Saintonge Hound

		Saintonge Hound
		He is not recognized by the F.C.I.


Origin			France
Translation			Francis Vandersteen
En français, cette race se dit			Chien de Saintonge
Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar			Saintonge-Laufhund
En español, esta raza se dice			Perro de Saintonge
In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd			Saintonge-hond

The Saintonge Hound is an extinct breed that originated in the Saintonge region of France. Like most scenthounds, it hunted in packs and likely counted the Bloodhound (Chien de Saint-Hubert) and the Norman Hound among its ancestors. It was primarily used for hunting big game—particularly wolves, whose populations dwindled significantly over the centuries. This scarcity of game, combined with the upheavals of the French Revolution, brought the breed to the brink of extinction; the last known pack suffered from severe inbreeding and poor health. In the 1840s, crosses with Gascon hounds gave rise to the modern Grand Gascon-Saintongeois breed.