Artois Hound

The Artois Hound, or Chien d’Artois, is a medium-sized scenthound from the old province of Artois in northern France. It was bred to hunt in small packs, and it was a popular hound in France before the 20th century. Today it is rare.

History

Hounds of this name have a long record. In a letter of 1609, Prince Alexandre de Gray wrote of a pack of little d’Artois dogs.

Through the 19th century the Artois was crossed more and more with British hounds. By 1890 Le Couteulx de Canteleu noted in his manual of French hunting that a purebred Artois was hard to find, although he still counted it among the best hounds for hare. In the 1880s Ernest Levair, in Picardy, tried to bring back the old type. A breeder of the same period named Mallard also kept Artois hounds, but his dogs were further from the historical descriptions.

The Second World War did the breed great harm, and afterwards it was close to extinct. In the 1970s a few enthusiasts, Audrechy in particular, set out to rebuild it from the few hounds that were left, among them those of the Prince de Condé. The modern Artois is close to the original as a result. It is recognized by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale and by the United Kennel Club.

Appearance

The Artois is a muscular dog standing 53 to 58 cm (21 to 23 in) at the withers and weighing 28 to 30 kg (62 to 66 lb). The muzzle is square and the ears are long and hang low. The long tail is carried up in a sickle curve. The coat is short, and usually a dark fawn tricolor that has been compared to the coat of a hare or a badger.

Temperament

The Artois has a strong pack instinct and works in small packs. It has been used on small game as well as on deer and wild boar. Like many hounds it has a loud, musical voice.

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