Polish Hunting Dog vs Braque Francais (Gascogne Type) - Breed Comparison

The Braques Français – Gascogne – is a hunting dog from southern France’s Gascony region. Known also as the French Gascony Pointer, this dog has descended from Spanish and Italian Pointers. The dog was saved from extinction at the turn of the 20th century.

There are actually two breeds of Braque français, with the other being somewhat smaller and known as Braque français, type Pyrénées. Whichever one you have, they are popular hunting dogs in France. The first breed club was established in 1850.

The Polish Hunting Dog originates from Poland and is a purebred scenthound. Hunting with scent hounds goes right back to the 13th century, being highly esteemed by Polish nobility.

The famous Polish cynologist, Jozef Pawuslewicz hunted with Polish scent hounds and was part of the development of breeding this dog.

He wrote the first breed standard and the dog was officially registered by the Polish Cynological Association.

Looks:

The Braque Francais is a dog which looks much like the German Short-haired Pointer. The Braque Francais (Gascogne) is a large breed dog, standing roughly 56 – 69cm. Weight is most times dependent on height, but the average weighs between 35 and 55 pounds. The dog is attractively lean and muscular and the tails have always been docked, although rules and regulations see the breed with a long tail these days. The natural tail of the Braque Francais is medium length. The eyes of this breed are brown or yellow and the ears are medium in length and floppy. The coat of the Gascogne is short and dense and in two colors – white and chestnut patching and mottling.

Temperament:

The dog is a keen tracker and is an excellent game and gun dog with some of them requiring more training than others. Training and socialization makes the Braque Francais an excellent, obedient pet who is eager to please and he is considered to be easily trainable, learning quickly. He loves his human family and is noted for his gentle, friendly nature, and he therefore makes and excellent family pet where there are children and other pets.

The Polish Hunting Dog is a large, strong dog standing between 50 – 66cm in height and weighing between 20 to 32kg. He is very similar to a Doberman Pinscher or a Rottweiler in looks.

The dog’s coat is short and the color is usually black and tan. He is a deep chested dog with a well-proportioned head, with longish muzzle and floppy ears. The tail is long.

Temperament:

Well balanced and gentle, the Polish Hound is a courageous, intelligent dog, easy to train and socialize. It isn’t an aggressive dog but is wary of strangers.

He loves playing with children and is loving and kind to them. He never tires of their games. He is alert and protective and makes a great watchdog.

The attractive Braque Francais is a calm, contented dog who is also affectionate, social and intelligent. He is already a well mannered dog but will do even better with training and socialization. However, Braque Francais don’t take well to aggressive training and done the wrong way, the dog can end up being timid and confused.

Wanting to please and being an intelligent dog, training should be fun, lighthearted but firm. In exchange you’re going to have an awesome friend from this wonderful, loving dog breed.

Your Polish Hunting Dog is a great choice of dog as a family pet. Used as a hunting dog he will be thrilled if he lands up with a family who are active and outdoorsy types.

You can always count him in when it comes to going for walks, hiking, cycling or running next to you when you go horse-riding.

The Polish Hunting dog is a stable, gentle dog and he has a whole lot of other wonderful attributes to his name. He is loving, loyal, courageous, friendly, social and companionable. And he's good looking. What a great pet this low maintenance dog makes.

You won’t find many health issues with this active breed but nonetheless hip and joint issues will need to be watched. If you are considering a Braque Français puppy, you’ll want to be selective in choosing a responsible breeder. A healthy puppy with the right environment, can get to up to 15 years of age.

Ectropion and entropion in dogs affect their eyelids. Ectropion is where the eyelids roll outward, whereas entropion is where the eyelids curve inward, irritating the eye. Because visual and skeletal problems occur in this breed, it can be recommended that owners have their pets tested by both the Canine Eye Registration Foundation as well as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

They are generally a robust breed and can easily reach up to 14 years of age with good care. There are always some common dog illnesses that you can benefit from knowing about because then you can get your pet to the vet if he appears to be under the weather.

Parasites:

Active dogs are always going to be exposed to parasites, whether they be ticks, fleas or worms. Right from word go, puppies are treated for worms, but it is important to treat your dog regularly for parasites. Speak to your vet about the best products.

Heat Stroke:

Heatstroke is always a risk for dogs even in areas where the weather isn’t particularly hot. People think on overcast days they can leave their dog in the car while they go in to the shops. A temperature that seems mild to a human can be like an oven to a dog. Excess heat is deadly to a dog. Signs of heatstroke include drooling, panting, anxiety, collapsing and then death.

Grooming:

Brushing the coat twice a week will get rid of loose hairs and maintain the sheen of the coat. Also, as a floppy eared breed, attention should be given to the ears to prevent infections. He will also need to have his teeth brushed with dog toothpaste and brush to prevent the build-up of damaging plaque and his nails will also require a clipping if they don’t manage to wear down naturally.

Exercise:

Daily activity will be needed for this dog and he will want a walk every day. He certainly isn’t a dog you can leave indoors or outside in your backyard day after day. Any activities that require physical exertion will be good because they are exceptional athletes. If you are a cyclist or a runner, take him with you – he’ll love it.

Diet:

Your Braque Francais loves energetic activities and for this he will require an excellent nutrient-rich diet. Nutrient-rich dog foods are higher in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrates. It’s important to check out the carbohydrate content in commercial dog foods to avoid those one high in carbohydrates.

Your vet can always advise you on a good quality food and you can always give him your own home-prepared foods which include rice, vegetables and meat. Certainly include some raw meat into his diet every now and then to avoid skin problems. Fresh, cool water must be available to him night and day.

Exercise:

The Polish Hunting Dog has always had an acute sense of smell, and with his long legs he has always been able to track his prey for many miles. This hunting has made him a dog that wants lots exercise and activities.

As a pet, this dog will require a lot of exercise, being better suited to active, outdoor type of owners. He is therefore better suited to life in the country and large open spaces as opposed to living in the city.

Grooming:

Apart from brushing your pets coat twice a week, check him over for ticks if you want to avoid the spread of tick-borne diseases.

Check his ears, inside and out. Check inside his mouth for bad teeth. This is because your dog can’t tell you if he has pain, and toothache can be terrible for your pet and bad teeth can affect other body organs such as the heart and the kidneys.

Make sure your pets nails are trimmed.

Make sure your pet receives excellent food. If you’re going to be feeding your dog commercially manufactured dog food, make sure it is the best quality ones. Some of the other foods have ingredients in them which can cause your dog to get sick.

Try and give your dog some wholesome, home-made food. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, carrots, sweet potato and spinach chopped up and added to the kibble will have your pet wagging his tail with delight. It will also be to his benefit to get some raw meat in from time to time.

Never leave your pet without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.