Poitevin

Other names: Poitevin Hound, Chien de Haut-Poitou, Haut-Poitou

Poitevin

Bred in the French region of Poitou, the Poitevin Hound is primarily a working and hunting dog, capable of travelling up to 60 km a day. Strong, muscular and agile, this dog is a true athlete and thrives living a highly active lifestyle with plenty of mental stimulation. Rarely kept as a companion pet, the Poitevin is now a fairly rare breed outside of its native France.

Key facts about the Poitevin

Life expectancy :

7

19

12

14

Temperament :

Hunter

Size :

Origins and history

Bred from a combination of two popular French scent hound in Poitou, France, in 1692, the Poitevin Hound was a popular hunting dog throughout the 17th century, but hasn’t had the easiest of times since! Just managing to survive an outbreak of rabies during the 19th century, it is now an extremely rare breed, with some even considering it an endangered species.

FCI breed nomenclature

FCI Group

Group 6 - Scent hounds and related breeds

Section

Section 1 : Scent hounds

Physical characteristics of the Poitevin

Adult size

Female : Between 24 and 28 in

Male : Between 24 and 28 in

Weight

Female : Between 66 and 73 lb

Male : Between 66 and 77 lb

Coat colour

Black
White
Red

Type of coat

Short

Eye colour

Brown

Description

Sleek and lean yet muscular, the Poitevin Hound is a true canine athlete. The legs are surprisingly powerful, with noticeable thigh muscles, while the neck is slim and long. The Poitevin’s head is flat and long with a long muzzle and strong jaw, wide black nose and large, round black-rimmed eyes. The ears are long and are set low and floppy.

Good to know

Avid hunters in France used to preach that the Poitevin was the best hunting breed in the world, especially when it came to foxes.

Temperament

  • 66%

    Affectionate

    While the Poitevin is certainly loyal to its family, it is not an affectionate dog. This breed shows little interested in human company and instead, prefers to be a part of a pack of dogs.

  • 66%

    Playful

    Despite being rather aloof, the Poitevin Hound can be playful and enjoys sports and setting its clever mind on puzzles and games.

  • 66%

    Calm

    Providing it’s had enough exercise, the Poitevin is gentle and kind within the home.

  • 66%

    Intelligent

    This is a highly intelligent breed who will easily become bored in a domesticated setting. The Poitevin requires plenty of mental stimulation, benefiting from puzzle feeders, agility sports and obedience training.

  • 100%

    Hunter

    The Poitevin is an incredible hunter, originally bred to bring down wolves and ‘nuisance’ wildlife. However, this means the breed brings the risk of chasing and even killing small animals such as cats and even livestock whilst out and about.

  • 33%

    Fearful / wary of strangers

    Very sociable, the Poitevin fears no one and is never aggressive without reason.

  • 66%

    Independent

    Want a truly independent dog? The Poitevin Hound is a great match! This dog is strong-willed, stubborn and independent, highly capable of making their own decisions.

    Behaviour of the Poitevin

    • 33%

      Tolerates solitude

      The Poitevin Hound is a pack dog and won’t cope well with being left alone without other humans or dogs for hours. This breed is likely to become bored, restless and destructive when lonely.

    • 66%

      Easy to train / obedience

      With an independent nature and strong prey drive, it should come as no surprise that the Poitevin Hound isn’t the easiest of dogs to train. Ideally, this breed should be matched with a highly-experienced handler who understands how to (fairly) set boundaries.

    • 100%

      Barking

      Although an experienced trainer may be able to improve the Poitevin Hound’s barking tendencies, new owners should be aware that this breed is known to be a barker.

    • 100%

      Tendency to run away

      This breed has an extreme prey drive and will run away without consideration if it spots prey.

    • 66%