Around two thousand dogs, with some 300 to 400 puppies annually: those numbers appear in the breed standard itself, rather than a statistical report. The French White and Black Hound (Français Blanc et Noir) is a large pack hound permitted only two colours.
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.1 Large-sized Hounds, Standard No. 220, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | France |
| Height at the withers | Males 65 to 72 cm, females 62 to 68 cm, tolerance plus or minus 1 cm |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | No reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | Short, fairly harsh and dense |
| Colours according to the standard | Strictly white and black, with black mantle or patches; pale tan above eyes, cheeks, beneath ears and at tail root; tricolour disqualifies |
From the dogs of Saintonge
The ancestors came from Saintonge in western France, with their origins left open by the standard. It says relationship to the Saint Hubert Hound cannot be established, but perhaps to the white Greffier dogs of the 16th century. Crosses with Poitevin and Gascon Saintongeois shaped the modern dog from the second half of the 19th century. A standard followed in 1957; a French breed club wrote the present text in 2007.
Friendly with people, diligent on a trail
A standard rarely says so much about handling: a very friendly dog enjoying human company and easy to keep in kennels. Red-deer hunters value the fine nose, diligence and reliability. Movement is a soft, ground-covering gallop; body length equals height.
Black and white; anything else is a fault
White with black mantle or patches is required, with pale tan markings. Tan ticking is permitted only on legs, often with a so-called deer mark on the thigh. Tricolour disqualifies, clearly distinguishing the breed from the French Tricolour Hound (Français Tricolore). A head resembling the English Foxhound is a serious fault, meaning an overly massive skull and short muzzle.
Everyday needs
Bred for pack work and requiring a working trial, the dog needs long daily distances, search games and tracking without hunting, ideally with canine company. Brush the short, firm coat weekly and check ears and paws after undergrowth.
Little data, a small population
No study establishes life expectancy. McMillan and colleagues list the breed in their longevity table but could not analyse it. Europe PMC has no breed-named paper with health findings. Around two thousand dogs means a limited gene pool, making open breeder information on relatedness, hips and causes of death in the line especially important.
Does a Blanc et Noir suit you?
Yes, if you hunt with hounds or provide substantial countryside work, live rurally and enjoy keeping several dogs. No, if you want a quiet indoor dog, have little time or expect off-lead freedom. A natural first contact when searching is the Club du Chien d’Ordre, whose committee produced the standard text.
If unsure whether a pack hound suits you, try the breed quiz; “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German) answers the underlying questions. For starting life with a puppy, there is the Puppy Starter Pack. Black-and-white coat suits a digital artwork or a poster in a wooden frame.
Further reading
- Beagle: a nose with a dog attached, and what that means day to day
- Calculating your dog’s food portions: how much your dog really needs
- The first 30 days with a puppy: a plan for weeks 1 to 4
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 220 Français Blanc et Noir (fci.be, German version dated 04.02.2016, English version dated 12.01.2009, valid original standard dated 04.11.2008); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed listed but not analysed).
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