Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen

She is among the warmest and most affectionate of dogs.

She loves to play and is not nearly so serious as she looks.

This dog is generally level-headed, although her hunting instincts can rock the boat.

She is every bit as intelligent as she looks, but can also be a bit stubborn.

She was bred to hunt rabbits and retains that instinct still.

She can be most enthusiastic towards unfamiliar company.

One of the few challenges of the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is that she can get a little lost in her own plans and ideas, as is the case with many a hunting dog.

She really isn’t too keen on being left alone, so should be acclimatized to solitude from a young age, if necessary.

She’s intelligent and driven, and wants to please her master. However, like so many promising students she can grow stubborn if she finds herself bored by repetitive exercises or meaningless routines.

As long as her needs are met, she doesn’t really bark excessively, or without good reason.

She has a talent for concocting elegant escape plans, and can smell adventure a mile off, so an owner’s home must be a veritable fortress if the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen is to be restrained.

This breed has a curious sense of humour and she will gladly set about deconstructing her surroundings if bored or left alone.

Let it be said that many a Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen has expressed a healthy appetite. She needs to be monitored to avoid putting on too much weight.

She will greet any new arrivals, but rarely take matters into her own paws if the guest turns out to be a villain.

Her ideal environment is the countryside, but she adapts quite nicely to apartment life as long as she is given plenty of exercise.

This dog has high exercise needs (at least two hours of serious walking/running per day, plus constitutional strolls) and if she doesn’t meet those needs she can become unhappy and destructive or redouble her efforts to escape.

Although on public transport she is a tad heavy to carry (at 20kg), this dog is generally quite straightforward in transportation terms. She will try to make friends with everyone – including those with reservations against dogs.

Cats and other small furry creatures would do well to steer clear of this hunter unless the bearded pup grew up alongside them.

She loves canine company and it is actually a kind idea to keep a second dog alongside the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, if possible. If not, she should be well socialised with plenty of dog time during puppyhood in order for her to behave appropriately during full doghood.

This delicious mop of a dog adores children and loves to play with them.

She can make a fine companion for an older person, though her boisterousness and high exercise needs should be taken into account.

The Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen can make a splendid choice for a first dog as she is friendly, loving, and open-minded towards a range of human types. However, be aware that training her can be challenging and involves full human commitment.