The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (PBGV) is a small French scent hound bred to follow rabbits and other small game through the rocky, thorny underbrush of the Vendée. Adults stand 13–15 inches at the withers. The breed is cheerful and people-oriented, but also independent, persistent and notably vocal—more an energetic hunting companion than a quiet lapdog.
What is a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen?
PBGVs are rough-coated scent hounds from France. Their name describes a small, low-set griffon from the Vendée region, where dense brush, brambles and uneven ground shaped the breed’s working abilities. The PBGVCA traces the ancestry of these hounds to the sixteenth century. They were developed to hunt primarily by scent, often working with other hounds to pursue rabbit and similar small game.
The breed’s history still matters in a home. A PBGV may be affectionate, playful and eager to join family activities, while following an interesting scent, making its own decisions or announcing something loudly. The American Kennel Club describes the breed as a scent hound that enjoys company, and notes that PBGVs can participate in activities such as agility, obedience, search-and-rescue and therapy work. Those possibilities do not make every individual suitable for every activity.
American Kennel Club breed information and the PBGV Club of America’s breed overview provide additional background.
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Size and physical characteristics
| Characteristic | What the sources establish |
|---|---|
| Height | 13–15 inches at the withers, according to the AKC breed standard. |
| Build and purpose | A small, sturdy hound built to keep moving through difficult terrain while tracking by scent. |
| Coat | Rough, harsh to the touch, long without exaggeration, with a thick, shorter undercoat. |
| Expression and outline | The standard calls for a naturally tousled, rustic appearance rather than a sculpted show-dog finish. |
Height is the clearest general size measure in the standard; it does not provide a single appropriate adult weight for owners to use as a target. Body condition should be assessed with a veterinarian rather than by a number alone.
The standard currently displayed by the PBGVCA is identified as approved April 22, 2014: AKC PBGV Breed Standard. AKC board materials in 2026 included proposed revisions, so buyers and exhibitors should confirm the current approved wording with the club or AKC.
Temperament: friendly, independent and vocal
The breed standard describes the PBGV as “Confident, happy, extroverted, independent yet willing to please, never timid nor aggressive.” That is a description of breed type, not a guarantee about an individual dog. Early socialization, breeding, health, learning history and the home environment all influence behavior.
Because PBGVs were bred to work in packs, many enjoy human and canine company. AKC says they can do well with children and other dogs. Supervision and careful introductions remain necessary, especially with young children, unfamiliar dogs and any dog that is still learning appropriate play.
Do PBGVs bark a lot?
Expect a dog that may use its voice freely. The standard says the breed has a “good voice freely and purposefully used,” an inherited trait for communicating while hunting. The parent club’s website displays a barking rating of 100, but the page does not explain the scale or method. It should therefore be read as a club rating, not as a scientific percentage or a prediction that every PBGV will bark constantly.
Before choosing one, consider neighbors, shared walls, visitors and your ability to teach quiet behavior without suppressing normal communication. A dog that is bored, frustrated or repeatedly rewarded for alarm barking may become harder to manage.
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Are Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens good family dogs?
They can be excellent family companions for households that appreciate a sociable, playful hound and are prepared for scent-driven independence and vocal behavior. They are not automatically easy family dogs simply because they are small or friendly.
- Potential strengths: outgoing social style, affection for family, playfulness and compatibility with many dog-centered households.
- Important challenges: following scents, persistence, a freely used voice and a mind of their own.
- Best match: owners who will provide companionship, safe outlets for exploration and consistent, reward-based training.
- Use caution: homes wanting a reliably quiet dog, an off-leash dog that ignores wildlife or a passive lapdog may be disappointed.
Debbie Perrott, identified by AKC as a former president of the PBGV Club of America, warned that people may mistake the breed for a lapdog and then discover that it is “strong and independent, with a mind of their own.”
Training and daily life
PBGVs are willing to please, but scent-hound independence can compete with an owner’s instructions. Training usually works best when sessions are consistent, engaging and reinforced with rewards the individual dog values. Practice around gradually increasing distractions, and manage access to wildlife and escape routes rather than relying on recall alone.
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The parent club’s displayed trainability rating is 60, while its ratings for compatibility with young children and other dogs are each 100. The club page gives no methodology for these figures, so they are best treated as informal website ratings, not measured probabilities.
Safe management is particularly important outdoors: a scent can draw a determined hound away from its handler. Secure fencing, identification and supervision are practical safeguards. The sources do not establish a universal exercise schedule; activity should be matched to the individual dog’s age, health, conditioning and behavior.
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The PBGV’s coat is functional protection for rough country. The standard calls it rough and unrefined, with a naturally tousled outline, and says that “The rough, unrefined outline and tousled appearance of this rustic hunting hound is essential.” It should be clean and neatened as necessary while retaining that casual appearance.
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The standard specifically says that clipping, scissoring, sculpting or shaping the coat conflicts with breed type. It does not prescribe a brushing frequency, bathing interval or particular comb. Owners can choose ordinary coat-care tools, such as a suitable dog grooming comb, based on the dog’s coat and advice from a groomer; no specific tool is an official requirement. Check the coat and skin regularly for mats, burrs, thorns and debris after outdoor activity, and have a groomer or veterinarian address problems you cannot safely remove.
Health and questions for breeders
The PBGVCA breeder page links to health information, health-testing resources, a pedigree-health database and a process for submitting POAG results: PBGVCA For Breeders. Those links establish where the club directs breeders and owners, but the information reviewed here does not establish disease prevalence or a universal testing schedule.
When speaking with a breeder, ask which examinations or tests were completed for the sire and dam, request the associated documentation, and ask how results affect breeding decisions. Discuss preventive care and any concerns about a particular puppy or adult with a veterinarian. No verified numerical life-expectancy figure is established by the sources cited here.
PBGV or Grand Basset Griffon Vendéen?
The two Vendéen breeds are related, but the distinction is not simply “small versus large.” AKC notes differences in height, head, ears, tail, coat, personality and temperament. Compare the breeds by the adult size that fits your home, coat texture and maintenance preferences, tolerance for scent-hound independence and voice, and the kind of training and companionship you want. Neither breed is categorically better for every family.
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The PBGVCA media center lists Understanding the Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen: Rustic French Hound by Kitty Steidel (first edition, 1987); current availability is not confirmed. See the club’s Media Center and the AKC history article for background on the breed’s work and development.
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