Porcelaine
瓷犬
Updated 2026-09-09
At a glance
The Porcelaine is thought to be the oldest French scent hound still in existence — a lean, elegant, almost porcelain-white pack hound from the Franche-Comté, bred to drive hare, deer and boar to waiting guns. Never shy or timid, it is affectionate with family, friends and children, quiet indoors but with a beautiful melodious bay outdoors, and its high prey drive means a fenced yard and a lead on walks are non-negotiable. The AKC describes it as remarkably free of common health conditions, with hip dysplasia the one concern to screen for as in any medium-to-large dog.
Facts
| Size | Large |
|---|---|
| Height | 56–58cm |
| Weight | 25–28kg |
| Life expectancy | 12–13years |
| Breed group | AKC: fss FCI: 6 |
| Role | Hound |
| Coat | Short coat |
| Shedding | 3/ 5 |
| Exercise | 60–120min/day |
| Can be left alone | up to 3 hours |
| Companionship need | 5/ 5 |
| Trainability | 5/ 5 |
| Barking | 2/ 5 |
| Good with children | 5/ 5 |
| Good with other dogs | 5/ 5 |
| Heat tolerance | 4/ 5 |
| Cold tolerance | 2/ 5 |
Health
This page is general information compiled from published sources. It is not veterinary, legal or purchase advice. Dogs vary within a breed — talk to a vet or a reputable breeder about the dog in front of you.
Health notes are not veterinary advice. Conditions listed are those reported for the breed, not a diagnosis of any dog. Always consult a veterinarian.
Hip dysplasia
The AKC says the Porcelaine is remarkably free of the health conditions common in most dogs, but that hip dysplasia can be a concern as in most medium-to-large breeds. Ask your breeder for the parents' hip results and your vet about keeping your dog lean and fit.
General health screening
The AKC describes the breed as remarkably free from the common health conditions seen in most dogs today and does not single out any other breed-specific disease; ask your vet about routine screening appropriate to an active hound of this size, and check the drop ears regularly for wax and debris.
Behaviour
Elegant, never shy, and quiet indoors
The AKC describes the Porcelaine as elegant, proud, graceful and cat-like, never shy or timid and always eager for a pat or a hug — a nature that also suits it to therapy, medical-alert and search-and-rescue work. It is very fond of its owners, family, friends and children and loves to join every family activity; it tends to be quiet indoors or in a kennel and is not a nuisance barker, but has a beautiful, melodious baying call. The FCI standard calls it a very distinguished, very French-looking hunting dog for driving small game to waiting guns.
A nose that needs a fence — and a single-dog home
The AKC warns that despite being gentle and relatively easy to handle, the Porcelaine's strong drive to follow its nose means it should have a fenced yard, always be on a lead outside (or wear a GPS collar off-lead), and that as a very active dog needing a lot of exercise it is not recommended for apartments. It prefers to be the only dog and the sole object of your affection, so possessiveness or squabbles with other dogs must be corrected immediately. It is easily crate-trained and housebroken and makes a superb indoor pet.
Training and barking
AKC trait chart: trainability 5/5, barking level 2/5. Individual dogs vary; early socialisation and reward-based training are recommended for every breed.
Official guidance
Summaries of official documents are ours; the source is linked. Breed standards, laws and licensing rules change — check the issuing body for the current version.
American Kennel Club — Porcelaine
Breed overview, breed-trait chart, history, official standard summary and health notes from the AKC and the national parent club.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
FCI nomenclature — Porcelaine (standard no. 30, group 6)
FCI breed nomenclature entry with the official breed standard PDF in English, French, German and Spanish.
Read the sourceAccessed 2026-09-09
Sources
- [1]Porcelaine — Dog Breed Information — American Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [2]Porcelaine — FCI standard no. 30 — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [3]How do I help my dog adjust to spending time alone? — The Royal Kennel Club (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [4]Incidence and risk factors for heat-related illness (heatstroke) in UK dogs under primary veterinary care in 2016 (Hall, Carter & O'Neill, Scientific Reports 10:9128) — Nature / Scientific Reports (Accessed 2026-09-09)
- [5]FCI-Standard No. 30 — Porcelaine, 22.04.1997 — Fédération Cynologique Internationale (Accessed 2026-09-09)
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Breed data compiled by PocketPaw from the sources credited on each entry. Text and layout © 2026 NextPath Solutions Limited. Please link to a page rather than copying it.