Grand Bleu de Gascogne
Encyclopedia
The Grand Bleu de Gascogne (FCI No.22) 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...
and used for hunting in packs. Today's breed is the descendant of a very old type of large hunting dog, and is an important breed in the ancestry of many other hounds.
Appearance
The Grand Bleu de Gascogne is an imposing large dog, a typical hunting pack hound of the oldest type, with a lean and muscular body, long legs, slightly domed head, long drop ears, and drooping lips. 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. Dogs of this breed should show an attitude of calm strength and nobleness.
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 mottled with black, giving a slate blue overall appearance. There are black patches on either side of the head, with a white area on top of the head which has in it a small black oval. Tan "eyebrow" marks are over each eye. 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 deviations in appearance that have an effect on the health and working ability of the dog, as well as an absence of expected features of colour, structure, and size, indicating that a dog with such faults should not be bred. Faults include aggression or fearfulness, anatomical malformation, and lack of type
Breed type
Breed type is the whole of the characteristics that are typical of a breed of domesticated animals. Breed type may include details of form or color that are not directly related to the economic value of the animal, and are usually defined in breed standards....
.
The Grand Bleu de Gascogne is noted for its focus on the hunt as well as a good nose and distinctive sonorous, deep howl. The breed is "instinctively a pack hound."
History
The Grand Bleu de Gascogne's ancestors were contemporary with the St. Hubert Hounds, and were hunted in packs by the 14th century Comte de Foix on wolves, bears and boars. This type and breed are found in the ancestry all of the breeds of scenthound with "du midi" in their name.Although these are large dogs, "Grand" does not necessarily refer to the size of the dogs. "In most cases it is simply a label for a pack that is used for larger game". Today. the breed is used in hunting boar, deer, and other game.
The Grand Bleu de Gascogne is a very large dog weighing 80-120 lbs
Health and temperament
No unusual health problems or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed. Temperament of individual dogs may vary, but in general dogs bred to be pack hunting dogs do not make good petsPETS
PETS may be an acronym for:* Pet Travel Scheme, which allows animals to travel internationally without quarantine* Pets Evacuation and Transportation Standards Act...
.
See also
- Anglo French and French HoundsAnglo-Français and Français (hound)Anglo-Français and Français hounds are a general type of hunting dogs that include ancient French hounds and breeds created by mixing the French dogs with English foxhounds. There are seven dog breeds that are described as Anglo-Français and Français hounds.- Breeds :*Français tricolore, the...
- Dog terminology
- Petit Bleu de GascognePetit Bleu de GascogneThe Petit Bleu de Gascogne Is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, originating in France and used for hunting in packs. Today's breed is the descendant of a very old type of large hunting dog...
- Griffon Bleu de GascogneGriffon Bleu de GascogneThe Griffon Bleu de Gascogne Is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, originating in France, and is a versatile hunting dog, used on small and large game, in packs or individually...
- Basset Bleu de GascogneBasset Bleu de GascogneThe Basset Bleu de Gascogne , also known as the Blue Gascony Basset, is a long-backed, short legged breed of dog of the hound type. A breed with origins in the Middle Ages which descends from the Grand Bleu de Gascogne however it nearly went extinct around the early 19th century and its saviour was...