Looking to compare the German Shorthaired Pointer to the Braque Francais? There are quite a few big differences between these two breeds you should consider before spending your money and inviting a new dog into your home.
Let’s explore the differences, the similarities and share what you need to know before getting your next pup!
German Shorthaired Pointer
Now look, I am biased as I own a GSP, and well, I just think they are great dogs! From family life to hunting, they really can do it all. However, they also have areas of improvement to make too. So let’s explore the GSP traits to expect if you bring this pup home.
GSP Behavior
A typical German Shorthaired Pointer would usually be friendly, intelligent, and curious to explore the external environments. However, since they are considered house dogs, they need constant socialization with you and your family members.
Hence, you must make sure that you interact with them regularly, especially when they’re young. It’s a fact that healthy socialization with your dogs may help them grow up to be well-balanced dogs.
GSP Energy Levels
Most of the German Shorthaired Pointers dogs are usually energetic. Hence, if you plan to keep one as a pet, it’s highly recommended that you allow at least one hour of exercise, preferably without the leash.
This form of activity needs to be done daily as otherwise, your dog will start to show signs of self-destructive behavior.
Apart from that, you should also never leave your dog alone at home with nothing to do as they need some activities that can be done without your supervision to maintain their mental health.
Temperament
GSP’s temperament is affected by some factors such as socialization, heredity, and training. Listed down below is a list of the temperament of a normal GSP.
- Loving
- Loyal
- Outgoing
- Territorial
- Responsive
- Social
- Independent
- Gentle
- Curious
- Alert
- Cheerful
- Intelligent
- Playful
- Protective
Health Concerns
A standard German Shorthaired Pointer would typically have a lifespan of approximately 12 to 14 years.
However, they are vulnerable to small health issues such as hypothyroidism, osteochondritis dissecans, gastric torsion, canine hip dysplasia, pannus, and entropion. Another major health problem that they might have would be lymphedema.
Besides that, some breeding problems have been observed in the past, like ectropion, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), and cardiomyopathy.
For the veterinarian to identify some of these health issues, in most cases, they would suggest you take your dog for hip, eye, thyroid, and cardiac exams. All of these needs to be done to confirm the current state of health of your dog.
Hence, if you suspect that there’s something wrong with your dogs, then please don’t delay any time to take them to the veterinary clinic for analysis and treatments.
Hunting Ability
The hunting ability of the German Shorthaired Pointer is quite impressive as they have proven in the past their ability to catch upland waterfowls and birds, rabbits, deer, raccoons and even ducks!
Regardless of the task that you appoint to your dog, they will do it gladly with impressive performance. Next, it has also been found that the majority of the GSP can hunt right away when they’re adults.
There have been a lot of breeders that would introduce a small live quail to their eight-week-old GSP. This is done to promote the growth of the hunting ability of these puppies at the early stages of their life.
A maximum level of exposure to the birds combined with a minimal hunting training level will definitely produce a productive gun dog.
Family Compatibility
A GSP is well-known to enjoy having a company by their side, and they also love to play around with people. They would work hard to please the people around them, and they would do anything to get some treats for the day.
On the other hand, a normal GSP would usually be able to learn new forms of exercises quickly and enjoy interacting with different types of people in the house, so it’s nice to have them around the house.
Braque Francais
Behavior
Braque Francais were originally bred to hunt wild animals. However, nowadays, most of them can be seen more like family pets.
They are also considered by many to be among one of the least dominant dog breeds that you will ever see. On top of that, they are also extremely excited to please the people around them.
These traits, mixed with their friendly behavior, will certainly make them the perfect dog for your family.
Energy Levels
As mentioned before, Braque Francais was bred for hunting purposes, and hence they are quite energetic and active dogs. The energy levels of Braque Francais are quite similar to that of German Shorthaired Pointers.
They require a high level of physical and mental activities to stimulate the healthy growth of their physical body and minds. Therefore, it’s highly recommended for you to allow them to have a lot of time playing outside every day.
Temperament
If you’re on a camping trip and you plan to take your Braque Francais with you to act as a guard dog, then it’s not highly recommended for you to do so.
The reason for this is that most of them are bred for hunting; they are not suitable to be used as guard dogs.
Hence, you can’t rely on them to alert you of any incoming threats as they’re more likely to get attracted to this danger to get more attention from it rather than alerting you to it.
* Sociable
* Sensitive
* Cheerful
* Loving
* Friendly
Health Concerns
Braque Francais tends to be a healthy breed, and they usually have a lifespan of approximately 12 to 14 years. However, some of the health issues that can often be found include hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, aortic stenosis, elbow dysplasia, and ocular conditions.
Patellar luxation is a type of condition where the kneecap on either one or both of the hind limbs will not sit properly, which may cause it to be dislocated.
Therefore, it’s wise to seek a medical consultation with your local veterinarian as soon as possible to prevent the condition of your dogs from deteriorating over time.
Regular checkups with your veterinarian will not only help you to save your pet’s life, but it will also help your dogs to avoid any critical health issues in the future.
Hunting ability
Braque Francais are gun dogs with a moderate pace that can cover a decent distance of around 200 yards. However, they will also check in quite frequently.
Unlike GSP, Braque Francais is also pretty flexible in their ability to swim, track, scent, retrieve and point. They are solid but not as fast as a German Shorthaired Pointer.
Besides that, they also have a great desire to hunt pretty much anything that they see.
Family Compatibility
The Braque Francais can be considered to be an intelligent breed that responds very well to the training provided to them.
Although they’re developed for hunting purposes, you may also treat them as your family dog.
With the right socialization and training, you can easily transition your hunting dog to a family dog.
Since most Braque Francais are friendly and eager to please people, training them to be a family dog is quite straightforward and can be done quickly.
