Finnish Hound vs Braque Francais - Breed Comparison

Braque Francais was at first one general breed of hounds in the Gascognes and Pyrenees Mountains areas of France. The one breed became two. Known as the Braque Francais Gascognes and the Braque Francais Pyrenees - two separate breeds of very alike dogs. The Gascognes is a lot less common than his smaller brother. Not very much is known about the beginnings of these two strains of Braque Francais as the breed has been around since at least the 15th century. Because the Braque Francais was exported or taken to so many different countries in the 15th-18th centuries, a lot of the origins of the breeds were lost. A major bloodline search was The conducted in the 19th century and found that these were two very distinct breeds of dog.

It is known that France was the birthplace of this breed and it was developed because of a need for a tracker that could point, flush and retrieve. The Braque Francais Gascogne probably came from the south of France. It is related to the German Shorthair Pointer and the English Pointer as well. Having existed since the 15th century, he was the father of all pointing dogs in France. By the 17th century the breed had grown enough to be called the “old style Braque Francais”,

Though the origin of the breed is not known there are of course several theories about it. The most prevalent belief is that the Braque Francais Gascogne is a descendent of the Chien d’Oysel, a spaniel breed of medium size and white or brown with brown markings. The Chien d’Oysel is an ancient breed used for hunting prior to the 13th century. Hunters crossed the Chien with local dogs on a routine basis.

Braque Francais came out of these breedings. It was probably French Scent hounds that created the larger size of the Gascogne. This also increased the stamina and strength of the Gascogne as opposed to the Pyrenees. There was also a mixing in of the Grand Bleu De Gasgogne and the Petit Bleu De Gasgogne.

The other prominent theory is that this breed the Gasgogne was actually developed from the Portugese, Spanish and Italian pointers rather than the French dogs. These dogs originated not with the Chien d’Oysel but with the scent hounds. From these dogs came the Spanish and English Pointers. All that is truly known is that all of these types of dogs were present in Europe by the fifteenth century and were moved among countries and cross bred regularly. However in the part of France called the Central Pyrenees region and in a small southern part of France the original, old style Braque Francais was pure bred. This aspect of the breed contributed to the development of all of the French pointers and European shorthaired dogs. By the end of the 1800’s today’s breed was developed.

In 1850 the first Braque Francais breed club was established and in the breed standards for both dogs followed in 1880. They were then registered in the French Kennel Club and the International Kennel Club (FCI). The French Kennel Club does not allow dogs with any common ancestors in Generations 1-3 into the Club in order to keep out the practice of inbreeding. In Canada only the Gascogne is recognized and the United States’ United Kennel Club (UKC) recognizes both. The American Kennel Club (AKC) does not recognize either.

With most local regions and countries choosing their local dogs over other breeds, the Braque Francais Gascogne has become fairly rare outside of France where the breed was the most popular gun dog throughout the 1700’s. The Gascogne was mostly a dog of the hunting nobility because of its size and food needs. Following the French Revolution, the breed fell off dramatically, while the smaller Pyrenees continued to thrive. This was because in the Pyrenees Mountains and the Southwestern region of Gascony, the English Pointer never supplanted the Braque Francais.

The Second World War was brutal to the Braque Francais Gascognes and as it recovered it became much less common than its sister breed. Today it is found almost exclusively in France.

As one of Finland’s most popular dogs, the Finnish Hound isn’t particularly well known outside of Finnish borders. Known also as the Finsk Stovare, the Finnish Hound, known for its hunting skills, came about because of a breeding effort which started way back in the 1800s, mixing dogs such as different French, Swedish, and German hounds.

These hounds were used with the idea being to develop a dog that could do well in Finland’s terrain. The Finnish Hound is a great hunting dog but isn’t looked upon as an particularly awesome pet, although some pet owners would beg to differ.

The Braque Francais Gascogne is a larger dog than the Pyrenees breed and is a very handsome dog. Both have a deep chest, a solid bodies, strong and slender legs and are well-proportioned. They have padded, round paws and a large brown head with floppy ears. The muzzle is a pointed block and he has a scissors bite, with a black nose and dark or amber eyes. The eyes are very expressive and round. The tail can be straight and long, or it can be docked. They are tall and athletic.

This is a medium sized dog who stands between 52 – 62cm in height and weighs in at 20 to 25kg. The Finnish Hound can have between 4 – 8 puppies.As a scent-hound, the Finnish Hound has a short, smooth double coat which is usually in a tri-color pattern of black, tan, and white.

The attractive dog has an athletic, lean, muscular body full of energy and stamina. The eyes are brown and the dog has a peaceful expression. The medium length ears are floppy and the tail is long and carried low.

Temperament:

The Finnish Hound is friendly, calm and never aggressive. He is an intelligent dog nd will respond to the training and socialization he will require to turn him into an obedient, amicable pet, especially since he tends to be stubbon, independent and strong-willed. He isn’t recommended for small places in the city but will do better in the country with a fairy large piece of ground. The Finnish Hound is not recommended for apartment life. It is moderately active indoors and does best with at least an average-sized yard.

This is a working breed, but they are nevertheless friendly and loyal to their families. They want to please their people and are usually docile. They love kids and are good as a first ever dog. They are friendly and even-tempered. They tolerate people they do not know but can be shy and are not guard dogs. instead they are loving, affectionate and people oriented. They need to be with their families and never left outside alone. They can develop separation anxiety.

The Finnish Hound has always been a working dog and so he will require being well exercised.

He makes a good pet with homes where there are other dogs as well as children. As a hunting or working dog, these days the Finnish Hound is also regarded as a companion animal, fitting into family life well, and turning out to be a loving, loyal pet.

The Braque Francais is a fairly healthy breed. They are susceptible to certain health conditions that most dogs of their size and working history are susceptible to. These include Patellar luxation which seems to be one of the most common problems for them. They also can have hip and/or elbow dysplasia, aortic stenosis which is a narrowing of the aorta, and some eye issues such as ectropion, entropion, and PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy as well as cataracts.

The Finnish Hound is looked upon as a generally healthy breed who can get to 12 years of age if looked after well. Good nutrition plays a huge role towards excellent health.

Check out common health ailments that can affect most dogs such as dental disease, obesity, hip dysplasia and a serious condition for which these dogs are particularly known – cerebellar ataxia. Lesions in the brain affect the dog’s coordination and sight. Get him to the vet as soon as you detect anything unusual with your pet.

Feeding

This is a high energy, working dog with a need for a high-quality energy food or raw food that you make up yourself. Be sure to include chicken, beef and fish. Feed him about 3 cups once a day or 1.5 cups twice a day.

Health issues

In addition to the conditions listed above, his long floppy ears can lead to ear infections if not cared for. Wash them out daily. He is also susceptible to bloat so don’t feed him large meals and don’t let him exercise or work right before or right after exercise.

Exercise and games

These dogs have a variety of hunting skills. They are not only pointers but can flush, trail and retrieve. The Gascogne is not as quick as the Pyrenees. They need a lot of exercise daily or they need a hunting job. They would do well with barn hunt, lure coursing and free play in an off leash fenced in area. If they don’t get rid of their energy, they can be destructive. They were bred to hunt and cannot resist the chase,

Diet:

As a medium-sized dog breed, you want to make sure to feed your dog a high-quality commercial dog food – one that has been formulated with the right amount of vitamins and minerals for the type of dog he is.

He is a high-energy hunting breed, so you wan to find a food that is appropriate to his needs. Home cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken can be added into his kibble as a change and a treat from time to time as well as some raw meat occasionally. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.

Exercise:

Physically active and mentally balanced and intelligent, the Finnish Hound will require both physical and mental stimulation to prevent him from becoming bored and frustrated.

Grooming:

As an average shedder, your pet's smooth, short-haired coat is easy to keep in tip top condition. All that is really required is to brush the coat down twice a week to keep it in peak condition.

Don’t neglect to check the inside of the dogs ears, as too much dirt and wax can cause nasty ear infections. Also, the teeth need to be brushed at least 2 or 3 times a week with special canine toothpaste and toothbrush. This will ward off tooth decay and lots of other problems within the body brought about by bad teeth.