The Porcelaine

The Porcelaine is a high-spirited scenthound from France, developed for hunting and tracking both small and large game. This medium-sized hound is one of the oldest French scenthounds (if not the very oldest) still around today. Records of the breed date back to the 1700’s! This is a rare breed in the United States, only recently becoming recognized by the UKC (in 2016) and AKC’s FSS program (in 2017).

Porcelaines have a number of good qualities which make them not only great hunting dogs, but awesome pets as well! They are hardy and healthy dogs not often afflicted by health issues, although hip dysplasia, eye and joint problems are occasionally seen. They are also easy-keepers and tend to crate-train and housebreak fairly swiftly. (By the way, we recommend the Petmate Vari Kennel for crate training Porcelaines) – https://amzn.to/3B3CUE6

Easygoing and calm in the home, they aren’t prone to excessive barking (although when they do vocalize it is definitely a hound-y, melodic bay). Porcelaines do not require a lot of grooming and the coat only needs a quick rubdown with a grooming mitt every week at most. Make sure to clip their nails and clean the ears frequently, especially because long-eared dogs are more prone to ear infections.  Finally, this is a beautiful and elegant breed that will inspire comments wherever they go!

The Porcelaine originated from a series of very intelligent French and English scenthounds and is therefore quite clever himself – albeit also fairly independent and strong-minded. He has a high prey drive and will usually opt to sniff out or chase prey rather than participate in a training session if heavily distracted. Keep this in mind during training sessions, and be aware that without lots of advanced off-leash obedience training he will need to be kept on leash at all times! He will also need to be kept in a fenced yard and not allowed to roam. When trained, many are good candidates for various lines of work such as service dog or therapy dog work. They also enjoy other jobs and sports such as search and rescue, tracking, conformation, mantrailing, or… obviously hunting.

The Porcelaine is outgoing with people (strangers, friends, children, etc.) as well as other dogs, most likely due to his pack instincts. This said, he can be prone to jealousy issues so an owner in a multi-dog household should know what to look for and how to curtail any possessive behaviors. Porcelaines enjoy being around their people and want to take part in everything! They develop strong bonds with their owners and have great desires to please. They are very affectionate and not prone to aggression or fearfulness as long as socialized correctly. When their owners come home from work or other outings, many will “sing” in happiness!

Although generally calm in the home, the Porcelaine does require regular exercise – and not just a small amount! Without enough, he can become overly energetic if cooped up too long! Keep in mind the breed is surprisingly strong and will need training to keep from pulling on the leash during walks. Once he learns the basics he is usually gentle and easy to manage on lead. He appreciates (and requires) long walks, jogs or hikes and does best with athletic, outdoorsy owners.

It should go without saying that the Porcelaine is not the best candidate for apartment life and can end up becoming hyper and prone to behavior problems in an apartment lifestyle. He needs a home with a yard and room to roam, as well as lots of exercise with his owner, in order to develop correctly. Neither is he a good fit for homes with cats or other small pets because of his high prey drive (although smaller dogs are usually OK). In the wrong home, he can become frustrating to live with but in the right home, he can easily thrive! As with all breeds, do your homework.