|
 He
was not like any dog I had ever seen. The pose was borrowed from an Elhew
pointer – one foot cupped beneath a muscled chest – but the colors were
entirely unique. His short coat was densely ticked with liver but also
showed faint streaks of orange. He was almost impressionistic, a dog from
the brush of Monet. Except for one brown ear, nowhere was there a spot
larger than a plum.
I was looking
at a picture of a Braque du Bourbonnais while working on a breed feature for
GUN DOG. Readers may recall a recent feature on another "braque," the Braque
Francais (Dec./Jan. 1999/2000). How does the Bourbonnais pointer compare
with the other braques? Well, they are the same in some ways, and they are
different in others. In fact, the Bourbonnais pointer is a truly interesting
and unique breed, different in some ways from any of the other braques.
It has been
several years since the Braque du Bourbonnais was extensively profiled in
this magazine. To prepare an update on the breed, I spoke with Lonn Kuck of
Idaho, and Dan Larose of Connecticut. These men have a longer history with
the breed than any active breeder in America. Both are avid hunters. They
have also enjoyed success with Bourbonnais pointers in the field trial and
hunting test arenas. Their input will help us understand the proper place of
this unique breed on the American scene.
HISTORY OF THE
BREED
The origin of
the Bourbonnais Pointer is somewhat obscure. The breed or it's close
progenitors likely emerged in France in the 1600s. At that time, speciation
of numerous pointer varieties occurred throughout France, originating from
common ancestors. Selective breeding in localized areas resulted in the
divergence of distinct breeds, each bearing the name of its French province.
In the Bourbonnais region of France, the local pointer became known as the
Braque du Bourbonnais (Bourbonnais pointer).
By the late
1850s, the Braque du Bourbonnais was noted in literature as being "skilled
at hunting partridge." According to information from the Federation Cynologique Internationale, (FCI), old-time authors described the
Bourbonnais pointer as an "agreeable hunting partner," born tail-less or
short-tailed, and having a white coat "completely covered by fine lines of
maroon or fawn." It is quite probable that the Bourbonnais pointer was used
as foundation stock in the development of the Epagneul Breton (French .
Brittany). The French Brittany may, in part, owe its orange color,
short-tailed birth, and pointing instinct to the Bourbonnais pointer.
But this
skilled partridge-pointer nearly went the way of the Passenger Pigeon.
Eventually, registries placed such emphasis on short-tailed birth and coat
color, that working ability was virtually ignored. This caused many
breeders to lose interest in the breed. By the late 1960s the breed nearly
disappeared altogether and, was dropped from the registry of the Societe
Centrale Canine (SCC).
1970 the breed
had one dedicated booster left. His name was Michel Comte. Under his
direction, a group of breeders organized with the goal of bringing the
Bourbonnais pointer back the brink. A national breed club was formed in
France. By 1973, the breed was again recognized by the SCC. However, barely
two dozen dogs were registered by the end of the 1970s.
In the 1980s,
Beth and Ron Cepil of Pennsylvania accomplished the first importation of
Bourbonnais pointers to America. The Cepils have disbanded kennel and are no
longer active in breed. However, Lonn Kuck and Larose each began their
kennels dogs from the Cepils in 1991 and 1993, respectively. Additionally,
Lonn Kuck imported six more Bourbonnais Pointers from France. Today,
approximately 350 Bourbonnais Pointers live in the United States.
TRAITS OF A
GOOD ONE
Physical
The American
Kennel Club does not recognize the Braque du Bourbonnais, and that isn't
likely to change any time soon. Dogs may be registered with the North
American Versatile Hunting Dog Association (NAVHDA) or the Field Dog Stud (FDSB).
None of the above organizations has a published standard for breed. Rather,
the FCI standard (No.179) is accepted as the breed standard on this
continent.
The FCI
standard calls for males to stand 20 to 221/2 inches at the shoulders,
females running generally an inch shorter. Weight ranges from 40 to 55
pounds for males, and 35 to 48 pounds females. Thus, the breed is very
similar in size to the English pointer.
"Perhaps the
most distinctive feature of the breed is coat coloration. The standard notes
that "shades of faded lilac and wine are achieved by the overall effect of
maroon-colored spots and lines blended together to give a mottled effect."
The standard further describes the appearance as "streaked." Lonn Kuck used
the word "marbled" to describe the breed's appearance. Acceptable colors are
liver ("maroon") and orange ("fawn") on a background of white. Large
blotches of solid color are not acceptable. Consequently, a symmetrically
masked appearance, common in Brittanys and other "braques," is not seen in
Bourbonnais pointers.
Beyond these
basic physical parameters, Dan Larose says, "They're thick, with a short
neck and serious haunches-they look like a pointing pit bull [terrier]." He
says the breed's tremendous muscle mass results in great athletic ability
and terrific stamina.
Lonn Kuck
describes Bourbonnais pointers as "cobby and stout," and says they are "a
lot of muscle in a small package." This extreme muscularity differentiates
the breed from some other braques, which tend to be more lithe and sleek.
Although the
breed was originally born tail-less or short-tailed, standards no longer
require this feature. Today, the tail is docked to one to three inches
(adult length). Dan Larose says, "The tail should be just long enough to
cover the anus."
To date,
hereditary health problems have not been rampant in the breed. However, hip
dysplasia and entropic eyelids do appear occasionally, as they do in
virtually every breed. Additionally, Dan Larose cited only one known case of inis coloboma, a rare eye disorder.
Temperament
Lonn Kuck
describes the Braque du Bourbonnais as "affectionate but a little aloof with
strangers." He says the breed is gentle and quiet, with a strong desire to
please the owner. Dan Larose echoes this description, noting the breed's
excellent qualities as a watch dog.
"They know
their environment totally," says Larose, "so any changes, noises or strange
people will sound the alarm a houndy bark-bawl-but they will shut up if told
to."
Larose and Kuck
agreed the Bourbonnais pointer makes a fine family pet, and is extremely
intelligent and trainable. Kuck stated that the Braque du Bourbonnais may
not be quite as soft-natured as the Braque Francais and can perhaps tolerate
more regimented training. However, he cautions that the breed is still
softer than some other European continental breeds.
"German dogs
are fighters," Kuck says, "but French dogs are lovers."
Larose also
warns that the breed is "not hardheaded" and requires relatively gentle
handling. He emphasizes the breed's ability to sense the mood of the
handler, seeking eye contact at all times.
HUNTING NICHE:
Who Should
Own One?
 Most of Lonn Kuck's hunting is for western upland birds-Huns, sage grouse and chukars. He
says the Braque du Bourbonnais handles hot weather very well, and his dogs
"cover a lot of prairie." However, the breed's desire for continual contact
with the handler keeps them close in heavy cover.
Dan
Larose is an Orvis guide at the Sandanona Shooting Grounds in upstate New
York. Consequently, pen-raised pheasants constitute a large share of his
bag. Additionally, he enjoys an occasional trip to Canada for woodcock and
ruffed grouse. He has found the Braque du Bourbonnais particularly adept on
woodcock. However, Larose said his male, Darne, needed a little coaching to
recognize woodcock as game on his first trip north.
"I shot a
woodcock, and he ran out pick it up," Larose recalls. "He picked it up and
immediately dropped it. He seemed to say, 'You want these things?' It was
pretty funny!" Larose said Darne learned quickly that woodcock were game,
regardless of how they might taste. "We didn't lose a woodcock on the whole
trip," he said, "and we shot quite a few."
Although the
breed can handle ruffed grouse adequately, Larose notes a tendency in
Bourbonnais pointers that probably disqualifies them as ideal grouse dogs.
"They point pretty close to their game," says Larose, "and grouse are
awfully jumpy."
Both Larose
and Kuck lauded the water-working potential of the Braque du Bourbonnais.
"You almost can't keep them out of the water," said Kuck. Both Larose and
Kuck stressed the importance of NAVHDA testing as a tool for evaluating
genetic quality. Kuck's dogs have excelled in NAVHHDA testing. In fact, Kuck
owns the only NAVHDA Utility dogs in the breed-all of which scored in excess
of 200 points. Larose has also been a NAVHDA participant. His dogs have
twice posted perfect scores in Natural Ability tests.
The
Bourbonnais pointer is also a competitor in foot-hunting field trials.
Registry with FDSB makes the Bourbonnais pointer eligible for non-AKC field
trials, such as those sanctioned by the National Shoot To Retrieve
Association (NSTRA). Lonn Kuck took second place in a NSTRA trial with one
of his Bourbonnais pointers.
"These dogs are
very fast and can compete with big runners in some situations," Kuck said.
He quickly added, "But they have shorter range in tight cover, since they
always want to keep eye contact with the handler."
Like most
other versatile breeds, the Braque du Bourbonnais excels at tracking. Dan
Larose knows game tracking ability when he sees it. For 19 years, he has
also bred and hunted English springer spaniels, a breed known for its
ability to track and recover wounded pheasants.
"The
Bourbonnais is the best tracking breed I've seen," said Larose. "If you put
something on the ground, you're not going to lose it." He cited the example
of “Jet," a Bourbonnais pointer owned by Jim North, a California big-game
hunter. North uses Jet exclusively to track and recover archery-shot big
game.
Finally, the
Braque du Bourbonnais offers something unusual for versatile dog fans
smitten by the "everybody has-a-wirehair" bug. With only a few hundred on
the continent, you aren't likely to run into another hunter with a Braque du
Bourbonnais. For some folks, that's almost reason enough to buy a
Bourbonnais. Lonn Kuck admits this was a strong attraction for him.
"I wanted a
bird dog, and I wanted something different," said Kuck.
How to Find
a Good One
Most
Bourbonnais Pointers are good ones. However, you may have to wait if you
want a Braque du Bourbonnais born on American soil. Lonn Kuck has raised
only three litters since 1991. Dan Larose has raised just five litters since
1993. But both men can connect potential buyers with one-time breeders
elsewhere. Additionally, litter advertisements appear occasionally in the
"Trading Post" section of this magazine.
There is no
official breed club for the Bourbonnais pointer in North America. However,
Braque du Bourbonnais aficionados across the country occasionally gather for
a "Bourbonnais Rendezvous" in Nebraska. These gatherings create a
well-networked group of enthusiasts, most of whom are willing to freely
share information and refer potential buyers to each other when pups are
available.
Interested
parties may also wish to contact NAVHDA to learn the names of individuals
with recently registered litters of Braques du Bourbonnais.
It would
indeed have been a shame if we had lost this pointer made of marble. But,
thanks to a corps of devoted fans, we may see more fawn and faded lilac afield in coming years. If you are a versatile dog fan with a penchant for
the unusual, the Braque du Bourbonnais is a workable “Jacques" of all
trades! |
