Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen is a French scenthound. Somewhat active and never high-strung, yet GBGVs are busy dogs who don’t tire easily.
Daily Care
Grooming Tips
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéenrequires only a weekly brushing with a slicker brush and comb. Beyond regular weekly grooming, the occasional bath will keep him clean and looking his best. Grooming can be a wonderful bonding experience for you and your pet. Their strong fast-growing nails should be trimmed regularly with a nail clipper or grinder to avoid overgrowth, splitting and cracking. Their ears should be checked regularly to avoid a buildup of wax and debris which can result in an infection. Teeth should be brushed regularly.
Exercise Tips
The Grand’s quiet, docile demeanor makes them excellent companions and house dogs. Be prepared to give your new GBGV lots of exercises. They will not thrive as a couch potato. You must have a securely fenced-in area for exercise since these hunting dogs cannot resist the urge to chase. They are sturdy and do not slow down with age, so plan on keeping their exercise routine going into their teenage years.
Feeding Tips
You are going to want to feed your Grand Basset Griffon Vendéena formula that will cater to his unique digestive needs throughout the various phases of his life. Many dog food companies have breed-specific formulas for small, medium, large and extra-large breeds. The Grandis a medium-sized breed.
What you feed your dog is an individual choice, but working with your veterinarian and/or breeder will be the best way to determine the frequency of meals as a puppy and the best adult diet to increase his longevity. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times.
Health Tips
Like all breeds, there may be some health issues. Some dogs may be faced with these health challenges in their lives, but the majority of Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens are healthy dogs. Working with a responsible breeder, those wishing to own a Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen can gain the education they need to know about specific health concerns within the breed. Good breeders utilize genetic testing of their breeding stock to reduce the likelihood of disease in their puppies.
Trainability
As hounds, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens generally have a high prey drive and will follow their nose wherever it goes. Not only is a fence and/or leash necessary, but training a consistent recall from puppyhood is also required. Another characteristic of the GBGV is its free use of voice; no amount of training will stop this chatterbox. If you don’t enjoy your dog conversing with you, this breed may not be for you.
History
The Griffon Vendéen hounds have gone through over 400 years of evolution to produce the griffon-coated French hounds of today: the Grand Griffon Vendéen, Briquet Griffon Vendéen, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, and thePetit Basset Griffon Vendéen.
In general, French hounds developed into the breeds they are today by forming to fit the particular needs of their geographic areas. The dense, thorny, rocky region of the Vendeé required a hardy breed of dog with mental and physical stamina and a coat that resisted brambles. Also, hunters of the lower classes who did not own horses needed a slower hound so they were more easily able to keep up. Their solution was to shorten the legs of the dog and, through evolution and breeding, a low-set dog was created. By the end of the 19th century, theBasset Griffon Vendéen, combining both hardiness and a shortened leg, had evolved as a part of the basset breeds of France.
Further work in producing the exact size and proportions needed to hunt different game, the Club duGriffonVendéen that was founded in 1907 recognized two varieties of theBasset Griffon Vendéen, The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, and the PetitBasset Griffon Vendéen.
By the 1950s, the Grand was separated into its own standard and considered a separate breed, though interbreeding between the Grand and Petit was not banned until 1977.
