SHOWSIGHT WELCOMES THE GBGV! The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen was bred as a rabbit and hare hunter in France. The GBGV has a great deal of stamina and speed and is joining the Hound Group. The GBGV is a laidback, intelligent, friendly pack hound that gets along well with other dogs. These dogs are courageous and passionate workers with a high activity level. They need daily vigorous exercise. The GBGV’s coat is rough and straight, and looks tousled and natural. It does need weekly brushing to prevent it from matting. The GBGV became eligible to compete in the Hound Group on January 1, 2018. —AKC
Official Standard for the GRAND BASSET GRIFFON VENDÉEN COURTESY THE AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB
General Appearance: The Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen is a well-balanced, strongly built, rough-coated scent hound of friend- ly and noble character. He is of medium size with straight legs, deep chest. He is longer than he is tall with a moderately long muzzle, long ears and a long tail. His neck is moderately long and strong, noble head with a mustache and beard, surmounted with protective long eyebrows. His structure was designed to hunt rab- bit and hare at a fast pace through the bramble, and over the rough terrain of the Vendee area of France. He is a courageous, passionate and broadly skilled hunter who today is used to hunt not only rabbit and hare but also boar and roe deer. He is active, possessing great stamina for a full days’ hunt and uses his voice freely while on the trail. Any feature that detracts from function is a serious fault. Size, Proportion, Substance: Height – typically 15½ to 18 inches. Proportion – longer than tall as measured from point of shoulder
the base, without excessive throatiness. Topline – from behind withers to rump is level with slight rise over well muscled loin. Body – well developed, sturdy and broad, with deep forechest and prominent sternum. Depth of chest reaches to elbows, ribs well sprung extending well back. Loin well muscled and of mod- erate length. Belly never tucked up. Tail – rather long, reaching to the hock. Set on high, thick at the base, tapering gradually, well furnished with hair, carried proudly like a saber or slightly curved but never kinked, curled too far over the back, gay or bent at the tip. Tail is never docked. Feet – large, oval and tight. Pads firm and solid. Nails strong and short. Forequarters: Shoulders clean and sloping. Well laid back. Length of shoulder blades approximately equal to length of upper arm. Withers very slightly prominent. Elbows close to the body, turning neither in nor out. Forelegs from front, straight and well- boned. In profile, set well under body. Dewclaws on forelegs and hind legs may be removed. Pasterns strong and slightly sloping.
to point of buttocks. Never square nor long and low. Substance – in balance with the whole; strongly built and well boned without exagger- ation. Firmly muscled, built for endurance and parts in harmony. Never clumsy. Head: Expression – noble with a proud head carriage. Eyes convey an intelligent, warm and friendly character. Eyes – large, dark and oval in shape, of the same color, showing no white; haw not visible. Rims fully pigmented. Ears – supple, narrow and fine, ending in an oval shape, draping and folding inwards. Leathers are covered with long hair and reaching at least to the end of the nose. Set on low, below the
Hindquarters: Well boned, strong and muscu- lar, with moderate bend of stifle and a well- defined second thigh. Hips wide. Hocks turning neither in nor out.
Coat: Harsh and straight with undercoat. Not too long, fringing not too abundant. Never silky or wooly. Hair from bridge of nose fans up between the eyes without obscuring the eyes; this protective hair along with shielding eye- brows is an indispensable characteristic of the breed. No blunt scissoring, maintaining a casual appearance. Hounds should be shown clean. Color: Tri-color: white with any other colors, Bi-color: white with any other color, or Black and Tan. Solid not allowed. Gait: Clean, balanced and efficient. Free and easy at all speeds. Front action straight and reaching well forward. Going away, the hind legs are parallel and have great drive. Convergence of the front and rear legs towards his center of gravity is proportional to the speed of his movement. Temperament: Pack hound, friendly, not easily agitated by oth- ers. Temperament is happy, outgoing, independent. A little stub- born, yet willing to please. Disqualifications: Solid color. Approved October 28, 2011 Effective January 1, 2014
line of the eye. Viewed from the side, ears should form a corkscrew shape when the dog is relaxed. Skull – domed, not heavy and not too wide; it is longer than it is wide. Occipital bone well developed. Muzzle – preferably slightly longer from tip of nose to stop than from stop to occiput. The bridge of the nose is slightly roman and in profile finishes square at its extremity. Lips well-pigmented, covered with long hair forming beard and mus- tache. Bite – is a scissors bite, with a level bite tolerated. Stop – clearly defined; well chiseled under the eyes. Nose – large, pro- truding with open nostrils. Solid black except in white/orange and hite/lemon coats where brown is accepted. Underjaw – strong and well-developed. Neck, Topline, Body: Neck – strong and far reaching, thicker at
172 • S how S ight M agazine , F ebruary 2018
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