F.C.I. Standard No.: 20/24.01.1996/F

Name of the breed: ARIEGEOIS

Free translation: M. de Haas-Hiemstra

Origin: France

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE VALID ORIGINAL STANDARD: 24.01.1996.

Utilisation: Hound used for hunting with the gun, sometimes for coursing. His medium size and lightness are of precious assistance and makes it possible for him to progress easy in the field, alone or with a pack.. His favourite game is the hare, but he also is used for big game hunting.

F.C.I. Classification: Group 6 Scent hounds
Section 1.2 Medium sized hounds with working trial.

Brief historical summary: Hound originating from the Ariège; he is a product of the crossing from a briquet with a chien d'ordre (a Blue de Gascogne or Gascon-Saintongeois). He has fixed the caracteristics of the chien d'ordre but with less style, less height and more lightness.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: light hound of medium size, elegant and distinguished.

BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT:
behaviour: he is a diligent as well as a promoter, full of initiative and undertaking. A beautiful voice and fast in his lead.
temperament: gay and social, easily to obey orders.

HEAD:
CRANIAL REGION:
skull
: seen from the front, slightly domed not to broad; occipital protuberance is slightly marked. Seen from above, the back of the skull is of a slight pronounced ogival shap. The forehead is full. The superciliary arches are only very slightly marked.
stop: only very slightly accentuated.

FACIAL REGION
nose
: black, developed, nostrils well opened.
lips: tight, almost thin. The upper lip must just cover the lower lip without giving a pointed profil to the muzzle.
muzzle: right or slightly arched; same length as the skull.
jaws: scissor bite. Incisors set well square to the jaws.
cheeks: lean;
eyes: well opened, brown, eyelid without looseness.
leathers: fine, supple, curled in, must reach the beginning of the nose without reaching beyond the extremity of the nose. The leater is narrow at its inset which is well below the eyeline.

NECK: light, almost thin, long, slightly arched.

BODY:
back: well muscled and supported.
loin: well fused, slightly arched
rump: sufficiently horizontal.
chest: long; quite broad, let down to elbow level.
ribs: long, moderately rounded.
flank: flat and slightly raising.
tail: strong at its root; thin out at the end; reaching the point of the hock; carried cheerful sabre fashion.

LIMBS:
FOREQUARTERS:
view of the ensemble: solidly built.
shoulder: moderately sloping, muscled without heavyness.
elbows: close to the body.
forearm: good bone structure.
feet: of an elongated oval, the so-called hare-feet; toes lean and tight. Pads and nails black.
HINDQUARTERS:
view of the ensemble: well proportioned.
upper thigh: quite long and muscled without excess.
hock: well dirigated to the ax of the body, well let down..

GAIT/MOVEMENT: Regular and easy.

SKIN: Fine, supple, not pasted on the body but not permitting the presence of dewlap, folds or wrinkles. Mucous membranes (hairless zones) black.

COAT:
HAIR: Short and thick.

COLOUR: White with black spots, sometimes mottled.
Light tan markings on cheeks and above the superciliary arching giving "quatreoeillé" appearance to the eyes

SIZE:
HEIGHT AT THE WITHERS:
males: 52 to 58 cm
females: 50 to 56 cm.

FAULTS: any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

Head:
skull flat or ogival shap too pronounced,
leathers too flat, too thick, not well set, too long or too short,
too pointed profil of the muzzle,
wrinkles or dewlap,
round eye, visible third eyelid
Body:
soft back,
rump falling away,
too much substance,
deviated tail.
Limbs:
bone structure insufficiently developed.
splayed feet,
cow hocks, seen from behind.
Behaviour:
timid subject.

ELIMINATING FAULTS:
- Lack of type.
- Any coat other than that indicted in the standard.
- Light eye.
- Serious anatomical malformation.
- Visible disabling (invalidating) defect.
- Frightened or aggressive subject.
- Prognathism.

 

N.B. Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles descended into the scrotum.

 

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