FCI-Standard N 177 / 07. 08. 1998

ARIEGE POINTING DOG
(Braque de l'Ariege)

ORIGIN : France.
DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.01.1996.
UTILIZATION : Pointing dog.
CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. : Group 7 Pointing Dogs.
Section 1.1 Continental Pointing Dogs, type "Braque".
With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :

The Ariege Pointer is issued from the old French Braques, which in the 19th century, were crossed with Braques of Meridional (Southern) stock of white and orange coat, to give them more lightness and activity. A few Ariegeois huntsmen continued to use him, which avoided a complete disappearance of the breed. In 1990 a team of breeders decided to devote themselves to its survival.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

Braccoid type. His construction is powerful but without excessive heaviness, robust and of strong appearance. One prefers subjects with lean legs, prominent muscles and well defined lines. His white coat mottled with preferably pale orange or sometimes flecked with brown, together with his size, makes him an elegant distinguished looking dog.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :

Medium proportions : the length of the body is a little superior to the height at withers. The skull is slightly longer than the muzzle.

BEHAVIOUR /TEMPERAMENT :

Adapted to all types of hunting, he is resistant, docile and easy to train.

HEAD :

The head must be long, angular and narrow at the zygomatic arches.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Very slightly rounded, the frontal furrow only lightly accentuated. The lines of the skull and the muzzle are slightly divergent towards the front. The superciliary arches moderately marked. The occipital protuberance is quite pronounced.
Stop : Only lightly pronounced.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Pink, reddish (flesh colour) or more or less pale brown according to the coat colour, never black. Nostrils well opened.
Muzzle : Long and straight, sometimes very slightly convex. Seen from the front the lateral faces of the muzzle converge slightly forward.
Lips : Quite fine, well let down, the corner of the lips quite folded without being droopy.
Jaws/Teeth : Dental arches well adapted. Scissor bite. Pincer bite (incisors meeting edge to edge) is tolerated.
Eyes : Gentle expression. Eye well open, slightly oval, frank and intelligent, well set in the eye socket. The iris is of a dark amber colour or brown according to the colour of the coat.
Leathers : Quite fine, long, curled in, set on either at eye level line or below, carried not close to the head. Their length permits them, without being stretched, to reach the beginning of the nose.

NECK :

Not very long, quite strong and with a little dewlap.

BODY :

Topline : The front part descends in a nearly straight line from the withers down to the eleventh dorsal vertebra, the second part slightly convex makes the junction with the croup.
Withers : Well marked without being prominent.
Back : A little long, muscled, well supported (firm) and straight.
Loin : Slightly convex.
Croup : Slightly oblique in relation to the topline.
Chest : Broad, deep and well let down to elbow level. The ribs are rounded without exaggeration.
Lower line : Slightly oblique, rising slightly in its abdominal part.

TAIL :

Set in the extension of the croup line. Strong at its root, tapering to its tip. Generally docked by 4/10. The long tail is admitted. Must not be carried higher than the topline.
LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS : Forelegs straight, with strong bone, broad and muscled.
Shoulder : Robust, muscled and moderately oblique.
Upper arm : Strong, well muscled and close to the body.
Elbow : At level of sternum.
Forearm : Strong, vertical and straight.
Pastern : Very slightly inclined in profile.
Forefoot : Tight and well arched giving a compact ensemble, almost round. The nails are strong and the pads well cushioned.

HINDQUARTERS : Vertical and parallel.
Upper thigh : Well muscled, well let down.
Stifle : Parallel to median plane of the body.
Lower thigh : Strong.
Hock joint : Well bent.
Hock : Quite short, almost vertical.
Hind foot : Same qualities as the front feet.

GAIT / MOVEMENT :

Sustained and active trot, interrupted with times of gallop. Great suppleness and lightness of movement.

SKIN :

Moderately thick, finer on the head; quite supple. The outer mucous membranes must be of a corresponding colour to that of the coat; never with black patches.

COAT

HAIR :

Close, glossy, short, finer and smooth on the head and the leathers.

COLOUR :

Pale orangy fawn or sometimes brown, strongly flecked with fawn or brown ticked white; certain dogs are even white with fawn or brown ticks.

SIZE :

Males 60 to 67 cm.
Females 56 to 65 cm.

FAULTS :

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

Taking into account the reduced stock of this breed, the aim is not to be too severe, but to isolate from the reproduction the subjects outside the type and the subjects with serious faults.
ˇ Aggressive dogs, biting or very timid dogs.
ˇ Total lack of type.
ˇ "Double" nose, (nose of which the nostrils are separated by a deep furrow).
ˇ Other colour not according to the standard.
ˇ Black nose.
ˇ Over- or undershot bite.
ˇ Colour of the eyes : excessively light, wall eye.
ˇ Entropion or ectropion, or any sign of surgical intervention to correct the defect.
ˇ Excessive depigmentation of the eyelids.
ˇ Black nails.
ˇ Presence of dewclaws.
ˇ Hindquarters : Clearly hindering movement.
ˇ Colour not conforming to the standard.
ˇ Size outside the limits of the standard, with a tolerance of 1 cm more or less.
ˇ Serious morphological anomalies.
ˇ Invalidating defects.
Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.