Pomeranian vs Grand Bleu de Gascogne - Breed Comparison

Pomeranian dog Known as the Pom and classified as a toy dog breed, the Pomeranian comes from the Spitz dog from the Arctic regions. It is thought that the dog is descended from larger Spitz-type dogs, and more specifically the German Spitz.

It appears to be an ancient dog breed because there are recordings of its existence from 1764 already. This little dog is thought to have got his name from the area known as Pomeranian in Northern Poland as well as along the Baltic Sea, Germany.

The first breed club for this dog was established in England in 1891. Not long afterwards the first breed standard was written. In the standard published in 1998, The Pomeranian Dog is categorized in the German Spitz standard.

The Grande Bleu de Gascogne is a dog which has descended from a line of French hounds. Originating in France, the dog is actually more common in the United States than in France.

They were bred to hunt, and today they continue to be used for hunting, but they double up as loyal pets too.

It is believed that they descended from dogs such as the St. Hubert Hound and the English Southern Hound. The dog itself has had an influence on the development of several scent-hound breeds.

In the United States, the Grande Bleu de Gascogne was bred in the 18th century already, displaying typical pack hound behavior.The dog isn't recognized by the AKC but he is recognized by other kennel clubs as a scenthound.

This is such a sweet little dog, full of good cheer and with such a bright little face. He weighs between 1.5kg and 4kg and stands at anything between 17 and 28cm in height.

He is such a compact little fluff ball with sharp erect ears and a fox like appearance with a well feathered tail that curls up over the dog’s back.

The coat is thick and spritely, not lying flat but standing up around the dog. Coats can be nearly any color, but the most common is tan, reddish, orange or you get a mix of cream tan and black.

Temperament:

When you look into the bright little face of the Pomeranian Puppy, you can see that he is a true extrovert. He is social and has a huge personality. They’re bright, eager, feisty, loving and loyal.

Full of fun and very intelligent, they may be small and cute, but training and socialization will do him the world of good as it means you can take him anywhere with you and he’ll be well behaved. They grow attached to their owners and want to protect them.

They can be somewhat aloof with strangers and its this wariness around them that makes them good watchdogs. They get on well with children in the home and are prepared to make friends with other pets in the family too.

The Grand Bleu de Gascogne is a large dog, standing at 65–72cm with the female usually being slightly smaller at 62–68cm. The dog weighs about 36 to 42kg.

He has a lean, muscular body with long legs, long ears and with a strong, noble appearance. The coat is short and smooth and the color of the coat is white and black mottled. In some instances, there'll be large patches of black over the back of the dog. The head and neck area can also be black. There are tan markings above each eye.

Temperament:

This is a gentle dog, not aggressive at all, and he just wants to get on with hunting. He is a social dog and loves to be around other familiar dogs and his human family. He essentially wants to live in the country where he can be busy and active with tasks to do.

If you leave him alone for too long, he becomes frustrated and resorts to baying. He can get on well with adults and children in the home, but tends to be aloof around strangers. He is an intelligent animal, and training and socialization will be important for him, especially since he is independent and likes doing things his way.

The training will make him obedient and he'll always know how to behave well around strangers.

Pomeranians are such bright, friendly little dogs and they’re also active. These loving dogs are also intelligent so you can easily teach him some simple commands such as sit or lie down.

He won’t want to lie down for too long though because he’s full of beans.

He’s alert too so he makes a good watchdog. When you bring one of these dogs into your home as a pet and companion animal, you won’t be disappointed as he’s got a whole lot of love to give.

Your beautiful hunting dog is active and social and just loves to be out and about following a scent with other hunting dogs. This is what he absolutely loves to do.

These days, apart from just hunting, he is also kept as a pet. He makes a good family companion because he is a non aggressive, gentle, even-tempered pet. Some of these dogs tend to be more reserved in nature. However your dog turns out, he can be your special friend when you give him all the exercise, nutrition and love that such a loyal dog deserves.

Your little Pomeranian Puppy is a sturdy dog who isn’t going to battle too much with health issues. With good care such as good food and exercise, the Pomeranian can reach 12 – 16 years of age.

Some of the most common health issues you might come across

Luxating Patella:

This problem comes about when the ridges which form the patella groove in the knee aren’t deep enough to allow the patella to sit securely. This causes the patella to move out of the groove. While the muscles are contracted, the patella isn’t able to return to the correct position.

Eye Problems:

Pomeranians Dogs are prone to quite a few eye problems such as tear duct problems and cataracts. As a responsible dog owner, take your pet to the vet if you suspect eye problems.

Collapsed Trachea: 

The trachea carries air to the lungs and it can collapse. Your dog will have a chronic, dry cough and this can be brought about when people tug on their dog's leash.

Dental Disease:

Every little dog battles with teeth and gum problems which can lead to early tooth loss. When you brush your Pomeranian, make a point of checking inside his mouth too, as a bad tooth can cause pain but also all kinds of health problems.

As a dog not known for inherited health problems, the Grande Bleu de Gascogne, with good care, can live to be 12 years of age.

Just like with other dog breeds, there are some conditions to which this dog may also be prone, and hip dysplasia is one.

The average litter size for the Grande Bleu de Gascogne is 4 to 7 puppies. It is important to prevent your puppy growing too quickly because this is precisely what leads to musculoskeletal problems as an adult.

If you're concerned about this, speak to your vet, as you want to do your best to prevent hip problems in the future.

Grooming:

Pomeranians Dogs have a thick, double coat, so you will need to invest in a decent brush so that you can brush him. He is a shedder so this is an important part of grooming. Some people prefer to take the dog to the groomers and have the coat professionally cut.

Exercise:

Your cute little Pomeranian isn't the kind of dog to spend too much time asleep on the couch. He is energetic and full of beans and he will wait anxiously for you to take down his leash and take him on a walk. In indoors his bright little face will be watching yours to see if there’s any chance of a ball game.

Diet:

People never know if they should feed their dogs dry kibble, semi-moist or canned dog food. Homemade food is always good, but if you opt to also use commercially manufactured dog food, go for the good quality ones that have vitamins and minerals in them.

Every dog needs a good balance of protein, carbs, minerals, fats, vitamins and trace elements. People often get all worked up over feeding their pets when it can be so simple.

Use a high quality dry kibble, but now and then add some home-made cooked food into it as a treat – about once or twice a week. Boil some chicken, brown rice, sweet potato, carrots and spinach and add this in to the dry kibble.

Every now and then a little bit of raw meat will also do your pet the world of good. What could be more simple than this? Nutritious, tasty and healthy, and your pet will thrive on it.

Make sure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water close by.

Known for his hunting skills, the Grande Bleu de Gascogne has high exercise requirements. Although a walk is wonderful for him, it won't be enough. If you have a large garden, which will be ideal for him, throw the ball so he can fetch it. If you go cycling or jogging, he'll thank you for including him in these.

Grooming:

The Grand Bleu’s short coat is conveniently low maintenance too so you aren't going to be spending anything on professional grooming. Give him a brush twice a week to remove loose hairs and to keep his coat silky and shiny.

Their long ears should be checked regularly for a build up of wax and dirt. Dampness can also be a problem if he loves to go swimming. You can buy special ear-cleaning-for-dog products. Never probe deep in the ears as you can damage them. Rather get advice from your vet or professional groomers on how to keep the inside of his ears clean and free from infection.

Diet:

An energetic hunting scentdog like this requires high quality food with some raw meat added in from time to time. He must always have access to fresh, cool water.