The Braque d'Auvergne is a breed of dog 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 ( ...

, 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 Auve ...

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 regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan ar ...

. It is a

pointer Pointer may refer to: Places * Pointer, Kentucky * Pointers, New Jersey * Pointers Airport, Wasco County, Oregon, United States * The Pointers, a pair of rocks off Antarctica People with the name * Pointer (surname), a surname (including a list ...

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 ...

. It has a large head, long ears, and pendulous lips. The tail was traditionally docked to half its length. The short, glossy

coat A coat typically is an outer garment for the upper body as worn by either gender for warmth or fashion. Coats typically have long sleeves and are open down the front and closing by means of buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop fasteners, toggles ...

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) with effect from 1 April 2016. The breed will be classified in the Gundog Group (HPR) on the Imported Breed Register.

References

External links