Briquet Griffon Vendéen

Also called Medium Vendéen Griffon

Recognised breedFCI group 6Short profile

From France, from the Vendée in the west of the country.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Height, male50 to 55 cm1 2 3

Height, female48 to 53 cm1 2 3

Sizemedium

enthusiastic and cheerful

great stamina

sociable with other dogs

1 2 3

Coat and looks how to spot one

rough, double

A harsh, slightly shaggy outer coat over a thick undercoat, with bushy eyebrows and a moustache that give it a friendly scruffy face.1 3

Coloursblack and whitewhite and orangeblack and tantricolourfawn with black overlayfawn and white1 3

Personality what they are like

Lively, keen and full of stamina, with a strong mind of its own. It works happily in a pack, gets on well with other dogs and responds much better to encouragement and play than to strict orders.1 2 3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Bred to follow scent for long days in small packs, so it needs generous daily exercise and enjoys tracking games.1 3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

The rough coat benefits from a regular brush to keep the undercoat tidy and the beard clean.3

Company who they like around

A pack hound at heart that likes canine company and a busy household.2

The story where it all began

Before the First World War the Comte d'Elva bred the Grand Griffon Vendéen down into a handier, medium-sized hound. The wars nearly wiped it out, and good examples were found again in the Vendée in 1946, with judge Hubert Dezamy helping to restore it.1 2 3

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
'Briquet' is an old French word for a medium-sized hound, and this is the only breed that still carries it in that sense.3
2
It can follow both old, cold trails and fresh ones.1
3
Packs were traditionally used on roe deer and wild boar as well as fox and hare.3

Recognised by the official bits

FCI: Standard no. 19, Group 6 (Scenthounds and related breeds), Section 1.2 Medium-sized Hounds; standard dated 09.01.1999. Wikipedia gives 1954 for FCI recognition.1
UKC: Scenthound Group; recognised 1 January 1996.3

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Briquet Griffon Vendéen. 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
Hand strippingHand stripping keeps the harsh texture; clipping also worksevery 12 weeks
Nail trimSooner if you hear clicking on the floorevery month
Ear checkFloppy ears trap moisture, so check and dry themevery week
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
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 8every year

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Grand Griffon Vendéen

Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

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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. 19 Briquet Griffon Vendéen fci.beused for recognition, height, coat, colours, temperament, history
Briquet Griffon Vendéen (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.orgused for history, temperament
Briquet Griffon Vendeen, UKC ukcdogs.comused for recognition, coat, colours, history, facts

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.