Pont-Audemer Spaniel puppies

About the Pont-Audemer Spaniel

The Pont-Audemer Spaniel is a rare French gundog from Normandy, bred to work marshland and retrieve from cold water. It stands 51 to 58 cm and weighs 15 to 21.8 kg, with a curly brown coat and a loose topknot of curls over the head that gives it an unmistakable outline. The breed nearly disappeared in the twentieth century and numbers are still small. In character it is friendly, biddable and notably quiet, keen in the field and calm in the house.

Daily exercise matters more than the form it takes: swimming, retrieving, a long walk or a training session all suit. The curls want a weekly brush with attention to mats behind the ears, and over shampooing softens the coat. This is one of the quietest gundogs and rarely barks. A secure garden helps, since the nose leads. It lives well with other dogs and, with supervision and socialisation, with children. Finding a puppy is the real difficulty, so expect a long wait.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Pont-Audemer Spaniel 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. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its 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, which breeding stock should be x-rayed for
• Ear infections, likely in a long eared water dog and caught by checking and drying the ears weekly
• Eye disorders, found by an ophthalmologist evaluation of breeding stock

From Pont-Audemer Spaniel breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pont-audemer-spaniel/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Your Pont-Audemer Spaniel 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 Pont-Audemer Spaniel.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 15 to 21.8 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Other medium breeds

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