Ariegois Dog Breed - Facts and Information

Appearance

On the first sight, you can guess that this is a hunting breed. They have strong and highly athletic build with deep chest and pretty long floppy ears, which is quite typical for scent hounds. They have lean head, black nose, dark and gentle eyes and medium long muzzle.

The coat is short and smooth and primarily in white color with black markings. Typically, the black markings are on the ears, head, and face, though some dogs exhibit mottled spots all over the body and sometimes they exhibit ticking.


Temperament

This dog breed is both – extraordinary hunter and family pet. They are very talented hunters, which is thanks to their intelligence, high energy level, great work ethic and of course, high prey drive. They are mostly used to hunt deers and wild boars, but they are not recommended for a household with smaller animal pets, they would probably be not safe around them.

But other than the prey, they are very friendly. This is a social animal and he want to be accompanied by its people and Ariegeois will definitely love to live with other dogs as well. Thanks to its playful, gentle and energetic nature, they make good companions for older children.

The Ariegeois might be little bit alert towards strangers, but they because of their overall friendliness, this is a poor choice for watchdog or protector. This is a highly adaptable breed with big heart and with proper training and socialization, they can make extraordinary family companions.



History

This is a fairly young dog breed, originated in the beginning of the 20th century in France the department of Ariege. They were developed to be great wild boar and deer hunters and they were used as both - a courser and for driving game to waiting guns. They were developed by crossing the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, Grand Gascon-Saintongeois and local Briquet dogs.

Even though, the Ariegeois is recognized by the UKC and FCI, they are relatively unknown outside France. In the other countries, you can find them in Italy, where are few breeders. But in other countries, this breed is extremely rare.


Health and Grooming

The Ariegeois is quite low maintenance dog, but they do shed, so if you want to minimize the shedding and keep their coat in good condition, regular brushing few times a week is needed. Of course, just like with all dogs, you should regularly check their teeth, eyes, ears and nails and clip them or clean them when needed. You should especially také proper care about the floppy ears to prevent infections.

As i already said in the video, this is highly energetic breed, so if you want them to stay healthy and happy, daily proper exercise is a must. They will love long walks, jogs or hikes. Most of all, they will definitely enjoy free off leash running in the woods, but do not forget that they have high prey drive, so they might try to hunt some prey during that.

This breed is relatively healthy with, even though their lifespan is not the longest, only between 10-13 years. They can suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia, cataracts, ear infections and progressive retinal atrophy.