Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie

American Leopard HoundAriegeois

Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie – General Description

The Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie is a medium-sized breed of dog used in hunting as a scenthound, usually in packs. It is one of the Anglo-French hound breeds which were created by crossing French scenthounds with English (Anglo) foxhounds. The name Petite Vénerie does not mean that dogs of the breed are petite or small, but rather that it is used to hunt small game.

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Similar Names & Related Breeds

The name Anglo-Francais de Moyen Vénerie is sometimes seen in North America, although no such breed is listed with the French Kennel Club or with the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. It is listed with various minor kennel clubs in the United States, possibly through misunderstanding that the name Petite Vénerie refers to small game not a small dog, and, when the American clubs noticed that the Petite Vénerie was a medium to large sized dog, renamed it Moyen Vénerie.

Medium to large sized (moyen) French hounds include the Ariégeois, Beagle-Harrier, Chien d’Artois, Porcelaine, Petit Bleu de Gascogne, Gascon Saintongeois, and the rough coated Briquet Griffon Vendéen, Griffon Bleu de Gascogne, Griffon Fauve de Bretagne, and the Griffon Nivernais.

Large French hounds used for hunting “medium sized” and large game include the Poitevin, Billy, Français Tricolore, Français Blanc et Noir, Français Blanc et Orange, Grand Anglo-Français Tricolore, Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir, Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Orange, Grand Bleu de Gascogne, Gascon Saintongeois, Grand Gascon Saintongeois, and Grand Griffon Vendéen.

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Classification and Standards

• FCI Group 6, Section 1
• UKC Scenthound Group

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Character & Temperament

Because these are active hunting dogs that are normally kept in packs in rural areas, they may not be suitable for city or family living.

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History

The Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie was created from crosses of older Anglo-French hounds with Harrier (Beagle) and Poitevin, and also with the Petit Gascon-Saintongeois and the Petit bleu de Gascogne. The French hunting hounds have a very long history, with named local types being recorded in the16th century. Unlike the larger hounds, the Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie was not intended for hunting large game. It was primarily used in the Chasse-à-Tir, where the pack (or sometimes an individual dog) circles the game animal and chases it back towards the waiting hunter.[1] Before 1978 the breed was called the Petit Anglo-Français, as it is the smallest of the Anglo-French hounds.

The breed is recognized in its country of origin by the Société Centrale Canine (French Kennel Club)[2] and internationally in 1983 by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale in Group 6, Scenthounds. In France it is bred and kept primarily as a hunting dog, not as a pet or show dog. The breed has been exported to North America, where it is recognized by the United Kennel Club in its Scenthound Group. It is also registered by numerous minor registries and internet dog registry businesses, and is promoted as a rare breed for those seeking a unique pet. In Italy the breed has been used to hunt wild boar in the mountains of Liguria, giving a good account of itself.

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Size & Appearance

The Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie is 19 to 21 ins (48 to 56 cm) in height at the withers. Weight is not specified, but it is not a heavy dog, and should look balanced (well proportioned) and should resemble other French hounds in outline. The breed’s coat is tight, smooth and short, with colors of tan, black, and white, or two of the three colors in any combination, i.e. white and black, or white and orange.) Ears are low set drop ears, and the long tail is held up

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Health & Maintenance

Because these are active hunting dogs that are normally kept in packs in rural areas, they may not be suitable for city or family living. No documented health problems, but the drop ears should be checked regularly, as the “warm moist environment under the drooping ear flap is perfect for fungal or bacterial growth.”[3]

References

1. Clark, Anne Rogers; Andrew H. Brace (1995). The International Encyclopedia of Dogs. Howell Book House. pp. 87. ISBN 0-87605-624-9. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Rogers_Clark
2. Société Centrale Canine, Anglo-Français de Petite Vénerie – http://www.scc.asso.fr/home.php?num_niv_1=1&module=races&destination=detail&numero_scc_chien=135&pointeur=0
3. Dogs, the Ultimate Care Guide, By Matthew Hoffman, pg 412, Rodale Books, 19 May 2000, ISBN 1-57954-244-1

Photo Credits

1. werner (Dogwiki) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

This article is licensed (except where noted) under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie

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Breed Standard

Anglo-Francais de Petite Venerie

FCI-Standard N° 325 / 28. 04. 1997 / GB

ORIGIN: France.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 26.01.1983.

UTILIZATION:

Scenthound for hunting small game.

F.C.I. CLASSIFICATION :

• Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds.
• Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds.

With working trial.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

Balanced and solidly built dog, but without heaviness. Seen in profile, his outline must lean towards that of a well established French hound.

HEAD:

Elongated, not too broad, occipital crest not too accentuated.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Slightly convex, without being domed.
Stop : Barely marked.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Well pigmented, nostrils well open.
Muzzle : Moderately elongated, appearence a little pointed; bridge of the nose straight or slightly arched.
Lips : The upper lip covers the lower lip.
Eyes : Big, brown, with a soft but lively expression.
Leathers : Finely attached below the eye level line, flexible, slightly turned, of medium width and reaching at least by two fingers the border of the nose.

NECK: Clean, without dewlap.

BODY:

Back : Firm and straight.
Loin : Quite short and muscled.
Croup : Slightly inclined and quite long.
Chest : Let down, reaching at least the point of the elbow, well developed. Ribs long and moderately rounded.
Flank : Quite full, a little tucked up but without a whippety look.

TAIL: Of medium length, quite fine, well set in the extension of the loin line, with thick hair, but without some longer and coarser, slightly offstanding hairs (like ears of grain) towards the tip.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS:

Sufficiently strong, broad and straight.
Shoulders : Shoulder blade long, flat and sloping, well attached to the chest.

HINDQUARTERS:

Thighs : Muscular and deep.
hocks : Slightly bent and quite close to the ground.

FEET:

Lean and tight.

SKIN:

Fine, without folds, firm tissues.

COAT

HAIR:

Short, dense and smooth.

COLOR:

Tricolor : white and black with bright tan markings, black nose.
White and black with pale tan markings, black nose.
Bicolor : white and orange, brown (tobacco) nose.

SIZE:

Height at the withers : 48 – 56 cm.
With a minimal and maximum tolerance of 2 cm for the exceptional subjects.

FAULTS :

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

In general, all the faults common to scenthounds.

• Head too short or too large.
• Rounded skull.
• Butterfly nose.
• Muzzle square.
• Over-or undershot mouth.
• Flews too accentued.
• Prominent eyes, light eyes.
• Leathers set high, broad, short or too flat.
• Neck too short; dewlap.
• Cylindrical body.
• Loaded shoulders.

Tail coarse, short; with round the tail some coarser and longer, slightly off-standing hairs (like ears of grain) towards the tip.
Loose tissues of the skin.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

© Fédération Cynologique Internationale