Old English Sheepdog 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 origin of the Old English Sheepdog is unclear as records weren’t kept. However there are some aspects that suggest the dog originated in the 19th century and that the Scottish Bearded Collie had a significant part in the development of this dog which hails from England.

It is also believed that the Russian Owtchar was involved in the development of the Old English Sheepdog. The dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1888. In 1904, the Old English Sheepdog Club of America was also founded.

The shape of the dog has changed very little over the years and it was in the 1880s that the dog was exported to the United States.

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 Old English Sheepdog is a large dog standing at between 50 and 60cm and weighing between 27 and 45kg.

He is muscular with a broad bottom and hip area. The head is also large and the small ears are carried flat. The tail has always been docked, giving the dog a large panda-bear look to him, but these days the tail is often left long, and the dog loses that square compact look.

When the tail is left long it is well feathered. The coat can become fairly long and is quite harsh and wavy to straight. The coat is essentially grey with white hair over the head area. The puppies are born with their hair being black and white, and later on the traditional grey coloring comes in.

What is quite interesting with this dog is that it stands lower at the shoulder than at the loins, so just like a Panda bear, he also lopes or walks in a bear-like fashion.

Temperament:

The Old English Sheepdog isn’t an aggressive dog. He is social, intelligent and entertaining for his human family, whom he loves to spend time with.

He is an energetic dog too and he would prefer a country setting where there are large fields to run in as opposed to living on a tiny property in the city. He is an adaptable dog though, and will slot into life in the city or suburbs, so long as he is well exercised.

Train him and socialize him and he will become an obedient, amicable pet to have around.

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 Old English Sheepdog is the ideal dog for a family pet. They love spending time with their human family and are affectionate and loyal, getting on well with children as well as other pets.

From the time he is a puppy, you can see that he is fun-loving and easy going while also being intelligent. He is also a guardian and wants to protect his human family.

Provide him with the opportunity to get out into the country sometimes if you don’t live on a farm because he is essentially a farm dog. He used to be a herding dog and likes to be busy. Treat him well and have him trained and socialized and he’ll make you a superb 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.

It is estimated that the beautiful Old English Sheepdog can live to be about 10, 11 or 12 years of age if he is looked after well. Just like with other dog breeds though, this particular dog is also prone to some of the common dog diseases there are.

Some of these diseases include hip dysplasia, diabetes, eye diseases and deafness along with some skin problems.

Diabetes:

As a chronic disease, Diabetes can affect dogs as well as other animals and humans. Diabetes in dogs can’t be cured but it can be managed, with Diabetes Mellitus being the kind of diabetes most seen in dogs. Whatever kind of diabetes your pet has, the negative effects remain the same.

Cancer:

It can be devastating when your dog has been with you for about 10 years, to discover that he has cancer. Of course, cancer is the leading cause of death found in dogs older than the age of 10.

Many cancers are curable if you catch them early. Malignant lymphoma is a common cancer with dogs but there are other cancers too. The warning signs of cancer in dogs are much the same as what you get with humans. You’ll discover a lump or even an injury that won’t heal. There could also be abnormal bleeding.

Skin Problems:

There are many different kinds of skin problems seen in dogs, some of which are more common than others. You’ll notice your dog licking a part of the body so that the hair disappears and the skin becomes exposed.

There are skin problems started because of inadequate diet and lack of nutrition. There are plenty of commercially manufactured pet foods that don’t have the right amount of vitamins and minerals your pet needs. Always buy a good quality one to fight these very aggravating skin allergies. A vet may give hydrocortisone products but many dog owners these days try to treat their dogs with natural products.

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:

Food allergies are caused by your dog eating food with ‘bad’ ingredients which don’t agree with him. Make sure your pet has a wholesome diet.

Invest in the very best quality commercially manufactured food. Home-made food is always a wonderful treat for any dog but it needs to be kept simple. No exotic, spicy foods and no suddenly changing your pet’s diet.

Simple, nutritional boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach added into his kibble as a treat will do wonders for your pet and he will thank you for keeping his meals tasty and simple. A little bit of raw meat added in occasionally can also do him the world of good. Fresh, cool water must always be available.

Grooming:

The Old English Sheepdog is quite a high maintenance dog, what with that long hair and all, and some owners of this dog prefer to take him to the parlor to have the hair sheared and wash, otherwise it could become a mammoth task for a dog owner.

If you opt to keep the hair long, you may end up having to be constantly brushing your pet’s coat to prevent it tangling. Not only that, if you live in a hot area, cutting the hair can help towards keeping the dog cool.

The ears of your dog should be checked regularly for infection as well as the eyes, and keep the nails clipped as well.