French White and Black Hound

This French hound grew up inside the country's traditional pack hunting with horn and hound, where its job was to track a deer or boar's scent for hours without a break. A male weighs around 32 kilograms on a long-legged, lean frame built for stamina rather than a burst of speed. The short, dense coat is easy to maintain but offers little protection in cold weather without extra shelter. The breed is still used mostly in hunting packs today rather than as an urban family dog, and its deep, carrying bay can be heard through the woods from a distance. These hounds are usually kept in groups rather than alone, since solitude suits them poorly. Kept singly at home without a clear job, an individual can become loud and hard to manage. Life expectancy runs 11 to 13 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

French White and Black Hound: how old in human years?

60–72 cmHeight
27–32 kgWeight
11–13 yrsLife expectancy

French Tricolour Hound

FCI group: Scenthounds and Related Breeds
FCI section: Section 1.1: Scenthounds, Large sized
FCI: 316
Country of origin: France

Energy level

5/5
Trainability

3/5
Family friendly

3/5
Grooming need

1/5

At a glance

Height

Males 62–72 cm

Females 60–70 cm

Weight

Males 27–32 kg

Females 27–32 kg

Life expectancy

11–13 yrs

Coat

short (short)

Temperament & Family Life

French White and Black Hound's average temperament and family-life score for this breed is moderate.

Family friendly 3/5
Good with children 3/5
Good with other dogs 4/5
Friendly with strangers 2/5
Intelligence 3/5
Trainability 3/5

Exercise, Energy & Space

French White and Black Hound's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 5/5
Exercise need 5/5
Apartment friendly 1/5
Prey drive 5/5
Hunting instinct 5/5

Guarding & Alertness

French White and Black Hound's guarding and alertness traits are low.

Guarding instinct 1/5
Watchfulness 2/5
Barking level 4/5

Grooming & Care

French White and Black Hound's grooming needs are low.

Shedding 2/5
Drooling 2/5
Grooming need 1/5

Living with the French White and Black Hound

Ask a French White and Black Hound what it would like to do today and the answer is the same as yesterday's: follow a scent until the scent runs out. This is a French pack hound, bred to trail large game long and stubbornly and to tell the hunters with its voice where the quarry is. It needs a great deal of exercise, every day and never in a rush: long hikes, running, and work for its nose.

Training it is possible; it just takes patience and a sense of humour. It understands what you want, but doesn't always agree that it matters more than the trail it just picked up. Start recall early, with treats and praise, and let it off the lead only where there is a fence. Its prey drive and hunting instinct are very strong, so the cats, hens and rabbits in your garden have a serious problem. A loud voice and a need for space mean it is unhappy in a flat.

With other dogs it is friendly and easy-going, having lived in packs for its whole history, and it particularly enjoys canine company. It is gentle with its family and gets on with children, though a large young hound can greet them a little too enthusiastically. It meets strangers with reserve and has no plans to guard the house. Its best home is in the countryside, with a large fenced garden and an owner who loves the forest in any weather.

Grooming and coat

A white coat shows everything: every puddle, every smear of clay, every meadow it crossed. Luckily, the French White and Black Hound's coat is short, dense and slightly coarse, so dried mud falls out on its own or comes off with a damp towel. Once a week, go over it with a rubber mitt or a bristle brush. It sheds little, and it needs a bath only rarely, so the skin doesn't dry out.

A short coat does little against thorns and branches, so after a day in the woods check the skin, paws and pads for scratches and ticks; on the white patches, at least, a tick is easy to spot. Lift the long, hanging ears every week and look inside: redness, discharge or a bad smell is a reason to see a vet. Trim the nails if they don't wear down on their own.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

We don't have reliable health information specific to this breed, so we don't list conditions here. Keep up regular vet check-ups, and if you are getting a puppy, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own dog's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Food for large breeds — cheapest per kg

This list is chosen by the breed's weight (32 kg) rather than the breed itself: shops label food by dog size, so every breed of the same size gets the same list. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 375 g of dry food a day, from €20,47 a month For a neutered, normally active 29,5 kg dog. Calculate for your dog