The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is generally abbreviated to PBGV and in the short time he has been in the UK - only since 1969 - he has made a lot of friends.  One of the short-legged Basset breeds, he is a busy little dog with his nose firmly fixed to the ground in search of a scent.  Created in the Vendee region of Western France he is notably smaller than his cousin the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen.

In height he ranges from 34 - 38cm and weighs between 31 - 40lbs.  He is a solid little dog, but very well-balanced and sound and can keep going for as long as is required.  The coat is rough and harsh to the touch with a thick undercoat; the show PBGV should never be trimmed.  The coat needs a weekly brush through with a slicker brush and a comb around the beard to remove accumulated debris!  The base colour of the coat is white with any combination of lemon, orange, tricolour or grizzle markings.  His long eyebrows give him a comical expression and this is certainly part of his character; he is a happy, extrovert hound who fits in extremely well with a busy young family.

In the nicest possible sense he conveys the impression of being a bit of a scruff; quite lacking in vanity he has no problem scuffling through the autumn leaves and bringing a selection back into the house.  The PBGV has something of a tendency to be vocal, but as long as that is discouraged there is little to find fault with in this happy little dog.

Hounds are hunters, either by sight or scent, and their instincts remain, however long it is since their forefathers worked. So they are not naturally obedient and if your garden is not dog proof may well follow their nose out into the neighbourhood. There are some extremely handsome and glamorous hounds, but if instant obedience is important to you then they are not the perfect choice.

ALL ABOUT ME

I have been involved in this breed since 1984 showing, breeding and dealing with rescue. I have been a BGV Club Committee for many of those years although I only deal with rescue now. I really do love this breed to bits, they are real characters always happy and outgoing and nicknamed the 'happy breed'. They always make me smile. I own a number Champions but all my dogs are pets first and even the show dogs run free in the paddock all day, get wet and caked in mud. Well, I believe they must have a life too. I do enjoy showing my dogs but nowadays I much prefer the pet side of things. I have held Fun Days at my house since 2005 in aid of rescue and all have raised in a considerable amount of money for rescue. This to me was much more fun than any dog show. It was lovely to meet so many pet people hearing them comparing notes about their dogs.

 I breed for soundness, type and temperament. Puppies are sometimes available.

 I do have an open door so anyone wishing to visit will be very welcome.

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