Maremma Sheepdog vs Braque du Bourbonnais - Breed Comparison

The 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.

Known also as the Cane de Pastore Maremmano-Abruzzese, the Maremma Sheepdog is often referred to as the Maremmano or the Abruzzese Sheepdog.

This is a working dog – a guardian of sheep and an indigenous dog to central Italy. The dog has been used for centuries already to guard sheep.

It was in 1924 that the first standard for the breed was published.

This 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.

The Maremma Sheepdog is a large dog with a muscular build. Some people who have owned these distinctive-looking dogs say he is like a big bear. He stands at 65 to 73 cm in height, both male and female, and he weighs 35 to 45 kg.

The coat is long, thick and white with a dense undercoat. If you look you’ll see flashes of pale orange or apricot amid the white. There is thicker, longer hair around the neck area.

The nose is black, the eyes brown and the ears medium length and floppy. The long tail is set low and is thickly feathered. You can expect 6 – 10 puppies from these dogs.

Temperament:

The Maremma has always been used to guarding sheep, and today even though he is looked upon as a wonderful, friendly companion dog, he also makes an excellent watch dog, being brave and courageous. He isn’t the kind of dog that you think of as getting wildly excited over something, as he has a dignified aura about him.

He is an independent dog, so training and sociaization will be absolutely imperative as he is strong-willed and likes to do things his way. Once trained and socialized, it is amazing to see such a large dog obeying all your commands such as ‘lie down, come, sit an stay'. He is very intelligent and shouldn’t have any trouble learning these basic commands.

He is calm and gets on well with children as well as other pets in the home. With his role as guardian of sheep, he has learned to be loyal and patient and will make a loyal ad loving family pet he takes his role as guardian very seriously.

He loves hard work, and shepherds have always appreciated the splendid work he does guarding their flocks. As a companion you will also appreciate the many excellent qualities he possesses.

The Maremma Sheepdog isn’t recommended for life in the city where there is a tiny garden. He has always been accustomed to large open spaces and requires a large garden. He won’t tolerate heat well with that thick coat of his and will require a shady spot in your garden to retreat to.

The 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.

This is a beautiful dog, but large, so don’t make the mistake of wanting a large dog like this for his looks. He will be expensive to feed.

If you have the means to provide a good home for him, he is friendly and good natured, even though he is strong-willed and independent.

Provide him with a good home and you’ll have a most splendid pet and companion.

This medium sized pointer can suffer from:

Hip Dysplasia – can be tested

Entropion - 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

This ancient dog breed is robust and can reach 11 to 13 years of age when cared for properly. Like any other dogs, he can be prone to certain health problems.

One of these is hip dysplasia. Preventing your dog from becoming overweight can work towards preventing these kinds of musculoskeletal issues. Hip dysplasia occurs when your dog’s hip joints don’t develop properly so that the hips partially dislocate.

It is painful for your dog and it can be debilitating, leading to arthritis too and making it difficult for your pet to get around and to get up from lying down. There are a number of treatment options offered by your vet.

Feeding

This 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:

As already suggested, this large dog will need space and he will need to be exercised. Apart from long walks in he countryside or in the park or your neighborhood, he will also need other activities that stimulate him mentally and physically.

Grooming:

The thick, all-weather coat of the Maremma will need a thorough bushing at least twice a week to get rid of all those loose hairs. When you are brushing him, look around for signs of ticks and fleas too and run your hands over him to feel for any unusual lumps.

Diet:

The Maremma is a large-breed dog, so before you get a big dog like this, decide whether you have the financial means to feed him and look after him properly. He is going to cost a lot to feed, so think it through first.

He will need to be fed a high-quality commercial dog food which has been specially formulated for a dog of his size. Keep the food of dogs simple. We’re all tempted to feed our dog treats like things such as chocolates, coffee, nuts, onions, grapes and raisins but these can cause havoc with your dog’s stomach.

Stick to simple, nutritious food. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and vegetables such as potatoes, spinach and carrots can do wonders for your pet when you sometimes mix this into his kibble.

Try and mix some raw meat into his diet occasionally. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.