Chien Francais Blanc et Noir

Briquet Griffon VendéenChien Français Blanc et Orange

Chien Francais Blanc et Noir – General Description

The Chien Francais Blanc et Noir translated into English as the French White and Black Hound, is a breed of dog of the scenthound type, originating in France. The breed is used for hunting in packs and descends from the old Hound of Saintonge type of large hunting dog.

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Classification and Standards

• FCI Group 6:Scenthounds. Section 1.1, #220
• UKC Scenthound

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Character & Temperament

The Chien Francais Blanc et Noir is recommended for active people who love the outdoors. This dog will be a most suitable companion on hunting and trekking jaunts. These highly energetic dogs would require vigorous exercise. This is why the dog would not do well to live in an apartment. A French White and Black Hound is first and foremost a hunting breed. True, they do make excellent home companions because they have a well balanced temperament but these dogs would need to be given hunting and tracking opportunities. It would not be a good idea to keep this breed in confined quarters as the dog may be destructive and prove to be hard to handle. This dog will do well in a suburban dwelling with a yard where it can expend its excess energies.

Very energetic while hunting, the Chien Francais Blanc et Noir is known to be calm and docile inside the house. You can even say that these dogs are gentle couch potatoes. These dogs love children and will tolerate the rough handling of the kids. However, it would not be wise to leave very small kids alone with the dogs as it can not be totally avoided that the kid will be hurt while playing boisterously with the dog.

As mentioned these dogs are never aggressive. A French White and Black Hound will tolerate other dogs. These dogs would just walk and turn away from a situation that gets too hot. This breed is a fairly good watchdog as the throaty deep voice can be intimidating but do not expect this breed to accost intruders. This dog may even wag its tail to welcome strangers into the home.

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History

The Chien Francais Blanc et Noir 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.[2] The Gascon-saintongeois hounds were crossbred with the Poitevin in the late 19th century to produce the Chien français blanc et noir. The dogs were officially recognized as a breed in 1957. In 2009, there were approximately 2000 of the breed registered through the Fédération Cynologique Internationale.[1]

The Chien Francais 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.[3] The Chien Francais Blanc et Noir packs are especially valued in the hunting of deer.

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Size & Appearance

The Chien Francais Blanc et Noir 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 25.6 to 28.3 inches (65 to 72 cm) at the withers, females slightly smaller.

The color of the coat 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 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-color, indicating that a dog with such faults should not be bred.[1]

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.[1]

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Health & Maintenance

The short coat of a French White and Black Hound needs very minimal grooming. The good condition of the coat can be enhanced with occasional brushing with a firm bristle brush or a rubdown with a chamois cloth. After a hunting trip the ears must be wiped clean to avoid infection.

References

1. Breed Standard – http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/220gb2009_en.doc
2. Clark, Anne Rogers; Andrew H. Brace (1995). The International Encyclopedia of Dogs. Howell Book House. pp. 230–231. ISBN 0-87605-624-9. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Rogers_Clark
3. Club du chien d’ordre (in French) – http://www.venerie.org/tout_chiens_ordre.php?PHPSESSID=%20c6723c4b89ac4e824009e57b9f207ca2

Photo Credits

1. FCI breed standard drawing – © Fédération Cynologique Internationale

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

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Breed Standard

Chien Francais Blanc et Noir (French White and Black Hound)

FCI-Standard N° 220/ 12.01.2009 / GB

TRANSLATION : Revised by J. Mulholland (2008) in collaboration with R. Triquet.

ORIGIN : France

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 04.11.2008.

UTILIZATION :

Pack Hound for big game.

FCI CLASSIFICATION :

• Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds.
• Section 1.1 Large sized Hounds.

With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :

The French White and Black Hound evolved from the Saintonge Hound whose origins are uncertain; while it has no connection with the Saint Hubert, there is probably a distant ancestry with the famous white “Greffier” dogs of the XVIth century. Appearing in the second half of the XIXth century, the present type was influenced by later cross-breeding with the Poitevin and the Gascon-saintongeois. It obtained its standard in 1957. At present, the breed counts approximately 2000 subjects, representing 300/400 births per year.

The 2007 text was drafted by Mr. Pierre Astié, President of the “Club du chien d’ordre”, and his committee, in collaboration with Mr. Raymond Triquet.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

Large pack hound, distinguished and of balanced build.

IMPORTANT PROPORTIONS :

• The muzzle is long compared to the skull.
• The length of the body, from the point of the shoulder to the point of buttock, is equal to the height at the withers.

BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT :

These dogs are very appreciated by many deer hunts for the following qualities: fine noses, diligence, seriousness and throat. It is a friendly dog, close to humans and easy to manage in the kennels.

HEAD :

Rather long, in harmony with the whole body without ever being heavy or coarse, but expressive and well carried.

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Slightly domed, rather narrow without exaggeration. Occipital protuberance apparent without excess, but sufficient to avoid the skull appearing too flat. The superciliary arches can be slightly prominent.
Stop : Slightly pronounced.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Black. Nostrils well open.
Muzzle : Rather long compared to the skull; the nose bridge may be slightly arched.
Lips : The flews are slightly square; the upper lip just overlaps the lower lip.
Eyes : Dark, intelligent and trusting expression.
Ears : Set at eye level, slightly curled. When pulled forward, they should reach, at least, the base of the nose leather.

NECK :

Quite long and strong, with sometimes a slight trace of dewlap.

BODY :

Back : Rather long but well sustained.
Loin : Muscled and attached.
Croup : Slightly sloping.
Chest : More deep than broad and reaching the point of the elbow. Ribs long and more flat than round.
Underline & Belly : Slightly tucked up.

TAIL :

Quite thick at its root; carried relatively high.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :

In line with the body; strong and rather flat.
Shoulders : Long, lean and oblique.
Elbows : Close to the body.
Forearms : Upright.
Metacarpus(pastern) : Very slightly sloping, seen from the side.
Feet : Rather long, lean and resistant.

HINDQUARTERS :

Parallel, seen from behind.
Upper thighs : Long and sufficiently muscled.
Hocks : Well let down, wide, powerful and slightly bent.
Feet : Rather long, lean and resistant.

GAIT / MOVEMENT :

Effortless. Preferred gait: supple and extended gallop.

SKIN :

White under white hair, black under black hair with sometimes sub-cutaneous patches on the belly and inner thighs of blue or pale blue colour.

COAT

HAIR :

Short, quite strong and dense.

COLOR :

Obligatory white and black, with a black mantle or with more or less widely spread black markings and possible black or bluish speckling, or even tan freckles but the latter only permitted on the limbs. A pale tan dot above each eye as well as a pale tan on the cheeks, below the eyes, below the ears and at the base of the tail. The “roebuck mark” is quite frequent on the thigh.

HEIGHT :

Males: 65 to 72 cm.
Females: 62 to 68 cm.
With tolerance of +/- 1cm.

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 well-being of the dog.

SEVERE FAULTS :

• Head : Any indication of English Foxhound blood in the head (skull too voluminous, muzzle short and not sufficiently square at the end when seen from the side).
• Nose: Important lack of pigmentation.
• Jaws : Overshot or undershot.
• Eyes : Too light in color.
• Ears : Short and flat.
• Dewlap : Excessive.
• Color : On the cheeks, black extending to the lips.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

• Agressive or overly shy.
• Limbs : Frail.
• Severe deviation of limbs.
• Feet : Round.
• Colour : Tricolor coat.

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

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

© Fédération Cynologique Internationale