Great Blue Gascony
FCI:
Great Blue Gascony - Group VI - Scenthounds and related breeds, Section 1 - Large sized Hounds.
General Appearance:
Character is a good-natured, intelligent dog. It has a friendly relationship with the owners and all the members of his family. Rather than any facts, however, this argument is based on the traditions and steadfast hunter´s belief (not French) that the dog must have really powerful hunting instinct. It is not suitable for the house or apartment. Those dogs that had a chance to live with people, they were friendly and courteous, kind to children. This statement is obviously closer to the truth, because virtually all hounds, hunting and those most enthusiastic and active however at home they tend to be calm and peaceful.
Earmarked it is also an opinion that hounds that have the opportunity to live in close contact with the owner, they serve during hunting well, they can show the best performances because they are trying man to whom they have a close relationship, please. This breed is resistant to adverse terrain and climatic conditions prevailing, steady and calm. It is never unnecessarily in hurry during its work however it is more reliable.
Training/Behaviour:
According to some opinions it is quite easy to use, others should rather be difficult to handle. The opposing opinion can be easily explained. For those who have educational and training methods can adapt its character foundation, typical for most of the hounds, the dog easily trained and well controllable, for another who uses methods inconvenient, that is unable or unwilling to adapt to breed and individual peculiarities of the dog is difficult to train and hard to use.
The owner must be a calm, level headed, gently but relentlessly consistent, who has enough patience and natural authority. That makes it a real dog pack leader incipient under all circumstances, consistently, predictably. Education and training of this breed is never in rush.
Necessary is the daily work with the dog, which does not take overly long walks and that should be the longest to the countryside. With regard to its immensely strong hunting instinct, it is necessary to keep it on a leash while, otherwise it goes in search of animal tracks, and once it gets track, it follows immediately despite a positive relationship with the owner is not summon. Walking on a leash can be used educationally. It is recommended to keep it short so that at least a half step behind the owner, at worst, at his level, but never even half a meter in front of him. The front because it comes under the laws of the dog pack is always a leader, so it is appropriate in this totally non-violent way to commemorate the day the dog that does not occupy the highest rung on the hierarchical ladder of society, which affects his helpfulness during training.
It is used for hunting firearm, sometimes also the harassments big game but also hares, mostly in the pack. It can also be used individually as a hitchhiker. But its tendency to work in the pack is quite evident, and with respect to its usage primordial understandable.
Body:
It is, especially by the head, colour and expression, typical large French Hound. Its appearance is impressive, giving the impression of calm, strength and considerable grandeur. Uniqueness gives it not only attractive "blue" coat colour, but overall, majestic and elegant, archaic appearance and deep, aristocratic and unique voice. Height at withers is male is from 65 to 72 cm and female is from 62 to 68 cm.
The skull has to be seen from the front, slightly domed and not too broad. The occipital protuberance is pronounced. When viewed from above the skull it has to have an oval shape. The forehead is full, frontal slope (stop) slightly pronounced. Muzzle should be thick and as long as its skull. The muzzle is slightly arched, forming a slight down faced. Nose must be black, large, with appropriately open nostrils.
Lips have the appropriate size, covers the upper jaw and adding muzzle angular shape. Oral corners are clearly visible, but not loose (baggy). Scissor bite is required. The teeth must be square to the jaws. Cheeks should be dry skin on them produces one or two wrinkles.
Eyes are oval, brown and seemingly sunken beneath thick eyelids. Lower lid can be looser. The expression is nice, a little sad. The earlobes are typically set below the eye line, hanging thin. Stacey corkscrew in folds. The ends should be pointed so long that stretched forward to reach the tip of the nose. It must be narrow.
The neck should be moderately long. The neck is slightly arched, with a little dewlap. The back should be rather longer, but firm. Loin is solidly attached. Croup with protruding hip bumps is slightly sloping.
The tail should be quite thick at the base, sometimes with slightly longer hair on the underside reaching to the hocks and towards the end of the narrows. It is carried like a sickle.
The chest must be long and wide, reaching to the elbows. Chest is broad front. Ribs are moderately rounded and long. Weaknesses have to be rolled up, but not sunken (deep). The forelegs have strong, long enough, muscular and well sloping shoulder blade. Elbows are close to your chest.
Skin should be fairly strong, flexible and dark or dark mottled with black patches, never all white. Visible mucous membranes are black. The coat is short, quite hard and dense.
Hair is short, quite thick; very dense. Colour is entirely mottled (black and white) giving a slate blue colouring effect; either marked or not with more or less extended black patches. Two black patches are generally placed at either side of the head, covering the leathers, surrounding the eyes and stopping at the cheeks. They do not meet up on the top of the skull; they leave a white interval in the middle of which there is often a small black oval spot, typical of the breed. Two more or less bright tan markings are placed above the superciliary arches giving a «quatreoeillé » appearance to the eyes. There are also traces of tan on the cheeks, lips, inner face of the leathers, on the legs and under the tail.
