issues. Blue Picardy Spaniels can be prone to ear infections, which are common among dogs with pendulous ears, including Basset Hounds and other breeds of Spaniel. It has an average life expectancy of thirteen years. History At the turn of the 20th century the area around the mouth of the River Somme was considered a paradise for hunters interested in wildfowl. Because of quarantine restrictions in the United Kingdom, British shooters would board their dogs in the Picardy area, near the mouth of the Somme. This caused the infusion of English Setter blood into the local Spaniel population and developed the Blue Picardy Spaniel. While the first black, blue-grey Spaniel was recorded in 1875, it was not until 1904 when the Picardy Spaniel was first shown. This Spaniel was officially classified as a French Spaniel, and was shown at the Paris Canine Exposition. When the Picard Spaniel and Blue Picardy Spaniel Club was formed in 1907, the two different breeds of Picardy Spaniel were categorised. In France, the Blue Picardy was recognised as a separate breed in 1938. About 1,000 Blue Picardy Spaniel puppies are born in France each year. The first person to import the Blue Picardy Spaniel into Canada was Ronald Meunier of Saint-Julien, Quebec, around 1987, and the breed was then recognised by the Canadian Kennel Club effective 1 June 1995. The breed is recognised by the American Rare Breed Association, which uses the same standard as the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. References External links Espagneuls Picards, Bleus de Picardie & Pont Audemer Club (In French) Nederlandse Vereniging Epagneul Bleu de Picardie (In Dutch) FCI breeds Dog breeds originating in France Gundogs Pointers Spaniels Rare dog breeds