Great Basset Griffon From The Vendee
The great basset griffon of the Vendee is a breed of dog native to France, specializing in hunting rabbits and other larger animals. They are very famous in the south of France, where hunting with a rifle is practiced regularly.
The Great Basset Griffon of the Vendee
This species emerged from crossing with two other races to create a smaller version of the previous ones and thus serve more specific purposes. The breed from which he drew the most characteristics is the “gran basset”.
It is a powerful medium-sized dog, a little stubborn, but very faithful to its master. It is the ideal companion for a hunter with a shotgun, capable of tracking and taking down even large prey such as the wild boar.
Appeared in the mid-19th century, when the Count of Elva sought to develop a breed with straighter legs and obtained the result that resembles our current dogs. That was until Paul Dezamy, in his hobby of hunting hares, perfected the size of the breed, which gave it its current appearance.
Some of this breed do very well as a team. That’s why in the fifth edition of the “European Champions Cup”, a large group of bassets was the winner in the hare hunt.
Physical aspects
This breed is a little bigger compared to other puppies, although what it lacks in size is compensated in energy and ability. It has very dense limbs and a very powerful nose, which makes any animal, even with dense skin, within reach.
Head
- The skull stands out a little on the body and, in addition, it has great features.
- The muzzle is longer than the skull, which gives the head a square shape. The upper lips cover almost the entire lower jaw. They have really big mustaches.
- The nose is remarkable, with good pigmentation.
- The eyes are medium in size and oval, and never white; thus, the look expresses intelligence and curiosity.
- The ears are inserted behind the head. They are large, flexible and thin, covered with long hair.
Body
- It has the typical body of a basset.
- They have a very broad and prominent chest.
- The body is a little elongated and the ribs are a little round. Its back is straight and ends in an arch.
- The tail is set on high and starts thick at the beginning and ends up a little thinner. They usually carry it high, like a sword.
- The ends are short but dense.
Temperament
The big basset is a very cautious animal and is always watching and sniffing the ground, where it will take the next step. In addition, it is a very loyal animal to its owner, who warns you when there is something strange around; however, and in return, he can become too stubborn to obey orders.
As a pet, it is an animal that offers excellent company, has a very friendly and fun personality and gets along well with children. They need good physical activity to drain their energy, otherwise they will start manifesting it with very negative behaviors like disobedience and barking.
In this sense, his favorite environment is the countryside, because there he can run freely and chase almost anything, although he also adapts to urban life if he is raised that way as a puppy. The best thing is to have several dogs living with him, as he loves being in a group.
The best way to train him is to offer him a series of exercises to maintain his physical condition and thus calm him down during the day. As a dog adapted to hunting, you should socialize him from an early age and, likewise, you should teach him obedience from a puppy, to avoid future problems.
health and disease
The great basset griffon of the Vendee is a dog that does not present many health complications. Some more serious aspects are in your spine, which can deviate with age ; in the skin, which may present dermatitis, and in the ears, with the progressive loss of hearing.
Also, the big basset doesn’t need too extreme care. If you have a specimen roaming freely in the field, we recommend that you check its body daily for external parasites that may have penetrated its fur.
Its coat is a bit long, so you should brush it two to three times a week to remove dead hair; in addition, you should bathe him every two weeks to keep him radiant and in good condition. And as with any other dog, we recommend a monthly visit to the vet to check its health.
