Picardy Spaniel

Originally from Northern France, the Picardy Spaniel has many similarities with the Blue Picardy Spaniel of which he is the ancestor.

The ancestors of the Picardy Spaniel are among the Oysel dogs of the Middle Ages. He is therefore one of the oldest breeds of Spaniels in the country.

Very popular for hunting, he acquired at the time, the favor of the French nobles.

The Picardy Spaniel has a coat that allows it to resist very well to bad weather, which allowed him to hunt on all terrains regardless of weather conditions.

After the French Revolution, hunting being reserved only for nobles, the breed became popular with the French. The numbers were more concentrated in the Northwestern part of the country because of the dog's very resistant coat, well adapted to the climate of the region.

With the arrival of English hunting dogs in the 20th century, he unfortunately lost his popularity little by little.

It was at the same time that he was crossed with the English Setter which resulted in the creation of the Blue Picardy Spaniel. Although the Picardy Spaniel was threatened, because of his decline in popularity with the arrival of the English Setter, he received his standard in 1907 and was officially recognized as a distinct breed in 1938.

Today he is recognized as a breed in his own right by the North American Kennel Club, the American Rare Breed Association, the United Kennel Club and the Continental Kennel Club.

The Picardy Spaniel is an excellent hunter whose performances are whole. He is also efficient as a  pointer or retriever dog.

Whatever the terrain where he works (water, marsh, plain, etc.), he is constant and determined in his task. This excellent hunting dog also possesses superb attitudes to become an excellent companion dog. Moreover, he greatly appreciates the constant presence of humans at his side.