Utilization:
Scenthound used by hunters, with or without guns,
for hunting large game, stag, roe-deer, wild boar, fox, generally in a
pack or individually as limer (dog held on a lead and used for picking up
a cold trail).Classification F.C.I.
Section 1.1: Large-sized hounds with working trial.
Brief Historical Summary: Initially only the Grand Vendeéen existed. It was a short-haired variety of the Vendéen descending from the Greffier* or from the so-called King's white hound*. Neither should we forget mentioning the Griffon fauve de Bretagne in its origins because the former enters for an important part into the bloodlines of the Greffier. The Chien Gris de St. Louis and the Griffon de Bresse, (descendant of Ségusian ancestors) brought as well their contribution to the creation of the Grand Griffon.
(*Early 16th century – Translator's note)
General Appearance: A very old breed, French in type, receptive and determined, distinguished in its shapes and gaits. Well proportioned construction, robust without heaviness.
BEHAVIOUR/TEMPERAMENT
Behaviour : Fine nose, has a beautiful voice; assiduous on the track, does not refuse thorny undergrowth, needs large territories.
Temperament : Docile, but wilful and passionate, needs to be kept well in hand.
HEAD
Cranial Region
Skull : Seen from the front, rather well domed, but not too wide between the leathers.
Stop : Slightly defined.
Facial Region
NECK:
Elegant, without dewlap.
TAIL :
Thick at the base, tapering
progressively, set high, carried as sabre tail, but never as a sickle;
rather long.
HINDQUARTERS: Hip bones solid.
Apparent.
Feet:
Not too strong, pads hard, the toes well arched and
tight, the nails solid. A good pigmentation of pads and nails is desirable.
GAIT/MOVEMENT: Supple, even, active. Skin:
Not too fine, supple. Often marbled in the tricolour
subjects. No dewlap.
Colour:
Black with white spotting (white and black). Black
with tan markings (black and tan). Black with light tan markings. Fawn with white
spotting (white and orange). Fawn with black mantle and white spotting
(tricolour). Fawn with black overlay. Pale fawn with black overlay and white
spotting. Pale fawn with black overlay. Traditional names: hare colour,
wolf colour, badger colour or wild boar colour.
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Nose:
Strong, black except for white and orange coats
where a brown nose is tolerated; nostrils well open.
Lips :
Pendulous flews, covering well the lower jaw and
giving the front of the muzzle a square profile; they are well covered
with moustaches.
Eyes:
Dark colour, large and bright, the eyebrows well
pronounced but not covering the eye. The conjunctiva must not be apparent.
Leathers:
Typical of a French scenthound, they are supple,
narrow and fine, covered with long hair and ending in an elongated oval,
well turned inwards; low set below the level of the eye,
they must be able to reach beyond the end of the nose.
Muzzle:
Of equal length of that of the skull, strong, straight or slightly convex.
Jaws/Teeth:
Scissor bite. Incisors set square to the jaw.
BODY
Back:
Solid, straight or rising very slightly.
Loin:
Well muscled.
Chest:
Not too wide, quite deep, reaching
elbow level.
Ribs :
Moderately rounded and long.
Flank :
Rather drawn up but well filled.
LIMBS
Forequarters: Powerful
Shoulder:
Long, lean and oblique.
Elbow:
Close to the body
Forearm:
Strong bone construction, straight.
Thigh:
Long and muscled.
Hock-joint:
Broad and well let down; seen from the rear,
neither cow-hocked nor bandy-legged; seen in profile, angle of hock moderate.
COAT
Hair:
Long without exaggeration, sometimes bushy and harsh
(coarse and hard); undercoat dense; the belly and the inside of the thighs
must not be bare; eyebrows well pronounced but not covering the eye.
SIZE
Height at the withers:
female : from 60 cm to 65 cm
male: from 62 cm to 68 cm
with a tolerance of 1 cm more or less.
FAULTS:
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the
seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact
proportion to its degree.
Head
• Too short
• Flat skull
• Muzzle short
• Depigmentation of the nose, lips or eyelids
• Pincer bite
• Light eye
• Leathers set high, short,
insufficiently turned in or lacking hair.
Body:
• Lacking volume
• Appearance too heavy
• Topline not firm enough
• Croup falling away.
Tail:
• Deviated.
Limbs:
• Insufficient bone
• Angulation too straight
• Hocks too close
• Slack in pasterns.
Hair:
• Insufficiently dense, fine hair.
Behavior: Timid subject.
ELIMINATING FAULTS
• Lack of type.
• Prognathism (overshot or undershot mouth).
• Wall eye. Eye of different colours (Heterochromia).
• Lack of space in the sternal region; ribs too narrow towards the
lower end.
• Kinky tail.
• Woolly coat.
• Self-coloured coat black or white.
• Important depigmentation.
• Size outside the standard.
• Noticeable invalidating defect. Anatomical malformation.
• Shyness or aggressiveness.
N.B.: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
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