What makes the Ariege Pointer Unique?
The Braque de l’Ariège, translated into English as the Ariege Pointing Dog or Ariege Pointer, is a breed of dog, a French hunting dog of pointing gun dog type. The breed is kept primarily as a hunting dog, not as a pet or showdog.
Breed Groups
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| Size: | Males – 60 to 67 cm (24 to 26 inches) Females – 56 to 65 cm (22 to 26 inches) |
| Weight: | Males – 25 to 30 kg (55.1 to 66.1 pounds) Females – 25 to 30 kg (55.1 to 66.1 pounds) |
| Origin: | France |
| Life Span: | 12 – 15 Years |
| Colour: | Brown & White, Fawn & White, Orange & White, Fawn ticked, Brown ticked |
| Litter Size: | 4 to 8 puppies |
Is the Ariege Pointer Right For You?
The Ariege Pointer is a fairly recent dog breed, which displays special skills in pointing, retrieving and hunting. They not only make excellent hunting dogs, but are also very loving and friendly dogs, when kept at home. This breed was on the verge of being extinct at one point of time. Fortunately, Ariege Pointer dogs are no longer endangered; however, they are quite rare to find. Hence, the Ariege Pointer dog is an excellent choice for those who have a penchant for rare breeds. Since the Ariege Pointer dog is an excellent hunting dog, it has great scenting skills. It gets its name from its pointing skill, where it points its muzzle towards its prey. In fact, this dog is also a good swimmer and can retrieve things from the water too.
In 5 Words
- Docile
- Quick
- Energetic
- Trainable
- Independent
Characteristics
Learn About the Ariege Pointer
Description
The Ariege is a dog with a somewhat skinny and slender build topped off with a short coat. The droopy ears and a hound like face, give it almost a thin and long basset hound look. Their tails match their thin bodies and their paws are somewhat larger than the rest of them, coming off as a round circular shape. They are usually in the colors of pure white, sable, light brown, or white with large patches of tan, brown, or even black.
Short History of the Ariege Pointer
The dog type used by hunters in the Ariege region of the Pyrenees were said to be descended from dogs that were crosses of Perdigueiro de Burgos and the Bracco Italiano.The breed was developed in the 20th century by Braqque Saint-Germain and Braque Francais with the local dogs, to give them more lightness and activity. During World War II, the breed almost disappeared.
In 1990 a team of breeders decided to devote themselves to the Braque de l’Ariège’s survival. In particular we have Mr. Alain Deteix to thank for the survival of the breed. He headed that team of breeders and wholeheartedly devoted himself to the revival of part of France’s National heritage.
Temperament
This hardy, very energetic dog with an excellent sense of smell is a skilled retriever suited to all kinds of hunting. He is used particularly on partridge and quail. Quick and independent, he needs firm training.
Caring for Your Ariege Pointer
General Health
The Ariege Pointer is typically known as a healthy and hearty breed, they do suffer from a few health problems, including: patellar luxation – dislocation of the knee, epilepsy, glaucoma, cryptorchidism – failure of one or both testicles to fully descend, chronic ear infection, and bloat.
Grooming & Bathing
As Ariege Pointers represent a working dog breed and are often used to hunt and retrieve, their ears must be cleaned and dried regularly. Their long droopy ears are very prone to infection and if not cleaned after a hunting trip, they can remain moist and act as the perfect environment for bacterial cultures and thus, infection to set in. However, their short coat is quite easy to maintain and requires brushing only once a week, to maintain its luster and sheen.
Exercise & Training
Due to being independent and stubborn, Ariege can pose a great challenge during training since he is known to become bored and impatient with repetitive exercise. However, Ariege Pointer shows trust and respect and therefore, a successful training requires patience, experience and confident. One should be firm yet gentle while training Ariege. Additionally, the dog requires enough room for training and for daily exercise.
Ariege Pointer Picture Gallery
