The old quip, “everything old is new again” could be said of the Braque du Bourbonnais (pronounced brock-do-bor-bon-NAY). References to this ancient and keen pointer are found in the 1500s and include an illustration entitled, Canis sagax ad coturnices capiendas pantherinus (or “keen scented panther-like dog for catching quail”) that depicted a dog keenly similar to today’s Braque du Bourbonnais.
By the 1960s, however, the breed seemed to have vanished.
“I come from a family of hunters. My father and grandfather hunted mainly with running hounds, but we had a Braque d’Auvergne as well. When I was about 16 or 17 years old, I got the idea that it would be nice to have a Braque du Bourbonnais. I was fascinated by the unique lilas passé [faded lilac] color of its coat. I dreamed for many years about owning such a dog. But everyone told me not to bother; the breed was dead. Then one day I just said: To heck with them, I will recreate it!”
Dreams can come true. The photo below taken at the First Nationale d’Elevage, Néris-les-Bains in 1985 and shows what Comte and a group of devoted breeders accomplished (the photo is from Comte’s blog):
