The French scenthound known as the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen. GBGVs are busy dogs who don’t get easily tired, yet they are moderately energetic and never easily stressed. Let’s talk about the name first. Grand-Bah-SAY Gree-FOHN VON-day-uhn is how it is pronounced and roughly translates to “Large, low, shaggy dog of the Vendee.” Now, let’s take a look at the dog: He is a sweet-faced, long-eared fellow with a shaggy coat whose mustache, beard, and profuse eyebrows suggest the look of a worldly but amiable Frenchman. The burly, solidly built bruiser that lurks behind the Grand’s Old World allure is deceptively swift and light-footed. These larger-than-life hunters’ bravery and tenacity are the stuff of Gallic legend.
Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen
independent / outgoing / happy
Hound Group >>
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
15.5 -18 inches
Weight
40-45 pounds
Life Expectancy
13-15 years
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Photos
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Video
Breed Traits & Characteristics
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Family Life
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Physical
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Social
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Personality
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All Traits
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
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Health
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Grooming
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Exercise
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Training
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Nutrition
Health
There can be certain health problems, like with any breed. Although some Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens may experience severe health issues in their lifetimes, the majority of these canines are healthy. Those who want to buy a Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen can learn everything they need to know about the breed's particular health issues by working with a responsible breeder. To lessen the possibility of sickness in their puppies, good breeders genetically screen their breeding material.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen requires 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
The Grand's quiet, docile demeanor makes them excellent companions and house dogs. Be prepared to give your new GBGV lots of exercise. 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.
Training
Nutrition
You are going to want to feed your Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen a 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 Grand is 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.
History
The Grand Griffon Vendéen, Briquet Griffon Vendéen, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, and Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen are the four griffon-coated French hounds that have evolved over the past 400 years.
French hounds evolved into the breeds they are now, in general, by adapting to the unique requirements of the regions in which they lived. A tough breed of dog with mental and physical stamina and a coat that could withstand brambles was necessary for the dense, thorny, and rocky area of the Vendeé. A slower hound was also necessary for lower-class hunters who did not own horses because it made it easier for them to keep up. They decided to shorten the dog’s legs, and through breeding and development, a low-set dog was produced. By the end of the 19th century, the French basset breeds had evolved to include the Basset Griffon Vendéen, which combines hardiness and a shorter leg.
The Club du Griffon Vendéen, which was established in 1907, recognized two variations of the Basset Griffon Vendéen, the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen, and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen, after more work in obtaining the precise size and proportions needed to hunt various animals.
Although interbreeding between the Grand and Petit was not prohibited until 1977, the Grand had already been divided into its own standard and was thought of as a distinct breed by the 1950s.