Sunday, March 30, 2014

SUNDAY....DOGS

Wikipedia says this article does not cite any references or sources but as I rather liked the look of this dog I decided to go with it anyway.  I feel most of the facts would be pretty accurate.

The PORCELAINE is a breed of dog originating in France. It is believed to be the oldest of the French scent hounds.  Its alternate name is the Chien de Franche-Comte, named after a French region bordering Switerland.  This caused some debate over the dog's origin, but it has been decided that it is a French dog.


The Porcelaine gets its name from it shiny coat, said to make it resemble a porcelain statuette.  The fur is white, sometimes with orange spots, often on the ears.  The skin should be white with black mottling that is visible through the white coat.  The fur is incredibly short and very fine.  The nose of a Porcelaine dog is black with very wide nostrils.  It also has black eyes and long ears that droop down.  The neck is long and the tail starts thick and narrows to a point at the end.


 Porcelaines have a very high activity level and therefore need lots of exercise.  Because of this, they are not recommended for people living in apartments as they cannot get sufficient exercise without a lot of work on the owner's part.  Despite them being fierce hunters, they are gentle and relatively easy to handle.  They have no health issues specific to the breed although, of course, they suffer from general health issues like any other breed.  Their coat, due to its shortness, is very easy to care for.


This breed of dog is thought to be a descendant of the English Harrier, some of the smaller Laufhounds of Switzerland and the now-extinct Montaimboeuf.  There have been records of the breed in France since 1845 and in Switzerland since 1860.  The breed actually disappeared after the French Revolution (1789-1799) but has been reconstructed.  Breeders in the UK are attemtping to have the Porcelaine accepted as a recognised breed.  As of 2009 there have been 14 puppies bred in the UK.


The Porcelaine is a hunting dog usually used to hunt hare, roe deer and, in the north, wild boar.  They hunt in packs and being a scent hound, have a very good sense of smell with which it hunts.  It is a fierce hunting dog that has been bred to hunt independently without many orders from the owner.  It is also being bred in small numbers in Italy and used to hunt wild boar, however Italian indigenous hounds continue to be the preferred choice of local hunters.


Our white bull terrier also had a pink tummy with black spots on it.

14 comments:

  1. I see what they mean about the 'wide nostrils'. It is a really good looking dog though. Thanks Mimsie - this is not a dog I had ever heard of before today. And don't those ears look soft and silky - and pettable.

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    1. A very good looking canine indeed and I'd not heard of it previously. I think it would be quite cuddly.

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  2. Such a pretty dog! I hadn't heard of them before, either, but I really only know of "common" dogs! The pretty profile face in the last picture reminds me of my beautiful Vern! And his ears are very soft and silky!!

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    1. It is only now that I am learning about the more exotic and unknown breed of dogs and among them I am finding some that are really beautiful and unusual.

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  3. Hari OM
    What a pretty critter!! There is something very reminiscent of the Labrador in those eyes and muzzles don' you think? YAM xx

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    1. Yes I can see the resemblance to the labs too. This dog really took my fancy. xx

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  4. I've read about Porcelaines, and I think they are lovely dogs! I also seem to recall that its been speculated that the Porcelaine has prominently figured in the development of the Native American hound breeds, which is very similar. Thanks for sharing a most interesting breed this morning!

    I hope you are doing well, and enjoying your weekend!

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    1. Thanks for your comments Kim and yes I am doing OK and the weekend went very well for us.
      Not having heard of this breed of dog before I have no idea about its relationship to the dogs you mentioned but it is of course quite possible as breeding does get quite complicated.

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  5. Quite an attractive dog.

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    1. I thought so too and it has such a gentle look.

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  6. Oh what lovely dogs! Thank you for sharing another interesting post about these Mimsie. I have never seen or heard of Porcelains before and enjoyed learning about them. Wishing you a wonderful week ahead :)

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    1. yvw Denise. I love to discover so many different breeds of dogs I've never before heard of. So many beautiful creatures out there and all so very different.
      The weekend was quiet as usual but quite enjoyable and our Aussie Rules football season has begun so were able to watch our two Western Australian teams both win their games.

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  7. I've never heard of these either.
    They do look lovely, I can see how a very short coat would make it seem as smooth as porcelain. Much easier to care for too, a quick brush and done.

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  8. I do so enjoy finding these animals that very few have ever come across before and yes, these dogs are very lovely. Probably may not shed hair either. Another good point in their favour.

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