Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz vs Braque du Bourbonnais - Breed Comparison

Long ago the English visited Spain to sample their wines, bringing with them smooth coated English Fox Terriers which were later crossed with other dog breeds of the area.

It is believed that the Andalusia Ratter’s ancestors were smooth coated fox terriers. The Club Nacional del Perro Andaluz Ratonero Bodeguero was established and in 1993 a standard for the breed was set.

It is only fairly recently that the breed was recognized by the Royal Canine Society of Spain but it isn’t recognized by any of the major kennel clubs.

The Braque du Bourbonnais is an ancient breed, seen in the 15th century in France in the province of Bourbonnais. He became extremely popular with hunters by the 1800’s as a good pointer. He has become very popular in the United States and all of North America. There are often more puppies born in the U.S. than in France. The British call this breed the Bourbonnais Pointing Dog.

As with so many European hunting and working dogs, the Braque du Bourbonnais almost disappeared following World War I but was saved by the first breed club, established in 1925. Then following World War II, they were again in danger as the club dissolved and birth rates among the breed decreased drastically.

Actually, there were no dogs at all in the French registry between 1963 and 1973. This was attributed to the fact that the registry put more emphasis on the secondary characteristics such as color, length of tail) instead of the hunting characteristics. Because of this some hunter-breeders vowed to bring the real Braque du Bourbonnais back.

Michel Comte took on this task in 1970 but could not find any dogs with pure Bourbonnais blood. So, he took missed breed with characteristics like the Bourbonnais and inbred several litters until he had a dog he was satisfied with. He registered this dog with the LOF in 1973-75. Seeing this several other breeders got into the act and they successfully brought the breed back.

Michel became president of the new Club du Braque du Bourbonnais in 1981 and remained so until 2001. During this time the breed excelled at field trials and was first sent to the U.S. in 1988. The breed is now thriving in both Europe and North America.

Also known as the Spanish Jack Russell, the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz looks very similar to this popular Jack Russell Terrier.

He is a small to medium sized dog with a lean, muscular body. The Ratonero developed in the south of Spain and is thought to be a mix of local ratting dogs and Fox Terriers. This ensured a quick, agile hunter.

The dog stands at between 35 – 43cm in height and weighs 6 - 9kg. The dog’s head is fairly small with dark brown eyes and half erect-half floppy ears. The coat is mainly white with some freckling. It is short and smooth with shades of black and tan covering the facial area. Some of these dogs are born with a natural bob-tail.

Temperament:

These dogs are known to have robust, hearty, happy personalities, full of the joys of living. They get on well with children as well as other pets if they have grown up with them.

Introductions should be slow if one of these dogs are brought into a home where there are already other pets. He is a very active breed and will be requiring plenty of mental stimulation and physical exercise.

They can provide quite a bit of entertainment for their human families as they can become quite clownish. They’re the kind of dogs that can adapt to life in the countryside or the city.

This is an elegant breed with a medium sized, muscular bod and a round head. The nose will be the color of the coat and the muzzle is cone shaped with a wide base. He has large dark or hazel eyes, again depending on the color of the coat. The ears can drop below the throat and the neck is very muscular. He has a deep, wide chest and straight, muscular legs. The coat can come in two colors – liver and fawn – and ticked or spotted. They have a typical short pointer type tail.

Your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz to this day is a ratter, always alert and ready to spring on prey. He is always lively and friendly, and with his loving nature, makes a splendid companion for his human family.

He is also a stubborn dog, liking to go his own way, and therefore will require training and socialization. He is an adaptable little dog too and when you bring him into your home he is willing to adapt to your way of life and become a loyal and loving member of your family.

The Braque du Bourbonnais is a gentle, calm dog. He is affectionate and kind when off the job but intelligent, adaptable and serious when hunting. They are intense when learning or hunting and they will learn quickly. They are good with other dogs.

With good care, your Andalusian Ratter isn’t likely to get sick, but still, you would be better off knowing about some of the common dog diseases your pet could get.

Legge Perthe’s Disease:

This is usually seen in young dogs where there is lameness in the hind legs and hip pain. It is believed that Legge Perthe’s occurs because of a genetic predisposition, and when it develops, there is sadly no cure.

Skin Infections:

Skin infections may seem fairly mild but nothing can be further from the truth. They can be painful and frustrating. Skin redness, dryness, itchiness and pain can cause your pet to lick and bite and make the situation worse. If your pet is being driven crazy by a skin irritation, get him to the vet who will do a complete physical examination.

Other diseases to be aware of include hip dysplasia, obesity, epilepsy and bloat.

This medium sized pointer can suffer from:

Hip Dysplasia – can be tested

Entropion - both of these are issues with eyelashes turning inward or outward and both can

Ectropion - injure the eye

Pulmonic Stenosis of the heart – valve doesn’t open

This is a fairly low maintenance dog as the short smooth coat will be easy to brush twice a week.

Check him over for unusual lumps, trim his nails and check inside his ears, look into his eyes to ensure they are bright and alert and look inside his mouth to make sure he doesn’t have any rotten teeth.

Have your pet neutered or spayed if you want to avoid puppies. This can be beneficial for your pet’s health too.

Feed your Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz only the best food there is. If you opt for commercially manufactured food, make sure its full of vitamins and minerals. Your little pet will want consistency and simplicity with his food to avoid digestive problems.

Try and provide him with some home-made food which can be added to the dry kibble twice a week as a treat. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots all chopped up ad mixed into the dry kibble will ensure your pet’s health.

Some raw meat added in occasionally will also go towards ensuring his good health.

Always make sure he has access to fresh, cool water.

Provide him with a safe, dry, warm, comfortable place to sleep.

Get him to the vet when you see he is sick.

Ensure he has sun and shade in the garden.

Never ever leave him in a hot car.

Feeding

This breed is prone to weight gain and obesity. Be careful not to overfeed them. Don’t free feed them but give them 2-3 smaller meals per day.

Health issues

Hip Dysplasia – can cause lameness and arthritis

Entropion - both of these are issues with eyelashes turning inward or outward and both can

Ectropion - injure the eye

Pulmonic Stenosis of the heart- minor will have no symptoms but eventually the heart will not be able to function efficiently and could lead to congestive heart failure.

Exercise and games

The Braque du Bourbonnais needs at least a minimum amount of exercise daily , especially if he is not used for hunting. A fenced backyard for playtime would be perfect but long walks will work. He likes to learn tricks, play ball or hide and seek. Outside activities could include hiking, swimming, agility, retrieving, rally and obedience trials, along with the usual field trials.