Renascence Bulldogge 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.

The Renascence Bulldogge, sometimes referred to as the Gargoyle – or Guardian bulldogs, came about by crossing the American Bulldogs with Bullmastiffs, Bandogges, English Bulldogs and Hermes Bulldogges.

The idea was to re-create the working British Bulldogge breed of the 1800's. The Renascence Bulldogge is bred to a standard and is a rare dog. The idea was to bring about a dog like the English Bulldog but with less health problems.

There is a Renascence Bulldogge Kennel Club in existence.

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.

The Renascence Bulldogge is a well proportioned, muscular, medium sized dog with a large head and strong neck.

He can weigh between 27 to 41 kilograms and stand at between 43 and 56cm. A dock tailed is the preferred look, giving the dog a nice compact, distinguished look, but these days the tail is left to grow long. The coat is short and smooth and the colors are fawn, white and black. The eyes of the dog are low and wide, the muzzle broad and the ears are high set and semi-erect, semi-floppy. The back legs are muscular and heavy, quite a bit longer than the front legs.

Temperament:

Protective and territorial, the Renascence Bulldogge happens to also be a friendly, social, playful dog wih his human family. He tends to be a bit reserved and wary around strangers.

This powerful Molosser is also easy to train, and with training and socialization he becomes a pleasure to have around – obedient and well mannered.

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 Renascence Bulldogge is a rare dog and they are now being bred more often by people who love the English Bulldog but who don't want so many health problems.

The Renaissance Bulldog is a lot more healthier and more robust than the English Bulldog. The best part is that he has the English Bulldog's characteristic look. Bring him into your home and you’ll have an entertaining, social, playful, loving pet and companion.

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.

Your Renascence Bulldogge can live to be anything from 10 to 15 years of age with good care.

Heat Stroke:

Heat stroke is a concern with the Renascence Bulldogge, and even with his daily walk, you will have to keep an eye on him You must never ever leave him alone in a hot car. These dogs have breathing problems as it is and overheating can kill him.Suffering from heatstroke is regarded as an emergency situation.

Bloat:

Any dog can suffer with bloat, not only the Renascence Bulldog. If your dog’s stomach is bloated, he will have a hard, swollen stomach, he will be restless and trying to vomit. This is also a life threatening condition.

Eczema:

Also referred to as canine atopic dermatitis, the Renascence Bulldog sometimes has to contend with this non-parasitic infection. Your poor dog will have dry, itchy skin and he can become frantic with this. You will need to get him to the vet.

Other things to look out for with your Bulldogge are hip dysplasia, cancer and eye infections.

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,

Your Renascence Bulldogge is a special, loving pet, but keeping him healthy can be a bit of a challenge.

Exercise:

A walk every day will be a good form of exercise for this dog.

General Care:

Your pet is one of these dogs that has quite a few layers around the face.You will need to wipe between these folds with a damp,warm cloth or with a natural,gentle anti-fungal wipe.

His skin can become irritated with the layers of skin and you don’t want such a cute pet to battle with a itchy rash on his skin.

Diet:

Your Renascence Bulldogge is going to need the very best food you can give him. The commercially manufactured foods are nice and convenient and the best ones are well balanced.

It’s nice to be able to give your Bulldogge some delicious home-made food, bearing in mind that dogs like simplicity and consistency.

Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and sweet potatoes, spinach and carrots all chopped up and added to your dog’s dry kibble twice a week will delight him. It will ensure he is healthy ad happy. A little bit of raw meat can also do wonders for his health. Never leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.