The keen yet reserved French Pointer, or Braque Francais, is a very willing animal with a raft of good qualities. They come in two types, the Gascony and the Pyrenean. They are well-behaved, calm dogs and very affectionate and patient with children. They can even be taken for walks with only a small child holding the lead. French Pointers have been used as strong hunting dog for many years so require a lot of exercise, they are not suited to pacing around a small garden. Training is difficult for someone with little experience.
The average size of the Gascony French Pointer is around 21-27 inches and the Pyrenean 18-23 inches. They weigh 45-71 pounds and tend to have a lifespan of 12 years. They have very large appetites and are usually healthy dogs.
The French Pointer is directly descended from the medieval pointers used throughout the Middle Ages for bird hunting and falconry. From the 14th century onwards, the kings of France kept packs of several hundred hunting dogs, amongst them were French Pointers.