Braque D’Auvergne – The Rare French Gundog

Image: Best dog photo/Shutterstock.com

Quick Overview

Name:                                                                  The Braque D’Auvergne (named for the region)

Size:                                                                       Up to 65cm

Weight:                                                                Up to 35kg

Grooming:                                                          Infrequent at best

Exercise:                                                              As much as you can give it

Training:                                                               Amicable, wants to impress you

Temperament:                                                 Friendly, sweet, affectionate, and smart

Origins:                                                                 The mountains of Cantal in Auvergne, France

Lifespan:                                                              10-14 years

Breed Type:                                                        Gundog

A Braque D’Auvergne History

The Braque D’Auvergne was developed in the Cantal region of Auvergne, which is a mountainous region and now a national park. The hunters in this region needed a strong, agile, and smart dog that was capable of helping them bring home supper.

Careful breeding eventually resulted in the Braque… unfortunately, this dog breed dates back at least 2 centuries from a region that didn’t record anything because life was simple. People made a living off of the forest then. Tiny villages and farms were dotted all over, with nobody thinking to write down the history of this poor, forgotten breed.

The Braque D’Auvergne is so forgotten that it isn’t even in the AKC yet. However, they have cousins from all around France. The Braque Auvergne is one of a handful of gun dogs that all come from different regions of France.

It comes from the pointer family and we can only assume these gorgeous boys are a result of native dogs being selectively bred down through the generations, for at least 200 years. As it stands today, the gene pool is small, and the people are spaced out. Of all the French Gundog breeds, the Braque Auvergne is probably the rarest.

Fun Facts About your New Braque Puppy!

Every breed of dog has some fabulous points all of its very own. The Braque Auvergne is no stranger to the fun/interesting fact and has a few surprising secrets that will stun and amaze you. Here are some of the Five Minutes Spare favourite Braque Auvergne facts for your perusal:

• Their muzzles are always black… always. The black might appear to be blue-ish in the right light, but it isn’t – it’s definitely, definitely black.
• They have a regular feature in Gun Dog magazine as being one of the gun dog breeds to look out for.
• They made it to the United Kennel Club in the early 00’s as a doggy to be reckoned with – but to this day they have not made it to America.
• They were bred to be tireless – so if you have a Braque D’Auvergne puppy in your life, you better keep them amused.

And there you have it. The Braque D’Auvergne has been tried and tested throughout time and found to be a beauty!

Are They Hard to Train?

The Braque loves everything about you and is desperate for your attention. If you can give these cool doggos the love they need, they will do anything to please you. This makes for a dog that is fun to train, and that will go out of its way to learn new moves to impress you with. Couple this with natural intelligence and you are onto a winner!

Do they Need to be Groomed Often?

The Braque D’Auvergne does not need to be groomed on a daily basis. Once a week they will need their teeth brushed – this is as much about making sure the dog is comfortable as it is about saving yourself on vet’s bills later in life. You should monitor their claws and trim the dewclaws if you have to. You should also groom them once in a while just for the bonding experience.

The Braque will cast in the spring and in the autumn as new hair grows in. Brushing daily during these times can really help to keep your dog happy. Similarly, if you see them rolling around on their back a lot, try a good tough brush with extra scratch power… They will love you even more.

How Often do you Exercise them?

The Braque D’Auvergne is a gun dog bred by hunters, which means it needs as much exercise as it can get. This is the kind of dog you buy if you have a large house with endless fields attached for them to run free in. Alternatively, if you are looking for a pup that will accompany you through a whole working day around the farm or out in the middle of nowhere – this is the dog for you.

They need a couple of long walks and a large playtime every day to burn off that steam. they make excellent working dogs though, but if you can’t work them, alter their diet for slightly less energy.

Are they a Healthy Breed?

The Baroque is an ancient dog breed, originally developed to be fast and obedient. The few centuries they spent being developed and perfected as a breed in the heart of Auvergne, is the same time that amounts to a few health problems. As a result, the modern breeder will always keep a note of familial health history, as well as attempting to deliberately breed out any defects.

You can expect a propensity towards hip dysplasia, skin, ear and eye problems, and other, smaller issues. In truth, studies are lacking for this breed, but it has a small gene pool, limiting its DNA to a small group of dogs.

Where Can I Buy a Braque D’Auvergne?

You can buy one of these wonderful gun dogs from your local shelter if they have one. If not, you can request them to call you if one comes in. Otherwise, choose from the list of registered breeders available through your nearest Kennel Club. Puppy farming is a very real problem in the modern world. Pups sell for big money which attracts evil breeders that will work a dog to death. Don’t buy from them and use a reputable source instead.

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