Braque Francais Information & Dog Breed Facts

Introduction

The Braque Français (literally translated French pointing dog) are hunting dogs, from a very old type of gun dog used for pointing the location of game birds for a hunter.

The original Braque Français type of pointing dog has existed since the 15th century and is said to be descended from the Old Spanish Pointer and the now extinct Southern Hound.

Origins

The origins of the pointing dog style of hunting can be traced back to the 13th century and persisted into the 16th century.

The Pyrenees Mountains on the France-Spain border, as well as the territories north and south, were the birthplace of pointing dogs. The territory was known as the Kingdom of Navarre in the 13th century when it was dominated by French royalty.

However, during the 15th century, the southern region was reverted to Spanish sovereignty, while the northern area remained under French rule.

While many breed experts credit the Spanish Pointer as the origin of today’s pointing breeds, there is also a strong argument for the French dogs as well.

Over time, the French Pointers, also known as Braque du Pays, were fairly common in France.

Smaller groups of Braques became separated in different parts of the world, and they evolved different looks and hunting tactics as a result. Braque d'Auvergne, Braque du Bourbonnais, Braque St. Germain, Braque de L'Ariege, and other breeds were later recognized.

Moreover, with the emergence of the industrial revolution in the late 1700s and early 1800s, a gradual transition from a rural agrarian civilization to an urban industrial one occurred.

A smaller, more compact Braque Francais became necessary as the original breed was too huge to live in an urban environment.

In the mid to late 1800s, there was an influx of English Pointers into France and various French Pointers became less popular but still existed in France.

There were two main sorts of Braque Francais breeds by the early 1900s.

In 1975, the original, larger, and closer operational Braque Francais-Grand Taille was renamed the Braque Francais-Gascogne and the Barque Francais-Petite Taille was renamed Braque Francais-Pyrenees since it was smaller, faster, and had a wider range.

The Pyrenees was preferred by those who wanted a dog that was more agile and better equipped to compete against other breeds in field trials and find game birds that were becoming more scarce.

Furthermore, in 1919 the Club du Braque Francais was founded, however, there were debates about which Braque Francais the club would support.

While some thought the old Braque should be pushed, others on the other hand thought the modern Braque should be. After reaching an agreement, the club agreed to accept both breeds and developed two breed standards.

However, the breed was nearly wiped out during World War II, which had a disastrous effect on it. It took until the 1960s for the breed to re-establish itself. Part of the re-establishment involved back breeding of English Pointers into the Bf-Pyrenees.

In America

When today's breeders talk about the Braque Francais in the United States, they're usually referring to the Pyrenees form, which is a smaller, sleeker dog with a strong desire to hunt and please.

Despite their superficial resemblance to small German shorthairs, Braques are very different from their larger cousins (the German shorthair was derived in part from Spanish pointers and various European hounds), and a new owner who expects a Braque to behave exactly like a small German shorthair will be disappointed.

Despite the fact that the Braque is still relatively obscure and scarce, there are breeders all throughout North America who have switched to the Braque and would not hunt with anything else.

This adorable small upland dog has its own individuality and intellect, which is what keeps Braques' owners committed to them.

Braque owners Mike and Karen Ercolano have enjoyed great success with the breed and they now operate Jersey Sporting Dogs in Nazareth, Penn.

The Ercolanos had hunted with a variety of different breeds, including pointers, English setters, Labs, and springers, but had not found the dog that suited their particular style.

Then one day Mike brought home an issue of Gun Dog that featured the Braque and it was described as a breed having a strong prey drive and a strong desire to please the owner, as well as a high level of trainability. The Ercolanos started looking for a breeder.

"There was very little information about them at the time. It took some time, but I eventually located a planned litter in Missouri, and the waiting began "Karen reminisces. "I got my first Braque Francais, a female named Angie, nine months later. She is still with us and doing well at the age of eleven.

While she didn't turn out to be our best hunting dog (my fault, not hers), she sparked Mike's and my interest in the breed." Angie may not have been the best hunting dog the Ercolanos ever raised, but she won their hearts.

Because of the breed's French heritage and its recognition by the CKC, the Braque Francais has remained a popular hunting dog in eastern Canada.

The Club Braque Francais Quebec has a large number of members that hunt and selectively breed Braque Francais.

Recognition

In 1850, the first breed club was created, and in 1880, the first breed standards were written for both types. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale and the Société Centrale Canine in France both recognized it.

Only the Canadian Kennel Club and the United Kennel Club in the United States recognized them among the major kennel clubs in the English-speaking world.

The Canadian Kennel Club recognizes one breed, the Braque Francais-Gascogne, in its Sporting Dogs Group, while the United Kennel Club recognizes both breeds in its Gundog Group, under the names Braque Francais De Grande Taille and Braque Francais, De Petite Taille.