Tanya (03-17-2017)
There are so many gorgeous continental pointing/sporting breeds that are not (or not yet) recognized by AKC that are registered and compete in FCI and in various hunting orgs. I am seriously considering two different breeds down the road as my second breed, the Épagneul Bleu de Picardie (which is recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club, and I'd probably have to import from Canada or France to get a great one) and the Braque Français (Pyrénées type). Continental sporting dogs are a rabbit hole that you can just fall into -- so many gorgeous, gorgeous hunting dogs. Some will likely be fully recognized by AKC in the next few years because they are either currently in the AKC's foundation stock service or already in the Miscellaneous class. I am seeing more and more Münsterländers where we do field work (both sizes). The world is full of amazing purebreds.
Tanya (03-17-2017)
I met a braque Francais at the dog park OMG I loved her. at least that's what they said she was (she was from a breeder - oh wait I may even still have their name!). Just totally loved her. cutest little thing. I quite love GSP's and would likely go more that route for sporting sports (VS a smaller French pointer).
The Epagneul Bleu de Picardie is a good looking dog
It really is amazing when you go down the road of spaniels and pointers. Pretty eye opening. Makes me wonder why there are so few "versions" of the lab (or rather, retriever) compared to all the types of spaniels and pointers. You have curly and flat coat retrievers. not sure chessie would be in the same family at all but "looks" like them. But that is about it for that "general look"? oh duh golden retriever too! Actually that may be worth a google search...
Ivy
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dxboon (03-17-2017)
Many of the spaniel breeds have divided over time because of selecting for various sizes, and colors, and development in very specific pockets of Europe for varying terrain. Labs, Goldens, Flatcoats (probably Curlies too, which are a very old retriever breed) were developed by landed gentry so they circulated their breeding stock amongst the other dukes, lords, estate owners, etc., not to local villagers to crossbreed with other villagers' dogs to make dozens of local versions of retrievers.
Chessies are an American breed and followed a very different trajectory than the British Retrievers. I think a lot of people (especially diluters) want to point to Chessies as being closely related to Labs, but even the US Chessie club says these breeds may have some passing resemblance but they are not similar breeds. Tollers probably have Kooikers in their ancestry.
Tanya (03-17-2017)
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