Ariégeois
Temperament:
Your Ariégeois is also known as the Ariége running dog or hare dog. It lives up to its name of hare dog, you get a fast running dog. It is hardly known outside of France.
Characteristics
In appearance, the Ariégeois is very similar to the Braque de l'Ariège, and the two breeds are often confused.
As a typical representative of its breed, the Ariégeois has a white coat with a few black spots or flecks. There are often tan markings around the eyes and on the cheeks.
Your Ariégeois is a running dog as it is written in the book. Slim and long-legged, no prey escapes him. Its short, dense coat does not interfere with its wide-ranging movements.
The special thing about your Ariégeois, apart from the long drooping ears, is that its lips do not hang over the lower jaw.
When fully grown, it reaches a shoulder height of around 57 cm and a weight of around 28 kg.
The breed was bred for single and pack hunting. Your Ariégeois is therefore tolerant of other dogs, people and children.
However, you should not keep your Ariégeois purely as a family dog. Ariégeois are cheerful, active and intelligent dogs that need plenty of activity and exercise. In the hands of a hunter, the Ariégeois can develop its full potential.
He feels most at home in a pack. He learns quickly and is easy to train.
Coat care:
Shedding:
Energy level:
Trainability:
Children suitable:
The right food
The best way to feed your active racing dog is with a performance food. This will ensure that it is optimally supplied with minerals and vitamins in addition to the necessary nutrients.
The packaging indicates how much you should feed. Make sure that your Ariégeois maintains its weight. The rear ribcage must still be visible, then it is at its optimum weight.
It doesn't matter whether you feed dry food or canned food. You should base it on your pet's taste and your home conditions.
If you want to barf (feed meat), make sure that you add all the important additives.
Remember: being overweight is just as harmful for dogs as it is for humans! Treats in between meals or during training should be deducted from the next meal.
Health & Care
Grooming the Ariégeois is not very time-consuming. You should only brush it during the coat change to remove loose hair.
Keeping this active dog indoors only is not suitable. It needs plenty of exercise on a fenced-in property.
Because of its strong hunting instinct, the Ariégeois must be kept on a lead when out walking.
Dog sports are a good alternative to hunting. Tracking work, mantrailing or similar are in your Ariégeois' blood.
If you manage to satisfy your four-legged friend's eagerness to work, you will have a balanced, calm and affectionate companion at your side. If, on the other hand, your Ariégeois is underutilized, it will become nervous and prone to undesirable behaviour.
Suitable accessories
First of all, there is a food bowl and several water bowls that you distribute around the house and the property.
On walks, your Ariégeois will wear a collar or harness with a lead attached. For tracking work, you will also need a trailing or search lead.
A resting place with a bed or basket invites you to relax. A cozy blanket or a soft pillow make every nap perfect.
Outside, your Ariégeois will be happy to have a well-insulated hut with a cozy interior. As a hunting dog, he likes to spend the whole day outdoors and needs protection from the cold, wet and heat.
A transport box is useful if you want to take your four-legged friend in the car.
Toys are also a must. As a running dog, your Ariégeois will probably enjoy chasing balls. Other dogs prefer chew toys. Base your choice on your four-legged friend.
Origin & History
The Ariégeois was bred in the south of France to create the perfect hound and gun dog for hare hunting. Its conformation and temperament are tailored to its intended use.
To achieve this goal, various Briquets (medium-sized French hunting dogs) were crossed with Grand Gascon Saintongeois and Grand Bleu de Gascogne (both large running dogs).
The Ariégeois combines the advantages of these breeds without their disadvantages.
There were not many representatives of this breed 100 years ago. It is only since the 1970s that the population has increased significantly.
