Jun 1, 2026 · 23 min · 11 segments
In this article, hunting dog historian Craig Koshyk explores why French pointing dog breeds (except for Brittanies and Wirehaired Pointing Griffons) never really took off in America like the German…
An article by Craig Kaushik.
French pointing dog breeds were built for upland hunting.
So why have so few become popular in North America? If you are just about anywhere in the United States or Canada, and you see a pointing dog that is not a pointer or a setter, odds are it's a German Shorthaired Pointer or a German Wired Haired Pointer .
In some regions, you might see a Poodle Pointer, Small Munsterlander, or a Weimaraner.
But other than the occasional Brittany, any other dog you see will be from one of the German breeds.
All of the French pointing breeds were developed to excel at upland bird hunting, not blood track, dispatch vermin, or protect the home.
Of course, with the proper training, many of them can do those things, but it's not really their jam.
Most French pointing breeds remain relatively unknown in North America, despite being developed specifically for upland hunting.
This is largely because they arrived later than the German hunting dog breeds, had limited exposure through field trials and hunt tests, and lacked the strong international breed club networks that help German hunting dogs gain popularity in America.
Understanding why French pointing dog breeds aren't as popular as the German breeds in America requires a look at history, culture, and the evolution of American hunting dog testing.
In my view, a French hunting dog is a perfect fit for many hunters in North America.
In addition to being hardwired mainly for upland bird hunting, French bird dogs tend to be on the softer, easier-going side, with little to no desire to tangle with predators or chase fur.
They also have plenty of run and point, and most are natural retrievers.
Some were specifically developed to handle hot, arid conditions in southern France, while others were created for mixed bag hunting in the cool, wet north.
With some breeds, size played a role in their development.
The Braque Francais, Braque du Bourbonnais, and Ipenuel Breton were all developed as compact bird dogs that don't take up much space in the truck, but are fully capable of holding their own in the uplands.
So, if French hunting dogs are the best fit for many upland hunters in North America, why are there so few around? To answer that question, we have to fire up the time machine once again and set the dial to the 1920s.
An article by Craig Kaushik.
French pointing dog breeds were built for upland hunting.
So why have so few become popular in North America? If you are just about anywhere in the United States or Canada, and you see a pointing dog that is not a pointer or a setter, odds are it's a German Shorthaired Pointer or a German Wired Haired Pointer .
In some regions, you might see a Poodle Pointer, Small Munsterlander, or a Weimaraner.
But other than the occasional Brittany, any other dog you see will be from one of the German breeds.
All of the French pointing breeds were developed to excel at upland bird hunting, not blood track, dispatch vermin, or protect the home.
Of course, with the proper training, many of them can do those things, but it's not really their jam.
Most French pointing breeds remain relatively unknown in North America, despite being developed specifically for upland hunting.
This is largely because they arrived later than the German hunting dog breeds, had limited exposure through field trials and hunt tests, and lacked the strong international breed club networks that help German hunting dogs gain popularity in America.
Understanding why French pointing dog breeds aren't as popular as the German breeds in America requires a look at history, culture, and the evolution of American hunting dog testing.
In my view, a French hunting dog is a perfect fit for many hunters in North America.
In addition to being hardwired mainly for upland bird hunting, French bird dogs tend to be on the softer, easier-going side, with little to no desire to tangle with predators or chase fur.
They also have plenty of run and point, and most are natural retrievers.
Some were specifically developed to handle hot, arid conditions in southern France, while others were created for mixed bag hunting in the cool, wet north.
With some breeds, size played a role in their development.
The Braque Francais, Braque du Bourbonnais, and Ipenuel Breton were all developed as compact bird dogs that don't take up much space in the truck, but are fully capable of holding their own in the uplands.
So, if French hunting dogs are the best fit for many upland hunters in North America, why are there so few around? To answer that question, we have to fire up the time machine once again and set the dial to the 1920s.
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