Poitevin.

FCI 24 utilization: hound (Group 6, Section 1.1, large-sized hounds, with working trial); a very distinguished hound presenting a high degree of strength, elegance and lightness; free mover that gallops easily, bounds lightly and passes well through undergrowth. UKC: a large scenthound from France. English Wikipedia: a mainly pack hound created in the 17th century to hunt wolves, renowned for speed, stamina, scenting ability and melodious voice; packs reported at 35 mph and hunting for up to seven hours; aloof and does not adapt well away from a pack. French Wikipedia: persevering, tireless, loves to live in a pack and does not bear solitude..

Breed sets the odds. The parents set the dog. Every number here shows its source, its spread and how sure we are. Nothing on this page is a prediction about one dog.

0INHeightdogs null, bitches null. An ideal from the standard, not a range.

45–67LBWeight, all linesbreed 45 to 67 lb.

The body

What the breed is built like. Registry standards give an ideal, not a range.

Height at the shoulder

dogs 24.4 to 28.3 in · bitches 23.5 to 27.6 in

Breed clubFederation Cynologique Internationale, 1978

Low and high span FCI (converted from cm) and UKC. No center.

Weight

45 to 67 lb

EditorialWikipedia

Editorial only, both sexes together; the Wikipedia range ultimately cites encyclopedias, not a standard.

Coat

FCI 24: short and glossy; tricolour with black saddle, or tricolour with large black patches, sometimes white and orange (bicolour); wolf-coloured hair is quite frequent. Black and white hounds are disqualified. UKC: short and glossy; tricolour with black saddle, tricolour with large black patches, white and orange, wolf colored; disqualification black and white.

Breed clubFederation Cynologique Internationale, 1978

Heat tolerance

5 of 5 · Short and glossy coat (FCI 24)

DerivedFederation Cynologique Internationale, 1978

Derived from the coat description (short single coat = 5). No measured data.

The work

What it was built to do in the field, and what a test or trial asks of it.

Role

Breed clubFederation Cynologique Internationale, 1978

Editorial views are shown beside the standard, labelled; where they disagree both stand (Chad, Oct 8 2026).

Primary game

English Wikipedia: created to hunt wolf; packs today hunt boar and deer in the tradition of grande venerie. French Wikipedia: a chien de chasse a courre, now making up equipages for stag or roe deer; initially selected for wolf. FCI 24 and UKC name no quarry.

EditorialWikipedia

Quarry rests on Wikipedia (English and French) alone. FCI utilization reads only 'Hound'. Wikipedia is the last-resort non-registry source (its own cites are Alderton, Fogle, Morris, Hancock and the Societe Centrale Canine). Societe Centrale Canine and Wikipedia live pages were blocked at the proxy; Wikipedia read via Internet Archive.

Search pattern

English Wikipedia: pack work; speed, stamina and a melodious voice. French Wikipedia: needs to be taught not to leave the game being hunted for another; deep chest lets him gallop for hours. FCI 24: gallops easily and passes well through undergrowth.

EditorialWikipedia

No standard states the voice or the cry on the line; Wikipedia gives only 'melodious voice'. Wikipedia is the last-resort non-registry source (its own cites are Alderton, Fogle, Morris, Hancock and the Societe Centrale Canine). Societe Centrale Canine and Wikipedia live pages were blocked at the proxy; Wikipedia read via Internet Archive.

Field trial standard

FCI classification: Group 6, Section 1.1 (large-sized hounds), 'with working trial'. The trial rules were not read.

Breed clubFederation Cynologique Internationale, 1978

Classification only; no field-trial scoring standard sourced.

No KENAI kennel lists the Poitevin yet. If you breed them, list your kennel free: it shows on this page and in the hunting dog breed finder, under every handler whose answers land on the breed.

How to read this page

Every value carries a label. Measured means peer-reviewed data on many dogs. Studied means peer-reviewed, smaller or indirect. Breed club means a club or registry states it. Editorial means expert opinion with no measurement behind it. Where two good sources disagree, both are shown and neither is averaged.

Published when the entry rests on the best information available from no fewer than three independent sources, checked by a second pass that did not write it. 2 sources on this page. Found something wrong? Tell us and the correction is logged with its date.

Also called: Chien du Haut-Poitou, Haut-Poitou

Every breed, read the same way.

The breed index grows as entries clear the standard. Gun dogs first.

All published breeds

Your poitevin, on the record.

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