Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen
A shaggy French hound built low, bred loud, and happiest on a scent.
Vital stats
| Size | Medium · 39–44 cm |
| Weight | 18–20 kg |
| Life expectancy | 13–15 years |
| Energy | Moderate-high — 60+ min/day |
| Shedding | Low-moderate |
| Coat | Rough, tousled coat · white with lemon, orange, grizzle |
| Group | Hound · FCI №33 / AKC |
| Origin | Vendée, France |
| FCI group | 6 — Scent hounds and related breeds · FCI 33 |
Breed traits
Friendliness
Care
Mind
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen by the numbers
The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen facts owners search for most — price, lifespan, weight, shedding and colours, in one place.
Less common, so expect a waitlist and some travel to a reputable breeder — which pushes the price up. Plan for steady ongoing costs — mid-range food, routine vet care and insurance.
We don't quote a single figure: the real price swings with breeder, region, bloodline and health testing — and a rescue costs a fraction of a breeder's litter. Adopting is almost always the cheapest route.
Temperament
Centuries of pack-hunting hare and boar through the brambly Vendée bred a hound that is tough, tuneful and profoundly sociable — a GBGV genuinely likes everyone, dogs included. It also bred independence: this hound was designed to follow a scent for hours without asking permission, and at home it sees no reason to start now.
Habits & quirks
Nose-first navigation
Every walk is conducted at ground level, one glorious scent trail at a time — schedules are your problem.
The pack singalong
This is a vocal hound with a proper baying voice, deployed for arrivals, squirrels and general commentary.
Tousled by design
That casually rumpled look is the breed standard — a groomed GBGV should still look happily windswept.
More dog, please
Bred to live in packs, a GBGV is happiest with canine company and greets other dogs like long-lost colleagues.
Health
There's no long list of breed-specific problems here — the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen is a hardy hound, and the health job is mostly prevention. Keep him lean: he's built long and low, and spare weight is a burden his back doesn't need. Check and clean those long, low-slung ears regularly, since anything that hangs down and drags through undergrowth traps damp and debris. And buy from a breeder who health-tests and will talk honestly about their lines.
Nutrition
| Exercise | An hour or more of daily exercise, ideally with sanctioned sniffing time — scent walks tire this hound better than sprints. |
| Containment | A determined scent-follower and capable digger: fences must be high, deep and honestly maintained. |
| Training | Cheerfully stubborn — use food, keep sessions short, and treat off-lead recall as a lifelong project rather than an achievement. |
| Grooming | Brush the rough coat weekly to prevent matting, and check and clean those long, low-slung ears regularly. |
Feed to the dog in front of you and keep him lean — on a long-backed hound, every extra kilo tells. Weigh the meals rather than guessing, and count the training treats in the day's total, because a food-motivated GBGV will happily con you into a second dinner. Ribs you can feel under that rough coat is the target.
Puppy guide
A GBGV puppy is merry, sociable and already ruled by its nose, so spend the first year on the things that get harder later. Socialize him widely — this is a pack breed that should like everyone, dogs included — and start recall now, knowing it's a lifelong project rather than a quick win. Keep him lean while he grows, teach that the world is full of smells he doesn't have to chase, and make the garden fence high and deep before he learns to dig.
Training
Cheerfully stubborn is the honest description: a Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen wants to please you right up until a scent says otherwise, and then the nose wins. Work with food, keep sessions short and a bit of a game, and treat off-lead recall as something you maintain for life, not a box you tick. None of it is defiance — he was bred for centuries to follow a trail without asking, and he's simply good at his job.
Life expectancy
Grand Basset Griffon Vendéens live 13–15 years. This is a robust, long-lived hound, and you keep him at the top of that range the ordinary way: lean weight to spare the long back, ears kept clean, plenty of daily sniffing to tire body and mind, and parents from a breeder who tests. Nothing exotic — just steady care over a lot of happy years.
Similar breeds
Breeds with a similar build and background — worth a look if this one isn't quite the fit.
Breeds that look like this
Common questions
Is a Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen a good family dog?
Delightful — merry, affectionate and typically excellent with children and other dogs. Just pair that sociability with realistic expectations about noise, stubbornness and garden security.
How is the Grand different from the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen?
The Grand is the larger, longer original, bred for bigger game and longer hunts; the Petit was developed from it for smaller quarry. Beyond size, the Grand tends to be a touch calmer and even more independent.
Do GBGVs bark a lot?
They're proper vocal hounds with a loud, melodious bay they use freely. Training can reduce commentary but won't remove it — close-packed housing with sound-sensitive neighbours is a poor match.
Does the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen shed a lot?
Moderately. The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen sheds a fair amount, steadily through the year with heavier seasonal patches. A weekly brush keeps most of the loose hair off your floors and clothes.
Is the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen hypoallergenic?
Not really. No dog is truly hypoallergenic, and the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen's shedding coat releases plenty of the dander that sets off allergies. If someone at home is allergic, this isn't the easiest breed to live with — spend time around one first.
Is the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen easy to train?
Reasonably. The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is trainable with consistency and rewards, though it isn't the quickest study. Keep sessions short and positive, and be patient with the basics like recall.