Chien Francais Tricolore

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50-80 lbs
24-28"
France
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French Tricolor Hound, Tricolor French Hound, Francais Tricolore

The Chien Francais Tricolore is a scenthound that is relatively rare even within his native France. He comes from a blend of French and English hounds, mostly the Poitevin, Billy and the Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore. His primary goal was to hunt wild boar and deer. He is a pack animal and will generally do well with other dogs in the home. He is a very active dog and intelligent dog and will require a lot of exercise and time to keep him happy. The Chien Francais Tricolore can easily become an annoyance to your neighbors when he is left by himself.
Purpose
Scenthound
Date of Origin
1900s
Ancestry
Poitevin, Billy, Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore

Chien Francais Tricolore Health

Average Size
Male Chien Francais Tricolore size stats
Height: 24-28 inches Weight: 50-80 lbs
Female Chien Francais Tricolore size stats
Height: 24-28 inches Weight: 50-80 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Usually Very Healthy
Minor Concerns
  • None Known
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Hip Dysplasia
Occasional Tests
  • OFA
  • Yearly Physical Examination

Chien Francais Tricolore Breed History

The Chien Francais Tricolore’s heritage can be traced back to the early 1900s when the Chien Francais was separated into three distinct breeds: Chien Francais Tricolore, Chien Francais Blanc et Orange, and Chien Francais Blanc et Noir. Researchers found that while all three of the Chien Francais breeds came from French and English hounds as well as French Braque breeds, the Chien Francais Tricolore’s origins could be traced directly to the Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore, Poitevin and Billy. Breeds that are classified as French Braque are French pointing dogs. The Chien Francais Tricolore was developed by fanciers looking to create a scent hound that did not have as much English blood as the Grand Anglo-Francais Tricolore. The Chien Francais Tricolore still needed to be capable of successfully tracking wild boar and deer. The Chien Francais Tricolore was lumped with the two other Chien Francais until 1957 when a committee was formed in France to review the various French hound breeds and standards. The committee chose to separate the French hounds into two main categories: those breeds with English blood and those without. Even though the Chien Francais Tricolore has English blood, it was determined that like the Chien Francais Blanc et Orange and the Chien Francais Blanc et Noir, there was not enough English within his ancestry to deem him having a significant amount of English blood. Therefore, he was classified as a French hound not having English blood. These three Chien Francais are considered to be the youngest of all the French hounds. The Chien Francais Tricolore has been recognized by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. In 1996, the Chien Francais Tricolore was officially recognized by the United Kennel Club.

Chien Francais Tricolore Breed Appearance

The Chien Francais Tricolore is a large, powerfully built hound with long, droopy ears and an exaggerated domed head. He should be well muscled, however should never give the appearance of being bulky or cumbersome. He should be agile and able to cover rough terrain with ease. The Chien Francais Tricolore has a domed head that is long and has a pronounced occipital bone. He has a large nose with nostrils that are open wide. His nose must be black in color. He has large, brown eyes that give him an inquisitive and intelligent expression. The Chien Francais Tricolore obviously has a tricolor coat with a wide black mantle over his back, bright tan highlighting and white markings. His tan coloring can be coppery but should never be red or have a reddish tint. His coat is smooth and fine to the touch. He does not have an overly dense coat, even in the winter months.
Eye Color Possibilities
brown Chien Francais Tricolore eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Chien Francais Tricolore nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
white Chien Francais Tricolore coat
White
brown Chien Francais Tricolore coat
Brown
black Chien Francais Tricolore coat
Black
Coat Length
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
Chien Francais Tricolore straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Chien Francais Tricolore Breed Maintenance

The Chien Francais Tricolore is a low maintenance dog. He does not require extensive grooming except when he sheds seasonally. Generally, he will need to be brushed once a month using a soft slicker brush or a hound mitt. When he is shedding seasonally, brushing him weekly will be required to keep hair from floating around your home. Chien Francais Tricolores that are being exhibited in conformation shows should be groomed more often to keep his coat glossy and in excellent condition. The Chien Francais Tricolore does not have a strong dog smell, unless he found something nasty to roll in. He should only be bathed as needed and a mild shampoo should be used. When bathing your Chien Francais Tricolore, try to keep excess water from getting into his ear canals. After his bath, make sure you dry the insides of his ears thoroughly. Excess moisture in ears that hang down can cause irritation and infections. Trim his nails when needed and clean his ears weekly.
Brushes for Chien Francais Tricolore
Slicker Brush
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
Chien Francais Tricolore requires monthly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Chien Francais Tricolore Temperament

The Chien Francais Tricolore is a very intelligent hound known for their high energy levels. He loves to run and use his nose to follow interesting smells. He does require a large fenced area to run and expend some of his energy. If he does not have a fenced yard, he may drive you to distraction with his need to run and exercise. The Chien Francais Tricolore is not the right choice for apartment dwelling or for families that are more sedentary. He will become a pest if he is not given plenty of opportunities to stretch his legs or use his brain. He was bred to be a pack dog and will generally do well with other dogs, although he may try to take the leader position within the pack. Training and socialization should begin at an early age.  The Chien Francais Tricolore does well with older children but may be too overwhelming for small children.

Chien Francais Tricolore Activity Requirements

The Chien Francais Tricolore definitely is a high energy dog that requires a lot of daily interaction and exercise to keep him from becoming an annoyance to you and your neighbors. Being a hound, he has a unique voice that can carry throughout the neighborhood. He is a natural hunter and will use his nose to find unsuspecting quarry. Time in a secured, fenced yard with interactive toys is a good way to keep him occupied until you are able to take him for a long walk or jog. The Chien Francais Tricolore would do great participating in some dog sports and this is a great way for him to bond with you. 
Activity Level
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
14 miles
Minutes of Activity Per Day
90 minutes

Similar Maintenance Breeds to Chien Francais Tricolore

Similarly Sized Breeds to Chien Francais Tricolore

Chien Francais Tricolore Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
3 cups
Daily Cost
$1.20 - $1.40
Monthly Cost
$34.00 - $45.00

Chien Francais Tricolore Height & Weight

6 Months
Male Chien Francais Tricolore size stats at six months
Height: 20 inches Weight: 32 lbs
Female Chien Francais Tricolore size stats at six months
Height: 20 inches Weight: 32 lbs
12 Months
Male Chien Francais Tricolore size stats at 12 months
Height: 23 inches Weight: 50 lbs
Female Chien Francais Tricolore size stats at 12 months
Height: 23 inches Weight: 50 lbs
18 Months
Male Chien Francais Tricolore size stats at 18 months
Height: 26 inches Weight: 65 lbs
Female Chien Francais Tricolore size stats at 18 months
Height: 26 inches Weight: 65 lbs

Chien Francais Tricolore Owner Experiences

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