Breeds / Large
Porcelaine puppies
Gentle, lively and sociable, a French pack hound with a fine nose, mild manners at home and an unshakeable interest in a fresh trail.
The facts
- Size class Large
- Country of origin France
- Adult weight 24.9 to 28.1 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 55 to 62 lb
- Adult height 56 to 58 cm
- Energy level High
- Grooming Low
- Coat type Short smooth
- Shedding Moderate
- Typical lifespan 12 to 13 years
- Good with children Reliably good
- Good with other dogs Reliably good
About the Porcelaine
The Porcelaine is a French pack hound, often called the oldest of the French scent hounds, named for the glossy white coat that gives the skin a porcelain sheen under orange marked ears. They stand 56 to 58 cm and weigh 24.9 to 28.1 kg, lightly built for long days on the trail of hare and roe deer, and they typically live 12 to 13 years. Away from the hunt they are gentle and even tempered, sociable with other dogs and easy to handle for their size.
This is a high stamina hound that needs long daily exercise and does poorly in a flat. A secure fence and a lead are not optional, because a fresh scent will take them miles. Grooming is a weekly brush over the short coat, plus regular ear checks and nail trims. They are quiet enough at home, though the hunting voice carries. They suit rural, active owners who walk or run, and they are generally sound with children and other dogs given supervision.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Porcelaine puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A large breed puppy at eight weeks looks deceptively normal sized and will roughly double every few weeks for a while. Keep exercise short and low impact, the growth plates are wide open. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Hip dysplasia, which breeding stock should be x-rayed for
- Ear infections, caught by checking and drying the drop ears each week
- Skin sensitivity and sunburn on the thinly coated white areas, spotted by routine skin checks
Your Porcelaine puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Large for a Porcelaine.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 24.9 to 28.1 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Kit sizes: crate 36 inch (36 x 24 x 26 in, 91 x 61 x 66 cm) for an adult of up to 28.1 kg; chew toys made for large breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.
Buying guides for this
Other large breeds
More on the Porcelaine
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.
Sources
- akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
- fci.be for country of origin
- Health notes from Porcelaine breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/porcelaine/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Photo: Canarian, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.