Guejae Gae vs Grand Gascon Saintongeois - Breed Comparison

Known also as the Virelade, the Grand Gascon Saintongeois hails from the Saintongeois region of France, being a newish addition to the hunting dog breed.

The Saintongeois hound and the Grand Blue de Gascogne are the ancestors of this scentdog as these two breeds themselves, are exceptional hunters. The Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a large dog and favored by the French nobility for its ability to hunt.

After the French Revolution the popularity of the breed waned. It was Baron Joseph de Carayon-LaTour who tried to revive the Saintongeois Hound. The dogs were mated with the Grand Bleu de Gascogne and were so outstanding that breeding was continued. The breed that was created is the Grand Gascon Saintongeois which we know today.

It was in January 1993 that the Grand Gascon Saintongeois was officially recognized by the United Kennel Club.

Known also as Gaulchae Gae, the Guejae Gae hails from Korea, and falls in the Spitz dog category. The dog is related to the Korean Jindo dog but is slightly larger.

With his sharp canine teeth, the Guejae has been used for hunting and herding, having enough stamina to not easily give up on its prey. The dog isn’t AKC recognized.

The Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a large, well built breed of dog that looks strong and robust. His head is strong and covered with loose skin that forms wrinkles around the cheeks. He stands at 61-73cm and weighs 30 to 35kg.

He has straight, long legs. He has a short, smooth coat which is white with black patches. Sometimes you'll also find a speckled or ticked pattern. There'll be tan dots over the eyes.

The eyes are brown, the nose black and the long, thin textured ears are low on the dogs head and also well back on the skull. The tail is long.

Temperament:

He is known for his deep voice to voice an opinion. He is a loving, friendly, courageous and affectionate breed with a well balanced temperament, making him a splendid pet. He is also intelligent and so he won't battle at all to learn some rules. Training and socialization will be good for him even though he is such an amicable dog already, but then he just becomes extra obedient.

This is a medium sized dog, standing at roughly 40cm to 58cm and weighing about 16 to 27kg, and because he falls into the Spitz dog category, you’ll find them with the characteristic pointed ears and thick fur.

He can be in a number of colors such as fawn, brown, white, grey or black. The tail curls up over the back too and the dog has a resemblance to the wolf. You can see he is intelligent as has he has bright, alert eyes.

Temperament:

These dogs aren't aggressive and they are known to be gentle dogs who are devoted and loyal to their owners.

He is an active, intelligent, social dog who wants ongoing interaction with his human family. He should never be left alone in the back yard day after day as he becomes lonely and bored. This is terrible to do for any dog breed, but the Guejae Gae won't thrive in a family who doesn't make him 100% part of the family.

He should be allowed indoors with his owner as he is a highly social dog who loves being around his human family, forming deep bonds with them.

His superb intelligence allows him to learn new commands and tricks easily, and this is why he responds well to training and socialization. He makes a great pet for active owners and gets on well with children in the home as well as pets. Because he is somewhat reserved around strangers, he makes a good watchdog too.

Your Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a true hunting dog breed and valued for his hunting prowess. He has another side to him though and is gentle, loving and calm with his human family.

He makes a wonderful family companion, getting on well with children as well as pets in the home. He may show a bit of aggression to strangers and this is why training and socialization works so well with him as it helps him behave well around family and strangers.

Training is never a problem as he is an intelligent dog. He is an energetic dog and won't fit well into city life in tiny properties, also because of his tendency to bark when bored. He fits well into country life or large properties.

When you provide your large pet with good food, a warm place to sleep, exercise and plenty of love and attention, the Grand Gascon Saintongeois is going to turn out to be one of the most loyal, affectionate pets you can imagine.

Intelligent, playful, faithful and loving, your Guejae Gae is going to make you a splendid pet – good with other pets in the home as well as with children.

They are good natured pets and easy to train too, so that when he has been trained and socialized, he becomes an even more amicable pet.

Just remember though that these dogs have been used as working dogs and to ensure your Guejae Gae makes you a splendid pet, you want to ensure he has enough exercise to keep him happy and healthy.

Your Grand Gascon Saintongeois is a robust dog, who with good care can reach up to 14 years of age. You're not going to be running to the vet often with this strong looking dog, but even so, there are one to two problems that you'll want to look out for.

Ear Infections:

Long-eared dogs are more susceptible to canine ear infections. The symptoms of the infection will be dependent on how severe it is. Certainly your dog may experience pain and you'll see him shaking his head and pawing at his ear. If both ears are affected by inflammation, he may even walk in a wobbly fashion and the infection could lead to deafness. It is imperative that he get to the vet as soon as possible.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is where the ball and socket joint of the hip is malformed. It results in a joint rubbing and grinding. It can lead to loss of function of the hip joints. It is a common skeletal disease in young or old dogs, small or large dogs and in both males and females.

Large dogs are more commonly affected though with hip dysplasia which can see arthritis developing too. Your dog will display decreased activity and difficulty with standing up after lying down. Veterinary intervention will be required.

The Guajae Gae is a healthy dog breed with few genetic problems, if any.

There are always common dog illnesses to watch out for however, and in this spitz-type dog, hypothyroidism is one.

Hypothyroidism in dogs is usually brought on by inflammation of the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism occurs more often in medium to large dogs as opposed to smaller breeds. The most common signs of low thyroid function in your pet will be loss of fur and excess shedding, weight gain and an inability to tolerate the cold.

Hypothyroid dogs often battle with ear infections as well as skin infections. There are a number of blood tests to confirm a suspected diagnosis of hypothyroidism in your dog.

These large dogs with their short smooth coats have very little grooming needs. Regular brushing twice a week will remove dead hair and also ensure the good condition of the coat.

He has long ears and these will need to be checked regularly to avoid ear infections. It will be a good idea to learn how to clean the ears and to do it in such a way as to avoid damaging them. Signs of ear infection include redness, discharge, irritation and bad odor.

Diet:

Following the feeding instructions on the packaging of top quality kibble, provide your Grand Gascon Saintongeois with at least 2 meals a day. To steer away from the monotony of kibble every day, mix in some raw meat from time to time, and also include some cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables as a tasty treat. Fresh, cool water should always be easily accessible to him.

Grooming:

He sheds quite a bit and more so in hot weather so he will need to be thoroughly brushed twice a week.

Exercise:

The Guejae Gae is an active dog breed that needs plenty of place to roam freely, and therefore he is a dog breed that will suit life in the country far better than life in the city.

You will need a decent sized yard for him and you should also be prepared to take him on walks and play ball games with him. He is such a social dog and playing with him is something that will strengthen your bond.

Diet:

As a Spitz type dog, the Guejae Gae has always enjoyed a carnivorous diet. Cheap, poor quality commercially manufactured dog food won’t cut it for these dogs. Home cooked meals with natural ingredients such as chicken, brown rice and vegetables is a good choice as well as adding in some raw meat from time to time.

Always remember when feeding your Guejae Gae that how much your dog eats will depend on his size, age and activity levels. A highly active dog like the Guejae Gae needs wholesome food as well as a constant supply of fresh, cool water.