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Porcelaine

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Description

The porcelaine is one of the most beloved dog breeds, especially if you're fond of French scent hounds. They are fierce, clever yet impossibly gorgeous and graceful hunting dogs.

About and Brief History of the Porcelaine

If you're looking for a medium-sized, energetic, and fun-loving dog, you won't be disappointed with a porcelaine. They are named after a French region on the Swiss border, an area where they were first bred and used as hunting dogs.

Also known as Chien de Franche-Comté, the porcelaine is believed to be a loose cross-breed between the Swiss Laufhounds, Talbot Hound, Montemboeuf, and the English Harrier. Records dating as far back as the late 1700s show an early existence of this cat-like breed in parts of Switzerland and France. The majority of porcelaine breeding happened in Cluny, the Abbeys of Luxeuil, Savoy, and Vaud.

They were first bred to flush and hunt small game, including wild boar, deer, and hare. Out of all French scent hounds, the porcelaine is believed to be the oldest breed that's still around. Interestingly, the breed almost vanished in the aftermath of the French Revolution but has since been revived by breeding French scent hounds like the Billy, Gascon Saintongeois, and Somerset's Gray Harriers.

Thanks to the combination of these French scent hounds, the porcelaine has the strength, imposing size, streamlined body, and vigor, making them formidable hunting dogs. Besides, they could easily handle rugged terrain, run long distances, and are clever enough to outwit stag and other prey.

It's thought that the porcelain landed on the shores of the US via the Port of New Orleans in the late 1800s. However, the pure-bred porcelaine soon disappeared from America as they were heavily crossbred with local dogs. Famously, porcelaine dogs were given to President George Washington as a present from the King of France.

Appearance

The distinguishing appeal of the porcelaine is its light, shiny coat which makes the dog breed look like a porcelain sculpture. As they were originally bred as hunting dogs, they are medium-sized pets that sport a flat forehead, beautifully chiseled head, and a long muzzle.

Porcelaine dogs have a stately black nose that may turn lighter or slightly pinkish/brownish during the colder winter months. Their wide-open nostrils make the porcelaine an incredible sniffer, which of course comes in handy during hunting.

The porcelaine's ears are pointed, conical, and thin. The eyes are dark and expressive, while the pointy tail is lush at the base. For a streamlined shape, their neck is slender, a little spotty, and long.

Talking of the color, they boast a white coat and pink skin with black mottling visible through the shiny coat. The fur itself is extremely fine and short, giving it a light blue glassy look when viewed from afar. The orange ears provide a nice contrast to the flowing white of the body's coat.

Porcelain bitches can grow up to 21-22 inches tall, while their male adults are slightly taller at around 22-23 inches tall. Expect this dog breed to weigh between 55 lbs and 62 lbs as an adult.

Temperament and Demeanor

The porcelaine is a hybrid of highly-intelligent English and French scent-hounds, making it one of the best hunting dog breeds. Powered by their resilient prey drive, they are energetic, never shy, and fierce hunting dogs, but approachable, gentle, and easy to train at home.

While they're hardworking, vigorous, and brave outside, porcelaine dogs tend to have a quiet, friendly, and calm personality in their kernel or generally indoors. Even more exciting, these pets are not annoying barkers. They have an incredible sense of smell, melodic bark, and graceful gait.

Even though they are historically hunting dogs, porcelaines make for amazing pets. They are highly affectionate, unmistakably loyal, and enjoy the company of their owners. Don't be fooled though; this is one dog breed that isn't timid or shy in the presence of people.

They maintain an energetic, playful, and vigorous approach to life much like a golden retriever, so you must have a fenced-in backyard. They need plenty of exercises to blow off some steam.

Health

Porcelaine dogs are generally a very healthy breed with a decent lifespan of between 12 and 13 years. While they are usually active and robust hunters, pet owners should be aware of certain health conditions that usually affect this dog breed, most notably ear infections as well as elbow and hip dysplasia.

Grooming and Care

This dog breed requires lots of exercise, especially outdoor activities. They love running and playing outdoors. Grooming a porcelaine is a cinch thanks to its water-repellent fur and very short coat. A simple brush down now and then can help get rid of dead skin and fur.

However, they have fast-growing claws that need to be trimmed or grind frequently to prevent cracking, splitting, and overgrowth. As for oral hygiene, regular brushing with pet-specific toothpaste can do the trick.

Colors

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