Poitevin

Chien du Haut Poitou, Haut-Poitou

Once widely used to hunt wolves, the Poitevin later became a deer and roe deer specialist, as well as a friendly companion dog, but still requiring a minimum of daily exercise to remain totally balanced.

Height 60 to 72 cm
Weight 28 to 32 kg
Life expectancy 12 to 13 years
Home country France

Quick Overview of the Poitevin

Temperament

  • Tenacious and enduring
  • Active and energetic
  • Resistant and dynamic
  • Affectionate with his family

Appearance

  • Lightness, elegance and strength
  • Great distinction
  • Attractive color scheme
  • Very pleasant general appearance

Health

  • Generally robust
  • No particular pathology
  • Usually healthy
  • Long life expectancy

Temperament of the Poitevin

Tenacious, enduring and active, the Poitevin is an energetic, resistant and dynamic dog. Affectionate with his family, he is sociable with everyone, especially children, whom he tends to watch over and protect.

His socialization and education generally do not pose any particular problem.

He is very affectionate and sociable with everyone. He is a very poor guardian, unless he feels that the children are threatened, as he tends to look after them.

Once he arrives in a house, he always stays close to his family. He is a very loyal dog.

Breed Appearance

poitevin

His physique perfectly combines lightness, elegance and strength.

Very distinguished, the Poitevin has a set of harmonious colors, giving him a very pleasant general appearance. This large dog has a distinguished, noble appearance.

Height

Between 62 and 72 cm (24.41 to 28.35 inches) for the male
Between 60 and 70 cm (23.62 to 27.56 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 28 and 32 kg (61.73 to 70.55 pounds) for the male
Between 28 and 32 kg (61.73 to 70.55 pounds) for the female

Color

His coat is generally tricolor, and his black background is usually spotted with white and orange. There are also some specimens that have a wolf-grey coat.

Hair

His coat hair is short and shiny.

Morphology

His head has a skull flatter than domed. His brown eyes are large, and because they are naturally surrounded by black, they look like they are wearing make-up.

His fine ears, half-long and slightly turned at the tip, are medium size. His large and strong nose is all black.

His tail, well set on the loins, is fine and medium length. It describes a light curve while being carried elegantly.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 6, section 1 and is #24

Tips About this breed

This enduring dog, adapted to all types of game and terrain, is an extraordinary hound, very passionate about his work as a hunter.

When hunting, he passes through bushes without any problem, jumps with great lightness, and gallops very easily.

His powerful throat and excellent sense of smell are a great help in his daily hunting life.

His great stamina allows him to hunt without interruption, even leading him to chase his game for a whole day if necessary.

A great hunter, he is just as extraordinary in family, but he must be able to benefit from intense exercise on a regular basis, in order to maintain his mental and physical balance.

To become an excellent life companion, he has to exercise a lot and often, in order to spend his great energy, allowing him to remain calm and totally in control of his emotions in family.

Very sociable with humans, he is just as sociable with his fellow hunters. He loves kennel life and prefers to work in packs.

He can live anywhere except in the city; he is in great need of exercise.

Health of the Poitevin

He is generally robust, and does not suffer from any particular pathology or genetic disease.

The specimens are usually in excellent health, but require a lot of exercise to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. The life expectancy of the breed is excellent.

GROOMING

His dress must be brushed regularly. It is also preferable to monitor and frequently clean his slightly drooping ears, especially after a hunting episode. No other particular maintenance is however necessary.

History of this breed

This very distinguished dog was originally created by the Marquis de Larye in France in the 1692s. The Poitevin, whose ancestor were the English Greyhound, the King's White Hound and the Irish Hound, nearly disappeared in 1942, following a very devastating epidemic at the time of the French Revolution.

Thereafter, crossbreeding was carried out with the Saintongeois and the English Foxhound, saving the breed from assured extinction.

Mainly used in the 19th century to hunt wolves, he was first named the "Chien du Haut Poitou", and remained so until 1957.

Later, he was officially recognized by the FCI, but was recognized under the name Poitevin, a name he still bears today.

This splendid specimen is a dog that chases unwounded game, or pursues wounded game by smell. This hunting hound is a great specialist in hunting deer, stag and hare.

Adapted to all types of terrain, he hunts very well in packs and loves kennel life. Hating solitude, he constantly seeks the presence of his fellow hunters.

Possessing many hunting skills, he is also very appreciated for his great family qualities. He makes an excellent life companion, adapting easily to different family situations.

Even if some specimens are less adapted for company, preferring life in a pack with their species, most dogs of this breed still live very well in the company of humans.

He is well balanced and sociable, as long as he benefits from a harmonious balance between daily life and his great need for exercise.

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