Francais Blanc et Noir
Encyclopedia
The Chien français blanc et noir (FCI No.21) translated into English as the French White and Black Hound, is a breed
Dog breed
Dog breeds are groups of closely related and visibly similar domestic dogs, which are all of the subspecies Canis lupus familiaris, having characteristic traits that are selected and maintained by humans, bred from a known foundation stock....
of dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
of the scenthound type
Dog type
Dog types are broad categories of dogs based on function, with dogs identified primarily by specific function or style of work rather than by lineage or appearance....
, originating in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The breed is used for hunting in packs and descends from the old Hound of Saintonge type of large hunting dog.
Appearance
The breed is a typical hunting pack hound, with a lean and muscular body, long legs, slightly domed head, long drop ears, and slightly square flews that just overlap the lower lip. Size is 65 to 72 cm (25.6 to 28.3 ins) at the withersWithers
The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of a four-legged animal. In many species it is the tallest point of the body, and in horses and dogs it is the standard place to measure the animal's height .-Horses:The withers in horses are formed by the dorsal spinal processes of roughly the...
, females slightly smaller.
The colour of the coat
Coat (dog)
The coat of the domestic dog refers to the hair that covers its body. A dog's coat may be a double coat, made up of a soft undercoat and a coarser topcoat, or a single coat, which lacks an undercoat...
is white and black, with a black mantle, sometimes speckled or ticked with black or blue. Pale tan dots are above each eye as well as tan on the cheeks, below the eyes and ears, and below the tail. Sometimes a tan marking is found on the base of the upper thigh, which is called the 'roe buck mark'. Faults
Fault (dog)
The term fault is used in animal breed standards to describe an aspect of appearance or temperament that is considered detrimental to the breed type of the animal's breed. In dogs, faults have to do with the externally observable qualities of the dog such as appearance, movement, and temperament...
are listed as deviations in appearance that have an effect on the health and working ability of the dog, as well as indication of crossing with Foxhounds or being off-colour, indicating that a dog with such faults should not be bred.
The breed is noted for its perseverance on the hunt as well as a good nose and voice. Unusual for pack dogs, it is friendly and easy for humans to manage.
History
The breed's ancestry was in the old Hound of Saintonge, which almost disappeared during the French Revolution, through the Gascon-saintongeois breed created by Count Joseph de Carayon-Latour in the mid-19th century. The Gascon-saintongeois hounds were crossbredCrossbreed
A crossbreed or crossbred usually refers to an animal with purebred parents of two different breeds, varieties, or populations. Crossbreeding refers to the process of breeding such an animal, often with the intention to create offspring that share the traits of both parent lineages, or producing...
with the Poitevin
Poitevin
Poitevin may refer to:* From or related to Poitou or to the town of Poitiers * Poitevin , the language spoken in the Poitou* Poitevin horse, a breed of draught horse from Poitou, France* Poitevin , a breed of dog...
in the late 19th century to produce the Chien français blanc et noir. The dogs were officially recognised as a breed in 1957. In 2009, there were approximately 2000 of the breed registered through the Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale
Fédération Cynologique Internationale is an international federation of kennel clubs based in Thuin, Belgium. The English language translation, World Canine Organisation, is not often used.Its goals are described in Article 2 of their regulations:...
.
The Chien français blanc et noir are pack hunting dogs, which means that groups hunt together in packs, always directed by a human, not running about hunting by themselves. The Chien français blanc et noir packs are especially valued in the hunting of deer.