COUNTRY: France
WEIGHT: 66 pounds
HEIGHT: 24-28 inches
COAT: Short and glossy
COLOR: Tricolor or orange/white, with large body patches of both or all three colors; the tri has a black saddle
OTHER NAMES: Haut-Poitou
REGISTRY: FCI
GROUP: Hound
Wolves were plentiful in Poitou in the 1600s. This province on France's western coast is above Saintongeois and below Vendee and Brittany. In the 1690s, the Marquis Francois de Larrye of Poitou created a big, courageous hound specifically for wolf. Hunting in packs, these hounds were remarkable for their nose, voice and speed over rough ground. French hunters stated, "It was the best dog in the world for hunting wolves; capable of following its prey from sunrise to sunrise."
Most of the kennels were lost following the Revolution and an 1842 rabies outbreak decimated the last pack, leaving just one dog and two bitches. Determined fanciers of the 20th century have restored the breed, using some crosses including foxhound. Despite this revival, the Poitevin is still not widespread, perhaps because there is no demand for his "specialty." But he still has proponents in France, and recently there have been a handful of imports to an American hound fancier. An elegant and racy scenthound, he carries less ear than many of the classic French hounds.