Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen

Grand Anglo-Français TricoloreGrand Bleu de Gascogne

Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen – General Description

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is a long-backed, short legged hunting breed of dog of the hound type, originating in the Vendée region of France. They are still used today to hunt boar, deer, and to track rabbit and hare, but are more commonly kept as a domestic pet.

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Classification and Standards

• FCI Group 6, Section 1, #33
• AKC FSS The AKC Foundation Stock Service is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration.
• KC (UK) Hound
• UKC Scenthound Group

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Character & Temperament

They are pack dogs, so owners should either spend a lot of time with them or get a second dog or cat. They have a happy and confident personality, which can sometimes manifest itself as disobedience, but they are great companions.

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History

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is derived, like all bassets, from hounds of superior size, in this case the Grand Griffon. The first selections were made at the end of the 19th century by the Comte d’Elva who was looking for subjects with « straight legs ». But it was Paul Dezamy who was especially responsible for fixing the type. He understood that in order to catch a hare, dogs of a certain size were needed. He fixed that size at about 43 cm. Today used primarily when hunting with a gun, it is capable of hunting all furry game, from the rabbit to wild boar. A team of Grand Bassets won the 5th edition of the European Cup for hare.

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Size & Appearance

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is slightly elongated overall, it has straight forelegs, the structure of a basset, and must not resemble a small Briquet. It is balanced and elegant.

Height at withers : Males – 15-3/4 to 17 inches (40 to 44 cm); Females – 15 to 16-3/4 inches (39 to 43 cm).

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Health & Maintenance

The UK Kennel Club conducted a health survey of Basset Griffon Vendéens (Petit and Grand varieties combined) in 2004.[1] This is apparently the only completed health survey (as of July 16, 2007)[2] that might include Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, but it is unclear what proportion of dogs in the survey were a Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen instead of the more common Petit.

Mortality

Average longevity of 76 deceased Basset Griffon Vendéens (varieties combined) in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey was 12.1 years (maximum 17.3 years).[1] Leading causes of death were cancer (33%), old age (24%), and cardiac (7%).

Compared to surveyed longevities of other breeds of similar size, Basset Griffon Vendéens have a typical or somewhat higher than average life expectancy.[3]

Morbidity

Among 289 live Basset Griffon Vendéens (varieties combined) in the 2004 UKC survey, the most common health issues noted by owners were reproductive, dermatologic (dermatitis and mites), and aural (otitis externa, excessive ear wax, and ear mites).[1]

References

1. http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/570 Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee. 2004. Purebred Dog Health Survey.
2. http://users.pullman.com/lostriver/breeddata.htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Breed Data page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy.
3. http://users.pullman.com/lostriver/weight_and_lifespan.htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Weight and Longevity page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy.

Photo Credits

1. Sannse at en.wikipedia [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons

This article is licensed (except where noted) under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
It uses material from the Wikipedia article Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen

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Breed Standard

Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen

FCI-Standard N° 33 / 14. 02. 2001 / GB

TRANSLATION : John Miller and Raymond Triquet.

ORIGIN : France.

DATE OF PUBLICATION OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD : 09.01.1999.

UTILIZATION :

It is the perfect assistant for the hunter with a gun in territories of moderate size. Fastest of all the scenthound bassets, tenacious, courageous, and a little stubborn. It must, from an early age, be accustomed to obeying; its training implies will and punishment, for which he will bear no grudge.

F.C.I. CLASSIFICATION :

• Group 6 Scenthounds and related breeds.
• Section 1.3 Small-sized Hounds.

With working trial.

BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY :

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen is derived, like all bassets, from hounds of superior size, in this case the Grand Griffon. The first selections were made at the end of the 19th century by the Comte d’Elva who was looking for subjects with « straight legs ». But it was Paul Dezamy who was especially responsible for fixing the type. He understood that in order to catch a hare, dogs of a certain size were needed. He fixed that size at about 43 cm. Today used primarily when hunting with a gun, it is capable of hunting all furry game, from the rabbit to wild boar. A team of Grand Bassets won the 5th edition of the European Cup for hare.

GENERAL APPEARANCE :

Slightly elongated overall, it has straight forelegs, the structure of a basset, and must not resemble a small Briquet. It is balanced and elegant.

BEHAVIOR / TEMPERAMENT :

Behavior : Fast, well voiced, a passionate hunter; courageous, loves bramble and scrub.
Temperament : A little stubborn but nevertheless well behaved. It is up to the master to take command.

HEAD

CRANIAL REGION :

Skull : Without heaviness, convex, elongated and not too wide, well chiselled below the eyes. Occipital bone well developed.
Stop : Frontal indentation well defined.

FACIAL REGION :

Nose : Prominent. Nostrils well open. Black and developed, except for white and orange coats where a brown nose is tolerated.
Muzzle : Square at its extremity, noticeably longer than the skull, very slightly convex.
Lips : Quite pendulous, covering well the lower jaw and giving the front of the muzzle a square profile. They are well covered with mustaches.
Jaws/Teeth : Jaws strongly developed, scissor bite.
Eyes : Of oval shape, large, dark, not showing white; friendly and intelligent expression. The conjunctiva must not be apparent.
Leathers : Supple, narrow and fine, covered with long hair and ending in an elongated oval, well turned inwards. Low set, below the eye. They must be able to reach beyond the end of the nose.

NECK :

Long, robust and well muscled. Strong at set-on. Without dewlap.

BODY :

Really that of a basset but avoiding an exaggerated length.
Back : Long, broad and really straight, never saddle-backed, and starting to arch its junction with the loin; withers very slightly protruding.
Loin : Solid, well muscled, slightly arched.
Chest : Quite broad and well let down to elbow level.
Ribs : Rounded, never flat nor cylindrical. Thorax slightly less broad at elbow level to facilitate the movement.
Flank : Rather full, belly never tucked up.

TAIL :

Thick at the base, tapering progressively, set quite high, carried saber fashion or slightly curved but never on the back or bent at the tip. Rather long.

LIMBS

Overall view : Bone structure developed but lean. It should be understood that bone quality is not a question of volume but of density.

FOREQUARTERS :

They must be straight with a thick forearm and a very slightly defined but very solid carpal joint (wrist).

Shoulder : Long, clean and oblique.
Elbow: Should be neither too close to body nor loose.
Forearm : Thick, wrists (carpus) should never touch.

HINDQUARTERS :

Overall view : Solid and well directed in the axis of the body.
Hip (Iliac crest) : Apparent.
Thigh : Strongly muscled but not too rounded, bone structure and articulations very solid.
Hock : Wide and angulated, must never be straight. Seen from the rear, it should not appear turned outwards or inwards.

FEET :

Strong and tight with hard pads and solid nails; good pigmentation of pads and nails is desirable.

GAIT / MOVEMENT :

The dog in action must give an impression of resistance and ease; the movement must be free and harmonious.

SKIN :

Quite thick, often marbled in the tricolored subjects. No dewlap.

COAT

HAIR :

Hard, not too long and flat, never silky or woolly. The fringes should not be too abundant; the belly and inside of the thighs must not be bare; eyebrows well pronounced but not covering the eye.

COLOR :

Black with white spotting (white and black). Black with tan markings (black and tan). Black with light tan markings. Fawn with white spotting (white and orange). Fawn with black mantle and white spotting (tricolor). Fawn with black overlay. Pale fawn with black overlay and white spotting. Pale fawn with black overlay. Traditional names : hare color, wolf color, badger color or wild boar color.

SIZE :

Height at withers : Males from 40 to 44 cm.
Females from 39 to 43 cm.
With a tolerance of 1cm more or less.

FAULTS :

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and its effect upon the health and welfare of the dog.

Head :

• Too short.
• Flat skull.
• Short muzzle.
• Depigmentation of the nose, lips or eyelids.
• Pincer bite.
• Light eye.
• Leathers set high, short, insufficiently turned in or lacking hair.

Body :

• Too long or too short.
• Lacking harmony.
• Topline insufficiently firm.
• Slanting rump.

Tail :

• Deviated stern.

Limbs :

• Insufficient bone structure.
• Angulation too straight.
• Hocks too close.
• Slack in pasterns.

Coat :

• Insufficiently dense, fine hair.

Behavior :

• Timid subject.

ELIMINATING FAULTS :

• Aggresive or overly shy.
• Lack of type.
• Prognathism (overshot or undershot mouth).
• Wall eye. Eyes of different colours (Heterochromia).
• Lack of room in the sternal region; ribs narrow towards the lower part.
• Kinky tail.
• Crooked or half-crooked forelegs.
• Woolly coat.
• Self-colored coat black or white.
• Important depigmentation.
• Size outside the standard.
• Noticeable invalidating fault.
• Anatomical malformation.

Any dog clearly showing physical or behavioral abnormalities shall be disqualified.

N.B. : Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

© Fédération Cynologique Internationale