Dog Blog

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The petit basset griffon Vendeen (small, low, rough-coated Vendeen) is a friendly dog, but it is not very common in the United States. PBGVs are often mistaken as mutts because of their shaggy appearance and awkward bodies. But PBGVs have been around for a long time. They are scent hounds, originally bred in France for hunting rabbits during the 1700s, according to The Encyclopedia of Dog Breeds by D. Caroline Coile. Their coats are rough and able to tolerate thorns and brush while hunting. They are still used for hunting in France. In the United States where they are less common, they are primarily pets.

PBGVs are similar to the basset hound and at one point were even shown as a wire-coated version of the basset, according to Coile. However, PBGVs have longer legs and are more athletic than bassets. They weigh between 25 and 35 pounds and come in white mixed with any other color such as gray or gold. In 1990, the PBGV became recognized by the AKC. Today the breed makes a good pet because of its gentle, upbeat personality.

Advantages to owning a PBGV:

1. PBGVs are good with children, dogs and pets.

2. Their coats do not require much grooming. PBGVs shed, but not as much as most breeds.

3. PBGVs have no major health issues.

4. They are playful and friendly with strangers. They can be barkers, but they are gentle and want to make friends with everyone. Because of their personality and goofy appearance, they make great therapy dogs.

5. They don’t drool a lot, but water clings to their beards when they drink.

Disadvantages to owning a PBGV:

1. PBGVs like to dig.

2. They are smart dogs, but smart does not mean obedient. They aren’t the easiest to train, and you might find your PBGV getting distracted by a scent. A PBGV will follow her nose wherever it takes her!

3. PBGVs bark at approaching strangers or people they know. They don’t have a yappy bark, it’s a big-dog’s bark in a little body.

4. The breed is high energy and needs a long walk each day.

5. PBGVs coats are wiry, not soft and cuddly.

If you would like to write a profile of your favorite breed, send me an email at Lindsay@thatmutt.com. I’ll use pictures of your dog and link to your site. I’m happy to feature any breed, including mixed breeds! Click here to see all the breed profiles that have been done.

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(Top image from sighclub.com, bottom image from pbgvhighwire.com)

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 10th, 2008 at 5:30 am and is filed under PBGV, PBGV dog, Petit basset griffon Vendeen, basset hound, breed profile, hound, scent hound. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.