At a glance the quick version
The FCI and UKC standards set no weight; Wikipedia gives 36-40 lb (about 16-18 kg).
Coat and looks how to spot one
rough, harsh wire coat
A dense, wiry coat of moderate length that should feel coarse, never soft, woolly or curly, with only light furnishings on the face.143
Personality what they are like
A lively, friendly little hound that is easy-going and affectionate with its family, then turns bold, clever and persistent once it picks up a scent in the field.145
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An energetic breed for its size: The Royal Kennel Club suggests more than two hours of exercise a day. Its hunting nose means secure areas are best for off-lead running.2
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
The harsh, fairly short coat needs a weekly brush, and it sheds. Keeping the coat's rough texture is part of the breed look, so it is not trimmed into a smooth finish.21
Company who they like around
Traditionally hunted in couples and small packs, so it is used to working alongside other dogs and enjoys company.2
The story where it all began
The breed comes from Brittany and descends from the larger, now vanished Griffon (Grand) Fauve de Bretagne. It was a popular local hunting dog through the 19th century and became known across France in the last decades of the 20th century as a top rabbit hound.143
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
'Fauve' refers to the fawn colour; the standard allows shades from golden wheaten to a brick red.1
- 2
The breed has won the French Cup for rabbit-hunting hounds on several occasions.1
- 3
In Brittany these hounds were traditionally worked in pairs ('couples') or small packs.2
- 4
A 2006 study cited by Wikipedia found it had the second-lowest inbreeding coefficient (3.9%) of nine French breeds studied.3
Recognised by the official bits
- FCI
- Standard no. 36, Group 6 (Scent hounds and related breeds), Section 1.3 Small-sized hounds; standard dated 05.05.2003, country of origin France.1
- The Royal Kennel Club
- Hound group. Wikipedia notes it left the UK rare breed register in 2007.2
- UKC
- Scenthound Group; recognised 1 January 1996.4
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Basset Fauve de Bretagne. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery week
- Bathevery 8 weeks
- Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery 3 weeks
- Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery day
- ExerciseDaily walks and playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 10every year
You might also like
Griffon Fauve de Bretagne
Petit Basset Griffon VendéenLike what we are building? Buy us a coffee.
The breed atlas is free for everyone, with a source on every fact, and it will never show ads. If it helped you, a small tip keeps the research going. Any amount is lovely, and no is a perfectly fine answer too.
Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FCI standard no. 36 Basset Fauve de Bretagne fci.beused for recognition, origin, size, coat, colours, temperament, history, facts
- The Royal Kennel Club: Basset Fauve de Bretagne royalkennelclub.comused for exercise, grooming, social, facts
- Wikipedia: Basset Fauve de Bretagne en.wikipedia.orgused for weight, history, facts
- UKC: Basset Fauve de Bretagne ukcdogs.comused for recognition, history, temperament
- AKC: Basset Fauve de Bretagne akc.orgused for temperament
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.