Pont-Audemer Spaniel
Encyclopedia
The Pont-Audemer Spaniel or Epagneul Pont-Audemer is a breed of gundog
which is virtually unknown outside of its native country of France
.
The coat is long and wavy, but smooth about the face. The color is liver or brown, or a mixture of liver or brown and white. Ticking is quite common.
Though hardy, as well as hard-working, the breed has the typical spaniel
traits of being easy to train, gentle, and affectionate. The dogs are known to have a fun-loving quality and in France are said to be le petit clown des marais (the little clown of the marshes).
rarely kept as mere family pets. The dogs specialize as water dog
s, but like
their relative, the Brittany Spaniel, can also work as pointers and Flushing dog
s.
region of France in the nineteenth century. It is believed that the Barbet
and/or Poodle
may have gone into the Pont-Audemer's makeup as well as old spaniel
breeds such as the Picardy Spaniel
. The breed's numbers were never large, and so few examples existed after World War II
that it became necessary to cross-breed dogs with Irish Water Spaniel
s. The population of these unique spaniels is still small, and the breed is in danger of extinction.
which is virtually unknown outside of its native country of 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...
.
Appearance
The Pont-Audemer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog, weighing 44 to 60 pounds (20-27 kg), and standing around 20 to 23 inches (52-58 cm).The coat is long and wavy, but smooth about the face. The color is liver or brown, or a mixture of liver or brown and white. Ticking is quite common.
Temperament
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...
traits of being easy to train, gentle, and affectionate. The dogs are known to have a fun-loving quality and in France are said to be le petit clown des marais (the little clown of the marshes).
Working dogs
Pont-Audemer Spaniels are usually found in a working gundog environment, and arerarely kept as mere family pets. The dogs specialize as water dog
Water dog
Water dogs, once called Water Spaniels, are a type of gun dog and count among their number some of the oldest dog breeds. With the advent of kennel clubs many water spaniels were accepted under the names including the designation retriever rather than water spaniel. As the name implies, water dogs...
s, but like
their relative, the Brittany Spaniel, can also work as pointers and Flushing dog
Flushing dog
A Flushing Dog is a gundog trained to flush game, especially birds, by first finding the game then driving it from its hiding place for a hunter to shoot or capture. Flushing dogs are different from other gundog types such as pointers and setters, dogs which remain still after locating the game, or...
s.
History
The breed is alleged to have been developed in the Pont-AudemerPont-Audemer
Pont-Audemer is a commune in the Eure department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The commune was spared substantial damage to its historic buildings during the Battle of Normandy. Nowadays the half-timbered buildings and the canals running between them are a...
region of France in the nineteenth century. It is believed that the Barbet
Barbet (dog)
The Barbet is a breed of dog; it is a medium-sized French water dog. It is listed in Group 8 by the , the French Kennel Club.- Description :...
and/or Poodle
Poodle
The Poodle is a breed of dog. The poodle breed is found officially in toy, miniature, and standard sizes, with many coat colors. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is highly intelligent and skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding...
may have gone into the Pont-Audemer's makeup as well as old 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...
breeds such as 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...
. The breed's numbers were never large, and so few examples existed after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that it became necessary to cross-breed dogs with Irish Water Spaniel
Irish Water Spaniel
The Irish Water Spaniel is a breed of dog that is the largest and one of the oldest of spaniels.The Irish Water Spaniel is considered one of the rarer breeds with the AKC in terms of registrations but is still widely respected and sought-after for its unusual qualities.-Appearance:The Irish Water...
s. The population of these unique spaniels is still small, and the breed is in danger of extinction.