Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Guide
Hound Dog Breeds
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A correctly proportioned PBGV is about 50 percent longer than it is tall, enabling it to push its way through dense thickets. It has strong bone and is surprisingly nimble. The gait is free, giving the appearance of a dog that is capable of a full day in the field. The tousled appearance results in part from its rough coat, with long facial furnishings. This, in combination with its thick, shorter undercoat, gives the PBGV ample protection against brambles and the elements. Its expression - alert and friendly - reflects its nature.
Despite its appearance, the PBGV is not a basset hound in a wire coat, but in many ways is more terrier-like in temperament. It is a merry, inquisitive, tough, busy dog, always on the lookout for excitement and fun. It loves to sniff, explore, trail and dig ? a true hunter at heart. Amiable and playful, it is good with children, other dogs and pets, and it is friendly toward strangers. The PBGV is stubborn and independent. It tends to dig and bark.AKC RANKING 121
FAMILY scenthound
AREA OF ORIGIN France
DATE OF ORIGIN 1700s
ORIGINAL FUNCTION Trailing hare
TODAY'S FUNCTION Companion
AVERAGE SIZE OF MALE Height: 13-15 Weight: 25-35
AVERAGE SIZE OF FEMALE Height: 13-15 Weight: 25-35
OTHER NAME little griffon Vendeen basset
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Energy level High energy
Exercise needs Medium
Playfullness Very playful
Affection level Very affectionate
Friendliness toward other dogs Very friendly
Friendliness toward other pets Friendly
Friendliness toward strangers Very friendly
Ease of training Easy to train
Watchdog ability High
Protection ability Not very protective
Grooming needs Low maintenance
Cold tolerance Medium tolerance
Heat tolerance Medium tolerance
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The PBGV is not content to lie around. Its exercise requirements can be easily fulfilled, however, by a good walk on leash or a vigorous romp in the yard. It can sleep outdoors in temperate climates, given adequate shelter, but it is happiest when dividing its time between house and yard. The coat needs weekly brushing and occasional tidying of straggling hairs.• Major concerns: none
• Minor concerns: otitis externa, CHD
• Occasionally seen: meningitis, patellar luxation, epilepsy
• Suggested tests: (hip)
• Life span: 11 - 14 years
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The PBGV, as it is affectionately known, is a comparative newcomer to the AKC world, but it is an ancient breed with roots in 16th-century Europe. The long French name provides an accurate description of the breed: petit (small) , basset (low), griffon (rough-coated), Vendien (for its area of origin in France). Vendie, on the west coast of France, is filled with thick brambles, underbrush and rocky terrain. Hunting in such terrain demanded a dog that had a coat that could withstand thorns and brambles, and short legs that could enable it to wind its way through the underbrush in pursuit of rabbits, but that was nimble enough to run over rocks and logs without tiring. Thus, the PBGV is more than a wire-coated basset hound, and more than a dwarf grand basset griffon Vendien (a breed that resembles a slightly taller PBGV), even though it is closely related to both. In England in the mid-1800s, the PBGV was shown with the basset hound as a wire-coated variety, but the PBGV is a longer-legged, more nimble hound. In France, it was considered to be one breed with two sizes until the 1950s. The two sizes were still interbred until the 1970s. The AKC recognized the PBGV in 1990, and since then it has attracted many new admirers because of its merry disposition and tousled carefree appearance. Despite its appearance, the PBGV is not a basset hound in a wire coat, but in many ways is more terrier-like in temperament. It is a merry, inquisitive, tough, busy dog, always on the lookout for excitement and fun. It loves to sniff, explore, trail and dig - a true hunter at heart. Amiable and playful, it is good with children, other dogs and pets, and it is friendly toward strangers. The PBGV is stubborn and independent. It tends to dig and bark. The PBGV is not content to lie around. Its exercise requirements can be easily fulfilled, however, by a good walk on leash or a vigorous romp in the yard. It can sleep outdoors in temperate climates, given adequate shelter, but it is happiest
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