The Porcelaine is elegant, energetic, and a fierce hunter; he is used for small game, driving it to waiting guns. He is very fond of his owners, family, friends and children and he loves to take part in all family activities. He excels as a house pet and is easily crate trained and housebroken.
The Porcelaine should do well on a high-quality dog food, whether commercially manufactured or home-prepared with your veterinarian’s supervision and approval. Any diet should be appropriate to the dog’s age (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to getting overweight, so watch your dog’s calorie consumption and weight level. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity. Learn about which human foods are safe for dogs, and which are not. Check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
Beyond regular weekly grooming, the occasional bath will keep your Porcelaine clean and looking his best. Grooming can be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your dog. The strong, fast-growing nails should be trimmed regularly with a nail clipper or grinder to avoid overgrowth, splitting, and cracking. Their ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris, which can result in infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.
Despite Porcelaines being fierce hunters, they are gentle and relatively easy to handle. Because of their strong drive to follow their nose, they should have a fenced yard to run in. On walks, always have your Porcelaine on a leash when you’re going outside or use a GPS tracking collar if working off leash. Very active dogs, Porcelaines need a lot of exercise, and so are not recommended for people who live in apartments. Options for exercise include play time in the fenced backyard or being taken for walks several times a day. Exercise can also come in the form of indoor activities, like hide-and-seek, chasing a ball rolled along the floor, or learning new tricks. Certain outdoor activities like swimming, hiking, and retrieving balls or flying discs can provide a good outlet for expending energy. Training for dog sports like agility, obedience, and rally can also be a great way to give your dog exercise.
The Porcelaine is remarkably free from common health conditions seen in most dogs today. As with most medium to large dogs, hip dysplasia can be of concern. Working with responsible breeder, prospective owners can gain the education they need to learn about specific health concerns within the breed.
The Porcelaine is a medium-sized French scent hound. They were developed for flushing and hunting hare, deer, and wild boar. It is thought to be the oldest French scent hound breed in existence. He is also known as the Chien de Franche-Comte, referring to a French region bordering Switzerland.
As far back as the 1700s, there are records showing this breed in France and Switzerland. It is known that the background of the Porcelaine may include the English Harrier, Laufhounds, Montaimboeuf, and the Talbot Hound. Most of the breeding took place in Vaud, Savoy and the Abbeys of Luxeuil and Cluny, in particular with the family of Choiseul. During the French Revolution, the breed was nearly lost, but has since been reconstructed using French hounds such as Gray Harriers of Somerset, Gascon Saintongeois and the Billy. These outcrosses gave the Porcelaine vigor, size and strength to hunt wild boar and stag. Described as robust and tenacious, this is a hound capable of running long distances and working in steep, rugged terrain. The Club du Porcelaine in France was established in 1971 to safeguard the breed and, currently, there are moderate numbers of them in France and Italy. There are smaller numbers of the breed found throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. The breed was recognized by the FCI in 1975.
Porcelaines may have arrived in the United States as a gift from the King of France to President George Washington. There are records showing that Porcelaines were imported in the late 1800s through the Port of New Orleans, but were lost in crossbreeding with local hounds. More recently, Porcelaines were imported into the United States in 2009 and, currently, there is thought to be less than 300 in the U.S. and Canada.