Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen: temperament, size, care and health

About the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen is a low-set, medium-sized hound with a rough, tousled coat, bushy eyebrows, a beard and long ears covered with hair. Its name tells much of its story: petit means small, basset means low, griffon means rough-coated, and Vendée is the region of western France where it developed. The usual abbreviation is PBGV, and the breed is sometimes called the happy breed for its sunny manner. Adults stand about thirteen to fifteen inches at the shoulder, and the body is a little longer than tall.

It was bred to hunt hare and rabbit in dense, thorny cover, where the rough coat gave protection and the short legs kept the dog at a pace the hunter could follow. Its bell-like voice carries well. Modern PBGVs are mainly pets, though they retain a fine nose and a drive to follow a track.

Temperament and family life

The PBGV is friendly, curious and full of cheer. It enjoys people, including strangers, and is rarely shy. It has a lot of independence for a family dog, and it likes to follow its nose wherever a scent leads. Most are affectionate and demonstrative with their families and enjoy being included.

The breed is generally good with children and robust enough for play. It usually gets along well with other dogs, being a pack hound, and it may live with a cat that it has known from puppyhood. Small animals outdoors may trigger the chase. A PBGV left alone for long hours will bay, dig and escape, so company and a secure fence matter. Its voice is not subtle.

Exercise and training

A PBGV needs a good daily walk, a play session and the chance to explore smells. It has more stamina than its short legs suggest. It does well at scent work, tracking, rally and agility, and a mentally busy dog is a calmer one. Off leash, it will follow a trail and ignore a call, so a secure area is essential.

Training takes persistence and humor. The breed is clever but stubborn, and it can ignore an exercise that does not interest it. Short sessions, food rewards and consistency produce the best results. Crate training helps with house training, which can be slow. Early socialization channels its outgoing nature, and teaching a quiet cue early is worth the effort.

Grooming and shedding

The harsh coat is easier to care for than its shaggy look suggests, but it does need regular attention. Brush and comb it two or three times a week to prevent tangles, and take extra care with the beard, legs and ear hair. Many owners tidy the coat with scissors or hand stripping two or three times a year, and they avoid clipping the coat very short, since that changes its texture. Shedding is light.

The beard picks up food and water. The hanging, hairy ears need regular cleaning, and hair inside the ear canal may need to be removed by a groomer or vet. Nails should be trimmed.

Health

The PBGV is a generally healthy breed. Conditions reported include ear infections, hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, hypothyroidism, eye problems such as glaucoma and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease, which affects the hip joint of young dogs. Back problems may occur in a dog with a long body. Responsible breeders typically screen hips, knees and eyes. This is general information about the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, and a veterinarian is the person to ask about a particular dog.

History

The breed is generally traced to the Vendée region of France, where hunters kept packs of rough-coated hounds to trail hares in thick brush. The Petit is the smallest of the Griffon Vendéen breeds, which also include the larger Grand Basset, the Briquet and the Grand. The American Kennel Club recognized the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen in 1990.

Is the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen right for you?

A PBGV suits an active household that wants a cheerful, hardy dog and does not mind a loud voice, a scruffy coat and an independent streak. It is a poor choice for people who want a quiet dog, who cannot provide a fenced yard or who wish for fast obedience.

The larger Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen is a close cousin, and the smooth-coated Beagle is a simpler hound of similar size. The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is another French rough-coated basset.