One sentence is all the history its standard offers: pack hounds with class and elegance, fairly strong and muscular. To understand the French Tricolour Hound (Français Tricolore), you have to read between the lines, where another dog keeps appearing.
| FCI | Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.1 Large-sized scent hounds, Standard No. 219, with working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | France |
| Size (height at the withers) | Males 62 to 72 cm, females 60 to 68 cm |
| Weight | not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | short and fairly fine |
| Colours in the standard | tricolour with a more or less extensive mantle, markings preferably rich tan or copper; wolf colour permitted |
Measured against the Poitevin
The comparison dog is the Poitevin. The Tricolore has a more pronounced stop, stronger lips giving the muzzle a slightly square appearance, and broader ears. The head should not be too heavy, but rather elongated, with a prominent occipital bone and large brown eyes. The neck is long, the chest reaches at least to the elbow point and the tail is carried high and elegantly. The 2023 version gives no weight.
Three colours with clear boundaries
Tricolour with a mantle and preferably rich tan or copper markings is the aim. Black-clouded tan on cheeks and lips, and tan or blue ticking, are undesirable. Any sign of English blood is a fault, especially in head shape. According to the standard, a black-clouded head suggests a cross with the French White and Black Hound (Français Blanc et Noir).
A dog for the pack
Its purpose is pack hunting for large game. There is no temperament chapter; aggressive or excessively fearful dogs are disqualified. In practice, it was bred to follow a trail vocally over long distances alongside many other dogs. Living alone with one person removes that group without removing its tracking drive. Off-lead exercise in game-rich terrain is therefore risky; a long line is basic equipment.
Fine hair, thin skin
The short, fine hair takes little work: a rubber grooming mitt once a week is enough. Because the standard describes fairly thin skin, check for scratches after woodland and undergrowth. Inspect the long ears regularly for dirt and grass awns.
One confusion to avoid
There is no reliable health study for the Français Tricolore. McMillan and colleagues list it in their longevity study but could not calculate a figure. Searching Europe PMC leads to another breed: a 2025 paper on wolf ancestry in dog genomes found 5,7 and 4,7 % in two Grand Anglo-Français Tricolore. That is the Anglo-French relative, not this dog, and the figure says nothing about disease. Ask for the parents’ hip findings and the ages reached by ancestors.
Who will be happy with this dog
A match for people who hunt with a pack or provide long daily scent work, have plenty of space and welcome a carrying voice. Anyone seeking a family dog for a flat, off-lead freedom or short walks should choose differently. Ultimately, it comes down to whether you can offer the task this dog has run in packs for generations to perform.
A pack hound is a big decision: the breed quiz offers a first comparison, and “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German) goes deeper. The Puppy Starter Pack prepares you for the first weeks. Tricolour coats look lovely on a poster in a wooden frame , with more formats in our dog portraits.
Further reading
- Beagle: a nose with a dog attached, and what that means day to day
- Dog pulling on the lead: 5 mistakes almost everyone makes
- Puppy checklist: essentials and the first 3 days
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 219 Français Tricolore (fci.be, German and English versions dated 6.10.2023, valid original standard dated 01.08.2023); McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024 (breed listed but not analysed); Lin AT et al., A legacy of genetic entanglement with wolves shapes modern dogs, PNAS 2025 (concerns the Grand Anglo-Français Tricolore).
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