by Victoria Tiegert

Created on: November 07, 2009

The Bleus de Gascogne is a member of the hound family of dogs that is native to the country of France. This particular hound dog is thought to be a cross between two other breeds, the Saint Hubert Hound and the Scent Hound. Today, there are several varieties of the Bleus de Gascogne in existence, all exceptional hunters and good-looking dogs. The primary difference in these subspecies is size. According to breed standards, the primary, original Bleus de Gascogne is between 62 and 72 cm. tall. The Small Gascony Blue is 50 to 60 cm. and the Basset Gascony Blue is between 34 to 38 cm. in height. Males of the breed are typically larger than females in both height and weight.

The Bleus de Gascogne is a larger breed of hound dog that sports the typical hound dog head shape and face. They have the long, floppy ears, the tired and often sad-looking eyes, and jowls that overhang the bottom lip and can rouse scents to assist in the hunt. The body should be well-muscled and covered with a short, dense coat of hair. The coat of the Bleus de Gascogne is completely speckled and spotted in black and white. There is a slate blue tone to the coat, which contributes to the name. It is also acceptable for their to be some lighter areas on the body, such as the chest, the muzzle, or the legs. In some of these dogs, there will be two black spots on the face, one on each side. They also have the brown spots above the eyes, like other breeds such as the Rottweiller or Doberman Pinscher. The ears are long and velvety, hanging against the sides of the face in the flopped position.

The Bleus de Gascogne and its subspecies were considered quite rare dogs from the time that they were first bred until about twenty years ago. They were once almost non-existent. During the past couple of decades, though, they have increasingly become more popular. They are now accepted for registry in the DRA, which adds value to the dog owner who is interested in breeding or competing with the dog.

As all hound dogs do, the Bleus de Gascogne has an amazing sense of smell and a howl that is both loud and enduring. This is how the dog communicates with both humans and other dogs. This howling and baying does not endear them to neighbors who are within earshot, so they are really best suited for life in the country, rather than in the city. They also need room to run, as they are quite energetic. They are social animals that are happy to hunt together in packs, but they are also skilled as bloodhounds where they typically work solo. Due to their size, they are slower than some other breeds of hound, but they are steady and tenacious when on the job. They track both large and small game.

These are very gentle and loving animals who will develop very strong attachments to their owner or the families that they are a part of. They must begin training early on and require a firm and consistent master to assist them in becoming all that they can be. The average lifespan of the Bleus de Gascogne is 12 years.

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