Miniature Poodle vs Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir - Breed Comparison

The Poodle is no stranger to the dog world and has been a familiar face in Western Europe for hundreds of years. Though they have lived in Europe for centuries, their origins are unsure, with some saying they hail from Germany and others say France.

The Miniature Poodles have been used in both countries as gundogs for water birds.

They have always been admired for their intelligence, and Miniature Poodles are believed to have been bred from Standard Poodles. It is interesting to note the 3 official sizes of the Poodle are Toy, Miniature and Standard – all considered one breed and judged according to the same written standard, just with different size requirements.

Known also as the Great Anglo-Francais, White and Black Hound or the Grand Anglo, the Francais Blanc et Noir is one of several breeds of hounds.

The dog was bred by crossing French scenthounds with English Foxhounds.The Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir has always been used for hunting. As a scenthound, hunting was always done in packs and he thrilled at the chase.

The large dog originates in France and is recognized by the French Kennel Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Internationale.The purpose of this breed standard is to provide guidelines for breeders wishing to maintain the quality of their breed, but to also improve it.

With good care the lifespan of the Miniature Poodle is 14 – 16 years of age. This purebreed dog is small, standing at 28 – 38cm in height and weighing 7 – 8kg.

The coat is typically curly, springy and dense. Colors of the coat can be cream, beige, silver, black, brown or apricot. They are low shedding dogs and are regarded as being hypoallergenic. The ears are floppy and the tail is usually docked to give the dog a nice, compact look.

Temperament:

The Miniature Poodle is intelligent and learns easily, so you won’t have any trouble with training him and having him socialized.

He is a lively dog and loves a game and a walk, loving as much time as possible spent with his human family. He gets on well with other pets in the home as well as with children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.

They are not overly-friendly with strangers, and therefore make excellent watchdogs. They’re the kind of dogs who need both physical and mental stimulation though, and he won’t be content to be left and ignored – after all he counts himself as a member of your family! They make wonderful pets, being playful and energetic and loving water, always ready to swim with you.

The Grand Anglo – Francais Blanc et Noir is a big, powerful dog standing at 62 – 72cm and weighing 27 - 32kg. His chest is broad and deep.

The head is flat and broad, the nose black with gentle looking brown eyes. The coat is short and dense for protection and the coloring is black and white. There is a tan dot above each eye. The ears are floppy. The tail is long and tapers down to a slender point.

Temperament:

As a superb hunting dog, this breed lives for the hunt and loves nothing more than to be chasing its prey. The dog has an excellent sense of smell and can track prey in all kinds of terrain.

Although the dog has a stable temperament, he isn’t recommended as being kept solely as a pet, even though he is gentle with children. Maybe its because he has a more serious personality and would prefer to live with active, sport-loving adults than having to contend with the antics of children.

He also isn’t the best dog to have around other small pets as he is so prey-driven he may well be aggressive towards them.

He isn’t a city-loving dog and with his high energy levels he is best suited to properties with large gardens or to farm life. While he will bark and alert you to strangers, he won’t make a particularly good watchdog as he isn’t aggressive.

When you take a Miniature Poodle into your home and your heart, there are many wonderful positive aspects that come with him.

You won’t have any trouble training him as he is clever and bright. He is such a loving, loyal pet and he takes his job of guarding you seriously too.

Because they aren’t aggressive, they're easy to keep in the city or the countryside, so long as he receives plenty of love, companionship and exercise. Perhaps the only thing that may require a little bit of effort on your part is the fact that his coat will require quite a bit of upkeep to keep it looking good and healthy.

In exchange for looking after him, you’re going to benefit from having a wonderful canine friend and family pet in your life for many years.

Essentially known as a pack dog, the Grand Anglo-Français Blanc et Noir isn’t going to do well with anyone who lazes on the couch all day.

He is energetic and driven, and will develop all kinds of behavioral issues if not properly and adequately exercised.

Fitting into a household where hunting is part of the lifestyle will be ideal for him, loving the outdoors and the stimulation that comes from hunting with other dogs.

Provide him with an outdoorsy, active owner and this hunting dog will ensure that he is your loyal and loving companion.

Dog’s thrive on good nutrition and exercise, and if your Miniature Poodle gets both of these combined with plenty of love, he can live to be up to 16 years of age and even older.

They are robust little dogs, but even so, they can get sick. Ear infections, joint diseases, obesity, dental disease and bloat are common dog diseases to look out for -

Bloat:

This is a life-threatening condition where your pet’s stomach fills with gas. The swollen stomach puts pressure on the diaphragm and the dog battles to breathe. The dog could also vomit, be drooling and lethargic.

The stomach can also twist putting the dog in shock. This bloating can occur with any dog breed and efforts can be made to avoid it by feeding the dog smaller more frequent meals as opposed to one larger meal which he gobbles up.

The dog shouldn’t exercise immediately after a meal either. You also want to avoid obesity at all costs.

Mitral Valve Disease:

When the mitral valve malfunctions, blood isn’t being pumped out of the heart to the rest of the body. If the mitral valve weakens or leaks it can lead to endocarditis.

Quite a number of dogs develop some form of heart disease during their lifetime, with a high percentage being due to mitral valve insufficiency, which is more common in smaller dogs.

Your dog may have a cough, be lethargic and lose weight. The first signs of a leaking mitral valve is a heart murmur. At first MVI doesn’t have obvious clinical signs, but with time the efficiency of the heart is reduced and congestive heart failure develops. Your veterinarian will evaluate your pet and suggest treatment.

Sebaceous Adenitis:

A skin problem sounds fairly mild but it can cause havoc in your pet’s life, causing him to be constantly licking and scratching himself. The hair becomes dull and brittle, and breaking the skin from continuous scratching invites bacterial infection. These skin infections will require veterinary intervention.

Capable of reaching 10 to 12 years of age when looked after well, there aren’t any specific health issues with this dog. He is likely to experience one or two issues that other dogs have to contend with as well.

There are one or two diseases that you want to be aware of -

Ear Infections:

This dog has long, floppy ears and this means that air doesn’t reach inside the ears properly. He is therefore prone to ear infections. After he has been swimming, dry his ears gently inside.

Hip Dysplasia:

Unfortunately this is a disease that can strike even when your Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir is a puppy. Hips which aren’t formed properly can cause stiffness, pain and lameness in your pet.

Grooming:

If you opt to keep your Miniature Poodle’s coat long, it will actually require regular brushing – every day in fact, if you want to avoid matting and tangling. Most people don’t like the work this involves and they have their Poodle’s hair cut short all over, then he only needs a brush once or twice a week. Your Miniature Poodle just loves the time you spend with him grooming him. It’s your time to feel for any unusual lumps and to also check for fleas and ticks. Some people take their pet to the doggy parlor to have the coat clipped.

The dog’s nails should also be trimmed regularly, and their ears also need to be checked for wax buildup and debris which can lead to an ear infection.

Teeth need to be checked over too because dental disease won’t only lead to loss of teeth but it could be toxic for important body organs too.

Wipe around your pet’s eyes as tear stains can form under the eyes.

Make sure to feed your pet a top quality diet full of vitamins and minerals. Get to know the foods which can be toxic for your pet and cause stomach upsets. Dogs appreciate simplicity and consistency with their diets, and apart from dry kibble, home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables can be excellent for your pet.

Grooming:

With his short coat and being an average shedder, the Grand Anglo-Francais Blanc et Noir is an easy dog to groom, requiring a brush twice a week.

Check his ears inside and out, particularly if he goes swimming. Excess moisture in the ear can encourage bacteria and ear infections. See that his nails are trimmed and remember to check his teeth for dental disease which can cause ill health generally.

Exercise:

As a hunting dog, he will need a good deal of exercise. He won’t be content to just go for a walk once a day, but will want something more hectic such as joining you as you go hiking, cycling, swimming or jogging.

Diet:

As a scenthound, your Grand Anglo – Francais Blanc et Noir is always out and about sniffing around looking for a tasty treat, but with these active dogs, the secret is to small, frequent meals as apposed to 1 or 2 large meals.

It is important to see he gets a nutritionally complete balanced diet that gives him slow release energy. Check with your vet if you’re unsure what to feed him. You want to avoid foods high in fillers, colorants and preservatives.

There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods for high energy dog,s but make sure to go for the best brands. You can mix his kibble with some raw meat occasionally and also give him cooked brown rice, chicken and vegetables. He’ll need a constant supply of fresh, cool water.