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Why Braque Francais?

100_3820 …Because they’re SUPER!

As a kid growing up, we always had a dog or three around the house. We had a number of different breeds throughout that time, but they were all pointing breeds for hunting upland birds as well as family pets. Most of them would accurately fall under the tongue-in-check moniker, “high energy” dog breeds. They were usually good bird dogs, but they came with a lot of baggage attached to that “high energy” label.

in 2010, we chose the Braque Francais as the breed for our family for a number of reasons. Our bird dogs are also family pets, so we wanted a breed that we could be as happy with in the house as we are in the field. Braques have a unique personality that makes them well suited to life as part of a family. Calm, content, affectionate and well-behaved; they are a joy to have around the house. Their size also fit our desires. As a medium-sized dog, (38-55lbs) they fit well in any size house and don’t bowl over the kids. And as a lightly shedding short-haired dog, it is easy to keep the dog hair at bay. And they love people! Having guests in the house is never a problem.

In the field, they are driven with a great nose, quick feet and a stylish point. But their best hunting traits are their intelligence on birds and their desire to hunt with you, and not for themselves. This leads to a dog that generally works close and is responsive to your handling; exactly what the foot hunter for upland birds wants in a dog. No more scanning the horizon hoping to catch a glimpse of your dog’s tail end as it heads for the next county. Braques are also natural retrievers and will readily retrieve birds without first having to go through a force fetch regimen (although you are welcome to force fetch train them if that is your desire). For the hunter that likes to do double duty, waterfowl and upland birds, the Braque can do that too. They love water and are right at home pulling ducks back in the boat as they are putting grouse in your pouch.