The Picardy Spaniel 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 developed in France for use as a gundog. It is related to the

Blue Picardy Spaniel The Blue Picardy Spaniel (or Épagneul Bleu de Picardie) is a breed of Spaniel originating in France, from the area around the mouth of the River Somme, around the start of the 20th century. It is descended from Picardy Spaniels and English S ...

, and still has many similarities, but the Picardy Spaniel is the older of the two breeds. It is thought to be one of the two oldest continental spaniel breeds and was favoured by the French nobility, remaining popular for hunting after the French Revolution due to its weather resistant coat that enabled it to hunt in a variety of conditions and terrain. However its popularity waned following the influx of English hunting breeds in the early 20th century. Slightly smaller than an English Setter but larger than most of its spaniel cousins, it has no major health issues although as with many breeds with pendulous ears, it can be prone to

ear infections Otitis is a general term for inflammation or infection, inner ear infection, middle ear infection of the ear, in both humans and other animals. When infection is present, it may be viral or bacterial. When inflammation is present due to fluid bui ...

History

upGibbs des Chaumes de Thiérache, young picardy spaniel 6 months old upGibbs des Chaumes de Thiérache, young picardy spaniel 6 months old upGibbs des Chaumes de Thiérache, young picardy spaniel 6 months old upGibbs des Chaumes de Thiérache, young picardy spaniel 6 months old The

French Spaniel The French Spaniel (Epagneul Français) is a dog breed, breed of dog of the Spaniel-like setter. It was developed in France and Canada as a hunting dog, descended from dogs of the 14th century. Popular with royalty during the Middle Ages, it near ...

and the Picardy Spaniel are speculated to have stemmed from the Chien d' Oysel described in the writings of Gaston Phoebus. Hunting during this period in France was one of the favourite sports of the nobility and the French type of Spaniel became the favourite hunting dog of the French Royalty. The breed can be seen in paintings dating from this period by artists Alexandre-François Desportes and

Jean-Baptiste Oudry Jean-Baptiste Oudry (; 17 March 1686 – 30 April 1755) was a French Rococo painter, engraver, and tapestry designer. He is particularly well known for his naturalistic pictures of animals and his hunt pieces depicting game. His son, Jacques-Ch ...

. They were also the first breed of dog to be admitted into salons. The breed became more popular still following the French Revolution and the aftermath in which hunting was no longer restricted to the nobility. Although spread throughout France, a large concentration was located in the north west where the weather resistant coat of the breed made it ideal for the wooded and swampy conditions. During the early 19th century, British hunters crossed the

channel Channel, channels, channeling, etc., may refer to: Geography * Channel (geography), in physical geography, a landform consisting of the outline (banks) of the path of a narrow body of water. Australia * Channel Country, region of outback Austral ...

to hunt in the grounds of north west France. The British brought their own hunting dogs, and this resulted in a change of preference as French hunters switched to English breeds and caused a major blow to the existence of the Picardy Spaniel. In addition the infusion of blood from the English Setter into the local spaniel population created the

Recognition

The Epagneul Picard Club was formed in 1921 and was merged with the Club of Blue Picardy Spaniel on 28 July 1937. A further merger took place on 21 May 1980 when these clubs merged with the Pont-Audemer Club to form the Club des Epagneuls Picards, Bleus de Picardie & Pont Audemer. The Picardy Spaniel is recognised by a variety of Kennel Clubs and associations including the North American Kennel Club,

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 ...

, United Kennel Club, and the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. All four associations use the standard as set by the FCI. It is also recognised by 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 ...

, but unlike the closely related Blue Picardy Spaniel, it is not recognised by the

Canadian Kennel Club The Canadian Kennel Club (or CKC), founded in 1888 and chartered under the Animal Purebred Act, is one of the national kennel clubs of Canada. It maintains breed registries services for those purebred dogs approved for its control by Agriculture ...

Description

Appearance

Typical examples of the breed measure between at the withers, with the average weight between . The breed is similar in size to the English Setter, although is slightly smaller. Of the Spaniel type breeds, only the

Large Münsterländer The Large Münsterländer (or Großer Münsterländer) is a breed of gun dog originally from the Münster region in Germany. The first breed club was founded in Germany in 1919 and the breed was recognised by the Kennel Club (UK) in 1971. The ...

and

Drentse Patrijshond The Drentsche Patrijshond is a versatile spaniel-type hunting dog from the Dutch province of Drenthe. Called the Dutch Partridge Dog (or "Drent" for Drenthe) in English, approximately 5,000 dogs are registered with the breed club in the Netherl ...

are recognised as possibly growing to larger sizes, with the Drentse measuring , and the Münsterländer slightly smaller with a narrower range at . The breed has a squarely built muscular body and an oval shaped head with a long muzzle and long ears that hang fairly low. Its coat can vary in colours from chocolate, chestnut brown and white with sandy coloured markings on the head and white or grey spots on the legs. Its hair is abundant with a slight wave, enabling it to work in dense cover and even in water.

Temperament

The Picardy Spaniel is a docile breed of dog and is fond of playing with children and bonds well with their master. It is described as having a gentle sociable nature, possessing a good character with a laid-back attitude, and being relatively easy to train. In France, the breed is used for hunting in wooded areas for pheasants, and in swamps for snipes. However it can also be used for hunting ducks,

hare Hares and jackrabbits are mammals belonging to the genus ''Lepus''. They are herbivores, and live solitarily or in pairs. They nest in slight depressions called forms, and their young are able to fend for themselves shortly after birth. The ge ...

s and

rabbit Rabbits, also known as bunnies or bunny rabbits, are small mammals in the family Leporidae (which also contains the hares) of the order Lagomorpha (which also contains the pikas). ''Oryctolagus cuniculus'' includes the European rabbit speci ...

s. The breed excels at hunting in marshes and will not hesitate to jump into water. It can also adequately serve as a retriever should it be required. The dog is content with a small amount of space and could suit life in the city, but also loves open spaces.

Health

The Picardy Spaniel has no known hereditary health problems, and has an average lifespan of 14 years. However being a hunting spaniel, the breed is prone to

. These infections are common among dogs with pendulous ears, including Basset Hounds and other breeds of spaniel. Overfeeding a Picardy Spaniel may lead to overweight.

References

External links

Club des Epagneuls Picards, Bleus de Picardie & Pont Audemer (In French)NAPSA - North American Picardy Spaniel Alliance
{{French dogs FCI breeds Rare dog breeds Dog breeds originating in France Gundogs Spaniels