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Do you know where your BGV came from?
The Griffon Vendéen can be traced
back to 16th century France and is
now the only family of hounds that
exists in four distinct sizes - for more
details and picutres of this exciting
era in the evolution of the breed
Your BGV is a hound and many hound breeds in the world today originated in
France or, in turn, its close neighbour England, although the tradition of man as
hunter with his canine companion goes back to way before the days when
French nobility kept their packs of hound for sport.
Where BGVs came from .........
Over generations of breeding and
interbreeding - doubtless with
hounds from nearby Brittany - a
powerful rough-coated (Griffon)
hound emerged.
But, what about the poor peasants? They couldn't afford horses - no pagentry
and splendour of the hunt for them! Forced to run over fields, trying to keep up
with the hounds they remained undeterred. In time, with judicious breeding,
there emerged the shorter-legged hound, which could be followed on foot - the
wonderful Basset Griffon Vendéen for which the region became noted.
In France, several centuries ago, the
well-to-do rode on horseback following large
scenthounds. However, in one area where
these hounds flourished - the Vendée - the
rocky terrain presented a challenge. Dense,
often thorny, vegetation made pursuit on
horseback difficult. Also the hounds needed to
be hardy, with physical and mentail stamina.
Above all, their coats had to thick enough to
resist the brambles and thorns.
The History of BGVs
Thinking of having a Basset
Griffon Vendéen?
For answers to all those questions
you might have wanted to ask
about Petits or Grands
All hunting spaces, including the royal
forest, and all hunting rights were
abolished. Provision was made for the
king’s hunting but it was only after the
revolution that hunting became a right
for ordinary citizens.
The French Revolution of 1789
onwards abruptly ended hunting
At the height of venery, during the 17th
century, there were around 40 hound
breeds of varying sizes that had been
developed to hunt different types of game.
Titbits
Grande vénerie is a rather formal
affair - hunting of large game with a
pack of full-sized hounds.
Petite vénerie is less formal with
medium or small hounds - including
Basset Griffon Vendéen - used to hunt
smaller game.