Artois Hound

The Artois Hound is a compact French scent hound from the north of France — a heavier-built pack dog that very nearly disappeared in the twentieth century.

History

It descends from the old hounds of Artois and was highly regarded in the French royal hunts, then declined as faster English hounds became fashionable. A French breeder rebuilt the population from the 1970s, and it remains uncommon even in France.

Temperament

The breed is known for being determined, even-tempered and sociable with other dogs, with the steady persistence of a hound bred to work close rather than fast.

Care and training

It needs substantial exercise and space, and recall is the hard part of any scent hound. The short coat and the drop ears want routine checking rather than real grooming.

Health

Nothing specific to the breed is widely documented; the drop ears invite the infections common to all such hounds. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.