THE GUIDE TO GRIFFONS — PART TWO

THE GRAND BASSET GRIFFON VENDEEN 

Next in our Guide to Griffons is the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen — or simply GBGV. Long-bodied, shaggy, expressive and full of character, the GBGV is a French scent hound originally bred to hunt across the rough countryside of the Vendée region of France.

The word “Grand” can be slightly misleading. They aren’t huge dogs. They’re simply the larger of the two Basset Griffon Vendéens, standing taller and with longer legs than their smaller cousin, the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen.

And those legs matter. Breeders bred the GBGV to cover ground. These are proper working hounds with stamina, determination and an extraordinary nose. Once that nose switches on, the rest of the world can temporarily cease to exist.

They are typically cheerful, sociable dogs with that wonderfully scruffy Griffon appearance — rough coats, long ears, eyebrows, beards and faces capable of looking both deeply serious and completely ridiculous within seconds.

They’re affectionate and often very people-oriented, but they’re not necessarily dogs who live to obey you. Like so many scent hounds, they were bred to think independently and make decisions while working away from their handler.

That independence can sometimes be mistaken for stubbornness. They usually know perfectly well what you’re asking. They’re simply considering whether your suggestion is more interesting than the smell they’ve just discovered. And this is one of the most important things to understand about living with a GBGV.

Recall can be challenging. A secure garden is essential, and many owners choose to keep their dogs on a lead or long line in unenclosed areas. A scent hound following a trail can travel surprisingly far, surprisingly quickly.

They also tend to enjoy canine company. Historically, they worked in packs, and many thrive living alongside another compatible dog.

But behind the beautiful shaggy faces is also the history we see far too often in rescue. Hounds are still bred and used for hunting across parts of Europe, and when they are no longer useful, some find themselves abandoned, surrendered or sitting bewildered in pounds. We see Griffons and Griffon crosses arrive frightened, underweight or simply having never experienced life as somebody’s much-loved family dog. And then we watch them discover sofas and beds. Walks that end with them coming home again. A hand reaching towards them to stroke rather than hurt. And that transformation is one of the reasons we love these dogs so much.

A GBGV won’t necessarily be the easiest dog you ever own. But if you love hounds-  the humour, the independence, the enormous personalities and that nose permanently attached to the ground they can be absolutely wonderful companions.