Braque du Bourbonnais

Braque du Bourbonnais

A Braque du Bourbonnais pointing partridge
Other names Bourbonnais Pointer
Bourbonnais Pointing Dog
Origin France
Traits
Height Male 51–57 cm (20–22 in)
Female 48–55 cm (19–22 in)
Coat Short and fine
Color White, with fine brown or fawn ticking.
Classification / standards
FCI Group 7, Section 1.1 Continental Pointing Dogs: Pointer type #179 standard
AKC FSS standard
The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration.
UKC Gun Dog standard
Notes The AKC does not currently have an official standard; it currently uses the FCI standard
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The Braque du Bourbonnais is a breed of gundog, of rustic appearance, sometimes born with a short tail, with a coat ticked with liver or fawn.

History

Origins

Pointer of Bourbonnais circa 1915

It had been described for the first time during the Renaissance (Natural History from Aldrovandi, Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris). In danger of disappearing, it thrived again after World War I with the creation of the first club, in 1925.

Michel Comte with his Braque du Bourbonnais

Disappearance

After World War II, the number of births decreased and the club became less active until it ceased to function. From 1963 to 1973, there were no dogs registered in the LOF (French studbook). The reason for this is probably a selection on secondary characteristics (color of the coat, short tail) instead of the hunting capabilities and general construction of the dog; this led to have a Bourbonnais less suitable for hunting than other breeds.

Recreation

In 1970, Michel Comte decided to look for the last dog that had some Bourbonnais blood. He found only mixed breed dogs, which had some characteristics of the Braque du Bourbonnais (size, shape of the head, short tail). After some more or less inbred litters, he registered his first Bourbonnais on the LOF (under Titre Initial procedure) in 1973, 1974, and 1975; from then, several breeders joined him, who, from those dogs, created their own lines, and the number of births increased.,[1][2]

In 1981, the Club du Braque du Bourbonnais was recreated. Michel Comte was its president until 2001. From this moment, the successes of the Bourbonnais in field trials made the breed thrive.

In 1988, the first Bourbonnais was introduced in the USA. Since then the breed has been growing in that country, which became the second producer of Bourbonnais pointers after France.[3]

Description

Appearance

Rounded in every direction, with lateral sides rounded, with parietal bones and zygomatic arches well developed. The axes of the skull and muzzle are parallel, or slightly divergent towards the front.

Coat

Two coat colors exist in the Bourbonnais, each of them having specific name because the color is specific to the breed:
-Liver, also called « wine dregs » or « faded lilac ».
-Fawn, also called « peach blossom ».
Big spots are tolerated on the body if they are not bigger than the palm of a hand. On the head, the two eyes must not be inside the same spot.

Differences sire/Female

The females are generally thinner, more elegant and longer than the sires (see pictures above).

Short tail

In the past called "short-tail pointer", the braque du Bourbonnais is sometimes born with a short tail (brachyury) or no tail at all (anury). The gene responsible for this characteristic has been identified as being the same as the Brittany Spaniel one, of autosomal dominant type.

Head position

High or prolonging the shoulder.

Temperament

They have agood temper and can be a good agreement dog. But it is mostly a hunter. It is a continental dog, and must be judged as such.

Allure and style

They show a lot of activity, even if he does not go very far. Their natural pace is gallop, but under cover he can use trot. They can change direction quickly, like polo.

Michel Comte faisant couler son Bourbonnais

Pointing

They must point with authority, in a classical position.

References

  1. ↑ Koshyk, Craig (2011). Pointing Dogs, Violume one: The Continentals. Dog willing Publication. ISBN 978-0-9813523-1-2.
  2. ↑ Original Dog Bible: The Definitive Source for All Things Dog. Kristin Mehus-Roe. 2009. ISBN 978-1933958828.
  3. ↑ "Braque du Bourbonnais". www.akc.org. American Kennel Club. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
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