Petit Bleu de Gascogne

Petit Basset Griffon VendéenPlott

Petit Bleu de Gascogne – General Description

The 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.

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Classification and Standards

• FCI Group 6, Section 1.1, #22
• UKC Scenthound Group

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Character & Temperament

Temperament of individual dogs may vary, but in general dogs bred to be pack hunting dogs do not make good pets.

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History

The Grand Bleu de Gascogne’s ancestors were contemporary with the St.Hubert Hounds, dogs that were hunted in packs by the 14th century Comte de Foix on wolves, bears and boars. The slightly smaller Petit Bleu de Gascogne used on small game may have existed along with the boar hunting dog for centuries.[1]

“Petite” does not necessarily refer to the size of the dogs, but refers to the French expression for hounds used for smaller game.[2]

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Size & Appearance

The Petit Bleu de Gascogne is directly descended from the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, a hound of ancient type. Smaller examples of the Grand Bleu de Gascogne were selected for hunting small game such as hare (the Grand Bleu de Gascogne was developed to hunt wolves, bears and boars) and eventually became a separate breed. It is a medium-large size dog, not a small dog, standing 20.5 to 23 inches (52 to 58 cm) at the withers, with females slightly smaller.[1]

The color of the coat is the same as the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, 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 give a ‘quatreoeuillé’ (four-eyed) effect. Faults 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 color, 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.[1]

The Petite Bleu de Gascogne is noted for working well in a pack and being calm and easy to handle.[1]

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Health & Maintenance

No unusual health problems or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed.

References

1. Breed Standard – http://www.fci.be/uploaded_files/031gb96_en.doc
2. 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

Photo Credits

1. Katarzyna Bujko (http://www.lebleucardinalis.eu/galeria.htm) [CC-BY-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/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 Petit Bleu de Gascogne

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Breed Standard

Petit Bleu de Gascogne (Small Blue Gascony Hound)

FCI-Standard N° 31 / 25. 11. 1996 /GB

TRANSLATION : Mrs. Peggy Davis.

ORIGIN : France.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.01.1996.

UTILIZATION :

Multipurpose hound used for hunting with the gun, sometimes for coursing. His favourite game is the hare, but he is also successfully well adapted for big game hunting.

F.C.I. CLASSIFICATION :

• Group 6 Scenthounds.
• Section 1.2 Medium sized hounds.

With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :

It is a voluntary reduction in size of the Great Gascony Blue, certainly going back to the origin of this breed and linked directly to the utilization.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

Medium sized hound; well proportioned, distinguished.

BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT :

Fine nose, intent in his way of hunting, endowed with a beautiful voice; works well in a pack. Character calm and affectionate. Obeys orders easily.

HEAD :

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Seen from the front, only very slightly domed without excessive width; the occipital protuberance is lightly marked; seen from above, the back of the skull is only slight pronounced ogival shape. The forehead is full.
Stop : Only very slightly accentuated.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Black, large; nostrils well open.
Muzzle : Same length as the skull, strong, nasal bridge often slightly arched.
Lips : Not very thick and not very developed; the upper lip covers the lower lip.
Jaws/Teeth : Scissor bite. Incisors set square to the jaws.
Cheeks : Lean.
Eyes : Oval shape, brown. Gentle expression.
Leathers : Moderately fine, curled in; should, at least, reach the extremity of the nose.

NECK :

Of good length, with a slight dewlap.

BODY :

Back : Well supported, firm.
Loin : Well fused, without excess in length.
Rump : Slightly sloping (oblique).
Chest : Long, let down to elbow level; forechest quite broad. Ribs gently rounded.
Flank : Flat and let down.

TAIL :

Slender, reaching the point of the hock. Carried proudly in sabre fashion.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :

View of the ensemble : Quite powerful.
Shoulder : Muscled, moderately sloping.
Elbow : Close to the body.
Forearm : Good bone structure.

HINDQUARTERS :

View of the ensemble : Well proportioned.
Thigh : Quite long; muscled without excess.
Hock joint : Large, slightly bent, well let down.
Feet : Oval shape, toes lean and tight. Pads and nails black.

GAIT / MOVEMENT :

Regular and easy.

SKIN :

Supple. Black or strongly marbled with black patches, never entirely white. Mucous membranes (hairless zone) black.

COAT

HAIR :

Short, semi-thick; dense (profuse).

COLOR :

Entirely mottled (black and white) giving a slate blue coloring effect; marked or not with more or less extended black patches. Two black patches are generally placed at either side of the head, covering the leathers, surrounding the eyes and stopping at the cheeks. They do not meet up on the top of the skull; they leave a white interval in the middle of which is frequently found a small black oval shaped spot, typical of the breed. Two, more or less bright tan markings are placed above the superciliary arches giving the eyes a “quatreoeuillé” effect. There are also traces of tan on the cheeks, the lips, the inner face of the leathers, on the legs and under the tail.

SIZE :

Height at withers :

Males : 52 to 58 cm.
Females : 50 to 56 cm.

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.

Head :

• Short.
• Skull too flat, too narrow or too broad.
• Leathers short, high set, insufficiently curled in.

Body :

• Too long; slack topline; lack of substance.
• Croup falling away.

Tail :

• Tail deviated.

Limbs :

• Bone structure insufficiently developed.
• Shoulder straight.
• Cow hocks, seen from behind.
• Splayed feet.

Behavior :

• Timid subject.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

• Frightened or aggressive subject.
• Lack of type.
• Visible disabling defect.
• Serious anatomical malformation.
• Over-or undershot mouth.
• Light eyes.
• Any other coat than that indicated in the standard.

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