The Braque de l’Ariege, also sometimes known as the Ariege Pointer, is one of the largest of the French pointing breeds. He was created in the 1800’s in southern France, primarily from other French pointing breeds such as the Braque Francais breeds and Braque Saint-Germaine. Unfortunately for a number of reasons, he almost became extinct by World War 2 but was luckily saved from the brink by fanciers of the breed. Even today this is a rare breed, and although is recognized by the UKC here in the United States, the numbers are still low and the majority of dogs are in France. Almost all breed individuals are recognized by the FCI, which is an international federation of kennel clubs throughout the world.
The l’Ariege has always been kept by hunters rather than as a pet, although he is capable of doing double-duty for both of these roles. In the home, he is an extremely affectionate dog who adores being close to his owner as much as possible, and possesses a gentle and loving demeanor. He does well in homes with children as well as other dogs, and forms strong bonds with all members of the family – with the exception of non-canine pets (because of a high prey drive). Some (read: not all) can do alright with a cat, but only if raised with them from puppy hood, and only when cats are kept indoors at all times.
The Braque l’Ariege needs firm leadership and should be started in obedience from an early age. He has been known to challenge his owner from time to time and thus requires an experienced dog owner. This an intelligent, albeit sensitive and somewhat independent breed. Without regular training or exercise he will undoubtedly find other ways to occupy his time, which is likely to be destructive in nature. Luckily he is known for being fairly easy to train, and his gun dog skills in particular are fairly natural and won’t need much work to get him into the field.
The l’Ariege has a lot of energy and does need a ton of regular exercise. While hunting is a beloved pastime for these versatile gun dogs (they are skilled at pointing, retrieving, flushing and tracking), it isn’t feasible for hunting to be a daily occurrence, so on those days they need plenty of walks/jogs or similar to keep them fit and happy when not out in the field. This quick and agile dog is hardy enough to go on hikes if desired, and loves all sorts of physical games. A large fenced yard is highly recommended, and apartment living would generally be a horrible idea.
The Braque de l’Ariege can take awhile to warm up to strangers, and he won’t accept just anyone as a friend until he has “vetted them”. This means he will be fairly aloof when meeting new people and his friendly attitude may take awhile to show itself. While not known as a guard dog, he can function quite well as a watch dog and will sound an alert in when someone enters the property.
The l’Ariege is a low-maintenance breed when it comes to grooming, requiring only a weekly rubdown with a brush or hound glove. They shed moderately, which means they are not a hypoallergenic dog. Make sure to check and clean ears regularly (weekly is usually fine), as long hanging ears are more likely to get infections and buildup. Baths can be given when needed although they don’t generally have a lot of odor. This is also a very healthy breed with most members living around 12-15 years. There aren’t any major health problems that are common in this pointing dog.
