The bracos are a group of dogs that are characterized by their great physical gifts, such as their energy and speed, which combined with their great sense of smell make them excellent hunting dogs. Of course, it is important to note that a wide variety of breeds are included in this category, some of which we will discuss in detail in this article on our site.
Experts differentiate between 11 officially recognized braco dog breeds and 2 sub-breeds, both of German origin. Keep reading and discover with us the characteristics of the most popular braco dogs and the names of the remaining breeds.
German Shorthaired Pointer
The German Shorthaired Pointer is a dog that has usually been used as a hunting dog, being versatile and very effective in these tasks. In this way, it takes care of tasks that include charging or tracking parts. Its fur is brown and mottled and gives it the advantage of camouflaging itself between tree trunks and bushes, going unnoticed by potential prey.
Two subtypes of German Shorthaired Pointer are differentiated:
- Short-haired: arises in 1800 and specializes in hunting birds and boars, it is intelligent, strong and extremely elegant.
- Hard-haired: quieter, also a bird hunter, although later, as it emerged at the end of the 19th century. It has much coarser hair than the German Shorthaired Pointer, being wire-like in hair.
Weimaraner
The Weimaraner, also known as the Weimar Pointer in honor of the Duchy of Weimar, is a dog that stands out for being extremely active, whose energy can be really overwhelming. It is a very sociable dog that does not tolerate loneliness, so it is not suitable for just anyone.
His appearance is impressive, with a thin and elongated body and eyes that are always blue at birth and that turn amber at 3 months of age. Its large ears stand out, which fall forward, and its coat, a pristine pearl gray. Without a doubt, it is one of the most popular braco dogs due to its extraordinary beauty, although, as we said, it is essential to take into account its level of energy and the attention it needs.
Italian Shorthaired Pointer
In the past, two types of Italian shorthaired pointer were recognized, one from the plains and the other from the great Italian mountains. However, in our day, both types have been merged into the now recognized Italian Shorthaired Pointer.
These sample dogs have a very distinctive physique, with a white coat withor light brown patches, long legs, thin tail, square-shaped nose, large ears and a kind of darker halos surrounding the eyes and ears. On the whole, less stylized than previous Pointer dogs, but just as handsome and loyal.
Unfortunately, in these dogs and in the previous ones it is common to find puppies with their tails amputated. Therefore, it is important to highlight that this is a cruel practice, totally unnecessary and harms the animal. In this other article we explain why you should not cut the tail and ears of dogs.
French Shorthaired Pointer
There are two varieties of French Pointer, the one typical of the Pyrenees and the one that originates from the Gascony region. Both share certain basic characteristics, including that they frequently have a spotted or patchy coat, are of medium size and have a life expectancy of between 12 and 14 years.
The French Pointer is also a very tough dog, which survives inclement weather and, despite the vicissitudes that come its way, never stops fulfilling the tasks assigned to it. He is faithful and loyal and, as if this were not enough, he is a sweetheart with children. In general, it is a very sociable dog and open in contact with others.
Hungarian Shorthaired Pointer
In its native country of Hungary, the Hungarian Shorthaired Pointer is known by the name of Vizla and is one of the most famous and popular shorthaired pointers in all of Eastern Europe. Although they began standing out for their hunting skills, today they are also valued as a companion dog, given their good nature and docility. Also. It should be noted that they love water.
Like all other braco types, they are very energetic, requiring at least an hour of intense exercise daily. Its appearance is elegant, with an athletic body, long legs, like its tail, which is long and thin, a large, square head with equally large ears that fall forward. All specimens of the Hungarian Shorthaired Pointer have the same coat, this being short, uniform brown hair.
Tyrolean Shorthaired Pointer
Of Celtic descent, the Tyrolean Shorthaired Pointer has since its appearance fulfilled the functions of a hunting dog specialized in hunting and tracking animals such as hares or foxes. It comes from the Austrian Tyrol and is rare far from this region.
They are medium-sized dogs, with large ears that stand slightly erect and lean forward. They have a thick coat with a two-layer structure, with a woolly lower layer and a dark upper layer, which presents colors such as red, tan or black, in addition to the possibility of presenting white spots.
Other braco dog breeds
As we mentioned at the beginning, there are a total of 11 braco dog breeds. In this article we have detailed the main characteristics of the most common and popular, however, it is worth mentioning that there are other braco-type dog breeds.
Among them, those of French origin stand out, among which are:
- Bourbon Pointer
- Braque de Saint-Germain
- Braque d'Auvergne
- Ariege Pointer
Aside, there is the breed of Slovakian Wirehaired Pointer, which is not very frequent.
