The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is perhaps a little less known as his small brother, the Basset Fauve. They are very gentle with people, sociable, affectionate, friendly and patient with children and they have a very balanced character – all of which makes them very suitable as a family pet. Of course and like all other griffons, they are passionate hunters, and they need long walks on which they can sniff out their surroundings while on a long leash. Compared to the Vendée breeds, they are generally somewhat more obedient.

The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is one of the three ancient French scent hound breeds. The earliest mention in literature of a dog that fits the description of the Fauve goes back to the 14th Century. The Griffon Fauve is a polyvalent hunter: deer, foxes, hares, wild boar, and in earlier history they were used to hunt wolves. When wolves became extinct in Brittany, the Fauve breeds were no longer really needed. The XL version of the Fauve ceased to exist and our Fauve’s numbers declined dramatically. Only after WWII, in 1949, Marcel Pambrun decided to save the breed, started a breeding program and founded the ‘Club de Fauve de Bretagne‘.

Nowadays, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is still considered a rare breed outside of France. But in Galicia in Spain you can find quite a few in pounds and shelters, often cross-bred with other hunting dogs.

The height of the Brittany Fauve is 48 to 56 cm at the withers, which makes it a medium-sized dog. Their coat is shaggy and coarse and according to the breed standard it should not be silken and curly. In general, the hairs are not as long as with most other griffon breeds. The color is orange, and can vary from golden to red wheaten. Sometimes they show some white markings at the breast and in a few cases some blackish hairs may be seen around the ears. Like all griffons, they have a coat that needs to be stripped twice a year and they need a good brushing once or twice a week.

Griffon Fauve de Bretagne