Basset Fauve de Bretagne

Basset Fauve de Bretagne

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The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a breed of dog in the scent hound family. Bassets Fauve de Bretagne are short legged dogs, 32 to 38cm (+2 cm) in height. They have coarse, dense fur which may require stripping. The hair on the ears is shorter, finer and darker than that on the coat. The ears just reach the end of the nose rather than trailing on the ground and should be pleated. They should have dark eyes and nose and ideally no crook on the front legs. The French standard says these are the shortest backed of all the basset breeds so they generally do not appear as exaggerated as the British Basset.

Appearance: Bassets Fauves de Bretagne are short legged dogs, 32 to 38cm in height. They have coarse, dense fur.

History: The breed was developed in France as a hunting dog from the larger Grand Fauve de Bretagne, a breed that is now extinct. The Basset Fauve de Bretagne was also close to extinction after the second world war, but the breed was recreated using the remaining examples of the breed and crossing in Petite Bassets Griffons Vendeen and standard wirehaired Dachshunds.

The Basset Fauvre de Bretagne is the smaller of the two hounds that come from the Brittany area of France in the 1800′s. They were achieved by crossing the larger version, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne, and low-legged hounds from the Vendee area and were originally used for small-game hunting. The earlier versions of the breed probably looked more like terriers than what we know today. In addition to their homeland, BFB’s are now popular in Britain and are now recognised by the Kennel Club.

Intelligence: Intelligent dogs who are hounds through and through. They must be trained to recall as puppies or they will turn a ‘deaf ear’ on you and come back when it suits them!

Show Characteristics: The head should be of medium length with a well-defined occiput. The eyes should be dark hazel and the ears set on level with the eyes ending in a point and covered with finer, darker and softer hair than that on the body. The jaws should be strong with a complete scissor bite. The neck should be rather short and muscular adjoining slightly sloping shoulders. 

The chest should be wide and deep with a level topline. The forelegs can be straight or slightly crooked and strongly boned; the hindlegs being strong. The feet should be tight with firm, hard pads and the tail set on high and carried like a sickle when moving. The preferred colours for the show ring are red/wheaten or fawn. Some white may occur on the chest or neck, however this is undesirable.

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