The Gascons-Saintongeois is a scent hound originating in France. This breed is recognized in two sizes, Grand and Petite. This breed is used to hunt in packs. Both Grand and Petite breeds are capable hunters of small and large game. While Petite Gascons-Saintongeois is an specialist hunter of hares, the Grand Gascons-Saintongeois is mostly used as big game hunter and shooting dog. This, in no way, means the two breeds are incapable of doing vice versa.
Development of Grand Gascons-Saintongeois was initiated by Count Joseph de Carayon-Latour in the middle of 19th century, who wanted to regenerate the declining breed of the Hound of Saintonge. To achieve this goal, he crossed the last remaining dogs of Saintonge breed (two males and one female) with Blue de Gascogne of Baron Ruble, thus creating the Gascons-Saintongeois.
The Petite Gascons-Saintongeois was developed in the middle of the 20th century when some hunters from the South West of France selected the smallest Grand Gascons-Saintongeois and developed them as the Petite Gascons-Saintongeois.
The Grand Gascongs-Saintongeois is a large dog with impressive height, noble air and overall make-up, which serves to combine muscular force with elegance. This breed has divergent toplines of skull and muzzle. The skull is doomed and narrow with muzzle strong and slightly convex muzzle. Oval shaped eyes are brown in colour and hold expression of trust and gentleness. Always black nose comes with wide and open nostrils. Low and well back set thin ears are twisted inward and taper to a point. They must at least reach tip of the nose though longer and preferred. Medium length neck is round and moderately thick and comes with a slight dewlap. Shoulders are long, muscular and slightly oblique. The breed has deep and broad chest with firm and moderately long back. The moderately long loin is slightly arched. The hindquarters are well proportioned. Strongly attached thick and long tail tapers to the tip and carried elegantly in a saber fashion. The coat of this dog is short and tight and comes in white with black patches, either speckled or ticked.
The Petite Gascongs-Saintongeois is effectively a 'reduced size' of the Grand variety. These dogs were matted with Airegeois and other local Briquet to achieve their present size. The term 'Petite or small' does not mean that this dog is small in size. It simply means that the dog is smaller to Grand Gascon-Saintongeois.
The Petit Gascon-Saintongeois is very similar in appearance to its parent breed, the Grand Gascon-Saintongeois with only difference that the Petite variety is smaller in size. It conveys the impression of a hound with substance and staying power. Same breeding standards apply for this breed as for the Grand variety with only difference in height and weight. The petit Con-Saintongeois has a height between 22-24 inches and weighs between 53-55 lbs while Grand Gascon-Saintongeois has a height between 25.5 to 28 inches and weighs between 66-71 lbs. Bitches are shorter and lighter.
These dogs (Grand and Petit) are NOT recognized by AKC however both breeds are recognized by FCI and UKC.