The skin beneath the Porcelaine’s orange patches is usually black-pigmented, and elsewhere it is marbled with many black spots too. Over it lies very white, short, glossy hair, often finely speckled orange on the ears.
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds, Standard No. 30, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | France |
| Size (height at the withers) | Males 55 to 58 cm, females 53 to 56 cm (exception up to 60 cm possible for otherwise excellent stud dogs) |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | short, fine, dense and glossy, without bare patches |
| Colours in the standard | very white with rounded orange patches that must never form a mantle; orange ticking on ears very typical |
A glossy coat, patterned skin
The hair should be short, fine, dense and glossy, without bare patches; harsh or thick hair is a disqualifying fault. For you, this means little effort: a soft grooming glove or brush weekly, and brushing off dried mud after muddy walks. Thin skin fares poorly against thorns and barbed wire, so feel it over after country outings. The long, finely textured ears reach the end of the muzzle and need regular checks inside.
A small-game specialist
The Porcelaine is a medium-sized French scent hound. Its valid standard was published in 1964; the German translation is dated 1997. It calls it a very noble, typically French small-game hound whose every feature reveals a highly bred dog. The head is lean and finely chiselled, the shoulder built for galloping. There is no history section. The Billy also wears white with orange but belongs to the large hounds.
A friendly look, tough pads
The standard has no temperament chapter, only an expression: intelligent and friendly. Aggressive or excessively shy dogs are disqualified. As a small-game hound, it is bred to follow hares and other small game by scent, often with other dogs. Its owner therefore lives with a sociable but strongly hunting-oriented animal.
Galloping with stamina
It should move briskly and cheerfully, galloping lightly with endurance. The FCI requires a working trial. Without hunting, fill its day with long hikes, tracking on a long line and search games. A well-fenced field for running is a benefit; a park walk does not replace that.
What is known about its health
Little. McMillan and colleagues’ large longevity study lists the Porcelaine but had insufficient data for analysis. An Italian birth-weight survey recorded 153 Porcelaine puppies without investigating diseases. One point in the standard itself stands out: rickets appears among disqualifying faults affecting usefulness. Appropriate feeding during growth is therefore more than a minor matter. Ask breeders for the parents’ hip and eye results.
Honestly, a dog for few households
It suits hunters and very active people who take scent work seriously, have a rural setting with land and want an easy-care, friendly dog. Anyone expecting off-lead freedom, working away all day or having neighbours disturbed by dogs’ voices should decide against it, however lovely the white coat.
The breed quiz shows how well a small-game scent hound fits your life; our book offers detailed guidance: “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For life with a young dog, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack. White fur with orange patches looks striking as a digital artwork , or framed as a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Calculating dog food portions: how much your dog really needs
- The first 30 days with a puppy: a plan for weeks 1 to 4
- Is my dog overweight? Checking body shape and ideal weight
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 30 Porcelaine (fci.be, German version dated 23.04.1997, English version dated 22.04.1997, valid original standard dated 19.10.1964); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed listed but not analysed); Groppetti D et al., A National Census of Birth Weight in Purebred Dogs in Italy, Animals 2017.
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