Braque du Bourbonnais puppies

About the Braque du Bourbonnais

The Braque du Bourbonnais is a French pointing dog from the Bourbonnais region, an old versatile hunter that finds, points and retrieves for a walking gun. Physically this is a medium sized, sturdy dog with a short dense coat ticked in fawn or liver over white, and many are born with a naturally short tail or none at all. The character is affectionate and biddable, closely attached to their handler, and calmer in the house than their drive in the field would suggest.

They need real daily work: several outings, free running in a fenced space, swimming or retrieving, and training games indoors when the weather is against you. Grooming is a periodic brush, with the ears checked for wax and the strong, fast growing nails kept short. They are very trainable but sensitive, so heavy handed corrections backfire. Puppies want early, patient socialisation with children and visitors, which is where the natural reserve in the breed shows up first.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Braque du Bourbonnais puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Hip dysplasia, screened by radiographic hip evaluation of breeding stock
• Inherited eye disease, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation of breeding stock
• Ear infections in the drop ears, found by regular checks and cleaning

Your Braque du Bourbonnais puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Braque du Bourbonnais.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15.9 to 24 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 24 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

Previous: Braque d'Auvergne · Next: Braque Francais Gascogne

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Braque du Bourbonnais breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/braque-du-bourbonnais/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Svenska Mässan from Sweden, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.