Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

About the breed

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (PBGV) is a low, slightly elongated scent hound from France, 34–38 cm at the withers under the FCI standard, with a harsh, tousled coat, eyebrows and a beard. It was bred to follow game by scent through thorny scrub, so in the family it is usually cheerful and sociable, yet it remains an independent hunter with an outstanding nose.

The FCI standard sums up its use as a "devil in the country, angel in the house": a passionate hunter that must be taught obedience from an early age. That duality explains most questions about living with one, because at home it is pleasant company, while outdoors a single scent can carry it off.

A pack from the Vendée: history and purpose

The PBGV comes from the Vendée in western France. The PBGV Club of America (PBGVCA) traces its origin to the sixteenth century and the larger Griffon Vendéen, and says all four Vendéen hounds were bred to hunt in packs: the dogs follow the scent and the hunters follow the dogs. The Petit was used for hare, rabbit and occasionally roe deer. The FCI calls it a "specialist for rabbit", from which no other game escapes.

For a long time it shared a standard with the Grand Basset, differing only in height, but such dogs were semi-crooked and as heavy as the Grand, so Abel Dezamy wrote a separate standard. According to the PBGVCA the two were interbred until the 1950s, and the separate standard has been consistently enforced since 1975.

Size: 34–38 cm, weight from club sources

The FCI standard gives a height at the withers of 34–38 cm with a tolerance of 1 cm either way; it gives no weight. The American Kennel Club lists 13–15 inches and 25–40 pounds, roughly 11–18 kg, and the United Kennel Club standard says a male of 15 inches will weigh no more than approximately 45 pounds (about 20 kg). "Roughly 11–18 kg" is therefore the honest figure, and individual dogs may fall outside it.

The body is "slightly elongated" in the FCI text, and the British standard gives a body length to height at the withers ratio of approximately 7:5. The tail is set high and carried like a sabre, and the ears are narrow, fine, turned inwards and do not quite reach the end of the muzzle.

The harsh coat and its colours

The FCI describes the coat as "harsh but not too long, never silky or woolly", and a woolly coat is a disqualifying fault. The British standard adds a thick undercoat and demands a natural look: for the show ring the coat may only be tidied, while trimming and stylising are penalised. Eyebrows, moustache and beard give the breed its tousled expression.

The FCI allows black and white, black and tan (also with light tan markings), fawn (white and orange), tricolour, and paler fawn variants with black overlay; the traditional names are hare, wolf, badger and wild boar colour. A self-coloured black or white coat is a disqualifying fault.

Temperament: independent, yet willing to please

The FCI gives the temperament as "docile but wilful and passionate", the British standard as "happy, extrovert, independent, yet willing to please". The PBGVCA describes a pack animal that needs people's attention, and rejects the claim that it is hard to train: the dog is so smart that it often has its own agenda, which is not always the owner's. A bored or lonely dog, the club says, will make its own entertainment, which can include destruction.

Nose and recall

The PBGVCA advises against letting this breed off the lead: the hunting instinct is too strong, and one small scent is enough for the dog to be gone. Among the qualities a hunting hound needs, the club also lists "some degree of independence". Plan for a long line on walks, free running only in secure ground, and a recall built with high-value rewards and only gradually proofed in harder settings. A reliable recall in the woods is hard to guarantee in a scent hound, so do not rely on one.

Voice and flat living

The breed has a voice and uses it: the British standard speaks of "a good voice purposefully used", the UKC standard says it is "used freely". The PBGVCA writes that dogs rarely bark for no reason, usually at a doorbell or noise in the street. A flat is possible, the club says, if the owner exercises consistently: a toilet break is not enough, and several walks of half a mile (about 800 m) or longer a day are needed. In a block of flats it is wise to train quietness early and check how the dog copes with being alone.

Children, other pets and the family: conditional

The AKC writes that the breed, bred to work in a pack, does well with other dogs and kids. The PBGVCA adds that PBGVs generally love all people, but, as with any dog, a young child should never be left unsupervised with it, especially when the child has food or toys, and that they ordinarily get along with other family pets. The hunting purpose still calls for caution around rabbits, rodents and birds, so introduce any shared living gradually and under supervision.

Exercise, fencing and nose work

The Royal Kennel Club in Britain lists up to one hour of exercise a day; because the breed was made for long hunting days, time to sniff helps too. According to the PBGVCA the fence should ideally be 4–6 ft high (about 1.2–1.8 m), since some dogs are escape artists and diggers, and the club advises against invisible fencing because a dog that sees a rabbit or squirrel will often ignore the shock. The club also runs its own hunt programme, which gives the instinct an outlet; for those who do not hunt, tracking exercises are an alternative.

Training: early and reward-based

The FCI stresses that the dog must get used to obeying from an early age. The PBGVCA describes it as bright and eager to please, and lists obedience, rally, tracking, scent work and agility as areas where it competes successfully. Short, rewarded exercises that use the nose are therefore a reasonable choice; anyone expecting blind obedience will probably be disappointed. The club also mentions a crate as a safe corner that prevents destruction.

Coat care

The PBGVCA recommends weekly brushing with a pin brush, a comb and, if needed, a mat breaker, and bathing as needed. The Royal Kennel Club puts grooming in the "more than once a week" category and notes that the breed sheds. Nails need regular clipping, excess hair and wax should be kept out of the ear canals, teeth cleaned, and the coat between the pads checked. The British standard stresses that the coat must remain rough and natural.

Health and lifespan

Breed clubs single out primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) as an inherited problem. A 2015 scientific paper describes it as an autosomal recessive disease linked to an inversion that disrupts the ADAMTS17 gene; according to the authors, the first recognised case in the breed was identified in the United Kingdom in 1996. The Royal Kennel Club says it is normally seen between the ages of 3 and 6, though a later onset is possible. The disease is quiet, so owners often notice only an enlarged eye or reduced vision.

A DNA test exists: the Royal Kennel Club strongly recommends that breeders use the POAG-5 test and eye testing under the BVA/KC/ISDS scheme, while the PBGVCA lists a DNA test, CAER eye certification and hip evaluation. A negative test does not rule out other forms of glaucoma, so the club recommends an examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist for dogs aged two and over. Ears deserve regular checks, since in a 2004 British survey ear problems were among the more often reported groups. The Royal Kennel Club places the breed in Breed Watch category 1, meaning judges get no breed-specific points of concern, and there are no additional breed-specific breeding restrictions.

Lifespan: the PBGVCA describes the breed as very healthy, but sources are not uniform on numbers. The AKC gives 14–16 years, the PBGVCA an average of 12–14 years, and the Royal Kennel Club "over 10 years". The 2004 KC/BSAVA survey (overall response 24%, 44.1% for this breed, i.e. 135 returned forms; the report lists the breed only as "Basset Griffon Vendeen", 76 deaths) gave a median age at death of 12 years and 1 month. An owner survey is not a registry, so treat the figures as a frame.

Petit, Grand, Basset Hound or Beagle

Under the FCI all four are small-sized hounds, but they differ in size, coat and purpose. The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen (FCI no. 33) is larger: dogs 40–44 cm, bitches 39–43 cm; the FCI calls it the fastest of the scenthound bassets, hunting all furry game from rabbit to wild boar, while the Petit has a much shorter muzzle under its standard. The Basset Hound (no. 163) stands 33–38 cm but has a smooth, short coat, and a long or feathered coat is highly undesirable in it. The Beagle (no. 161) has a desirable height of 33–40 cm and a short, dense, weatherproof coat.

What to ask a breeder

The PBGVCA says both parents should have had eye examinations and evaluations of the thyroid, heart, hips, elbows and patellas. Also ask for the parents' POAG DNA result (clear, carrier or affected): if both parents are tested and clear, the club says a litter of that kind does not need testing. Request a veterinary ophthalmologist's eye-examination report as well. Ask how the puppies were socialised, what the contract says and what happens if the dog must be returned. You can find breeders in the site directory.

Common beliefs and what the sources say

• "The Petit is a shrunken Grand" – the FCI says it is not a reduction in height but a small basset harmoniously reduced in all proportions.
• "It is hard to train" – the PBGVCA says this is not true; the problem is a bright dog with its own agenda.
• "Small dog, little exercise" – according to the PBGVCA it needs several longer walks a day.
• "A negative test means no glaucoma" – the PBGVCA points to other risk factors.

Who it suits and who it suits less

It suits active owners with a fenced space, patience for reward-based recall, time for regular coat care and tolerance of a voice. It suits less those who would leave it alone most of the day, families with small animals running free, and anyone who wants a dog that will reliably walk off the lead. As a first dog it is possible if the owner accepts the hunting character and seeks support from a breeder or a training school.

Pros & cons