Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound

This large French hound descends from a 19th century cross between the Gascony and Saintonge lines, aimed at producing a dog suited to hunting large game, especially wild boar, through extensive forest. A male can weigh up to 32 kilograms, with a long, muscular build suited to running with a pack over distance. The short coat needs minimal care. The breed was historically worked in packs rather than alone, so an individually kept dog often shows a strong need for other dogs' company. Its voice is considered one of the deeper, more resonant among French hounds, once used by hunters to track the pack's position through dense woodland by sound. It remains extremely rare, surviving mostly within hunting clubs. Life expectancy runs 10 to 12 years.

Browse dog food sized right for this breed

Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound: how old in human years?

62–72 cmHeight
28–32 kgWeight
10–12 yrsLife expectancy

Dunker (Norwegian Hound)

FCI group: Scenthounds and Related Breeds
FCI section: Section 1.1: Scenthounds, Large sized
FCI: 21
Country of origin: France

Energy level

4/5
Trainability

3/5
Family friendly

3/5
Grooming need

1/5

At a glance

Height

Males 65–72 cm

Females 62–70 cm

Weight

Males 30–32 kg

Females 28–30 kg

Life expectancy

10–12 yrs

Coat

short (short)

Temperament & Family Life

Great Gascony-Saintonge 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

Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound's energy and exercise needs are high.

Energy level 4/5
Exercise need 5/5
Apartment friendly 1/5
Prey drive 5/5
Hunting instinct 5/5

Guarding & Alertness

Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound's guarding and alertness traits are moderate.

Guarding instinct 1/5
Watchfulness 3/5
Barking level 4/5

Grooming & Care

Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound's grooming needs are low.

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

Living with the Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound

If your weekend plan is coffee and a box set, the Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound has a different plan, and it lasts until dark. This is a large French pack hound, bred to trail big game with stamina and persistence, giving voice as it goes. It needs a great deal of exercise every day: long hikes, running somewhere safe, jobs for its nose. Without them, its energy finds another outlet, the fence, for example.

It learns reasonably well, but independently: it understands a command perfectly, it just doesn't always agree that the command matters more than the trail. Patience, praise and treats work far better here than a hard hand, and recall is worth practising from the very first weeks. Its prey drive is very strong, so it can run free only in a fenced area, and cats and small pets call for real caution. A loud voice and a large frame mean a flat is too small for it.

It gets on very well with other dogs, pack life being second nature to it, and canine company at home only does it good. With its own family it is calm and friendly, and it lives well with children, though a big young hound can knock over a toddler by accident. It is reserved with strangers and may announce visitors with its voice, but it makes a poor guard. A hunter suits it best, or a family in the countryside with a large fenced garden and time for long walks.

Grooming and coat

The Great Gascony-Saintonge Hound's coat is short, dense and close-lying, so it asks for only a few minutes with a brush each week. Go over it with a rubber mitt or a bristle brush and the dead hair and dust go with it. It sheds little. After a walk through a field, wipe the mud off with a damp towel or let it dry and fall away, and bath it only when there's no way around it.

What lies beneath the coat needs much more attention. Long, hanging ears make a warm, damp spot, so lift them every week and look inside: redness, discharge or a bad smell is a reason to see a vet. Back from the woods, check the skin, paws and pads for ticks and scratches, and 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.

≈ 380 g of dry food a day, from €20,73 a month For a neutered, normally active 30 kg dog. Calculate for your dog