Blue Picardy Spaniel

Sporting Group Medium (25-50 lbs)
Height 22-24"
Weight 43-55 lbs
Lifespan 12-14 years
Price $800-$1,500

About the Blue Picardy Spaniel

Calmer than many gundogs of comparable ability, the Blue Picardy Spaniel has a reputation among French hunters for being easy to live with as well as effective in the field. Temperament is gentle, affectionate and notably sociable, generally good with children and other dogs, and sensitive enough that harsh handling damages willingness quickly. Reserve toward strangers is mild rather than suspicious. Working drive is entirely real. This is a pointing and retrieving breed built for marshland and rough ground, needing substantial daily exercise, ideally involving water, scent games or fieldwork, or it turns restless and mopey rather than destructive. Trainability is a strength, as these dogs are attentive, biddable and keen to cooperate, doing well in gundog work and reasonably in obedience and scent sports. Grooming means a medium-length coat, speckled blue-grey with black, that needs brushing a couple of times weekly with attention to the feathered ears, legs and tail, which collect burrs and hold water. Ear checks after swims matter. Barking is moderate. Attachment to family runs strong and long absences are unwelcome. Active rural or hunting households suit them best. Distinctively, the breed is genuinely rare outside France and Canada, where a small but committed following has grown up around it.

Temperament

Affectionate Great with Kids Dog-Friendly Playful Easy to Train
Affection Level
Good with Children
Good with Other Dogs
Playfulness
Protectiveness
Trainability
Energy Level
Barking Level
Intelligence
Adaptability

Physical Characteristics

Size Category Medium (25-50 lbs)
Height 22-24"
Weight 43-55 lbs
Coat Type Long
Coat Length Medium
Colors
Hypoallergenic No

Care Requirements

Exercise Needs

High (60-90 min/day)

60 minutes per day recommended

Grooming

Moderate - Weekly

Shedding:

Mental Stimulation

Needs plenty of mental challenges

Drooling

Living Conditions

Apartment Friendly
Good for First-Time Owners
Tolerates Being Alone
Cold Weather Tolerance
Hot Weather Tolerance

Cost of Ownership

Purchase Price $800-$1,500
Annual Cost $1,200/year

Costs vary based on location, breeder, and individual needs. Annual costs include food, veterinary care, grooming, and supplies.

Health Considerations

Like all breeds, Blue Picardy Spaniels may be prone to certain health conditions:

Regular veterinary check-ups and proper care can help prevent or manage many health issues.

Best For

  • Families with Children
  • First-Time Owners
  • Active Owners

May Not Be Ideal For

  • Apartment Living
  • Long Work Hours Away
  • Sedentary Lifestyles

Guides for your Blue Picardy Spaniel

The story behind the Blue Picardy Spaniel

Northern France produced this breed, which emerged in the Picardy region during the early 1900s from crosses between the local Picardy Spaniel and English setter stock, including Gordon and English setters brought over by visiting British sportsmen shooting the Somme estuary. The aim was a versatile pointing and retrieving dog suited to the marshes and wet farmland of the region, hardy in cold water and steady on game. The distinctive blue-grey speckled coat gave the breed its name, and French authorities recognised it as separate from the Picardy Spaniel during the 1930s. The two world wars, fought across its home ground, reduced numbers severely. The Blue Picardy Spaniel remains uncommon, kept chiefly by hunters in France and in Quebec.

Originally bred for: Pointing, Retrieving, Hunting. You can trace how working roles shaped today’s breeds across our dog guides.

Feeding a Blue Picardy Spaniel

An active medium gundog is best kept on a quality adult ration carrying enough energy for fieldwork, adjusted downward outside the shooting season when the same ration adds weight. Feathering stays cleaner with sensible bowl choice, and condition should be checked by hand beneath the coat.

Watch for: Nothing dietary is documented as characteristic of this rare French spaniel. Feathered drop ears combined with regular swimming make ear irritation a recurring theme worth separating from food. Where itching or digestive trouble persists, veterinary assessment should precede any change.

Mealtime extras: training treats worth keeping in your pocket. Everything else lives in our dog nutrition and feeding hub.

Living with a Blue Picardy Spaniel

Day to day, the basics matter most: how much exercise your dog needs, how often to get out for a walk, and how much sleep is normal.

For play and enrichment, browse our favorite dog toys and interactive toys for rainy days.

Gear that fits the breed makes life easier: a well-sized dog bed, a properly sized crate.

Raising a puppy? Work through crate training and the teething timeline — or see how old your dog is in human years with our dog age calculator.

Compare Blue Picardy Spaniel with Other Breeds

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