Family-friendly: 5/5 Exercise needs: 2/5 Easy to train: 2/5 Tolerates being alone: 3/5 Likes other pets: 5/5 Energy level: 2/5 Grooming needs: 5/5 Shedding: 4/5

Basset Griffon Vendeen (Grand)

Q: History and Origins

Country of Origin: France The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen can be traced back to 16th century France. Their French name translates to ‘large, low, hairy, from the Vendee region’ and this accurately describes the breed and differentiates it from the various French hunting hounds. Developed first by the Comte d’Elva at the end of the 19th Century and refined further by Paul Dézamy who required a shorter dog for hunting hare, originally the Grand and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen would occur in the same litters and crossbreeding between the two occurred regularly. In the 1970’s this was stopped and efforts made to ensure the breeds remained separate. Due to the influence of longer legged hounds in the development of the Grand Basset (Grand Griffon Vendeen and Briquet Griffon Vendeen) there are still occasionally long-legged pups in Grand Basset litters. In the UK today the Grand Basset is gaining popularity as a pet and show dog, in France they are still used for their original purpose, hunting wild boar, deer, rabbit and hare through rough terrain and harsh undergrowth.

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen (or GBGV for short) is a robust, medium height hound, built slightly longer than they are tall. Consider this a large dog on medium length legs rather than a medium sized dog. The weather resistant coat is rough and shaggy, hiding a solidly built, hefty hound beneath. They are known for the characteristic hair over the eyebrows, beard and moustache, giving them a friendly and happy appearance.

Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen lying on the ground

Lifespan

12 – 14 years

Weight

20 – 30kg

Height

40 - 44cm for males, and 39 - 43cm for females

Colours

White with lemon, orange, black, sable, tri-colour, or grizzle.

Size

Medium

Kennel Club Group

Hound

The need-to-know

Dogs suitable for experienced owners
Extra training required
Generally healthy breed
Enjoys vigorous walks
Enjoys one to two hours of walking a day

Medium dog
Some drool
Requires grooming once a week
Chatty and vocal dog
Barks and alerts to visitors/anything unusual

Generally friendly with other dogs
Gets along with other pets with training
Great family dog
Needs a large garden
Can live in semi-rural areas

Can be left occasionally with training

Generally healthy breed

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is generally a hardy breed but, due long backs and short legs they are more likely to sufffer from spinal disorders and joint problems as a result of this;
- Intervertebral disc disease: a condition where there is abnormality in the discs which act to cushion the bones in the spine. The discs can dislodge or burst, which puts pressure on the nerves in the spinal cord leading to back pain and weakness or paralysis of the limbs.
- Angular limb deformities: caused by asynchronous growth of a pair of bones, which appear bowed or rotated and may result in pain and lameness.

The breed are more prone to:
- Ear infections

Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
None but there are several recommended schemes that the Kennel Club recommends which can be found here.

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Personality

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is truly a happy-go-lucky dog, believing whole-heartedly that they are adored by all humans. Whilst still at heart a working dog, the Grand Basset is typically a very tactile dog who adores physical contact – in particular they are known for the ‘Grand Hug’ putting their forelegs into a person’s lap and then flopping all their weight into that person. This forces the person to wrap their arms around the hound rather than let it slide to the floor! As the Grand Basset can carry a lot of water and slobber in their beard and face, this can be an unpleasant experience for some and a true delight for others!

Typical of scent hounds, the Grand Basset has a strong nose for scent and a desire to follow it to the bitter end. They are amiable and easy going with other animals and people, and surprisingly athletic for their size and shape.

Vet Rating

Family-friendly:	5/5
Exercise needs:	2/5
Easy to train:	2/5
Tolerates being alone:	3/5
Likes other pets:	5/5
Energy level:	2/5
Grooming needs:	5/5
Shedding:	4/5

Ideal Owner

Calmness, patience, a strong sense of humour and a lover of full-body hugs – the Grand Basset owner needs to be impervious to houndy-pongs and easy going about mud, hair and drool. If you love tracking, man-trailing or other scent-based sports, they will excel!

History and Origins

Country of Origin: France

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen can be traced back to 16th century France. Their French name translates to ‘large, low, hairy, from the Vendee region’ and this accurately describes the breed and differentiates it from the various French hunting hounds. Developed first by the Comte d’Elva at the end of the 19th Century and refined further by Paul Dézamy who required a shorter dog for hunting hare, originally the Grand and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen would occur in the same litters and crossbreeding between the two occurred regularly. In the 1970’s this was stopped and efforts made to ensure the breeds remained separate. Due to the influence of longer legged hounds in the development of the Grand Basset (Grand Griffon Vendeen and Briquet Griffon Vendeen) there are still occasionally long-legged pups in Grand Basset litters.

In the UK today the Grand Basset is gaining popularity as a pet and show dog, in France they are still used for their original purpose, hunting wild boar, deer, rabbit and hare through rough terrain and harsh undergrowth.

Exercise Needs

An hour or two of exercise per day, ideally much more, the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is still a working hound designed to cover a lot of rough ground and heavy undergrowth. Make sure to spend time playing scent-based games to keep the hound mind (and nose) active and fulfilled. A variety of walking routes with interesting scents will keep your hound happy.

Space Requirements

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen does not demand a huge or lavish home, however a secure garden is vital, as these robust hounds are bred to force their way through heavy undergrowth, and they will find a way out to follow a scent if they possibly can. Better suited to the rural suburbs or truly countryside home, as they require long rural walks and safe, secure places for off lead play and running.

Nutrition and Feeding

Large breed dogs, as well as having large appetites, benefit from a different balance of nutrients including minerals and vitamins compared to smaller-breed dogs.

Grooming Basset Griffon Vendeens

The harsh, rough coat requires no special trimming however, some hounds (particularly larger males) will collect drool and food particles in the beard and down the chest. Pay attention to keeping the face, chest, elbows and hocks mat free every few days, and a good brush through once a week will take care of the rest.

Whilst the Grand Basset should not need bathing regularly, those who are particularly drooly or drop a lot of their drinking water down their chest and legs may need bathing more often. Check ears and paw pads daily for mats and debris, particularly grass seeds that can work their way up between the pads and through the skin causing deep seated infection.

Training Basset Griffon Vendeens

Using positive reinforcement and motivating the GBGV with food and the opportunity to follow scents or find hidden scented items, they will work all day long for you, with a happy and willing attitude.

Training a recall is vital, as they will easily follow a scent trail for miles, oblivious to the fact you are no longer behind them. Even with a well-trained recall, off lead exercise needs to be in safe secure areas as the joy of following a scent will mean that even the best recall training can easily be forgotten!

The Grand Basset should never be trained with a heavy hand or aversive methods. They are a tough, independent thinker, bred to take on game such as wild boar. Attempts to use punishment-based methods will result in an unhappy hound, and they will not tolerate intimidation or bullying tactics.

Suitability for Family Life

Better suited to families who are either home most of the time or can take their dog with them, the Grand Basset does not like to be left out of things or left alone. As they can be rather hefty, and also quite bouncy, they may be better suited to homes with older children who are resistant to being flattened or knocked over!

While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children, all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.

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Did You Know?

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen was developed for hunting wild boar, but also for hunting hare, on foot rather than from horseback. These low-slung hounds could follow a hare (who tend to run in large circles) until the hare gave up and tried to hide by squatting in the undergrowth. Persistence and scenting ability were therefore much more important than speed so despite the reputation hares have for being extremely fast, the GBGV was in fact ideal for this job.