French Spaniel / Epagneul Francais

Breed history:

 It is a very old breed, the ancestor of all French dogs in the same group. Paintings of this dog are found in many hunting scenes in the Flemish and Dutch painting school. Very much loved until the 19th century, when the attention was directed towards British dogs, this breed came back into public attention in the 20th century. It is better known in France.

Description:

 It is a medium- to large-sized, strong, burly, slender dog. The head is not too big, the skull is round, the muzzle is rather long and wide, the nose is big and brown. The eyes are rather big and dark brown. The ears are placed at the eyeline, round-ended, slightly bent and covered with long, wavy hair. The tail is quite long and has curly, long hair, a sword-like look and is carried low or horizontally at the most. The fur is waterproof and has soft, medium length, thick, more or less wavy hair, forming fringes on the ears, neck, legs and tail. The hair is white with large brown patches and it can or not have small brown patches.

Personality:

This dog is intelligent, dynamic, lively and playful, but calm. Obedient and devoted to its master, it is loving and affectionate with children, friendly even with strangers, but barks if it senses danger. The rest of the time it rarely barks. It gets along well with other dogs and other household animals.

Grooming:

 The fur should be brushed regularly to remove dead hair, not to get tangled and to keep its beautiful look. Excess hair from the ears and between the footpads must be removed.

Living conditions:

 It is a dog with a rather high level of activity which likes to do a lot of exercise and to be busy. It is recommended for active, sportive type people, who have time to take care of the dog, to take it on long walks, to take it swimming, to play fetch with it and, if possible, to take it hunting. It can also be kept in a flat, but it feels better in a fenced yard where it can move freely.

Training:

The training of this dog is easily done because it is obedient and wants to please its master. The training must be consistent, well-balanced, gentle and affectionate.

Usefulness:

 It can hunt birds in any field (marshes, rushing waters). It is a good pointer and retriever and a gentle and pleasant companion.