Picardy Spaniel

The Picardy Spaniel is one of the oldest French spaniels, with roots going back to the Middle Ages, and it's considered the ancestor of several other continental spaniels, including the Blue Picardy Spaniel. The medium-long, wavy, dense coat handles the damp and cold of northern France's marshlands well. Males weigh around 25 kilograms, with an agile build suited to working dense cover and wet ground. The breed never gained much popularity beyond its home region and remains fairly rare even within France. Temperament runs calm and biddable, training tends to go smoothly, and it suits both hunting and family life. Life expectancy runs 12 to 14 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Picardy Spaniel: how old in human years?

55–60 cmHeight
20–25 kgWeight
12–14 yrsLife expectancy

Braque Français, Gascony type

FCI group: Pointing Dogs
FCI section: Section 1.2: Continental Pointing Dogs, Type Spaniel
FCI: 108
Country of origin: France

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

4/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

3/5

At a glance

Height

Males 55–60 cm

Females 55–60 cm

Weight

Males 20–25 kg

Females not specified

Life expectancy

12–14 yrs

Coat

medium-long, wavy, dense (medium-length)

Temperament & Family Life

Picardy Spaniel'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 4/5
Trainability 4/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

Picardy Spaniel'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

Picardy Spaniel's guarding and alertness traits are low.

Guarding instinct 2/5
Watchfulness 3/5
Barking level 2/5

Grooming & Care

Picardy Spaniel's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 3/5
Drooling 1/5
Grooming need 3/5

Living with the Picardy Spaniel

The dog quarters the stubble field in wide loops, suddenly freezes with one paw raised, and a moment later a partridge bursts out of the grass. The Picardy Spaniel is a French bird dog that searches, points and retrieves, is happy in water and works calmly, without unnecessary fuss. The hunting instinct runs deep, and it wants a lot of exercise: a quick loop round the block is just a warm-up.

It enjoys learning, picks things up quickly and likes to please, especially when the lesson feels like work: retrieving, searching, swimming. A gentle, consistent voice gets more out of it than a harsh one. With a strong prey drive, small animals will tempt it, so start working on recall from puppyhood. It barks little, which your neighbours will appreciate.

With its family it is affectionate and patient, good with children, and generally finds common ground with other dogs. It greets visitors calmly and won't make a guard. A flat is a tight fit; it is happiest in a home near fields or woods, with an owner who would rather spend the weekend on a hike than on the sofa.

Grooming and coat

Back from a boggy field, the first thing to greet you is the smell of wet dog, followed by half the meadow tangled into the waves. The Picardy Spaniel's coat is medium length, wavy and dense, a little water-resistant, and very good at collecting burrs and twigs. Comb it twice a week, paying attention behind the ears, the feathering on the legs and the tail, where mats form first. It sheds a moderate amount, so expect the brush to come out more often when the coat changes.

The ears are long and well furred, so dry them after a swim or a rainy walk and look inside every week; redness, discharge or a bad smell means it's time for the vet. Now and then trim the hair growing between the pads so it doesn't collect mud and snowballs, and check the nails every few weeks.

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 large breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (25 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.

≈ 305 g of dry food a day, from €16,70 a month For a neutered, normally active 22,5 kg dog. Calculate for your dog