Ariege pointing dog

		Ariege pointing dog
		FCI standard Nº 177

Origin		France
Translation		Mrs. Peggy Davis Latest amendments : Mrs. Fleur-Marie Missant Official language (FR)
Group		Group 7 Pointing Dogs
Section		Section 1.1 Continental Pointing Dogs « Braque » Type
Working		With working trial
Acceptance on a definitive basis by the FCI		Tuesday 28 June 1955
Publication of the official valid standard		Thursday 10 August 2023
Last update		Friday 15 September 2023
En français, cette race se dit		Braque de l'Ariège
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar		Ariege Vorstehhund
En español, esta raza se dice		Braco del Ariège
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd		Braque de l'Ariège

Usage

Pointing dog.

Brief historical summary

The Ariège Pointer is most likely issued from the old French Braques. The crossings made during the 19th century with Braques of Meridional (Southern) stock of white and orange coat, gave them more lightness and dynamism. The headcount had shrunk due to the World Wars, but a few Ariégeois huntsmen continued to use him, which avoided a complete disappearance of the breed. In 1990 a team of breeders decided to devote themselves to its survival and its renewal.

General appearance

Braccoïd type. His bone structure is powerful but without excessive heaviness, robust and of strong appearance. One prefers subjects with lean legs, prominent muscles, and well-defined lines. His white coat mottled with fawn in its different shades or even flecked with brown, together with his size, give him a distinguished and noble appearance. The skin is supple but not too loose. The females are usually lighter.

Important proportions

Medium proportions: the length of the body is slightly superior to the height at withers.
The length of the skull is almost as long as the muzzle (+ or – 1 cm).

Behaviour / temperament

Stable and sociable with humans and other dogs. Adapted to all types of hunting, he is resistant, docile, and easy to train.

Head
Cranial region
Head		The head must be long, well sculpted, and rather narrow at the zygomatic arches. The skin is slightly loose.
Skull		Very slightly rounded, the frontal furrow only lightly accentuated. The lines of the skull and the muzzle are divergent towards the front without excess. The superciliary arches moderately marked. The external occipital protuberance is quite pronounced.
Stop		Only lightly pronounced.

Facial region
Nose		From orange to more or less pale brown, according to the coat colour, never black. Nostrils well opened.
Muzzle		Long and straight or slightly convex.
Lips		Quite fine, well let down; the corner of the lips quite folded without being droopy. The mouth closes finely.
Jaws and teeth		Dental arches well adapted. Scissor bite. Pincer bite (incisors meeting edge to edge) is tolerated, as well as the lack of the two PM1, or one PM2, or one PM3.
Eyes		Gentle, frank and expressive look. Eye well open, slightly oval, well set in the eye socket. The iris is amber coloured or brown according to the colour of the coat.
Ears		Quite fine, long, curled in, set on at eye level line, carried not close to the head. Their length permits them, without being stretched, to reach the beginning of the nose. Flat ears and ears attached high are eliminatory.

Neck

Medium length, quite strong and with a little dewlap.

Body
Topline		The anterior, dorsal part is nearly straight-lined and horizontal, the loin is slightly convex, and makes a smooth junction with the croup.
Withers		Well marked without being prominent.
Back		A little long, muscled, well supported and straight.
Loin		Powerful, slightly convex.
Croup		Slightly oblique in relation to the topline.
Chest		Broad, deep and well let down to elbow level. Oval cross section. The ribs are rounded without exaggeration.
Underline and belly		Rising slightly in its abdominal part.

Tail

Set in the extension of the croup line. Strong at its root, tapering to its tip. Traditionally docked by 6/10. The natural long tail is admitted. Must be carried horizontally and never higher than the topline.

Limbs

Forequarters
Generality		Straight, strong and muscled.
Shoulders		Robust, muscled and moderately oblique.
Upper arm		Strong, well muscled and close to the body.
Forearm		Strong, vertical and straight.
Pastern		Very slightly inclined in profile.
Forefeet		The toes are tight and forming a compact ensemble, slightly slender. The nails are strong and the pads well cushioned and resistant.

Hindquarters
Generality		Vertical and parallel. Moderately marked angulation.
Upper thigh		Strong, well-defined muscle, well let down.
Lower thigh		Strong.
Metatarsus		Quite short, almost vertical.
Hock		Moderately bent.
Hind feet		Same qualities as the front feet.

Gait and movement

Extended and energetic. Great suppleness and lightness of movement, the legs remain parallel to the median plan of the body. Amble is undesirable.

Skin

Moderately thick, supple, finer on the head. External epitheliums must be of a colour corresponding to that of the coat; never with black patches.

Coat
Hair		Short, rather thick and well provided, glossy, finer and smooth on the head and the leathers.
Colour		Solid coat with very extended or invasive white patches, sometimes ticked, with all the nuances of pale to vivid orangy fawn and slight brown.

Size and weight
Height at withers		Males : 58 to 65 cm, with a preferred size of 61 cm, + or – 2 cm. Females : 54 to 63 cm, with a preferred size of 59 cm, + or – 2 cm.

Faults

• Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog and its ability to perform its traditional work.
• Faults listed should be in degree of seriousness.

Disqualifying faults

Aggressive or overly shy dogs.

Lack of type (the subject no longer resembles to the other dogs of its breed).

« Double » nose, (nose of which the nostrils are separated by a deep furrow).

Black nose or of another colour not according to the standard.

Over- or undershot bite, the gap exceeds 1 mm between the incisor arcades.

Lack of 3 PM1, or 2 PM2, or 2 PM3, or 1 PM2 + 1 PM3, or any other tooth.

Colour of the eyes excessively light, wall eye.

Entropion or ectropion, or any sign of surgical intervention to correct the defect.

Excessive depigmentation of the eyelids.

Flat ears attached too high on the head.

Black nails.

Hindquarters : Clearly hindering movement.

Presence of dewclaws.

Coat of a colour not conforming to the standard.

Black spots on the coat.

Size outside the limits of the standard, with a tolerance of 2 cm more or less.

Serious morphological anomalies.

NB :

• Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.
• The above mentioned faults when occurring to a highly marked degree or frequently are disqualifying.
• Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
• Only functionally and clinically healthy dogs, with breed typical conformation should be used for breeding.

Bibliography

http://www.fci.be/

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Ariege pointing dog