Other names:
Petit Bleu de Gascogne, Grand Bleu de Gascogne, Basset Bleu de Gascogne, Griffon bleu de Gascogne, Small Blue Gascony, Great Gascony Blue, Blue Gascony Basset, Blue Gascony Griffon
The Bleu de Gascogne is a native French hunting dog. It is known and sought after mainly for its exceptional scenting abilities. It is through-and-through a pack hound; comfortable with other dogs, independent, and possessing of an impressive booming howl. Owners prize the hound on its agility, obedience, character and loyalty.
White base mottled in black, giving it the appearance of being blue. Two black patches are often seen either side of the head. Tan marks can be seen on the face. Some tricolour varieties.
Type of coat
The Petit Bleu, Grand Bleu, and Basset Bleu de Gascogne have a straight, short and dense coat. The Griffon Bleu de Gascogne has a rough, longer coat.
Eye colour
Brown.
Description
A typically elegant French dog: imposing, muscular and noble. The skull is strong and shaped as elegantly as the rest of the body; the ears long, pointed and curled in. The dog’s gait is one of agility and substance.
Varieties
Petit Bleu de Gascogne
Grand Bleu de Gascogne
Basset Bleu de Gascogne
Griffon Bleu de Gascogne
Temperament
Affectionate
Cheerful, confident and obedient, the Gascony Blue is a loving and loyal family dog.
Playful
Gascony Blues are most often bred to hunt. They are constantly on the move and have a tendency to be mischievous.
Calm
An even-tempered dog is this. It is obedient but will try to assert dominance where it thinks it can.
Intelligent
The Gascony Blue is reasonably intelligent but it has a puppy-like clumsiness until the age of two.
Hunter
This dog will react with haste to the scents of wild animals. The predatory instinct of this courageous and wily dog is not easily trained away.
Fearful / wary of strangers
The Bleu de Gascogne is not as alert or as interested in people as are some other breeds. It will be welcoming of new people when it is approached.
Independent
This is an independent and wilful dog. It is easily distracted by scent and will not obey commands if something more interesting piques its interest.
Behaviour of the Blue Gascony
Tolerates solitude
The Gascony Blue does not like to be left alone for long periods of time.
Easy to train / obedience
To train the Gascony Blue requires the owner to deliver consistent and confident training. This is a dog that is easily distracted and quick to boredom.
Barking
This dog has the typical bark of a hound. It will use its voice in almost any situation.
Tendency to run away
The Gascony Blue is hard to recall. It may not hear your command if it is focused on a particularly interesting scent.
Destructive
The Gascony Blue is destructive if stressed or agitated.
Greedy / Gluttony
The Gascony Blue is a greedy dog. It will eat non-stop if given the chance to do so.
Guard dog
This is not a watchful and alert dog. Its bark is its only redeeming feature.
First dog
The Bleu de Gascogne is not a suitable first dog. Its stubbornness and its incessant barking make it a very difficult breed for a new owner to deal with.
Lifestyle
Blue Gascony in a flat
The Gascony Blue will not be happy in a flat. A small back garden is also an insufficient provision.
Need for exercise / Sporty
The Gascony Blue needs a good amount of exercise every day. It is most suited to rural life.
Travelling / easy to transport
Once trained, a Bleu de Gascogne is comfortable with travel.
Compatibility
Blue Gascony and cats
The Gascony Blue is not tolerant of non-canine animals, including cats.
Blue Gascony and dogs
Generally speaking, this is a dog that gets on with other dogs due to its breeding as a pack animal. It may however try to assert its dominance.
Blue Gascony and children
On the whole this breed is kind and placid with children, and is tolerant of their boisterous play.
Blue Gascony and the elderly
The Bleu de Gascogne is not a good dog for people of senior years.
Price
A Bleu de Gascogne will cost you between £800 and £1200 to buy, and between £50 to £80 per month to keep.
Grooming
Brush the dog once a week with a bristle brush to keep the coat looking its best.
Shedding
The Bleu de Gascogne sheds considerably throughout the year.
Nutrition of the Blue Gascony
It is worthwhile to feed a Bleu de Gascogne a high-quality dog food formulated for active dogs.
Health of the Blue Gascony
Life expectancy
A healthy breed of dog with no known genetic abnormalities or proneness to disease. Its life expectancy is 12 to 14 years.
Strong / robust
This is a courageous and robust hound that is bred for vigorous outdoor work and play.
Withstand heat
The Gascony Blue is reasonably tolerant of heat. Special care must be taken of the dog during the summer months.
Withstand cold
The Gascony Blue is more tolerant of cold temperatures and wet weather than it is of heat.
Tendency to put on weight
The Bleu de Gascogne is prone to weight gain. If this dog is not exercised regularly it will quickly become obese.
This dog is rarely seen in the role of household ‘pet’; it is a hunting hound and is bred in France for such a task. Ownership is on the up by families living in rural suburbs but its incessant barking will not suit life in a flat. With four varieties (the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, Petit Bleu de Gascogne, Basset Bleu de Gascogne and Griffon Bleu de Gascogne), there is a variety of Gascony Blue for everyone!
Origins and history
This breed came about in the late middle ages, but it is thought that hundreds of years before then, its ancestor accompanied societal migrations from the Middle East to Europe. The dog is native to France and has been, since the 1500s and 1600s, bred exclusively by the aristocracy to hunt game. After the French Revolution, the dog was used in breeding programmes to resurrect old breeds such as the Saintongeois and the Bluetick Coonhound.
