Typical style of this breed while hunting
During the hunting action the
Braque Français must not remind of the English Pointer, nor of the German Kurzhaar. The
English breed was created with 80% of blood coming from the Pirenean Mountains,
but adding other breeds also. An intensive selection
was made in order to obtain more speed and impetuosity. The German Kurzhaar, a breed related to the
Braque Français, was bred
in Germany for a more polyvalent use with a particular aim to roughness. The sturdiness of the German cousins
allows them a severe and strict training. They learn easily to choke and kill does, cats and foxes.
The Braque Français is a breed with a gentle and kind charachter, it is very intelligent, but it doesn't accept a "German" training or a
an "English" education, meaning strict and hard handling. These dogs need to understand by themselves what is requested from them,
but have the general defect of not understanding brutality. They
"declare themselves" immediately and they struggle to please their master, but they accept uneasily a punishment they don't deserve. The Pirenean type has a slightly different style compared to the
Gascogne.
Less big, the Pirenean is generally more boisterous and fast, reminding of what has been written about him by old authors who said
" that he flies under the sun". Both types never work like the english breeds.
Generally they don't have anything theatrical: neither speed, nor an exaggerated point, nor an immovable posture of the head
a so called "mussolinian" posture. The head must not be held excessively high, but depending on the strenght of the scent. The gallop is fluid and economical and it can be
interrupted by brief moments of trot when doubts emerge about weak scents.
The posture of the tail must be less high than of that of the Kurzhaar, also when something exciting occurs.
During the point the tail can be shifted in the so called "ten past eight" position.
During the approach of the game the tail can be animated, giving the impression of joy
and excitement while hunting, but it must not be wawed.
Finding wounded game is more important and useful than bringing it back. If the scent
is strong the nose remains high and the pace is a gallop, while a light scent (in
difficult conditions and against wind) the nose is held near the ground and the pace is mantained at
a walkind speed. It is better that the dog lets fall the pray rather than ruining it.
The Braque Français must not hesitate in front of brushes, thickets,
marshes and deep water.
It must absolutely not show any signs of nervousness.
The style must not be stereotyped too much because, like in any family, there
are different shadings that give to each individual new and special qualities.
The Braque Français is not an exhibitionst that looks for immediate and spectacular results
but it is a pleasant auxiliary, intelligent and practical for a long and protracted job.
There are two different types of Braque Français. There is the smaller sized Pirenean type and a larger one, the Gascogne.
The most distinctive tract is the size. The
Pirenean type
goes from 47cm to 58 cm, while the size of the Gascogne is between 58cm and 69cm.
This dog gives the impression of economizing its power to the maximun
during the quest of the prey. Once it starts it look like it is running a middle distance rather than a sprint trial
. You always have the impression that the Braque Français is running for a
full day of hunting rather than a brief show of fifteen minutes.
The point is very solid, but not exagerated, nor cataleptic.
The Braque Français works with intelligence and instincts and
it must never give the impression that it has been forced. If sometimes it makes irregular loops
or it slows down returning on the same place, this happens because it has smelled the scent
and it didn't want to risk flushing the game by approaching it too quickly.