Briquet Griffon Vendeen Dogs

Breed: Scenthound, Gundog

Height: 19-24 inches

Weight: 35-53 pounds

Coat Type: Dense and wiry

The Briquet Griffon Vendeen is a breed whose very appearance exudes power and strength. Also known as Medium Vendeen Griffon, this dog represents a hunting breed that originated in France. It is a harmonious, level-headed, angular and well-muscled dog. The dog has a very receptive and sensitive temperament. The Briquet Griffon Vendeen is a happy hound, which is almost always willing to please and is rarely aggressive. The dog gives a lively, alert and friendly expression. It is considered to be a working breed with a lot of patience and is very secure. Read through the following lines to know more about Briquet Griffon Vendeen dog breed.

 

Briquet Griffon Vendeen is believed to have originated in the 16^th century. It is one of the four rough-coated dogs from the west coast of France, in the La Vendee region. The other three Griffon Vendeens include Grand Griffon Vendeen, Basset Griffon Vendeen and Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen (also known as “PeeBeeGeeVee”, or PBGV). All these Griffon breeds are speculated to have descended from the Vendeen hounds of Gris de St. Louis. They are said to be bred from the white Southern Hound and other Italian coarse-haired dogs. Several such dogs were gifted to King Louis XII.

 

During the time of King Louis XII, Briquet Griffon Vendeen was used for hunting hare and other small games. But, the dog became almost extinct during the French Revolution. At the turn of 20^th century i.e. in 1907, a club was formed to restore the breed all over again. The population Briquet Griffon Vendeen again started reducing during the World War II. However, it appeared again in 1946, in the Fontenay le Comte, Vendee. Today, the breed is still very rare and unknown in most parts of France and other countries. However, it is quite popular in the Vendee region of France.

 

Briquet Griffon Vendeen is a medium-sized dog with a well-proportioned stocky body. It has a slightly domed skull with a straight, short and not too broad muzzle. The dog has a black nose, while the white and orange-coated ones have brown noses. It has dark large eyes, while the face is covered with longish hair forming a moustache and eyebrows. The supple and narrow ears are covered with long hair and are set below the level of eyes. The short tail is seen sticking out always. Briquet Griffon Vendeen has a wiry, dense coat. While the thick undercoat helps in protecting the dog from very cold temperatures, the outer coat is long, bushy and harsh on touching. The coat can be seen in solid or mixed colors, such as fawn, light brown, white and orange, white and grey, black and white, black and tan, and tri-colored (white, black and fawn).

 

Briquet Griffon Vendeen is an alert, active, decisive, intense and enthusiastic dog. Intelligent and energetic, it does not hesitate to show and receive affection. It is a well-mannered dog, but tends to get spoiled if showered with too much attention by the family members. The dog is jovial and very playful and gets along well with children, although young ones should not be left with the dog too often. Though Briquet Griffon Vendeen is smart breed, training it can be a challenge. This dog is seldom aggressive and hence, does not make a suitable guard dog. Since it is a hunting dog, it requires room to exercise and explore. This dog does best with an active owner, in a rural or suburban environment.

 

Briquet Griffon Vendeen is generally a healthy and hardy dog. But the breed is likely to suffer from distichiasis, patellar luxation, collie eye anomaly, epilepsy, deafness, hypothyroidism, and food and skin allergies.

 

Briquet Griffon Vendeen is a light shedding dog and requires very little maintenance. The dense coat should be brushed once a week, to remove burrs and clinging dirt. Brushing the coat prevents the formation of tangles, distributes the natural oils of the coat and makes the coat shiny. The dog should be bathed only if it has been outdoors for quite sometime. Too frequent bathing tends to remove the waterproofing of the coat. The ears should be cleaned and nails trimmed on a regular basis.