The Traits and History of Ariegeois Dog Breed
The Ariegeois dog breed originates from France, and in particular from south-western France. It is in fact known and appreciated in its area of origin, while it is the least known and least popular hunting dog outside its area of origin and surrounding areas.
It is a hunting dog, created around 1912 in the Ariege department, also called briquet du midi. It was created by Count Elie de Vezins who mated an autochthonous racing dog with another dog that was perhaps the grand bleu de Gascogne or the grand gascon saintongeois and from these crossbreeds was born a hunter superior to all its ancestors.
Its little diffusion is due to the fact that many maintain that it is not a pure breed; in its history it has never recorded a boom of success but has always remained well-liked in its homeland, where it stands out particularly for its ability with prey such as hares and especially wild boar.
Character of the Ariegeois dog breed
The Ariegeois can be described as a hardy breed, very well suited for hunting, but due to its character and temperament it is also a good companion dog. When hunting, it is combative, hardy and even stubborn, while in the family it is quite different, very affectionate, playful and docile.
He is very affectionate, playful and docile. He has a special affection for his master, he never abandons him, he lavishes him with attention, he is always by his side and always tries to follow him. It can be said that for him, obeying his master has absolute priority. This breed has the reputation of being calm, outgoing and gets along well with children and adults.
He likes to be outdoors a lot and during the day it is preferable to keep him in the garden or in the open air, but for the night, it is good to keep him indoors.
As for its training, it is a very easy dog to educate because it tends to please its owner in every way, but due to its hunter instinct, it does not socialise easily with other animals and barks a lot. Socialisation from puppyhood onwards can solve both problems. With cats it is somewhat more difficult unless they grow up together.
Even if it does not hunt wild boar and hares, it can find other good occupations in the family, just allow it to have its exercise hours. Also necessary so that he stays healthy and does not get fat. But he also does not disdain doing nothing and relaxing together with his human.
Appearance of the Ariegeois dog breed
The Ariegeois is a medium-sized dog. In its morphological classification, it is considered a braccoid, recognised and classified by the F.C.I. as a bloodhound and track dog.
This breed is characterised by a light structure, a fine body and a distinct appearance. It is similar to other French hound breeds, what differentiates it is its size. In fact, the ariegeois is smaller than the grand bleu de Gascogne and the gascon-saintongeois but much better defined.
Its height at withers ranges from 55 to 60 centimetres for an average weight of 28 to 30 kilograms, females usually a little less. It is nevertheless a very handsome dog with the right proportions. Its gait is loose, light and quick and it also has a highly developed sense of smell.
The front legs are straight, while the hind legs are much stronger and end in powerful paws that resemble those of a fox, while the tail is slightly curved.
The head appears elongated and light, has no wrinkles or dewlap, but like other hounds, the Ariegeois also has some extra skin hanging from the muzzle, but it is less extensive than in other breeds. The muzzle is narrow with a black coloured truffle with wide open nostrils. The ears are long, pendulous and fairly wide, they are also curled and soft to the touch. The dark, wide-open eyes have a very sweet and alert expression and are usually brown.
The coat is short, fine and dense. The colour is usually white with spots of pure black, with well outlined contours. There are also rather pale markings on the cheeks and above the eyes. It may also be speckled or blue, pale fire and even bright red on the muzzle. It often has black streaks, which are almost always on the head and ears, but also around the eyes and sometimes all over the body.
Health and care of the Ariegeois dog breed
This breed is generally healthy and has no particular predispositions to genetic diseases, given its recent creation. Its long, pendulous ears do, however, make it prone to ear infections, which are easy to prevent with regular cleaning, especially after a hunting session. He has a life expectancy of 10-12 years. He is a hardy and cold-hardy dog and prefers to be outside but at night it is good to keep him indoors.
As for the care of its coat, being short and smooth it is easy to brush, once a week is enough and a couple of times during the moulting period, but it does not lose much hair even at that time.
As far as feeding is concerned, he is not a difficult dog, he accepts both industrial and traditional food as long as the rations are balanced and of good quality.
One meal a day is sufficient, preferably in the evening, so that he does not work on a full stomach. If he gets as much exercise as he needs, he has no overweight problems.
