The Bleus de Gascogne (Blue Gascony Hound) is an ancient breed, thought to be a descendant of the Saint Hubert Hound. These dogs come from France and are very important in the general development of other breeds of hounds. There are two main subcategories: the Small Blue Gascony Hound and the Great Blue Gascony Hound. The first, after almost facing extinction, is currently becoming more and more popular. Also, there is the Blue Gascony Basset, a subspecies whose exact ancestry is still debated to this day. The Small variety was created through selective breeding, from the Grand variety, for the sole purpose of being able to catch smaller game.
These dogs work very well in larger packs and are natural born hunters, having an extraordinary sense of smell. The Great Blue Gascony Hound is great for large game like boar and deer, while the Small variety is used in hunting all kinds of medium-to-small game. Generally, the Bleus de Gascogne are not suited for urban living and they require a firm training. However, they are attached to their masters, affectionate and quite gentle.
When fully grown, the Grand variety reaches about 70 cm for the males and 65 cm for the females and weighs somewhere in the vicinity of 35 kg. The Small variety reaches around 55 cm, both dogs and bitches, and weighs an average of 25 kg. The Blue Gascony Bassett is smaller, can reach around 35 cm and weighs an approximate 16-17 kg.
The coat of the Bleus de Gascogne is always spotted (white & black), the mixing generating a nuance that is slate-blue. Usually, two larger spots (black) cover the eyes and ears. They have a long and quite large head and a wide nose. The eyes are either dark brown or light brown. The hair of the Blue Gascony Hound is dense, short and quite thick, a little shorter in the area around the head. A great characteristic of this breed is the powerful body with a muscular back and firm chest, making it a classic and very competitive type of hound, as they are instinctive hunters and have a powerful pack instinct. If you look carefully at the dogs from this breed, you will see that they have a brave posture and an aristocratic figure.
The Bleus de Gascogne breed has a life expectancy of about 12 years. There are no known specific health problems for the varieties of this breed. In what temperament is concerned, you can never know for sure, as it can vary to a great extent, from one dog to another. However, they are not generally recommended as urban pets or even pets in general, unless they live in an open space and amongst many others of their own kind. They can adapt to very diverse terrain and weather conditions and are considered to be a superior type of hunting scent-hound.
Despite all his qualities, as emphasized before, the Bleus de Gascogne breed might not interest the average pet owner, as all characteristics of this dog point to an animal that will never be happy indoors or alone.
