The Pont-Audemer Spaniel or Epagneul Pont-Audemer is a rare breed of French

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 ...

. It originated in the nineteenth century from different breeds of water spaniels, and took more of a

setter The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. In the UK, the four setter breeds, together with the pointers, usually form a subgroup within the gundog group as they share a common fun ...

role in hunting than that of a traditional

spaniel A spaniel is a type of gun dog. Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of denser brush. By the late 17th century, spaniels had been specialized into water and land breeds. The extinct English Water Spaniel was used to retrieve water ...

. Following the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, the breed's numbers dropped so low that the breed club decided to allow cross breeding with other breeds because of fears of the existing stock becoming overly inbred. In 1980, the breed club was merged with that of the

Picardy Spaniel The Picardy Spaniel is a dog breed, breed of dog developed in France for use as a gundog. It is related to the Blue Picardy Spaniel, and still has many similarities, but the Picardy Spaniel is the older of the two breeds. It is thought to be one o ...

History

The breed is alleged to have been developed in the

Pont-Audemer Pont-Audemer () is a commune in the Eure department in the Normandy region in northern France.English Water Spaniel The English Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that has been extinct since the first part of the 20th century, with the last specimen seen in the 1930s. It was best known for its use in hunting waterfowl and for being able to dive as well as a duck. I ...

and

Irish Water Spaniel The Irish Water Spaniel (Irish: ''An Spáinnéar Uisce'') is a breed of dog that is the tallest of the spaniels. Description Appearance The Irish Water Spaniel is a sturdy, cobby dog native to Ireland. The coat, consisting of dense curls ...

s may have played a part in the breed's original makeup. In the early 20th century, outside France, they were considered more useful as a

than doing typical

type work. The breed's numbers were never large, and so few examples existed after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

that in 1949 the President of the Pont-Audemer breed club in France allowed for other breeds, including the

, to cross-breed with the existing population in order to alleviate the risk of inbreeding what few Pont-Audemer Spaniels remained. However the breed's population remained low, and in 1980 at the recommendation of the Société Centrale Canine, the Pont-Audemer breed club was merged with that of the

. The Pont-Audermer Spaniel is recognized by the

Fédération Cynologique Internationale The Fédération cynologique internationale (FCI) (English: International Canine Federation) is the largest international federation of national kennel clubs. It is based in Thuin, Belgium. History The FCI was founded in 1911 under the auspices ...

, the international kennel association. It is recognised in the United States by the

United Kennel Club The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...

, in the club's Gundog Group. Other breed registries that recognize the Pont-Audemer include the

Continental Kennel Club Continental may refer to: Places * Continent, the major landmasses of Earth * Continental, Arizona, a small community in Pima County, Arizona, US * Continental, Ohio, a small town in Putnam County, US Arts and entertainment * ''Continental'' (al ...

, the

International Canine Kennel Club International is an adjective (also used as a noun) meaning "between nations". International may also refer to: Music Albums * ''International'' (Kevin Michael album), 2011 * ''International'' (New Order album), 2002 * ''International'' (The T ...

, and the

American Rare Breed Association The American Rare Breed Association (ARBA) is a kennel club for owners and fanciers of dog breeds and types not recognised by the American Kennel Club The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States ...

Description

The Pont-Audemer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog, weighing 44 to 60 pounds (20–27 kg), and standing around 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 is different from most sporting dog breeds in the USA and UK in its length, and the pointed quality of the muzzle. The Pont-Audemer Spaniel's coat is curly or, at the very least, quite wavy, but smooth around the face. The most common pattern is brown and white roan but a solid brown coat is also acceptable. Both coat patterns can have red-brown “dead leaf glints”. Black or tan markings are faults. The hair on the face is short. The topknot can take up to five years to fully develop. Most Pontos have docked tails. Tails that are left intact are usually well feathered like that of a setter, although it is not unheard of for a Ponto to have the shorthaired “rat-tail” of an Irish Water Spaniel.

Temperament

Though hardy, as well as hard-working, the breed has the typical

traits of being easy to train, gentle, and affectionate. The dogs are known to have a fun-loving quality and in France are said to be ''le petit clown des marais'' (the little clown of the marshes). Pont-Audemer Spaniels are usually found in a working gundog environment, and are rarely kept as mere family pets. The dogs specialize as

water dog A water dog is a type of gundog bred to flush and retrieve game from water. Water dogs are considered the progenitors of most modern retriever dog breeds. Description Water dogs are usually medium-sized, active dogs; their most distinctive fe ...

s. At the start of the 20th century they were prized for their use in hunting wild ducks in either the water or marshy conditions. They remain used in France in various terrain, and used for hunting rabbits or pheasants.

Health

Alopecia Hair loss, also known as alopecia or baldness, refers to a loss of hair from part of the head or body. Typically at least the head is involved. The severity of hair loss can vary from a small area to the entire body. Inflammation or scarri ...

has been reported in the Pont-Audemer Spaniel, appearing first between the ages of seven and eighteen months. The ears and nose areas are primarily affected.

Biopsies A biopsy is a medical test commonly performed by a surgeon, interventional radiologist, or an interventional cardiologist. The process involves extraction of sample cells or tissues for examination to determine the presence or extent of a diseas ...

on the affected animals showed that damage to the root sheath and clumping of pigment in hair shafts were the main reasons for the condition. Tests conducted ruled out

endocrine The endocrine system is a messenger system comprising feedback loops of the hormones released by internal glands of an organism directly into the circulatory system, regulating distant target organs. In vertebrates, the hypothalamus is the neu ...

related causes such as

hyperthyroidism Hyperthyroidism is the condition that occurs due to excessive production of thyroid hormones by the thyroid gland. Thyrotoxicosis is the condition that occurs due to excessive thyroid hormone of any cause and therefore includes hyperthyroidism ...

References

External links