The Braque du Bourbonnais (pronounced
brock-do-bor-bon-NAY) is an ancient breed. The Braque du Bourbonnais is considered one of the most ancient
pointer of the pointing breeds developed in France. The breed was described in French Literature as early as the late
1500's. Even then, the breed was known for its keen hunting instincts. Like many of our contemporary pointers,
the Braque du Bourbonnais is thought to have originated from the ancient Spanish pointer. Of the numerous French pointers,
most experts agree that these breeds originated from the same stock, the French Pointer or Braque Francais. Each breed
of pointers in France is named for the region in which they were developed. Some examples include the Braque Saint Germaine,
which is the pointer from Saint Germaine. The Braque d'Auvergne is the pointer from the Auvergne region and the Braque
du Bourbonnais from the province of Bourbon, a region of central France.
The word "BRAQUE"
is derived from a French verb which means to aim or point, and as a noun can be translated as "Pointer".
Even in the 1500's authors described the Braque du Bourbonnais as
an agreeable hunting partner that was strong looking and very hardy. Historically the breed was required to be naturally
tailless or born with very short tail. In addition, the breeders strived for an original coat called "faded lilac".
A coat with a white background completely covered by fine lines or distinctly ticked liver or fawn coloring the French called
lie de vin or fleur de peche or "wine dregs" or "peach blossom". A dog that deviated
from these characteristics, with a tail and/or with spots, was considered not pure and was not used for breeding. Apparently,
the Braque du Bourbonnais was never a common breed, however, strict adherence to these breed requirements and the effect of
the two world wars nearly drove the Bourbonnais to extinction.
After the First World War, a group of dedicated breeders formed the Club
du Braque du Bourbonnais in 1935. The goal of this organization was to revive the breed and bring it back to its pre-war
prominence. Although the organization and these breeders made considerable progress, their efforts were again nearly
wiped out by the Second World War. Following WW II, the Federation Cynologique Internationale dropped the breed from it registry
for lack of breeder activity.
The strict adherence to naturally tailless dog and stringent color
requirement resulted in a dog based on appearance rather than performance. As a result, many breeders lost interest
in the breed and no pups were registered from 1963 to 1973. In 1970, under direction of Michel Comte, a group of breeders
joined together with a common goal - to ensure the survival of the breed, This goal was achieved, the breed standards was
relaxed, spots and docked tails were considered acceptable and the breed's noted hunting instincts restored. Today
the breeds pointing intensity, instinct to retrieve; its great intelligence, its trainability and its passionate love for
his master have been an underlying goal in the breeds restoration.
Through the dedicated efforts of a number of French breeders not
only has the Bourbonnais survived extinction but is now firmly established in its native country and is present in the United
States, Canada, Greece, Germany, Belgium and Italy. Today the breed is in all sense of the word a continental breed,
an all purpose gun dog not a specialist like the English Pointers and Setters. Consequently, the Bourbonnais was developed
to be a truly versatile breed, a breed with a keen nose and intense pointing instinct, an eagerness to retrieve from both
land and water, and the energy and drive to track wounded game. These characteristics have now been set while retaining
the breed's clam, gentle demeanor. These characteristics combined with their small size and short coat makes the
Bourbonnais an ideal home companion and pet for the family that hunts.
Contemporary Bourbonnais breeders
in France are committed to avoiding the mistakes of the past. Today, French breeders strive to produce Bourbonnais that
conforms to a breed standard but equally important, Bourbonnais must now be equally proficient in the field as pointers, retrievers
and trackers. Since the early 1970's Bourbonnais breeders substantially and rapidly improved the breed's conformation
and field performance. As the quality of dogs produced improved and breed type predictability tightened the Club du
Braque du Bourbonnais has adopted a series of new breed standards, in effect raising the bar, setting the goals progressively
higher to keep pace of the breed improvements always moving forward. The most recent adopted in 1998. This standard
now restores that the Bourbonnais to be naturally tailless or to be born with a short tail as a breed characteristic.
However, unlike in the past, this is a goal not a disqualification.
The first
Braque du Bourbonnais was not imported into this country until 1988. In the 1980's Bonnie Wilcox DVM and Chris Walkowicz
were accumulating information and research for their future book entitled Atlas of Dog Breeds: Dogs for All Reasons.
This publication covered a number of fascinating breeds of dogs in danger of extinction from around the world. During
this process Wilcox and Walkowicz contacted Francois Sarret of France for information and background on the Braque du Bourbonnais.
Ms. Sarret has been breeding Braque du Bourbonnais since 1981. The exchange of information led to an article by Wilcox
and Walkowicz for Dog World magazine called Renaissance of a French breed in America (April 1988 pg.6). This article
provided Elk Run Kennels' starting point for their search for this unique breed. The goal of the article was to
bring French breeders together with interested American homes with the hope of establishing the breed in this country to help
avoid its extinction. A meeting of interested American homes and French breeders on the East Coast resulted in a pair
of Bourbonnais being imported to a home in Louisiana. This pair produced the first litter of Braque du Bourbonnais in
North America. After this initial breeding no other breeding's of the status of the offspring produced has not been
recorded.
The
following year, 1989, Beth Cepil of New Tripoli, PA imported three dogs, a bitch and two dogs from Jean Paul Buot's Beniguosse
Kennels. Beth produced her first litter of Bourbonnais in 1991; Elk Run Kennels purchased their first Bourbonnais, Bessie
(phantom's Belle LaBette) from this litter, the second Bourbonnais litter produced in this country. In subsequent
years, Beth Cepil introduced a number of imported dogs into her kennel. These dogs produced several litters before Beth
dismantled her kennel later in the 1990's. since Elk Run Kennels acquired its first Bourbonnais, they have selectively
added eight (8) imported dogs of which five (5) were added into their breeding program. The goals of Elk Run Kennels were
to build on the foundation created by Bonnie Wilcox, Chris Walkowicz, Francois Sarret and Beth Cepil. Because of their
efforts the Bourbonnais is firmly established in the United States. The First Bourbonnais was not imported into Canada
until 1997, this import has now been followed by additional imports into Canada. Aspen Ridge Kennels is dedicated to
the same goals and principals as the fine people who have written, bred and imported this breed to this country.
