Small Gascony Blue

American Rare Breed Association

FCI-Standard N° 31 / 25. 11. 1996  /GB

SMALL GASCONY BLUE

(Petit Bleu de Gascogne) 

TRANSLATION : Mrs. Peggy Davis.

ORIGIN : France.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 24.01.1996.

UTILIZATION : Multipurpose hound used for hunting with the gun, sometimes for coursing.  His favourite game is the hare, but he is also successfully well adapted for big game hunting.

CLASSIFICATION F.C.I. :  Group 6 Scenthounds. Section 1.2 Medium sized hounds.  With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY : It is a voluntary reduction in size of the Great Gascony Blue, certainly going back to the origin of this breed and linked directly to the utilization.

GENERAL APPEARANCE : Medium sized hound; well proportioned, distinguished.

BEHAVIOUR / TEMPERAMENT : Fine nose, intent in his way of hunting, endowed with a beautiful voice; works well in a pack.  Character calm and affectionate.  Obeys orders easily.

HEAD :

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Seen from the front, only very slightly domed without excessive width; the occipital protuberance is lightly marked; seen from above, the back of the skull is only slight pronounced ogival shape.  The forehead is full.

Stop : Only very slightly accentuated.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Black, large; nostrils well open.

Muzzle : Same length as the skull, strong, nasal bridge often slightly arched.

Lips : Not very thick and not very developed; the upper lip covers the lower lip.

Jaws/Teeth : Scissor bite.  Incisors set square to the jaws.

Cheeks : Lean.

Eyes : Oval shape, brown.  Gentle expression.

Leathers : Moderately fine, curled in; should, at least, reach the extremity of the nose.

NECK : Of good length, with a slight dewlap.

BODY :

Back : Well supported, firm.

Loin : Well fused, without excess in length.

Rump : Slightly sloping (oblique).

Chest : Long, let down to elbow level; forechest quite broad.  Ribs gently rounded.

Flank : Flat and let down.

TAIL : Slender, reaching the point of the hock.  Carried proudly in sabre fashion.

LIMBS

FOREQUARTERS :

View of the ensemble : Quite powerful.

Shoulder : Muscled, moderately sloping.

Elbow : Close to the body.

Forearm : Good bone structure.

HINDQUARTERS :

View of the ensemble : Well proportioned.

Thigh : Quite long; muscled without excess.

Hock joint : Large, slightly bent, well let down.

FEET : Oval shape, toes lean and tight.  Pads and nails black.

GAIT / MOVEMENT  : Regular and easy.

SKIN : Supple.  Black or strongly marbled with black patches, never entirely white.  Mucous membranes (hairless zone) black.

COAT

HAIR : Short, semi-thick; dense (profuse).

COLOUR : Entirely mottled (black and white) giving a slate blue colouring effect; 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 is frequently found a small black oval shaped spot, typical of the breed.  Two, more or less bright tan markings are placed above the superciliary arches giving the eyes a “quatreoeuillé” effect.  There are also traces of tan on the cheeks, the lips, the inner face of the leathers, on the legs and under the tail.

SIZE :

Height at withers : Males : 52 to 58 cm. Females : 50 to 56 cm.

FAULTS : Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Head :

Short.

Skull too flat, too narrow or too broad.

Leathers short, high set, insufficiently curled in.

Body :

Too long; slack topline; lack of substance.

Croup falling away.

Tail :

Tail deviated.

Limbs :

Bone structure insufficiently developed.

Shoulder straight.

Cow hocks, seen from behind.

Splayed feet.

Behaviour :

Timid subject.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

Frightened or aggressive subject.

Lack of type.

Visible disabling defect.

Serious anatomical malformation.

Over-or undershot mouth.

Light eyes.

Any other coat than that indicated in the standard.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioural abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.