first one - she said 'I'm sorry I can't judge your dog, I haven't read the breed standard. Is it a new imported Spaniel breed.' Sandy just walked away in dis-gust  .
Another extremely well known judge said 'your dog has too short a neck for a spaniel, can't do his job properly' Sandy said - but he's not a ground scenter he's an air scenter. 'What's that?' said the judge 
And another judge said - could you put your cocker on the table please. You should have heard the guffaw THAT brought from our friends at the ringside who knew what he was - not a flippin bad specimen of a cocker, that's for sure 
Bet there will be loads more examples!
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Lin Dyke
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It is very tempting when people ask about Rudi (our black tri) to make up a complete cock-and- bull story about the rarity of the "miniature Rottweiler" 
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doganjo
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Oh, yes - we've done that bit too - with Clyde - he's the one on the front of my 'Brit Bag Book'
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eddieh
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I would never use number 7 as I can't pronounce the words.
When Holly (my Irish Setter) was a young pup, many people would talk to me for half an hour or so about what beautiful dogs they were, their sister has one etc only to comment "I've always liked Cocker Spaniels" as they were about to walk off. 
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guy
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The first time we made 'group' - well the only time; the ring steward said would you move the spanish water dog over there; pointing to me.
The most common comment out is 'it a bit long in the leg for a spaniel isn't it. To which I reply 'it certainly would be if it was indeed a spaniel' I usually follow this with it is a group 7 dog. Which of course they have never heard of
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doganjo
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Here you go - miniature Rottie
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Waldo
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I've had a "what" spaniel, is that a miniature GSP (Annie is liver/white) and on a couple of occasions when I've replied "Epagneul Breton" I just get "oh".
Cheers,
Waldo
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eddieh
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| guy wrote: | The first time we made 'group' - well the only time; the ring steward said would you move the spanish water dog over there; pointing to me.
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Welsh springer is quite an intelligent guess then!
When Tegen first went out, the most common guess was cavalier 
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Liz
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Having had Weimaraners first, I used to reply to people who knew me "It's an undersized mis-marked longhaired Weimaraner" - then let them know exactly what it was.
I've always forgiven people who get them mixed up with Welshies, though. The first time she saw one Bliss did a definite double take and you could almost hear her thinking "not sure what you are, but you are very like my sort of dog!"
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Pippa's Pack
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We were walking our dogs on a beach in Ireland this summer when we met a couple with two elderly springers. The man said 'I love your dogs - I can see they have got a lot of Springer in them but that one (pointing to Bella) has been docked far too short'.
I explained they are actually Brittanys (in the UK) Brittany Spaniels (in Ireland) and Epagneul Breton in France! Also that Bella is not docked at all but was, in fact, born without a tail. He was very interested and said he would look it up oin the internet when he got home.
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kandjt
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My first Britany was Liver and white and as I was still working Springers at the time she never got any recognition as to what she was. When she went on the shoot for the first time and did her stuff everyone thought I was a fantastic trainer to get a Springer to point and would accept she was a different breed. It was only when my younger orange and white came out that the penny really dropped.
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Paris M
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These are the ones I have had...
'Is she a Munsterlander, my friends got one of those? (I can sort of get this one  )
'She's a Springer crossed with what?'
'She's a kooikerhondje isn't she (this was a judge )
'I've got a blue roan cocker spanie too (points to Clover)'
'Is that a baby hyena, don't you need a dangerous animal licence ' (this was completely genuine question from some random builder)
The best one I have had though was when I was walking a black cocker and clover out together. A woman approached me and said pointing to the cocker first.
'Are they mother and daughter?'
Oh Another sort of related one was when I was in a fun obedience competition. We were in the stay ring, the steward approaches me and says ...
'Breed'
'Brittany'
'No not her name, her breed'
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Dave A
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when i was a trainer it was the custom to recieve a present from your students, one lot got me a bottle of malt ( we like this ) and a Brittany spears calender as i had mentioned brittany's so much ????
Dave A
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bifty
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Bracken is quite well known in the dog comunity here in Kendal but we still do get the occasional question asking what type of spaniel he is when we are out and about. I normally answer and then add "he's a French gun dog". Sometimes little children ask where his tail is, I say opps he's forgotten it and left it at home
Most people are interested in him and comment what a good looking dog he is, I'm sure he knows it himself  not like his scruffy little brother Otto Just joking, when Otto has had a clip he does look smart!
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