José Luis Recondo: Lessons from the International Leader of the Epagneul Breton
- clubebus
- 22 hours ago
- 3 min read
A Historic Guest at the 2025 National Conclave
The CEB-US was honored to have José Luis Recondo of Spain as our esteemed guest foreign judge at the 2025 Conclave. This was a milestone for the breed in the United States and an unparalleled opportunity to learn directly from one of the most respected authorities in the Epagneul Breton world. Mr. Recondo is the current president of the Amicale Internationale des Clubs de l'Épagneul Breton (AICEB), the global governing body for our breed. His stature within the Breton community is unmatched, making his insight and thoughtfulness a pivotal movement for the breed. Below is a list of topics and ideas that Sr. Recondo highlighted for keeping the Breton's heritage in focus and future outlook aligned with the standard.
Emphasis on Natural Ability
One of the most striking takeaways from José Luis Recondo’s time at the Conclave was his emphasis on natural ability. For José, the TAN test is not just a first step for young dogs; it’s a critical benchmark for choosing breeding stock.
In his view, the TAN should carry equal or greater weight than higher classification titles, because it reveals a dog’s inherent qualities — drive, connection, point, and confidence — before layers of training can cover them up. He cautioned that overtraining can often mask flaws — making it harder to evaluate whether a dog’s performance is truly the result of instinct or simply a well-rehearsed routine. To this point, in France a dog cannot run a TAN until it is 18 months old and a dog cannot enter a trial until it has earned its TAN, proven its hip health, and passed a conformation evaluation.
When it comes to progressing the breed, José urged breeders to prioritize raw talent and uncoached ability. A dog should search with purpose, point with confidence, and make smart decisions in the field — not because it was drilled to do so, but because those traits come naturally.
Gait as a Window Into Genetics
This philosophy extended to his focus on gait and movement. José frequently brought dogs back for second looks, particularly in open, short grass where their natural gait could be clearly seen. To him, gait is more than just aesthetics — it's a reflection of structure, stamina, and efficiency, all of which are inherited.
José emphasized the importance of a gait that is short, compact, and efficient — yet still aggressive in covering ground. The movement should be fluid and effortless, with neither the front nor rear legs overextended. The dog’s head should be held high, signaling confidence, but not exaggerated. “It should look like the dog is gliding,” he said.
He noted that in rugged hunting terrain, a dog may fall out of ideal gait due to environmental challenges. That’s why he often brought dogs back to run on bare fields — to isolate structure from terrain and evaluate their natural movement without distraction. To him, this clarified which dogs had the structure to support correct movement and provided the opportunity to showcase the dog that not only had the best bird work but also the best morphological traits.
He also made clear that he would cut a dog’s run short if it showed no desire to quarter or cover the field aggressively. “These are bird dogs,” he said, “they must want to find the bird.”
Sr. Recondo provided three videos of examples of the gait. The first two showcase dogs with a near perfect gait (Dracula and Cyclon). The third video shows a dog (Golfa) with a gait that is overextended causing a rocking/seesaw motion which is undesirable.
Dracula Du Mas d'Eyraud - very good gait. [https://youtu.be/y5h6XD_HPM0]
Cyclon de l'Ardour - very good gait. [https://youtu.be/8dMCdVMRPxg?si=ZjpAkio-uSzZTmBr]
Golfa de Casa Ato - undesireable gait. [https://youtu.be/7bSsCSBWP9E]
Stay tuned for the next installment to include more takeaways from Sr. Recondo.