Poitevin
🧠 Temperament & character
The Poitevin is enduring, fast and keen-nosed, a passionate hunter with a great will to work. In the pack he is remarkably sociable and compatible, whereas on the trail he is independent and hard to stop. Towards people he is friendly and balanced but not an intrusive cuddler. His nature is geared towards long, shared work in the group.
📜 Origin & history
The Poitevin emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries in the Poitou from native scent hounds, crossed among others with English Foxhound blood, in order to create a fast hunter for wolf hunting. The breed only narrowly survived the turmoil of the French Revolution and several breeding crises and was rebuilt by committed hunters. The FCI lists the Poitevin under no. 24. Today he is kept almost exclusively in France as a pack hound for wild boar and red deer.
✂️ Grooming, care & training
The short, glossy coat of the Poitevin is uncomplicated and needs only occasional brushing. His need for exercise is quite different: this breed is designed for hours of work and needs a great deal of running room, long distances and real hunting occupation to be balanced. He is intelligent and cooperative in the pack but follows a trail independently, so secure terrain and plenty of experience are necessary. As a pure family dog without activity the Poitevin is out of place.
🩺 Health
The Poitevin is a robust, athletic hunting breed with a life expectancy of about eleven to thirteen years and without strongly pronounced breed-typical hereditary diseases. As with all large, deep-chested dogs one should watch for the risk of gastric torsion, and the drop ears are to be checked regularly. After the hunt it is advisable to search him for injuries, thorns and ticks. Because the breed is bred almost only in the hunting context, the performance and health of the working dogs are the priority.
🏡 Who is this breed right for?
The Poitevin is a purebred pack and hunting dog and fits almost exclusively with hunters or people who can offer him a performance-oriented life. For an apartment, a quiet family life or inexperienced owners he is entirely unsuitable. He needs space, the company of other dogs and a meaningful task, otherwise he becomes unhappy. In Switzerland he is a distinct rarity and hardly to be found outside specialised hunting circles.