French marriage

Because of their common traits and background, the French Bulldog and the Boston Terrier are two breeds that are frequently referred to as a "French marriage." These dogs’ endearing looks and affectionate personalities have made them popular choices for pet owners all over the world.

With a lengthy history, both breeds were initially bred for distinct objectives. But as time went on, they began to share characteristics, which made them popular with both families and city people. Their small size and easy grooming make them suitable for a wide range of lifestyles.

This article will discuss the qualities that set the "French marriage" apart from other dog breeds, as well as the similarities and differences between the French Bulldog and the Boston Terrier. There’s lots of fascinating information ahead, whether you’re thinking about adopting one of these dogs or you’re just interested in learning more about their history.

Characteristic	Description
Breed Name	French Bulldog
Origin	France
Size	Small to medium
Weight	18-28 pounds
Lifespan	10-12 years
Temperament	Affectionate, playful, sociable
Coat Type	Short and smooth
Exercise Needs	Moderate
Common Health Issues	Breathing problems, hip dysplasia
Training Difficulty	Easy, but can be stubborn

A union or partnership between two people that doesn’t adhere to official legal procedures is referred to as a "French marriage." Couples may choose to live together or have informal ceremonies in place of taking the conventional path of getting married legally. Even though it might not offer the same legal protections, this kind of arrangement is frequently chosen for financial, cultural, or personal reasons. It can still be a meaningful and committed relationship.

The history of origin

A letter from Duke F. Giz to Montmorance dated 1540 contains the breed’s first recorded mention. Giz offered a wounded spouse a chance at falconry hunting. The Brakk were then represented by a single species, hounds and bloodhounds of the local breeds.

When Spanish hunting rifles arrived in France in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, Blood was combined with the smooth-haired Spanish police officer’s blood.

Their cherished breed degenerated as a result of the French Revolution’s destruction of the nobility. Later on, in the era of restoration, pointers became very popular. They started to become confused about marriage.

Sabaneyev L.P., a Russian zoologist and traveler. Only two native types are mentioned in his book "Hunting Dogs": a taller, heavier "old French marriage" and a lighter, more graceful "Dupui marriage." He refers to the others as varieties.

Appearance

By 1830, the marriage between the Gascon and Pyrenee had finally formed. Their muscular composition is different in addition to their size.

Description of the Pyrenean Braque breed

In France, this breed is more common. The French Pyrenean Braque is smaller than its counterpart and measures:

• At the male – height up to 58 cm and weight up to 32 kg;
• females – height up to 47 cm and weight up to 20 kg.

Here is the breed standard:

1. Head – large, but not massive. The skull is rounded with a not clearly defined occipital protuberance. The muzzle is more pointed than that of the "Gascon". The transition to the nose is not pronounced, the forehead is sloping. The mirror of the nose is colored brown, has pronounced open nostrils.
2. Ears smaller than those of their fellow. Set high, hanging in soft folds. They are covered with short soft hair.
3. Eyes deep-set with an oblique cut. Have a brown or golden-brown color.
4. Lips cover the lower jaw, but hang less than in a large Bracca. Scissor bite. Teeth are tightly set, large.
5. The neck is long, somewhat curved, has a small dewlap.
6. The chest is quite wide with developed muscles, spacious, which allows it to accommodate large lungs and a powerful heart, which guarantees the breed"s endurance.
7. Back straight, level. Broad rump. Slightly sloping croup towards tail.
8. Belly tucked up, but not too much.
9. Tail Naturally short or docked.
10. Legs straight, very long, with well-developed muscles. Hind limbs wide apart. Paws rounded, toes tightly closed.
11. Coat dense and short. Has water-repellent properties, which is necessary when retrieving game from water. Undercoat developed as needed, which ensures good adaptability of the Bracco to weather conditions. The coat is coarser and harder on the back, softer and shorter on the head and ears.

The dog is hardy, agile, and has an excellent sense of smell. It also performs well in both tall grass and dense thickets. The Pyrenean type is more agile because of its smaller stature, elegant muscular structure, and well-developed muscles.

Description of the breed Gascon Braque

Compared to its fellow, "Gascon" is larger. It is 56–69 cm tall. Weight ranges from 20 to 32 kg. As per the standard, it appears like this:

1. Head large, skull rounded with a weakly expressed occipital hill and an almost indistinguishable stop. The muzzle is wider and shorter than that of the Pyrenee, sometimes a bulge is noted.
2. The forehead is sloping, almost flat with an unexplored transition to the nose. The mirror is pigmented with brown, but may not have a continuous color. The nostrils are pronounced, open.
3. Eyes deeply planted, golden brown with a slanting cut. The expression is affectionate, gaze – gullible.
4. The lips are more sagging.
5. Ears longer than a fellow. Location and structure – similar. They have pronounced folds.
6. The neck is long, in the upper part rounded. The suspension is expressed.
7. The chest is wide, deep. The lower part reaches the level of the elbow joints.
8. Back straight, strong, wide. The ribs stand out weakly. The cereal is slightly beveled.
9. The belly of representatives of this type is tucked up somewhat more strongly than that of the Pyrenean Braque.
10. Tail natural, long, docking is prohibited.
11. Limbs straight, slender, much longer than the body. The muscles on the forearms and especially the thighs are well developed. The paws are round, arched, with thick pads. The toes are tightly adjacent to each other.
12. The structure and length of the coat are similar in both types, but the Gascon has longer and coarser hair.

The variations result from the various functional characteristics needed in various landscape settings. "Pyrenees" were developed for hunting in challenging, marshy environments. In open, level terrain, hunters were accompanied by "gascons." Both kinds have highly developed vision, which enables them to detect game from a great distance.

Colors

For both varieties, the French Braque’s color is nearly the same. There are:

• completely brown (cinnamon color);
• white with large brown spots.

Speckles are permitted, and the "Pyrenean" has thicker ones. On their muzzle, paws, and chest, they are also permitted to have tiny white markings on a solid dark background.

Tan is only permitted on the paw and muzzle regions of superciliary arches in Pyrenean French Braques. The blood mix of setters and greyhounds, as well as the hunting environment, influence the color.

The nature of the pets

The "Pyrenean" breed of dogs in particular have a very amiable disposition, making them the ideal breed to have as a companion. The dog looks friendly even when he’s not looking. It wants to be near its owner because it is very attached to him. The Braque needs encouragement and affirmation before it will not annoy its owner by being disobedient or obstinate.

It gets along with dogs and other animals and treats them well. But the Braque’s attitude toward birds as game is determined by their hunting instincts, which are centered on capturing birds.

Although the French Bulldog gets along well with kids, it’s not a good idea to leave an active dog alone with kids. The dog may frighten them or unintentionally hurt them during active games. For the most part, the Braque is cautious around strangers.

This dog does not put up with disrespect or cruelty because of its extremely delicate mental structure. This breed of dog is quiet inside the house and prefers to let off steam when hunting or playing rough.

Because of their unique nervous system balance, Pyrenean type representatives are more sought-after for apartment living in cities. However, the French Braque, like any hunting dog, needs a lot of exercise and long walks; otherwise, the dog’s temperament suffers. He turns tense, reclusive, and unruly.

Basics of training

If a French Bulldog’s owner is persistent and patient enough, they can be trained quite easily. If the dog is defiant about obeying commands, cynologists suggest playful training methods.

It is imperative that training begin as soon as possible. But a dog can be educated and trained even as an adult. An essential prerequisite for this type of training is the adaptation period; an adult dog that is adopted needs time to heal from stress.

The dog is an excellent hunter due to its developed sense of smell, excellent vision, and adaptability. All that training does is strengthen and refine natural hunting instincts.

Care and health

The French Braque is an active, mentally stable, healthy dog that doesn’t need any extra attention. Dense, short hair does not require cutting. The undercoat and dead guard hairs need to be combed out using a natural bristle brush or a specialized glove that massages the skin in addition to gently removing hairs.

This can be done once or twice a week, or every day during the molting phase. To reduce the appearance of hair loss in the apartment, particularly during summer undercoat loss, the pet owner only needs to give the pet a bath in a pond or give it a wipe down with clean water.

The dog should only be bathed once or twice a year, or more frequently in the event of severe contamination, because the water-repellent qualities of its coat shield it from contamination.

The dog’s strong claws must be clipped if it lives in an enclosure with soft ground or an apartment in the city, as there are no conditions for the claws to naturally grind. To prevent cracks, if the claws are ground down, they need to be examined frequently.

You should carefully check the coat for ticks and other bloodsucking insects after walks, especially in areas with thick grass, undergrowth, or bushes.

The same dental, eye, and ear care is required as for other hunting dog breeds. Even though otitis is not common in Braques, an ear examination ought to be performed. This also holds true for the dog’s teeth, as tooth loss and dental disorders are inappropriate for a hunting breed.

Breed diseases

Representatives of Brakko are known for their good health. Dogs can live up to 13 years, and some can live up to 10 or 11 years, with the right care and living conditions. However, even these powerful dogs suffer from illnesses common to the pointing breed:

• hip and elbow dysplasia;
• congenital heart disease and pulmonary artery stenosis;
• eversion of the eyelids.

Timely vaccinations and routine veterinary exams can prevent the onset and spread of breed-specific illnesses.

Feeding rules

A balanced, high-calorie diet that satisfies the demands of its body’s plastic and energy processes is necessary for an active, dynamic dog.

For the French Braque to develop muscle mass, their diet must unavoidably include a sufficient amount of animal protein. His dog enjoys meat, fish, and eggs. Meat that has been raw is sliced thinly. Any kind of offal works well, but to avoid overpowering the sense of smell, avoid using strong scents like lamb.

The dog should be fed bread croutons, pasta, and porridge as a source of carbohydrates. On a diet, pastries are not welcome. The dog is fed veggies, greens, to supply vitamins and microelements and fiber, which facilitates better digestion and elimination.

Dairy products should be a part of the diet, particularly for puppies. They contain calcium, which is great for preventing joint dysplasia and for strengthening teeth and bones.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are required because the dog cannot get all the micro- and macroelements, including vitamins, from natural diet. In pointing dog representatives, overindulgence in food is discouraged because obesity can lead to illnesses.

You can use dry and wet food in place of "natural" food if you are unable or unwilling to feed it to your pet. The most important thing is to follow the advice of the breeder and veterinarian when selecting a high-quality product that aligns with the traits of the breed. It’s also essential to give the Bracco access to clean drinking water. Naturally, no additional vitamins or minerals are added when using ready-made rations for feeding.

Small Pyrenean representatives can be housed in an apartment in the city, but they require long walks in the air and dosed, regular physical exercise. At least twice a day, you must take the dog for walks in an open space where you can move around freely and actively without losing sight of the dog.

Gascons do not tolerate being kept in an apartment. Ideally, this breed needs a private house with a large yard for walking and the possibility of going hunting. In order to preserve typical differences, crossing between "Gascons" and "Pyrenees" is not allowed, so this must be taken into account when purchasing puppies.

French Braque Photo

French Braque Video

The French Brittany is a multipurpose, highly active hunting dog that is renowned for its amiable disposition and agility. This breed needs a lot of mental and physical stimulation to be happy and healthy because it is an active breed.

They are regarded highly for their hunting prowess, but they also make devoted and loving friends. Training is made easier by their intelligence and desire to please, but consistency and patience are essential.

Be ready to give your French Brittany plenty of exercise, love, and care if you’re thinking about getting one for your house. These dogs can make wonderful additions to active families or anyone who enjoys the great outdoors given the correct circumstances.

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