Grand Bleu de Gascogne is a large and tenacious hound that follows scents with great stamina and endurance. Gascony is the region of southern and southwestern France where this French scent hound originated. In turn, scent hounds found in southern France (the Midi) descend from the original hunting dogs of ancient Gaul, crossed with dogs imported by Phoenician traders. There are still many of these dogs in France, and they have also been introduced to other countries, such as the US and the UK.
In the beginning, the Grand Bleu de Gascogne was used to hunt wolves, but as their numbers declined, it was used to hunt wild boar and deer as well. As with hare hunting, hound packs are still used to hunt these animals today. There is a high degree of development in the breed’s scenting abilities, and it follows a trail with a single-minded focus. Its powerful, resonant baying voice and moderate pace make it an impressive animal. Grand Bleu de Gascognes are often called the “King of Hounds” due to their tall stature and aristocratic bearing.
With its bluish coat, produced by black mottling over white, the dog has an elegant appearance. Although the breed has begun to appear in the show ring, its size and energy can make it challenging to live with, despite its gentle and friendly nature. There should be plenty of mental and physical challenges for the Grand Bleu de Gascogne during its training.
FRENCH TO AMERICAN
If you explore dog history, then you will come to know that General Lafayette presented seven Grand Bleu de Gascogne hounds to George Washington in 1785. Despite Washington’s admiration for the dogs, the dogs were unaccustomed to pursuing raccoons, which could climb trees. Because the dogs often failed to keep their quarry in the tree until it was shot, Washington found this frustrating. Bluetick Coonhounds have a similar coloring to the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, which was later developed for this type of hunting.
