Braque francais

The Braque francais, or French pointer, is a relatively new breed of dog on the North American hunting scene. They came to North America from France through Quebec in the early 1970's and eventually were introduced to the United States in the 1980's. Although the breed is relatively new to North America, the breed was developed in France hundreds of years ago, possibly as far back as the 1500-1600's. The Braque francais was used to conform more recognizable breeds such as the English pointer and German Short-haired pointer.

The WWIA salutes Brad and Julie Bosen of Plankinton, SD for their generous donation!

When people see a Braque for the first time, they invariably think it is a small German Short-haired pointer. Some insist on arguing even after being told it's not a GSP! The standard height for the breed is 18 1/2 - 22" at the top of shoulders and they weigh 39 - 55 lbs. Braques have a silky smooth short coat that is very easy to care for. They either have a white base coat with brown markings or a brown and white-ticked base with solid brown markings.

What is extraordinary about the breed is its temperament. In the home, the Braque is a calm, quiet dog that is very easy to be around. They make ideal companion dogs. However, in the field, Braques transform from calm and quiet companions to assertive and energetic hunters. They have a smooth, efficient gait that when combined with their smaller stature, allows them to hunt hard without fatiguing, even in warmer climates. Unlike most pointing breeds, Braques love water and they really love to retrieve. Another feature Braque owners appreciate is that their dogs work in a closer proximity than most other pointing breeds.

So essentially, we have a smaller, athletic, closer working pointing breed that retrieves, that is easy to be around in the home and is easy to care for. After hearing the virtues of the Braque francais, many people are skeptical because the breed sounds too good to be true. But even if only half of it is true, wouldn't the Braque francais be an interesting breed to check out?