The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne (''English: Fawn Brittany Griffon'') is a breed of

dog The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...

of the

scenthound Franz Rudolf Frisching in the uniform of an officer of the Bernese Huntsmen Corps with his Berner Laufhund, painted by Jean Preudhomme in 1785 Scent hounds (or scenthounds) are a Dog type, type of hound that primarily hunts by scent rather than ...

type, originating in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

in the region of

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

Appearance

The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is a medium-sized dog, 48 to 56 cm (19-22 ins, same for males and females) at the

withers The withers is the ridge between the shoulder blades of an animal, typically a quadruped. In many species, it is the tallest point of the body. In horses and dogs, it is the standard place to measure the animal's height. In contrast, cattle a ...

, with a distinctive rough (shaggy) pale coat, long drop ears, and a long tail carried up and in a slight curve. The body is short backed. The breed should appear bony and muscular. Colour of the coat can be any shade of fawn from golden to red.Breed Standard, English

History

Grand Fauve de Bretagnes were used in packs for hunting

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

and wild

boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

, and Francois I was known to keep a pack. With the elimination of wolves in the 19th century, they nearly became extinct and examples were crossed with Briquet Griffon Vendéens to create the smaller Griffon Fauve de Bretagne. In 1949, Marcel Pambrun founded the ''Club de Fauve de Bretagne'' to save the remains of the breed that had been kept alive by a few farmers and hunters.Club de Fauve de Bretagne, History (in French)
/ref> Since the 1980s, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne and the derived breed, the

Basset Fauve de Bretagne The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a short-legged hunting breed of dog of the scent hound type, originally from Brittany, a historical duchy of France. Description Appearance The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a smallish hound, built along the same li ...

, have been successfully restored in numbers and are popular hunting dogs. The breed is a good

hunting dog A hunting dog is a canine that hunts with or for hunters. There are several different types of hunting dog developed for various tasks and purposes. The major categories of hunting dog include hounds, terriers, dachshunds, cur type dogs, and g ...

, still used in France to hunt boar, but is also a good family dog. Examples of the Griffon Fauve have been exported to other countries, where they are promoted as a

rare breed In modern agriculture, a rare breed is a breed of poultry or livestock that has a very small breeding population, usually from a few hundred to a few thousand. Because of their small numbers, rare breeds may have a threatened conservation statu ...

for those seeking a unique pet.

Health and temperament

No unusual health problems or claims of extraordinary health have been documented for this breed. The breed's ideal temperament is described in the

breed standard In animal husbandry or animal fancy, a breed standard is a description of the characteristics of a hypothetical or ideal example of a breed. The description may include physical or morphological detail, genetic criteria, or criteria of athletic ...

as being wily and tenacious as a hunter on all terrains, but sociable and affectionate with people. Temperament of individual dogs may vary.

References

External links

Search The Open Directory Project (DMOZ) links for clubs and information about the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
Dog breeds originating in France FCI breeds {{Hounds Rare dog breeds Scent hounds

Appearance

History

Health and temperament

See also

References

External links