Dunker vs Braque du Bourbonnais - Breed Comparison

Dunker vs Braque du Bourbonnais - Breed ComparisonBraque du Bourbonnais is originated from France but Dunker is originated from Norway. Both Braque du Bourbonnais and Dunker are having almost same height. Braque du Bourbonnais may weigh 7 kg / 16 pounds more than Dunker. Braque du Bourbonnais may live 3 years less than Dunker. Braque du Bourbonnais may have less litter size than Dunker. Both Braque du Bourbonnais and Dunker requires Low Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Hound dog
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France
Norway
Height Male:
51 - 57 cm
20 - 23 inches
50 - 55 cm
19 - 22 inches
Height Female:
49 - 56 cm
19 - 23 inches
47 - 52 cm
18 - 21 inches
Weight Male:
18 - 25 kg
39 - 56 pounds
11 - 18 kg
24 - 40 pounds
Weight Female:
16 - 22 kg
35 - 49 pounds
9 - 18 kg
19 - 40 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 12 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
3 - 6
2 - 10
Size:
Medium
Medium
Other Names:
Bourbonnais Pointer • Bourbonnais Pointing Dog • French Pointing Dog • French Pointer • Braques Francaises • Braque Bourbonnais
Norwegian Hound
Colors Available:
White, with fine brown or fawn ticking
Blue or black dappled
Coat:
fine, short, dense
Straight and dense
Shedding:
Constant
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Gentle, Intelligent, Quiet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

braque du bourbonnaisThe Braque du Bourbonnais is an ancient breed, seen in the 15th century in France in the province of Bourbonnais. He became extremely popular with hunters by the 1800’s as a good pointer. He has become very popular in the United States and all of North America. There are often more puppies born in the U.S. than in France. The British call this breed the Bourbonnais Pointing Dog.

As with so many European hunting and working dogs, the Braque du Bourbonnais almost disappeared following World War I but was saved by the first breed club, established in 1925. Then following World War II, they were again in danger as the club dissolved and birth rates among the breed decreased drastically.

Actually, there were no dogs at all in the French registry between 1963 and 1973. This was attributed to the fact that the registry put more emphasis on the secondary characteristics such as color, length of tail) instead of the hunting characteristics. Because of this some hunter-breeders vowed to bring the real Braque du Bourbonnais back.

Michel Comte took on this task in 1970 but could not find any dogs with pure Bourbonnais blood. So, he took missed breed with characteristics like the Bourbonnais and inbred several litters until he had a dog he was satisfied with. He registered this dog with the LOF in 1973-75. Seeing this several other breeders got into the act and they successfully brought the breed back.

Michel became president of the new Club du Braque du Bourbonnais in 1981 and remained so until 2001. During this time the breed excelled at field trials and was first sent to the U.S. in 1988. The breed is now thriving in both Europe and North America.

dunkerKnown as the Norwegian Hound, the Dunker hails from Norway. Bred and named after breeder Wilhelm Dunker to be a robust scenthound, Norwegian Scenthounds were crossed with a Russian Harlequin Hound because this particular dog was an excellent scent trailer and it could stand up to the freezing conditions of Norway.

The Dunker become popular in the mid-19th century in other Scandinavian countries. Hunters liked its intelligence, its robustness and its speed and strength. In 1902 a club was founded for the breed and in the same year the Norwegian Kennel Club recognized the Dunker.

The Dunker started dying out after the war, and in the late 1980s breeders of the Dunker petitioned to allow them to cross the remaining Dunkers with scenthounds. Today the dog is known in Norway but is uncommon outside Scandinavia.

Description

braque du bourbonnais puppy - descriptionThis is an elegant breed with a medium sized, muscular bod and a round head. The nose will be the color of the coat and the muzzle is cone shaped with a wide base. He has large dark or hazel eyes, again depending on the color of the coat. The ears can drop below the throat and the neck is very muscular. He has a deep, wide chest and straight, muscular legs. The coat can come in two colors – liver and fawn – and ticked or spotted. They have a typical short pointer type tail.

dunker puppy - descriptionThe Dunker is a medium sized dog which stands at between 50-55cms with females being slightly smaller at 47-52cms. They usually weigh between 11-18kg and look similar to other scenthounds, being muscular and athletic.

The ears of the Dunker are floppy, the tail is long and carried straight with a bit of a curve, the nose is large and black as well as the eyes, but some dogs have light eyes which can even be blue.

The coat of the Dunker is straight and dense and this coat of his is well known for the unique color of the coat – blue or black dappled, while some dogs will have black, tan and white markings. White faces are preferred but you will find dogs with black masks.

Temperatment:

This is a non-aggressive dog and can become quite friendly when trained and socialized.

They are dogs that form strong bonds with their owners, being particularly good around children. They get on well with dogs and other pets in the home.

They’re intelligent dogs and are are easy to train. In fact, training and socialization is recommended for this dog as he does tend to be a bit stubborn.

Training ensures he is relaxed and obedient. He is an active dog and will certainly require some exercise each day. He’ll respond willingly if you call him to join you in your jogging- or cycling outings.

Characteristics

braque du bourbonnais dog - characteristicsThe Braque du Bourbonnais is a gentle, calm dog. He is affectionate and kind when off the job but intelligent, adaptable and serious when hunting. They are intense when learning or hunting and they will learn quickly. They are good with other dogs.

dunker dog - characteristicsThe Dunker is such a good tempered dog and he will be happy to settle in the city or the countryside with his owner.

When you look at his history, he is a hunting dog, used for hunting rabbits. Being an active breed, he is better suited to living in a home where there is at least a fair sized garden.

He isn’t a high maintenance dog either, so no special attention to grooming is required. Being a fairly healthy breed, he isn’t likely to develop any serious health issues too. This low-maintenance, undemanding Norwegian Hound makes a splendid pet.

Health Problems

This medium sized pointer can suffer from:

Hip Dysplasia – can be tested

braque du bourbonnais puppies - health problemsEntropion - both of these are issues with eyelashes turning inward or outward and both can

Ectropion - injure the eye

Pulmonic Stenosis of the heart – valve doesn’t open

dunker puppies - health problemsThe Dunker dog can live to reach a ripe age of 12 to 15 years. There are some health issues he may face -

Partial or Complete Loss of Hearing:

Partial or complete hearing loss can come about because of dirt or wax build-up in the ear canals. It can be because of an untreated ear infection, an injury or even old age.

Your veterinarian can examine your dog’s ear canal. Certain dog breeds such as the Dunker and others are more predisposed to deafness and you’ll find your dog responding slowly to your voice or he may be totally startled when woken.

Your vet will determine the type of treatment for your dog if an ear infection for instance is suspected. Treatment in this case may involve cleaning wax out of the ears or getting rid of overgrown ear hair.

Hip Dysplasia:

Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition with your dog where bone rubs against other bone. Your Dunker dog will be in pain and his movement could be limited and he may even become lame. Get your pet to the vet because there are a number of treatment options.

Eye Problems:

Take a look at your pet’s eyes so that you’re aware of cloudiness, inflammation, discharge, a change in eye color or red eyelid lining. Take him to the vet if you suspect something serious, but in the meantime you can also gently wipe over your pet’s eyes to remove any discharge.

If you do need to bath your pet, make sure to protect his eyes before applying any lotion.

Caring The Pet

Feeding

braque du bourbonnais dogs - caringThis breed is prone to weight gain and obesity. Be careful not to overfeed them. Don’t free feed them but give them 2-3 smaller meals per day.

Health issues

Hip Dysplasia – can cause lameness and arthritis

Entropion - both of these are issues with eyelashes turning inward or outward and both can

Ectropion - injure the eye

Pulmonic Stenosis of the heart- minor will have no symptoms but eventually the heart will not be able to function efficiently and could lead to congestive heart failure.

Exercise and games

The Braque du Bourbonnais needs at least a minimum amount of exercise daily , especially if he is not used for hunting. A fenced backyard for playtime would be perfect but long walks will work. He likes to learn tricks, play ball or hide and seek. Outside activities could include hiking, swimming, agility, retrieving, rally and obedience trials, along with the usual field trials.

Exercise:

dunker dogs - caringThe Dunker is a dog with stamina and energy and he will need a walk every day as well as some other forms of vigorous exercise. The idea is to involve a dog like this in all your activities, whether you go running, swimming or cycling.

Grooming:

The Dunker isn’t going to require you to spend a lot of money on maintenance for him. A good brush-down twice a week will be adequate as he is a fairly heavy shedder and brushing him will get rid of all those loose hairs. It is also time to check him over for fleas and ticks too.

Other grooming aspects to check will include nail trimming, checking the inside of the dog’s ears for excess wax build-up and dirt.

Dental care is of major concern because teeth left unattended can result in mouth bacteria. This bacteria enters the blood stream and results in systemic infection. Sometimes the bad teeth can be so painful that a dog no longer wants to eat.

It is imperative to brush your pet’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week with a special dog toothbrush and toothpaste.

Comparison with other breeds

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  5. Dunker vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Dunker vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Dunker vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Dunker vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Dunker vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Dunker vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Dunker vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Dunker vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Dunker vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Dunker vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
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  16. Dunker vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Dunker vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Dunker vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Dunker vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
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  22. Dunker vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Dunker vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Dunker vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Dunker vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Braque du Bourbonnais vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Braque du Bourbonnais vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Braque du Bourbonnais vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Braque du Bourbonnais vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Braque du Bourbonnais vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Braque du Bourbonnais vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Braque du Bourbonnais vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison