Grand Gascon Saintongeois vs Cockapoo - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Virelade, the Grand Gascon Saintongeois hails from the Saintongeois region of France, being a newish addition to the hunting dog breed.

The Saintongeois hound and the Grand Blue de Gascogne are the ancestors of this scentdog as these two breeds themselves, are exceptional hunters. The Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a large dog and favored by the French nobility for its ability to hunt.

After the French Revolution the popularity of the breed waned. It was Baron Joseph de Carayon-LaTour who tried to revive the Saintongeois Hound. The dogs were mated with the Grand Bleu de Gascogne and were so outstanding that breeding was continued. The breed that was created is the Grand Gascon Saintongeois which we know today.

It was in January 1993 that the Grand Gascon Saintongeois was officially recognized by the United Kennel Club.

The gorgeous Cockapoo is a mixed-breed dog. He comes from mixing the Cocker Spaniel with a Poodle.Both these dogs have their own histories.

Known as a ‘designer dog’, the Cockapoo has been around since the 1950s in the United States already, although pure-breed associations don’t recognize the Cockapoo. There are some dog clubs that are working to establish the Cockapoo as a recognized breed.The Cockapoo Club of America was founded in 1998.

The Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a large, well built breed of dog that looks strong and robust. His head is strong and covered with loose skin that forms wrinkles around the cheeks. He stands at 61-73cm and weighs 30 to 35kg.

He has straight, long legs. He has a short, smooth coat which is white with black patches. Sometimes you'll also find a speckled or ticked pattern. There'll be tan dots over the eyes.

The eyes are brown, the nose black and the long, thin textured ears are low on the dogs head and also well back on the skull. The tail is long.

Temperament:

He is known for his deep voice to voice an opinion. He is a loving, friendly, courageous and affectionate breed with a well balanced temperament, making him a splendid pet. He is also intelligent and so he won't battle at all to learn some rules. Training and socialization will be good for him even though he is such an amicable dog already, but then he just becomes extra obedient.

The Cockapoo is a mixed breed- or hybrid dog that has become very popular in recent years. He is a small dog, but robust, and stands between 25 – 38cm in height and weighs between 5 and 11kg.

The Cockapoo has floppy ears, and the tail has always been docked to give the dog an attractive, distinctive look. Without tail docking, the natural tail is long.

The coat color of cockapoos is varied and can be anything like tan, white, cream, blonde, brown or black and sometimes even a combination of these colors. Cockapoo coats can vary from silky smooth to tight curls, although they usually fall somewhere in between.

He is a low shedder and you’ll often hear him being described as hypoallergenic, which is an advantage for Cockapoo owners who might be allergic to pet hair.

Temperament:

He is small and robust, always ready for a game and is loving, with a sweet, alert expression on his face. Even as an adult, his antics and looks make one think that he is just a big puppy.

He makes a wonderful pet and gets on well with adults and children as well as other pets. He is intelligent and can be easily trained, and when you shower him with attention he is a happy, energetic, social, fun-loving dog who goes out of his way to please you and be the perfect pet.

The personality of the Cockapoo isn’t set in stone and while one dog may be territorial and somewhat aggressive, others aren’t. Many dogs simply turn out according to the way they are raised.

Your Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a true hunting dog breed and valued for his hunting prowess. He has another side to him though and is gentle, loving and calm with his human family.

He makes a wonderful family companion, getting on well with children as well as pets in the home. He may show a bit of aggression to strangers and this is why training and socialization works so well with him as it helps him behave well around family and strangers.

Training is never a problem as he is an intelligent dog. He is an energetic dog and won't fit well into city life in tiny properties, also because of his tendency to bark when bored. He fits well into country life or large properties.

When you provide your large pet with good food, a warm place to sleep, exercise and plenty of love and attention, the Grand Gascon Saintongeois is going to turn out to be one of the most loyal, affectionate pets you can imagine.

Cockapoos have become popular pets because they have a host of good qualities from both the breeds that make this pet – the cocker spaniel and the poodle.

They are jaunty, sweet looking, amicable, social, fun-loving, devoted, loyal, loving and low-shedding as an added perk. He loves spending time with his human family and will become unhappy and bored if he isn’t made to feel absolutely part of the family.

Look after your Cockapoo, because when you provide him with good food, you take time to exercise him and you love him to bits, you’ll find that you’ve got in him all the makings of a wonderful friend.

Your Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a robust dog, who with good care can reach up to 14 years of age. You're not going to be running to the vet often with this strong looking dog, but even so, there are one to two problems that you'll want to look out for.

Ear Infections:

Long-eared dogs are more susceptible to canine ear infections. The symptoms of the infection will be dependent on how severe it is. Certainly your dog may experience pain and you'll see him shaking his head and pawing at his ear. If both ears are affected by inflammation, he may even walk in a wobbly fashion and the infection could lead to deafness. It is imperative that he get to the vet as soon as possible.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is where the ball and socket joint of the hip is malformed. It results in a joint rubbing and grinding. It can lead to loss of function of the hip joints. It is a common skeletal disease in young or old dogs, small or large dogs and in both males and females.

Large dogs are more commonly affected though with hip dysplasia which can see arthritis developing too. Your dog will display decreased activity and difficulty with standing up after lying down. Veterinary intervention will be required.

The Cockapoo is generally a healthy, good tempered, mix-breed dog and with good care he can live to be anything from 13 – 15 years of age and even older.

Although you’re not likely to find any serious health problems with the Cockapoo, it is wise to know that there are many common dog illnesses that attack any dog, including the Cockapoo. Some of these are hip dysplasia, ear infections, dental disease which can affect other parts of the body as well as eye disorders.

Referring to ear infections, as a long-eared dog, the ears will need to be cleaned with the Cockapoo to avoid ear infections. Simple cleaning methods are explained at the veterinarian. Some eye conditions like progressive retina atrophy are common in both the dogs that make the Cockapoo.

These large dogs with their short smooth coats have very little grooming needs. Regular brushing twice a week will remove dead hair and also ensure the good condition of the coat.

He has long ears and these will need to be checked regularly to avoid ear infections. It will be a good idea to learn how to clean the ears and to do it in such a way as to avoid damaging them. Signs of ear infection include redness, discharge, irritation and bad odor.

Diet:

Following the feeding instructions on the packaging of top quality kibble, provide your Grand Gascon Saintongeois with at least 2 meals a day. To steer away from the monotony of kibble every day, mix in some raw meat from time to time, and also include some cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables as a tasty treat. Fresh, cool water should always be easily accessible to him.

Grooming:

The Cockapoo can have a long, straightish coat or it can be wavy or curly. The coat will need a good brushing at least twice a week to avoid matting. He may well need a trip to the doggy parlor to have his hair professionally clipped.

What is also noticeable about this dog is that he is odorless too. Bathing him doesn’t have to be a regular occurrence at all, as too much bathing strips the coat of its natural oils, irritating and drying out the skin.

Exercise:

The Cockapoo is an energetic little dog and he will require exercise from you. Make it fun for him seeing that he is a fun loving dog, and take him on walks and have ball games with him.

Diet:

There are many different commercially produced dog foods, and some of the top quality ones offer an excellent mix of meat, fish or poultry in them with vitamins and minerals.

These top quality foods are usually found at your vet or in special pet stores and are not ordinarily found at the supermarket. Make sure to feed your Cockapoo the right amount of food according to the label on the packaging.

You can also include cooked brown rice, vegetables and chicken into his kibble to give him some variety and give him some raw meat in his diet from time to time. This will help with avoiding skin allergies. Make sure he always has access to clean, cool water.