Epagneul Bleu de Picardie
Encyclopedia
The Blue Picardy Spaniel (or Épagneul Bleu de Picardie) is a breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of Spaniel
Spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived from Hispania or possibly from the French phrase "Chiens de l’Espagnol" . Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 17th century spaniels had become...
originating in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, from the area around the mouth of the River Somme, around the start of the 20th century. It is descended from Picardy Spaniel
Picardy Spaniel
The Picardy Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in France for use as a gundog. It is related to the Blue Picardy Spaniel, and still has many similarities, but the Picardy Spaniel is the older of the two breeds...
s and English Setter
English Setter
The English Setter is a breed of dog. It is part of the Setter family, which includes red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. It is a gun dog, bred for a mix of endurance and athleticism.- Appearance :...
s, and is described as a quiet breed that requires much exercise due to its stamina. It is especially good with children. Similar to the Picardy Spaniel, it has a distinctive coloured coat. Recognised by only a handful of kennel associations, the breed is predominantly known in France and Canada.
Appearance
A Blue Picardy Spaniel on average is around 22–24 in (55.9–61 cm) high at the withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
and weighs 43–45 lb (19.5–20.4 kg). Its coat is speckled grey black forming a bluish shade, with some black patches. The coat is flat or a little wavy with feathering on the ears, legs, underside and tail. It has long legs with some setter
Setter
The setter is a type of gundog used most often for hunting game such as quail, pheasant, and grouse. A setter silently searches for game by scent. When prey is encountered the dog freezes rather than chasing after the game. Setters get their name from their distinctive stance; a sort of crouch...
characteristics.
It has a long broad nose and muzzle
Snout
The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...
, with thick ears covered in silky hair that usually end around the tip of the muzzle. Its chest is of medium size that descends down to the same level as the elbows. Both the forequarters and the hindquarters are well muscled. Its tail typically does not extend beyond the hock
Hock (zoology)
The hock, or gambrel, is the joint between the tarsal bones and tibia of a digitigrade or unguligrade quadrupedal mammal, such as a horse, cat, or dog...
and is normally straight.
The breed has many similarities with the Picardy Spaniel
Picardy Spaniel
The Picardy Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in France for use as a gundog. It is related to the Blue Picardy Spaniel, and still has many similarities, but the Picardy Spaniel is the older of the two breeds...
due to the two breeds' recent history. The Blue Spaniel is described as being softer, as well as the obvious difference in coat color. The Picardy has a brown coat whereas the Blue Picardy has a black and grey coat, which was brought into the breed by the introduction of English Setter
English Setter
The English Setter is a breed of dog. It is part of the Setter family, which includes red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. It is a gun dog, bred for a mix of endurance and athleticism.- Appearance :...
blood. Similar in the modern era due to the close similarities of the two different breed standards. In addition, the Blue Picardy is a little faster, and has a slightly finer nose.
Temperament
It is a versatile hunting dog, used for its ability to locate and retrieve game in harsh and adverse terrain and conditions. It is not specialised to any one type of terrain, and tends to score well in field trials. The Blue Picardy is considered to be a quiet breed, but requires a great deal of exercise as it has a high level of stamina. It loves to play, and is a responsive and obedient breed which thrives on human companionship. It is especially good with children.Health
The breed has no known genetic health issues. Blue Picardy Spaniels can be prone to ear infections, which are common among dogs with pendulous ears, including Basset HoundBasset Hound
The Basset Hound is a short-legged breed of dog of the hound family. They are scent hounds, bred to hunt rabbits and hare by scent. Their sense of smell for tracking is second only to that of the Bloodhound....
s and other breeds of Spaniel
Spaniel
A spaniel is a type of gun dog. It is assumed spaniels originated from Spain as the word spaniel may be derived from Hispania or possibly from the French phrase "Chiens de l’Espagnol" . Spaniels were especially bred to flush game out of dense brush. By the late 17th century spaniels had become...
. It has an average life expectancy of thirteen years.
History
The first French SpanielFrench Spaniel
The French Spaniel is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type. It was developed in France as a hunting dog, descended from dogs of the 14th century. Popular with royalty during the Middle Ages, it nearly became extinct by the turn of the 20th century but was saved by the efforts of Father Fournier, a...
is speculated to have appeared following the Crusades of the 11th Century, and it was these breeds of dogs that were described in Gaston III of Foix-Béarn
Gaston III of Foix-Béarn
Gaston III/X of Foix-Béarn, also Gaston Fébus or Gaston Phoebus was the 11th count of Foix, and viscount of Béarn . Officially, he was Gaston III of Foix and Gaston X of Béarn.-Early life:...
's 14th Century work Livre de Chasse. Following the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
the commoners in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
were allowed to raise and keep their own hunting dogs. This in turn meant that the pre-existing French Spaniel
French Spaniel
The French Spaniel is a breed of dog of the Spaniel type. It was developed in France as a hunting dog, descended from dogs of the 14th century. Popular with royalty during the Middle Ages, it nearly became extinct by the turn of the 20th century but was saved by the efforts of Father Fournier, a...
split into several types specific to their own regions, which were classified according to physical appearance and hunting abilities.
At the turn of the 20th Century the area around the mouth of the River Somme was considered a paradise for hunters interested in wildfowl. Because of quarantine restrictions in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
shooters would board their dogs in the Picardy area, near the mouth of the Somme. This caused the infusion of English Setter
English Setter
The English Setter is a breed of dog. It is part of the Setter family, which includes red Irish Setters, Irish Red and White Setters, and black-and-tan Gordon Setters. It is a gun dog, bred for a mix of endurance and athleticism.- Appearance :...
blood into the local Spaniel population and developed the Blue Picardy Spaniel.
While the first black, blue-grey Spaniel was recorded in 1875, it was not until 1904 when the Picardy Spaniel
Picardy Spaniel
The Picardy Spaniel is a breed of dog developed in France for use as a gundog. It is related to the Blue Picardy Spaniel, and still has many similarities, but the Picardy Spaniel is the older of the two breeds...
was first shown. This Spaniel was officially classified as a French Spaniel, and was shown at the Paris Canine Exposition. When the Picard Spaniel and Blue Picardy Spaniel Club was formed in 1907 the two different breeds of Picardy Spaniel were categorised.
In France, the Blue Picardy was recognised as a separate breed in 1938, and there are about 1000 puppies born in France each year. The first person to import the Blue Picardy Spaniel into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
was Ronald Meunier of Saint-Julien, Quebec
Saint-Julien, Quebec
Saint-Julien is a municipality located in the Municipalité régionale de comté des Appalaches in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Chaudière-Appalaches region and the population is 407 as of 2009. It is named after Julien-Melchior Bernier, the first reverend of the parish between 1856 and...
, around 1987, and the breed was then recognised by the Canadian Kennel Club
Canadian Kennel Club
The Canadian Kennel Club is the primary registry body for purebred dog pedigrees in Canada. Beyond maintaining the pedigree registry, the C.K.C...
effective 1 June 1995. The breed is recognised by the American Rare Breed Association
American Rare Breed Association
The American Rare Breed Association or ARBA is a national dog association of the United States, based in Cheltenham, Prince George's County, Maryland. The club was formed to register, show, educate and promote the breeding of uncommon dog breeds...
, which uses the same standard as the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
.