GASCON SAINTONGEOIS

Gascon Saintongeois Breed History 

After the French Revolution there were only three Saintogeois Hounds remaining, one female and two males. During the mid-19th century, Count Joseph de Carayon-Latour of Chateau Virelade began to cross the remaining Saintongeois Hounds with the remaining Griffon Bleu de Gascogne from the Baron de Ruble’s kennel. The results were hounds that were white in color with black ticking. Any puppies born that were not white were not used in the foundation stock to create the new breed called Gascon Saintongeois. It was not until the mid-20th century that the breed began being split into two sizes. Hunters in southwest France needed smaller hounds to hunt hare and other small game. They began breeding smaller Gascon Saintongeois and eventually began calling them Petit Gascon Saintongeois. The original sized Gascon Saintongeois were then called the Grand Gascon Saintongeois and were used to hunt big game such as roe deer, wild boar and gray wolf. The Saintongeois Hound is now considered extinct, but many of his traits have been passed on to the Gascon Saintongeois. The Federation Cynologique Internationale (FC) accepted the Gascon Saintongeois on August 10, 1963. However, the official breed standard was not published until March of 2007. Since there was no published standard, breeders were unable to breed to standard. There were too many discrepancies within the breed and fanciers began asking for an official breed standard to be published. Once the standard was published, breeders were able to begin breeding to standard and making the breed much more uniform in appearance and personality. The United Kennel Club accepted the Gascon Saintongeois on January 1, 1993. 

 Gascon Saintongeois Breed Appearance

 The Gascon Saintongeois has an elongated head with a defined occipital bone. He has a black nose that is well developed with open nostrils. He has loose lips that are pendant and black lined. His eyes are oval in shape and dark brown with black rims. He should have a trusting and gentle expression. The Gascon Saintongeois has a short, tight coat. His skin should be supple. He is a solid white dog with black patches. Sometimes he can have ticking or speckling throughout his white coat but it should never be distracting to his overall look. The Gascon Saintongeois can be found in two sizes, the Grand and Petit. The Grand is obviously the bigger of the two sizes standing at 26 to 28 inches tall and weighing between 60 to 70 pounds. The Petit is much smaller but should never give the appearance of being refined or fragile. Standing between 22 and 24 inches tall and weighing 40 to 50 pounds. 

Gascon Saintongeois Breed Maintenance 

The Gascon Saintongeois is not a high maintenance breed. He has a short, smooth coat that does shed. He has a thicker coat in the winter months and that coat will shed during the spring and summer. To ensure the loose or dead hairs do not float through the air and land on your furniture and clothing, brush him weekly using a soft slicker brush or a hound mitt. The Gascon Saintongeois does not need to be bathed often; usually only two or three times a year unless he finds a mud hole to roll in. When bathing him, use a mild shampoo that will not cause skin irritation. Be careful not to get excess water in his ears. Dry the insides of his ears well after bathing to prevent infections from occurring. Because the Gascon Saintongeois has loose lips, he will drool. It is a good idea to keep a drool cloth handy. Check his nails every few weeks and trim them when necessary. 

Gascon Saintongeois Temperament 

The Gascon Saintongeois is a happy, energetic dog that loves to hunt. He is a typical scent hound and will follow his nose into any situation. He is a pack animal and will generally do well with other dogs; however, he may try to be the pack leader if allowed. Since he is not an overly hyper dog, he can do well with children who respect his space and do not treat him badly. A fenced yard is needed to keep him from wandering the neighborhood and chasing after other animals he sees as prey. The Gascon Saintongeois is a vocal hound and will become a loud nuisance when left alone for too long. He is an extremely affectionate dog when he is not hunting. However, he is naturally wary of strangers and can be aggressive towards people he does not know. Training and socialization should be started at as soon as possible.

 Gascon Saintongeois Activity Requirements

 The Gascon Saintongeois has a high energy level but can be a great indoor companion when he has enough daily exercise. He is most suited to kennel life or spending time outdoors in a secured fenced yard with plenty of toys to keep him occupied. Spending time with him throughout the day will keep him happy and willing to please. He needs long walks at least once a day to help cement the bond between owner and canine. Certain dog sports would be great keep him entertained. Since he is a scenthound, performing tasks that center around nose work would be ideal.