THE GRAND BASSET GRIFFON VENDÉEN
JEAN & FRAN FINNEGAN JEFFERY PEPPER 1. Please tell us about your background with the GBGV. J&FF: My sister and I got our first PBGV in 2001. In 2006, I went to the French Griffon Nationals, where I met my first GBGV. I became friends with Gwen Huikeshoven of the V. Tum-Tum Kennel. She sent me our first GBGV, Venue Bien V. Tum-Tums Vriendjes in 2006 followed by Saxo Du Barbillot Des Maladieres in 2007. We had our first litter in 2007. CoolSpring’s Pavarotti was the first GBGV in the US to earn a CD. JP: I have known GBGVs since about 1989, when I saw my first while attending Houndshow in Great Britain. I have had extensive contact with the breed both in Great Brit- ain and Europe as well as, to a much more limited degree, in this country. I have know one of the top BGV breeders in England and one in Holland quite well for more than 25 years and have not only discussed the breed at length with them, I have had the opportunity to go over large numbers of the breed at their homes. I have also attended the French Griffon Vendéen Club Championship Show in France on two separate occasions in the past. I have judged the breed at FCI shows since 1995 and have given CC awards at two FCI Champion Shows in Denmark over the years, as well as a club Open Show in Holland. I also judged the first American National Specialty in Orlando, Florida. 2. Besides size, what are the differences between the Grand and the Petit? J&FF: PBGVs are like a circus of flying monkeys—always busy, very inquisitive, “damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead”. GBGVs are much calmer, “the Prozac of dog- dom”—more hesitant, careful, reticent and questioning of anything new. JP: This is a subject that cannot be covered in a paragraph. There are numerous similarities between the two breeds, but there are also numerous differences that are
extremely important to know in order to properly dif- ferentiate between the two breeds when breeding and/or judging them. These differences go far beyond the more obvious size difference between the two breeds, though the top of the PBGV standard is 15" and the bottom of the standard for GBGV bitches is 15 ½ "—not an easily discerned visual difference. The heads on the two breeds should have significant dif- ferences, the Petit’s muzzle should be shorter from stop to nose compared to the distance from stop to occiput while the Grand’s muzzle should be about equal in length and the breed often has a “roman nose”. Petit ears are shorter than those of the Grand. The Petit’s should just reach the end of the nose (on the shorter muzzle) while the Grand’s should extend to the end or beyond. The skull on the two breeds is different as well, with the Petit’s being somewhat flat on top an oval shaped while “PBGVS ARE LIKE A CIRCUS OF FLYING MONKEYS— ALWAYS BUSY, VERY INQUISITIVE, ‘DAMN THE TORPEDOES, FULL SPEED AHEAD’. GBGVS ARE MUCH CALMER, ‘THE PROZAC OF DOGDOM’.”
286 • S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2018
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