THE PETIT BASSET GRIFFON VENDEEN

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen (pronounced puh-TEE bah--SAY gree-FON van-DAY-en) or PBGV or Petit for short, is one of many small varieties of French hounds. Its origins can be raced to the sixteenth century. The French name reveals much about it -: Petit - small; Basset - low to the ground; Griffon - wire coated; and Vendeen - the area of France where the breed originated.

PBGV are short legged, strong, active hounds capable of a day's hunting, with a good voice freely used. They have an alert outlook and lively bearing with a proud head carriage and a tail well furnished with hair and carried proudly like the blade of a sabre.

Originally bred to hunt rabbits, the PBGV is still used for this purpose in its native France but in recent years its popularity as a family companion has grown as more people throughout the world have come to know the breed.

PBGV have a happy, extroverted, independent nature yet are willing to please. They have a strong desire for human companionship and if they don't get it they will demand it. They are not suitable for homes where they will be left alone most of the day.

Although suited to life in the suburbs, PBGV are an active breed and require a great deal of exercise. PBGV has been bred for centuries to hunt game by scent, and for this reason they should only be let off-lead in a securely enclosed area. They can be very resourceful escape artists and can get into mischief when bored, so secure fencing is a must. Digging may be a problem. Watch for small holes and/or signs of interest along the fence line.

The easy-to-maintain thick, wiry coat is mostly white, with patches of black, orange or grizzle. PBGV have a rather unkempt casual look and a weekly brushing will remove dead hair.