Saint-Usuge Spaniel

Saint-Usuge

The Saint-Usuge Spaniel has only one flaw, which is his rarity. Even if he is known outside of Europe, specimens remain difficult to find. This superb, sensitive and very affectionate specimen is to be discovered as much for his excellent hunting qualities as for his superb aptitudes as companion dog.

Height 41 to 53 cm
Weight 24 to 25 kg
Life expectancy 13 to 15 years
Home country France

Quick Overview of the Saint-Usuge Spaniel

Temperament

  • Affectionate and balanced
  • Sweet and gentle
  • Sensitive and courageous
  • Attentive and docile

Appearance

  • Elegant and very harmonious physique
  • Good musculature
  • Smooth appearance
  • Rectangular silhouette

Health

  • Generally enjoys good health
  • No particular pathology

Temperament of the Saint-Usuge Spaniel

Affectionate, balanced, gentle, sensitive, courageous, passionate, attentive and docile, the Saint-Usuge Spaniel is a superb dog with a very pleasant temperament.

Compatible with everyone, he is sociable and easy to train.

It is a breed that knows no particular issues. He is a good hunting dog but also an excellent life companion.

His socialization and education are very easy. He is docile, intelligent, gentle and easy to train.

Very affectionate, he loves his family. He can easily become very clingy with all members of the household.

épagneul de saint-usuge personnalité

Breed Appearance

santuary spaniel

The Saint-Usuge Spaniel is elegant and very harmoniously built.

This medium size dog has a good muscular structure, but his gait is flexible and of medium range.

Height

Between 45 and 53 cm (17.72 to 20.87 inches) for the male
Between 41 and 49 cm (16.14 to 19.29 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 24 and 25 kg (52.91 to 55.12 pounds) for the male
Between 24 and 25 kg (52.91 to 55.12 pounds) for the female

Color

His dress is bicolor. Brown with white panache, but without white patches, sometimes with a white star on the forehead kept as he reaches adulthood.

Puppies come into the world with a star on their forehead, but it sometimes disappears when they reach adulthood.

Hair

His medium-long hair is well furnished and slightly wavy. It is a little shorter on the head, as on the legs, which are however very well fringed, like the tail and ears.

His chest is well provided and a fringe marks the bottom line.

Morphology

His head has a slightly domed skull and a clear visible stop, but more so in males than females.

His round and wide open eyes are a pretty hazelnut color. His flat, triangular ears are set below the eye line.

His pretty nose is in harmony with the dress. His tail is decorated with a lovely panache, nicely fringed and its length almost reaches the hock.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group , section and is #

Health of the Saint-Usuge Spaniel

Generally enjoying good health, the breed is not affected by any particular pathology.

He also enjoys a rather exceptional life expectancy.

GROOMING

Once a week, it is best to brush his pretty dress to ensure its beauty and health. No other special care is necessary.

History of this breed

Apparently known since the 16th century, the Saint-Usuge Spaniel has come a long way.

Doctor Longin confirms in his research that the Saint-Usuge Spaniel existed in this distant era. The breed is not a recent creation but rather a very old one.

Some tapestries from the Popes' palace and various castles in Avignon confirm his presence dating back a long time ago. The Hunters' Diary of 1838 even mentions the qualities of this little dog, that leaves no nook unexplored and roams everywhere without stopping.

He therefore existed in the past, but almost disappeared at some point, except for a priest from Savigny en Revermont, Abbé Billard, who was at the origin of the rather considerable new development of the breed.

In 1947, Abbé Billard set out in search of specimens of the breed in order to find a male and female to ensure the reproduction and continuity of the Saint-Usuge Spaniel.

He found a splendid male, Dick, and a pretty female, Poupette, who were both the first protagonists of a breeding that lasted for about thirty years.

Afterwards, Father Billard passed on his breeding to Serge Bey who succeeded in continuing Father Billard's mission. The two men's passion brought the Saint-Usuge Spaniel to an expansion that gives him, nowadays, a presence in Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and the United States.

The breed was received at the LOF (Livre des Origines français) afterwards, his official club was founded in 1990 and in 2003, it was recognized by the SCC but still not recognized by the FCI.

This pretty little dog is an excellent pointing dog. He finds game and points it without effort. He is appreciated as a hunting dog but also has good qualities as a companion dog.

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