COUNTRY: France
WEIGHT: 45-71 pounds
HEIGHT: 22l/2-27 inches
COAT: Short, thick and dense
COLOR: White, with chestnut patches, with or without ticking
OTHER NAMES: Large French Pointer; French Pointer, Pyrenees type
GROUP: Gun DogA very old gun dog from the Pyrenees area of France, the Large French Pointer is probably closely related to the Spanish and Italian Pointers and isn't too far from those early hound/gun dog prototypes. He has always been a prime working dog. It is likely that both sizes were used widely in the creation of other gun dog breeds. The smaller dog was merely bred down from his larger sibling. The large size was originally called Braque du Pays, meaning local or native, and the smaller version was known as Braque de la Railtiere and later the Braque Charles X, after the monarch who was partial to him.
The old-style French Braque was losing favor to foreign breeds at the end of the 19th century, and he was scarce by 1900. Fortunately, two dog authorities, Dr. Castets and Monsieur Senac-La-grange (later also involved with Great Pyrenees), and Dr. Jean Servier, a dynamic president of the current association, helped save the breed. The push by the Club du Braque Francais in the 1970s brought a modern renaissance to the breed which was rare just a scant 15 years before.
More than 500 were registered in 1980, and many have attained success at field trials and dog shows. The modern Braque Francais has recaptured the regard of hobby hunters. In the home, he is obedient, loyal and tranquil, and is good with family members.
The appearance includes a very strong head, with the convex muzzle and a bit of flew and dewlap. A muscular, strong body ends in a docked tail. Known at home as a good hunter, the breed has a stylish point and shows admirable instincts for retrieving and tracking. He works with the stylish "high nose" for air scent, especially in open fields, but can also pick up ground scent in heavy cover and marshes.
The Gascony variation is generally a proportionately smaller version of the Pyrenees type. It has a slightly more refined and tapering head, appearing to have a slightly convex face, and the ears are a bit shorter and higher set. The Gas-cony tends to be dryer of leg and throat. Its coloring is nearly a solid liver with small white points. Their hunting style is the same as the Pyrenees'.
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