The Pont-Audemer Spaniel or Epagneul Pont-Audemer is a breed of gundog which is virtually unknown outside of its native country of France.

Appearance

The Pont-Audemer Spaniel is a medium-sized dog, weighing 44 to 60 pounds (20-27 kg), and standing around 20 to 23 inches (52-58 cm).

The coat is long and wavy, but smooth about the face. The color is liver or brown, or a mixture of liver or brown and white. Ticking is quite common.

Temperament

Though hardy, as well as hard-working, the breed has the typical spaniel traits of being easy to train, gentle, and affectionate. The dogs are known to have a fun-loving quality and in France are said to be le petit clown des marais (the little clown of the marshes).

Working dogs

Pont-Audemer Spaniels are usually found in a working gundog environment, and are rarely kept as mere family pets. The dogs specialize as water dogs, but like their relative, the Brittany Spaniel, can also work as pointers and flushers.

History

The breed is alleged to have been developed in the Pont-Audemer region of France in the nineteenth century. It is believed that the Barbet and/or Poodle may have gone into the Pont-Audemer's makeup as well as old spaniel breeds such as the Picardy Spaniel. The breed's numbers were never large, and so few examples existed after World War II that it became necessary to cross-breed dogs with Irish Water Spaniels. The population of these unique spaniels is still small, and the breed is in danger of extinction.