The Braque Saint Germain is a pointing breed, created by combining the (English) Pointer and continental pointing breeds. This is an old French breed developed in the early 1800’s, and are fairly versatile as they are able to point, flush and retrieve small game – both feathered and furred. While originally quite popular in France, nowadays they are a fairly rare breed. So much so, that the stud book has been opened to allow Pointers to be bred into them again – a necessary step in ensuring the gene pool doesn’t become too small! Medium in size, the breed is always white with orange markings.
Saint Germains are active dogs and require plenty of exercise – usually an hour a day minimum. They are able to run for long distances without tiring which makes them suitable only for owners who are able to give them the exercise they need. They do get along well with other dogs, which means that multiple Saint Germains running in a yard can help with their exercise needs, although this alone will not be enough. Those that aren’t given enough physical stimulation can develop obnoxious problem behaviors and become difficult to live with.
The Braque Saint Germain enjoys being given tasks to do and can be easy to train. They do need a job to do in order to stay happy and engaged, and obedience training is an excellent “job”! Tending to be fairly intelligent, they learn commands quickly – especially ones which are directly related to their inborn talents such as retrieving. Unlike similar pointing breeds, they aren’t as sensitive and can take a correction easier than related breeds. This said, always remember to keep corrections fair and make sure to incorporate plenty of positive rewards into training as well!
Saint Germains make great family pets and are very affectionate to all members of the family, including children. They can even live peacefully in a home with smaller animals as long as they have been raised with them, although animals racing around outside will probably trigger their chase instinct. These friendly dogs don’t make adequate guard dogs as they are far too sweet and social to be a good guard. They may be enthusiastic greeters to strangers and friends alike, however! Take care around small children and frail people as they can bowl someone over in their exuberance. Overall this is a loyal and loving dog that enjoys nothing more than spending time being close to his owners, and engaging in lots of face kissing while doing so! A note – as with other highly social dogs, they can be susceptible to separation anxiety.
Braque Saint Germains shed only moderately and are simple to groom although they are not hypoallergenic. Fairly healthy, they don’t tend to have particular health issues that are seen frequently. This low-maintenance dog only requires a brushing once a week to rid his coat of dust and debris and the occasional bath when dirty. The hanging ears do need to be checked and cleaned on a weekly basis as this type of ear set is more prone to infection. Otherwise, take care of nails and teeth like every other dog, and this is an easy breed to care for!
While not good guard dog material, the sociable nature and tendency to bark when excited means that the Saint Germain can make a decent watchdog. This dog’s real talents lie in the field, however, as he is most engaged and in-tune when out hunting. Possessing excellent tracking abilities, he may be more interested in sniffing out a rabbit than relaxing on the porch however his obedient nature also means he will be more likely to be called off his scent and redirected onto another activity as long as the owner continuously practices obedience with him. This is one hunting breed that doesn’t necessarily have to live in a hunting home – as he has been molded into a delightful family companion, he can fulfill that role just as well. This is assuming that the owner is able to fulfill his mental and physical needs of course.
