Braque du Bourbonnais

Also known as: Bourbonnais pointer, Bourbonnais'nseisoja, Braco del Borbonesado, Bracco del Bourbonnais, Bourbonnais Pointing Dog

The Braque du Bourbonnais comes from the Bourbonnais region in central France and appears in hunting texts as far back as the 16th century, making it one of the oldest continental pointing breeds. Its most distinctive trait is a naturally short or absent tail, a feature that occurs without docking. The short, dense coat often carries faded, wine-colored patches, which gave rise to the nickname fauve de Bourbonnais. A male weighs around 24 kilograms, with a compact, balanced build suited to working through thick cover. The breed nearly died out twice during the 20th century and was rebuilt each time through dedicated breeders. Life expectancy runs 12 to 14 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Braque du Bourbonnais: how old in human years?

47–57 cmHeight
16–24 kgWeight
12–14 yrsLife expectancy

Braque d'Auvergne

FCI group: Pointing Dogs
FCI section: Section 1.1: Continental Pointing Dogs, Type Braque
FCI: 179
Country of origin: France

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

4/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

2/5

At a glance

Height

Males 48–57 cm

Females 47–55 cm

Weight

Males 16–24 kg

Females not specified

Life expectancy

12–14 yrs

Coat

short, dense (short)

Temperament & Family Life

Braque du Bourbonnais's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 4/5
Good with children 4/5
Good with other dogs 3/5
Friendly with strangers 3/5
Intelligence 3/5
Trainability 4/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Braque du Bourbonnais's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 4/5
Exercise need 5/5
Apartment friendly 1/5
Prey drive 4/5
Hunting instinct 5/5

Guarding & Alertness

Braque du Bourbonnais's guarding and alertness traits are low.

Guarding instinct 2/5
Watchfulness 2/5
Barking level 2/5

Grooming & Care

Braque du Bourbonnais's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 2/5
Drooling 2/5
Grooming need 2/5

Living with the Braque du Bourbonnais

Early morning, mist over the stubble, and suddenly the dog locks up like a statue, nose into the wind, one paw raised. The Braque du Bourbonnais is an old French pointing breed, and that point is wired in deeper than any command you will ever teach. Its hunting instinct is very strong and so is its prey drive, so the neighbour's cat and the hare at the edge of the wood will never leave it indifferent.

It needs a lot of movement. A lap around the block is just the warm-up: plan on long off-lead runs somewhere safe every day, search games, tracking or real hunting. It learns willingly and fairly quickly, best of all when a task feels like work, and gentle, consistent training with praise gets further than a stern voice. Start recall early and practise it patiently, because the nose can carry it further than your whistle reaches.

At home, once it has had its run, it is calm and affectionate, happy to lie near its people and usually lovely with children. It generally gets along with other dogs, greets strangers politely and makes a poor guard and a quiet housemate. A flat is too small for it, and so are long hours alone; it is happiest with a hunter or an active family with a garden, for whom a weekend in the fields is a pleasure rather than a chore.

Grooming and coat

The Braque du Bourbonnais wears a short, dense, close-lying coat with a look all its own: a white base finely flecked with brown or fawn, as if someone had dusted it with spice. A coat like that asks for very little. Run a rubber brush or grooming mitt over it once a week and the loose hair ends up in the brush instead of on the sofa. It sheds lightly, dried mud falls off the short hair by itself, and a bath is only worth it when the dog has rolled in something truly fragrant.

Save your attention for what the field leaves behind. After a walk through stubble or scrub, check the pads, the gaps between the toes and those hanging ears, where seeds and burrs like to lodge. Lift the ears and look inside every week; redness, discharge or a bad smell is a reason to see a vet. Trim the nails if they don't wear down on their own.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

We don't have reliable health information specific to this breed, so we don't list conditions here. Keep up regular vet check-ups, and if you are getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Food for medium breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (24 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 280 g of dry food a day, from €15,29 a month For a neutered, normally active 20 kg dog. Calculate for your dog