Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac vs Braque du Bourbonnais - Breed Comparison

Breeding of the Slovak Hruborsty Stavac, fondly referred to as the SHS began around the 1940s.

There were some dog lovers who were interested in crossing the coarse haired dogs of Slovakia with the German Wirehaired, the Czech blower and the Weimaraner. The outcome was a rough-haired kind of Weimaraner-looking dog.

While hunters and hunting were quite common in Slovakia, the breed became rather rare with the wars when hunting became less, but the dog was reconstructed by breeders, but is still rare outside Slovakia.

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.

The dog is fairly large, standing at between 62 and 68cm in height and weighs 25 - 35kg. The coat is fairly coarse and dense and is a grey/silver shade with a touch of brown.

There is quite a bit of hair around the face. The ears are medium length and floppy and the tail is mostly docked to half its length but can be left long as well. The tail is set high and carried vertically and can be well feathered. The eyes are almond-shaped, and the dog has an intelligent appearance to him.

Temperament:

The Slovensky Hruborsty Stavac is a sharp dog, making it easy to have him trained and socialized. He is such a friendly, social dog, getting on well with all family members and loving to get involved with the games of the children.

There is no aggression in this dog and when you provide him with the exercise that he craves, he is loyal, gentle and loving, getting on well with other dogs as well.

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 Slovensky Hruborsty Stavac is such a bouncy, amicable pet, full of energy. He may appear to be confident and full of the joys but he secretly can’t stand it when his human family don’t include him in everything. He can actually suffer with separation anxiety.

He is an athletic dog and will require lots of exercise – walks, hikes, ball games and running off his leash.

He is quiet but strong-willed and will respond well to a strong, firm, consistent, kind owner.

These dogs make the most awesome pets and you can either find one from a rescue group or find a puppy from a reputable breeder. Whatever you decide on, the Slovensky Hruborsty Stavac makes an extraordinary pet.

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.

There are always some illnesses that your dog might get but which isn’t likely with your pet as these are healthy dogs.

Bloat:

Dogs can die within a few hours if not treated with this ailment. Bloat is a condition where the stomach twists and fills with gas. The stomach is swollen and the gas can cause breathing problems because it puts pressure on the diaphragm. If you suspect that your dog has bloat, he should be rushed to the vet as soon as possible.

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

Prepare for your Pet:

Before you bring your pet home, dog-proof your house. It won’t be fair to leave tempting, chewy things lying around and expect your pet to not be interested in them. Also, keep dangerous chemicals out of reach of your pet.

Prepare for your pet beforehand and have feeding- and water bowls ready as well as a nice basket or some other sleeping equipment available for him.

Feeding:

If you’re bringing an adult rescue dog home, try to feed him the same kind of food he was already eating, as too many changes can upset him. When he settles down, you can move over to other food. Keeping his food consistent can avoid digestive problems.

If you opt to feed him one of the commercially manufactured dog foods, make sure its the best quality as some of them are bad, filled with things such as colorants, preservatives and fillers. Try and give him some homemade food which you can add into the dry kibble twice a week. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all boiled slowly together will delight your pet. Chop it all up and your pet will look so forward to this. Dogs thrive on simple, consistent meals like this. Provide water at all times.

Exercise:

The amount of exercise any dog needs is dependent on age, size and energy levels. Because the Slovensky Hruborsty Stavac is an energetic breed, he will need a good dose of exercise. If you have a puppy, avoid strenuous exercise as this can damage the soft, developing bones and joints. As well as walks and ball games, mental stimulation is also important for this dog. Consider buying some puzzle toys or feeders for your pet.

Fleas:

Check for fleas and ticks while you brush him.

Immunization:

Keep up to date with all your dog’s immunizations and get your pet to the vet as soon as he is sick. There are some illnesses such as bloat which can claim your pet’s life in just a few hours if not attended to.

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.