Basset Bleu de Gascogne

Also called Blue Gascony Basset

Recognised breedFCI group 6Short profile

From Gascony, south-west France.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Weight16 to 18 kg2

Height34 to 38 cm1 3

Sizesmall

The FCI standard gives no weight; figure from Wikipedia.

very fine nose

lively and affectionate

beautiful howling voice

1 3

Coat and looks how to spot one

short, dense coat

A low-set hound with a long back and short legs. Its short, dense coat is finely mottled black and white, which gives the whole dog a slate-blue sheen.1 3 2

Coloursblue mottled (black and white ticking) with or without black patches, tan markings1 3

Personality what they are like

An active, agile and happy hound with a warm, affectionate side. It hunts eagerly and gets along well working in a pack or alone.1 3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Bred to hunt rabbit and hare, it enjoys daily walks with time to follow scents.1

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The short coat needs only an occasional brush.1 3

Home where they are happiest

Adapts to family homes with secure outdoor space; it is still used as a hunting hound in France.1 2

Company who they like around

A pack-minded hound that enjoys company, human or canine.1 3

The story where it all began

This short-legged hound comes from the ancient Grand Bleu de Gascogne line of south-west France. Its numbers dwindled in the 19th century, and it was revived in the late 1800s, notably through the work of Alain Bourbon.3 2 1

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
The blue colour is an optical effect from dense black and white mottling, not blue hairs.1
2
The UKC calls it supreme evidence of how old its parent breed, the Grand Bleu de Gascogne, is.3
3
It remains rare outside France.2

Recognised by the official bits

FCI: Standard no. 35, Group 6 (Scenthounds and related breeds), Section 1.3 small-sized hounds, with working trial; standard dated 01.09.2023.1
UKC: Scenthound Group; recognised January 1991.3
The Kennel Club (UK): Listed in the Hound Group per Wikipedia.2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Basset Bleu de Gascogne. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Brushingevery week
Bathevery 8 weeks
Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery 3 weeks
Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery day
ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 10every year

Start a free diary

Grand Bleu de Gascogne

Petit Bleu de Gascogne

Basset Artésien Normand

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

FCI Standard No. 35 Basset Bleu de Gascogne fci.beused for recognition, height, coat, colours, temperament, use, history
Basset Bleu de Gascogne - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for names, weight, history, KC listing
UKC Basset Bleu de Gascogne breed standard ukcdogs.comused for UKC recognition, history, temperament, colours

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.