Grand Bleu de Gascogne

Blue Gascony Hound

Nowadays, this hunter at heart is increasingly used as a companion dog, thus forsaking his original profession as a hunting dog. Nevertheless, the true nature of the Grand Bleu de Gascogne remains above all that of a hunting dog that needs regular exercise and wide open spaces to be happy in his new role as companion dog.

Height 62 to 72 cm
Weight 30 to 38 kg
Life expectancy 12 to 13 years
Home country France

Quick Overview of the Grand Bleu de Gascogne

Temperament

  • Docile and gentle
  • Obedient and faithful
  • Affectionate
  • Sometimes obstinate

Appearance

  • Nice impression of strength
  • Inspires nobility
  • Elegant and well-structured silhouette
  • Dress with bluish reflections

Health

  • Generally healthy
  • Ear infections in some subjects
  • No particular pathology

Temperament of the Grand Bleu de Gascogne

Docile, gentle, obedient, faithful, affectionate but sometimes obstinate, the Grand Bleu de Gascogne is endowed with an excellent character and great ardour.

His education is relatively easy, but it must be firm and adequate.

In the family, he is gentle and very affectionate. Even if he is sociable and easy to train, his education must be firm and adequate, because even if he is naturally obedient, he can sometimes become obstinate and do as he pleases.

An early education avoids this kind of unpleasant reaction.

Socially, he is compatible with everyone because he loves all members of the family, even the youngest.

Physically, he must be able to rely on daily exercise to be suitable for his master and the entire family.

grand bleu de gascogne personnalité

Breed Appearance

great blue of gascony

This old breed dog, with a French type physique, is imposing and gives a beautiful impression of strength and tranquility.

He inspires nobility at first glance. His elegant, well-structured silhouette reveals his great capacity for hunting.

His dress, with bluish reflections, adds a touch of distinction to his presence.

Height

Between 65 and 72 cm (25.59 to 28.35 inches) for the male
Between 62 and 68 cm (24.41 to 26.77 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 33 and 38 kg (72.75 to 83.77 pounds) for the male
Between 30 and 36 kg (66.14 to 79.37 pounds) for the female

Color

His pretty dress with particular reflections is speckled black and white, giving the impression of a beautiful slate blue.

Hair

His short hair is quite full and fairly thick.

Morphology

His head has a slightly domed skull and a light accentuated stop.

His brown eyes are oval-shaped. His fine, pointed, curled ears should extend beyond the tip of the nose.

His pretty nose is all black. His strong tail is rather large, reaching almost the tip of the hock and is carried like a sword blade.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 6, section 1 and is #22

Tips About this breed

Very diligent in his hunting work, he is now mostly used for big game, such as deer and wild boar, than any other game.

Able to hunt alone or in a pack, the Grand Bleu de Gascogne is a very good bloodhound.

Full of ardour, with a beautiful throat and a very fine nose, he is hardy and thus makes the happiness of many hunters, even if he is less and less used for this task.

It is difficult for him to adapt to city life because he prefers large spaces where he can exercise as he pleases.

He needs to be able to exercise regularly to stay in good physical and mental health.

He was born a hunter and remains so throughout his life, even if he is no longer used as such.

He can live very well indoors as well as outdoors, but it is best to protect his short-haired coat from dampness, which he fears.

Health of the Grand Bleu de Gascogne

This hardy and very robust dog generally enjoys excellent health.

Ear infections sometimes affect a few individuals, but not the majority.

The breed is not affected by any particular pathology. His life expectancy is also very appreciable.

GROOMING

His pretty bluish dress requires regular brushing, either two or three times a week.

His coat is short and easy to care for, so it does not require any other special maintenance.

Drooping ears should also be checked regularly to avoid foreign bodies and potential infections.

History of this breed

This very old breed comes from the Gascony region located in Southwest of France.

It is said to be the result of a cross, apparently made in the 14th century, between the Griffon and the medium-size Blue Biscayan Hound.

The breed formed, at that time, Gaston Febus' packs, Count of Foix.

During the reign of King Henry IV, a great hunting enthusiast, he was then used to hunt wolves, wild boars and even bears.

It is even said that the king loved his dogs, and visited them regularly.

After almost disappearing at one point, the breed took off again thanks to a few passionate breeders.

The Grand Bleu de Gascogne is also said to be at the origin of all the so-called "du Midi" (from South of France) breeds belonging to the category of hounds.

Excellent hunter, despite the fact that he is not very fast, he maintains a very steady pace and can easily chase unwounded game, or follow wounded game by smell like all other hounds.

A hunting dog at heart, he can however be appreciated as a companion dog, as he has great qualities that make him a excellent life companion.

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