Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen History

The Griffon Vendéen hounds have gone through over 400 years of evolution to produce the griffon coated French hounds of today: the Grand Griffon Vendéen, Briquet Griffon Vendéen, Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen.

Rough-coated hounds were introduced into the Celts' Gaul (modern day France) by the Romans. Julius Caesar conquered the Celtic Gaul in 1st century B.C. Under Roman rule, the Gauls kept hunting packs for sport, developing the French passion for hunting. In France, hunting developed into a grand scale becoming the renowned "Sport of Kings". Charles IX (1550-1574) wrote in his 1570 book, "La Chasse Royale," that all hounds descended from four "Royal Races." The Chien Fauve de Bretagne, Chien de St. Hubert, Chien Gris de St. Lois and Chien Blanc du Roi. The Aristocracy helped to develop the French hounds by crossing their own hounds with the "Royal Races," establishing hunting dogs of distinct breeds such as: d'Artois (Artesiéns), de Bretagne (Bretons), de Gascogne (Gascons), de Normandie (Normands), de Poitou, de Saintonge (Saintongeois) and de Vendee (Vendéens). As these breeds evolved, geographical isolation, climate, local conditions and desired use dictated differing type, size and even color. Hounds, such as the St. Huberts, could carry genes of the low-set type, and throwbacks to the shorter leg resulted. Thus three types of each breed emerged. The Chiens d' Ordre standing 23 inches (58.5 cm) or more was used for stag, boar and wolf hunting, The Chiens Briquets, standing between 15-23 inches (38-58.5cm) was used singly or as a couple to hunt smaller game such as hare and roe deer. The Chiens Basset, standing under 15 inches (38 cm), was used for hunting hare, rabbit and occasionally fox. Deer and boar hunting had long been the preserve of kings and nobles, who could afford the ride on horseback following swift, large hounds. Smaller game required a slower hound, so the poorer huntsman could follow on foot, and the best way to restrict speed was to shorten length of leg. The shortest-legged hounds at the time were interbred and, gradually, a useful and practical low-to-the-ground hound evolved. The low set hound became know as the "basset" from the Latin, meaning 'low.' Du Fouilloux was apparently the first to specifically use the term in the book, "La Vénerie". Fouilloux recognized two types of basset, the crooked front and the straight front. In general, the crooked-legged bassets were short-coated and went to ground better. The Straight-legged hunted above ground as well as worked terrier-like. These were mostly rough-coated, the early Basset Griffons.

Thus we see how a French hound breed could either be full size, briquet or basset, for example Grand Griffon Vendéen, Briquet Griffon Vendéen and the Basset Griffon Vendéen. The Basset Griffon Vendéen could be further subdivided into the Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen.