Picardy Spaniel

The Picardy Spaniel is a powerful, muscular built dog characterized by an oval shaped head with a long muzzle, low hanging ears, broad chest, and a curved tail.  It was bred as a gun dog for hunting, pointing and retrieving. They are an ideal choice for family pets due to their kind, calm and gentle nature.

Picardy Spaniel Pictures

History

This breed along with the French Spaniel is believed to be the oldest Spaniel breeds. The French nobility favored these dogs for hunting because of their weather-resistant coat which helped them tread along woody and swampy regions. They became more popular among the masses post the French Revolution as hunting was no longer restricted to the elite class by then.

However, at the beginning of the 19th century, the British brought their hunting dogs that led to the change in liking towards the English breed which caused a major blow to the existence of this dog.

The Blue Picardy Spaniel created by crossing the English setter and the local Spaniel is related to this breed.

Breed Recognition

This breed is recognized by different kennel club and associations like North American Kennel Club, American Rare Breed Association, United Kennel Club, and Federation Cynologique Internationale as well as Continental Kennel Club. However, it is not recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club.

In 1921, the Epagneul Picard Club was formed and was merged with the Club of Blue Picardy Spaniel on 28 July 1937. This merger advanced further on 21 May 1980 when Pont-Amudemer Club got merged with these clubs to form Club des Epagneuls Picards, Bleus de Picardie & Pont Audemer.

Temperament

These gentle, intelligent dogs are extremely loyal towards their masters, also bonding well with their family members. In fact, they suit well in households where one member is always present to provide them company.

They do adjust in apartment living conditions when exercised sufficiently, though houses with backyards are ideal for them.

The Picardy Spaniel excels as a perfect playmate for kids, also getting along well with other pets or dogs of the house especially when brought up with them. However, keeping their retrieving instinct in mind, their interaction with small animals needs supervision.

Though docile in character, they have a bold disposition, not hesitating to jump in swamps or water while retrieving game. In France, they are still used for hunting pheasants and snipes in wooded area and swamps.

Training

Owing to their high intelligence level and eagerness to please, these dogs are easy-to-train. However, the training sessions should be mild but reliable with positive reinforcement techniques.

Leash training

Leash training is required keeping their chasing tendency in mind. Be firm when they try to pull the leash, and do not budge till the dog comes back to you or divert his mind to other things with treats.

Separation anxiety

Crate training the Picardy Spaniel puppies would help getting rid of their separation anxiety. Try leaving the dog for short duration, subsequently extending the time slot to get him acquainted to the crate for a longer span.

Feeding

They should be given a light meal of high-quality dry dog food with other supplements. Overfeeding may result in obesity.

Interesting facts

• This breed can be seen in the paintings of artists like Alexandre-Francois Desportes and Jean-Baptiste Oudry dating back to the era of French Revolution.
• They were also the first breed of dog to acquire admission in salons.