The Braque d'Auvergne is a
breed
A breed is a specific group of domestic animals having homogeneous appearance (phenotype), homogeneous behavior, and/or other characteristics that distinguish it from other organisms of the same species. In literature, there exist several slig ...
of
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
originating in the mountain area of
Cantal
Cantal (; oc, Cantal or ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of France, with its prefecture in Aurillac. Its other principal towns are Saint-Flour (the episcopal see) and Mauriac; its residents are known as Cantalians (fren ...
, in the historic
Auvergne
Auvergne (; ; oc, label=Occitan, Auvèrnhe or ) is a former administrative region in central France, comprising the four departments of Allier, Puy-de-Dôme, Cantal and Haute-Loire. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region Auverg ...
province in the mid-south of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. It is a
pointer and versatile
gundog
Gun dogs, or bird dogs, are types of hunting dogs developed to assist hunters in finding and retrieving game, usually quail, dove, or duck. Gun dogs are divided into three primary types: retrievers, flushing dogs, and pointing breeds.
Types ...
. The breed descends from ancient regional types of hunting dogs.
Appearance
The Braque d'Auvergne is a strong, substantial dog, between at the
withers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle ar ...
. It has a large head, long ears, and pendulous lips. The tail was traditionally
docked to half its length. The short, glossy
coat is white with mottling of black that gives a blue impression, and large black spots. The head and ears are always black.
Temperament
The Auvergne is lively, sensitive, obedient, and affectionate. Intelligent and good natured, it makes a fine family dog and an excellent hunting partner. It gets along well with other dogs. The Braque d'Auvergne is a natural hunter who tends to work closely with its partner, checking in frequently. This trait, combined with its gentle nature and desire to please, make it a highly trainable pointer.
Exercise
This hunting dog does best with regular outings during which it can exercise its body, nose and its mind.
History
The Auvergne pointer has been present in the Cantal region for more than two centuries and was recognized as a French gundog breed with an FCI breed standard in 1955. It was recognised by the
Kennel Club (UK)
The Kennel Club ("KC") is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Its role is to oversee various canine activities including dog shows, dog agility and working trials. It also operat ...
with effect from 1 April 2016.
The breed will be classified in the Gundog Group (HPR) on the Imported Breed Register.
See also
*
Dogs portal
*
List of dog breeds
This list of dog breeds includes both Neontology#Extant taxa versus extinct taxa, extant and extinct dog breeds, Designer breed, varieties, landraces, and dog types. A research article on genomics, dog genomics published in Science/AAAS defines m ...
References
External links
Réunion des Amateurs de Braque d'Auvergne - in frenchBraque d'Auvergne gallery
{{French dogs
FCI breeds
Dog breeds originating in France
Gundogs
Pointers
Rare dog breeds