Ariegeois Information & Dog Breed Facts

The Ariegeois is a member of the French scent hound family, but the breed is considered relatively new as it was developed at the beginning of the 20^th century by crossing the Grand Bleu de Gascogne and the Grand Gascon-Saintongeois. The breed is a medium-sized dog that originated in the Midi-Pyrenées region of southern France. The Ariegeois was originally bred to hunt, both by coursing and driving.

To be able to understand and know Ariegeois’s history, we need to look at the breeds from which it was developed. Of all the unique French hunting dogs, perhaps the oldest was the Grand Bleu de Gascogne. Developed in the far southwest of France, the Grand Bleu de Gascogne specialized in hunting the largest game species found in the country. Although the origin of the breed is something of a mystery, it is commonly believed that it is the descendant of ancient Phoenician and Basque hunting hounds which were first introduced to the region many thousands of years ago. The other breed, known as Saintongeois, is also an old breed that was developed in Saintonge, a region immediately to the north of Gascony. The origin of the Saintongeois is a mystery too, but it is believed that it may have descended from the Saint Hubert Hound.

Moreover, until the French Revolution, hunting with hounds was almost exclusively the domain of the French nobility. In the aftermath of that conflict, the French nobility lost most of its land and privileges. They were unable to keep their hounds and many of these dogs were abandoned. Many other dogs were killed by peasants who were jealous of them, as these dogs were often better fed and cared for than they had been. Perhaps most of the old scent hound varieties went extinct after the revolution. Such was the case with the Saintongeois, which was reduced to a population of three dogs. These dogs were crossed with the Grand de Bleu de Gascogne, which have survived in greater numbers than almost any other French hound, and the Grand Gascon-Saintongeois was developed. Meanwhile, the former middle class was taking up hunting in large numbers. The sport was not only seen as enjoyable but also as a means to emulate the nobility. However, the middle class was unable to afford to keep large dogs such as the Grand Bleu de Gascogne and the Gran Gascon-Saintongeois. French hunters began to favor Briquets, a term used to describe medium-sized scent hounds that specialized in the smaller games such as rabbits and foxes. Briquets became especially popular in those regions along the Franco-Spanish border, which was dominated by the Pyrenees mountains. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, the traditional French provinces were divided into newly created departments. One such department was Ariege, named for the Ariege river. Ariege is located along the Spanish and Andorran border and is typified by the mountainous terrain of the Pyrenees. Although it is not exactly clear, when hunters in Ariege eventually decided to develop a unique type of Briquet, most people believe that the process began in 1912. The breed became known as the Ariegeois after its homeland and it was the result of crossing the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, the Grand Gascon-Saintongeois, and local Briquets. The Ariegeois also became known as the Briquet du Midi, Mdi being both a common name for the South of France and part of the official name of the Midi-Pyrenees region which includes Ariege.

Moreover, the breed came to look very much like its ancestors, but with the size and preferred game of the Briquets. The Ariegeois serve two major roles on the hunt. The dog uses its keen nose to track and locate the game and then it pursues the game to the hunters’ guns. The breed grew popularity in the region that it was developed and across France until the outbreak of World War II. The war was devastating for the Ariegeois, just like for many other breeds. Breeding of the dog almost ceased entirely and many individual dogs were abandoned. By the end of the war, the breed was on the verge of extinction.

Luckily for the Ariegeois, in the years after the war, interest in hunting in the French south remained quite strong, and the ideally suited Ariegeois became a desirable hunting companion. Breed numbers recovered quickly and by the 1970s their numbers stabilized.

Although the breed has recovered in its homeland, it remains rare elsewhere. The breed is recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale and it was also granted full recognition by the United Kennel Club in 1993.