Red Heeler 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 the Australian Cattle Dog, the Red Heeler is also known as the Blue Heeler. This is a breed of herding dog originally developed in Australia.

These dogs are known for their stamina and resilience with driving cattle over long distances in hot weather and across rough terrain.

It was George Eliott who developed the Red Heeler – crossing native Dingoes with Collies and other herding dogs.

In America, the breed was fully recognised in September 1980.

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.

The Red Heeler is a medium-sized dog standing at between 43 to 51 cm in height and weighing in the region of 14 – 16 kg.

He is muscular, with a sturdy build. The coat of this robust dog is shortish and thick and quite often you’ll find a white star marking on he forehead. The coat is a blue-grey color or reddish. The tail of this dog is long and the ears are erect.

Temperament:

The Red Heeler has always been a working dog so he is energetic and lively, being independent and strong-willed.

He is super intelligent too and can be easily trained and socialized. He is a dog that simply loves the outdoors and if you don’t live on a farm, he is going to need lots of exercise.

He gets on well with kids and other pets, but children should be taught to respect him and be kind towards him, otherwise he might not tolerate them. He is a loyal, protective dog, wanting to ensure the safety of his human family.

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.

When you bring a Red Heeler into your home, you must know that you’re never going to have a dull moment. They’re not content to lie around with nothing to do. These popular dogs literally coax you to come out and to be active.

Red Heelers need lots of activities and lots of room, so they aren’t particularly suited to life in the city. Large properties and plenty to do is what they ask for.

Your Red Heeler is going to make a splendid pet, loyal and devoted, the perfect example of man’s best friend.

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.

Your Red Heeler can live to be 15 years of age with good care. Every dog however, can fall prey to some of the many common dog diseases there are, some of which can be -

Musculosceletal Problems:

There are quite a lot of congenital and inherited musculoskeletal disorders in dogs, with some of the more common ones being hip dysplasia and muscular dystrophy for instance.

There are some of these musculosceletal problems which can be fatal. Some of the typical symptoms you’ll see with these problems are difficulty climbing stairs or jumping, loss of muscle mass in the hind limbs, arthritis and lameness.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy:

The retina of the eye is that light-sensitive part and which is part of the central nervous system. With retinal degeneration, the cells decline, leading to impaired vision and sometimes even blindness.

Some symptoms to look out for include dilated pupils, night blindness and the inability to see clearly in bright light. The disease worsens over times with sudden blindness being quite common with older dogs. Your vet will want a thorough history of your dog’s health.

Other dog diseases to be very aware of are cancer, obesity, bloat, hip dysplasia and epilepsy.

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.

Exercise:

The Red Heeler is an active dog, and apart from walks which will give him the chance to sniff around, he will need lots of other forms of exercise. Rope pulling games he’ll love and running after a ball will please him because it takes him back to days when he used to run around and herd livestock.

If you’re an outdoorsy type of person who loves hiking in the wilds and swimming in rivers, you can count this dog in.

Grooming:

You can look at the Red Heeler as a low maintenance dog. He does shed, but a good brush of the coat twice a week will be excellent for him. If he doesn’t wear his nails down naturally, you will need to trim them. Also, while you are brushing him, check his ears and eyes and inside his mouth to make sure he is clear of all infections.

Diet:

Red Heelers rely on good food for their resilience and stamina, and for convenience it is good to have commercially manufactured dog food as a backup. The best is home-made food which is easy to prepare and totally uncomplicated.

Simply add into one big pot chicken, brown rice or pasta and spinach, sweet potatoes and carrots. This food can all be chopped up, refrigerated and added warmed up and in small portions to your pet's dry kibble once or twice a week. Simple and tasty, your Red Heeler will love it and thrive on it too.

Ensure there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water within his reach.