Porcelaine

The Porcelaine is a white French scent hound with orange markings, named for a coat so fine that the skin shows through it — often called the oldest French scent hound.

History

It comes from the region between France and Switzerland and is documented from the eighteenth century, though the type is probably older. The French Revolution nearly destroyed it along with the hunts that kept it, and the breed was rebuilt in the nineteenth century from French and Swiss stock.

Temperament

The breed is known for being gentle, sociable and enthusiastic, comfortable in a pack and possessed of a clear, carrying voice on a trail.

Care and training

It needs a great deal of exercise and secure ground; recall competes with a nose it was bred to follow. The fine coat needs little, and the thin skin makes it feel cold.

Health

Generally robust; ear infections are the usual complaint in drop-eared hounds. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.