Francais Blanc et Orange vs Dunker - Breed Comparison

The Chien Francais Blanc et Orange is one of the three versions of the Chien Francais. There is the Francais Blanc et Noir and the Francais Tricolor. These scent hounds were distinguished by their colors. The Francais Blanc et Orange like the other two, was a descendent of a variety of English and French hunting hounds, including the Hound of Saintonge.

The Hound od Saintonge is extinct but has several breeds coming from his line including the Billy – a pointer. Similar to the Francais Blanc et Orange, the Billy hunted in packs. Coming from these roots the Francais Blanc et Orange was developed around the 1900’s. Many considers the Chien Francais trio to be the Newest and Rarest French Hounds. The Francais Blanc et Orange is a white and orange hound, considered to be the rarest of the three. They were developed by crossing English Foxhounds with French Scent Hounds.

The Francais Blanc et Orange is a born hunter and a good one at that. In his pack he is happy and superbly equipped for the hunt. His vision and scenting skills are unsurpassed. They can cover a large expanse of territory in a very short period of time. They were known for hunting large boar and deer as well as small prey like foxes or rabbits. They were recognized as a separate breed by the UKC in 2006 but are not recognized by the AKC.

Known as the Norwegian Hound, the Dunker hails from Norway. Bred and named after breeder Wilhelm Dunker to be a robust scenthound, Norwegian Scenthounds were crossed with a Russian Harlequin Hound because this particular dog was an excellent scent trailer and it could stand up to the freezing conditions of Norway.

The Dunker become popular in the mid-19th century in other Scandinavian countries. Hunters liked its intelligence, its robustness and its speed and strength. In 1902 a club was founded for the breed and in the same year the Norwegian Kennel Club recognized the Dunker.

The Dunker started dying out after the war, and in the late 1980s breeders of the Dunker petitioned to allow them to cross the remaining Dunkers with scenthounds. Today the dog is known in Norway but is uncommon outside Scandinavia.

The Francais Blanc et Orange is a large , muscular and lean hunting dog, a typical pack hound out of France. They have a flat to somewhat domed head, long legs, and dropped, long ears and a square muzzle. The nose is either orange-brown or black and has large nostrils. Their eyes are deep set, dark and widely spaced. They have a deep chest which leads to their propensity toward the situation of bloat. This breed is smaller than the Chien Francais Blanc et Noir that hunts in packs. The skin is the fur’s color. They are athletic and display tremendous perseverance.

The Dunker is a medium sized dog which stands at between 50-55cms with females being slightly smaller at 47-52cms. They usually weigh between 11-18kg and look similar to other scenthounds, being muscular and athletic.

The ears of the Dunker are floppy, the tail is long and carried straight with a bit of a curve, the nose is large and black as well as the eyes, but some dogs have light eyes which can even be blue.

The coat of the Dunker is straight and dense and this coat of his is well known for the unique color of the coat – blue or black dappled, while some dogs will have black, tan and white markings. White faces are preferred but you will find dogs with black masks.

Temperatment:

This is a non-aggressive dog and can become quite friendly when trained and socialized.

They are dogs that form strong bonds with their owners, being particularly good around children. They get on well with dogs and other pets in the home.

They’re intelligent dogs and are are easy to train. In fact, training and socialization is recommended for this dog as he does tend to be a bit stubborn.

Training ensures he is relaxed and obedient. He is an active dog and will certainly require some exercise each day. He’ll respond willingly if you call him to join you in your jogging- or cycling outings.

Children friendliness

They are not exactly child oriented dogs as they are so oriented toward the hunt and the pack. With serious exercise and mental stimulation, they can become a good family dog, but it is not in their instincts.

Special talents

hunting in packs/scent and vision

Adaptability

He is not suited for apartment life and does need a large, fenced yard to run and play. Being a scent hound, he will constantly be sniffing for a trail to follow so put him to work.

Learning ability

The breed is highly intelligent and easily trainable.

The Dunker is such a good tempered dog and he will be happy to settle in the city or the countryside with his owner.

When you look at his history, he is a hunting dog, used for hunting rabbits. Being an active breed, he is better suited to living in a home where there is at least a fair sized garden.

He isn’t a high maintenance dog either, so no special attention to grooming is required. Being a fairly healthy breed, he isn’t likely to develop any serious health issues too. This low-maintenance, undemanding Norwegian Hound makes a splendid pet.

Ear Infections

As with any dog with log floppy ears, infection is always a concern. Make sure you clean them after every hunting trip, romp or play session.

Hip Dysplasia

Like many large dogs the Blanc et Orange has a propensity to acquire hip dysplasia. It is known that joint dysplasia has a genetic component and should be screened for. Can cause lameness and arthritis.

Bloat

This is a real danger for the Blanc et Orange. They are deed chested and these are the dogs that are most likely to get bloat. The stomach is twisted and distended. It can be fatal if not treated quickly.

The Dunker dog can live to reach a ripe age of 12 to 15 years. There are some health issues he may face -

Partial or Complete Loss of Hearing:

Partial or complete hearing loss can come about because of dirt or wax build-up in the ear canals. It can be because of an untreated ear infection, an injury or even old age.

Your veterinarian can examine your dog’s ear canal. Certain dog breeds such as the Dunker and others are more predisposed to deafness and you’ll find your dog responding slowly to your voice or he may be totally startled when woken.

Your vet will determine the type of treatment for your dog if an ear infection for instance is suspected. Treatment in this case may involve cleaning wax out of the ears or getting rid of overgrown ear hair.

Hip Dysplasia:

Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition with your dog where bone rubs against other bone. Your Dunker dog will be in pain and his movement could be limited and he may even become lame. Get your pet to the vet because there are a number of treatment options.

Eye Problems:

Take a look at your pet’s eyes so that you’re aware of cloudiness, inflammation, discharge, a change in eye color or red eyelid lining. Take him to the vet if you suspect something serious, but in the meantime you can also gently wipe over your pet’s eyes to remove any discharge.

If you do need to bath your pet, make sure to protect his eyes before applying any lotion.

Feeding the puppy

Until about 18 months of age feed between 1 and 1.5 cups of high quality puppy, dry food, made for sporting dogs. Divide this into 3 meals per day.

Feeding the adult

3 cups day – After 18 month feed 3 cups per day of a high quality, adult dry food made for sporting dogs. Divide this into 2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Outstanding scent and vision

Games and Exercises

Even though they are warm and welcoming to people, these are very serous dogs. They usually live outside in packs as they are an incredible pack animal. All they want in life is to hunt. However, if they cant hunt they need at least a couple hours per day od vigorous exercise. They are obviously better off in a rural environment than a city one. Put him in field trails, scent trials, barn hunt and playing fetch.

Exercise:

The Dunker is a dog with stamina and energy and he will need a walk every day as well as some other forms of vigorous exercise. The idea is to involve a dog like this in all your activities, whether you go running, swimming or cycling.

Grooming:

The Dunker isn’t going to require you to spend a lot of money on maintenance for him. A good brush-down twice a week will be adequate as he is a fairly heavy shedder and brushing him will get rid of all those loose hairs. It is also time to check him over for fleas and ticks too.

Other grooming aspects to check will include nail trimming, checking the inside of the dog’s ears for excess wax build-up and dirt.

Dental care is of major concern because teeth left unattended can result in mouth bacteria. This bacteria enters the blood stream and results in systemic infection. Sometimes the bad teeth can be so painful that a dog no longer wants to eat.

It is imperative to brush your pet’s teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week with a special dog toothbrush and toothpaste.