Basset Fauve de Bretagne

Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Basset Fauve de Bretagne
Other namesFawn Brittany Basset
OriginFrance
Traits
Height 32–38 cm (13–15 in)
Coat very rough, fairly short
Colour fawn
Life span 11-14 years
Kennel club standards
Société Centrale Canine standard
Fédération Cynologique Internationale standard
Dog (domestic dog)

The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a short-legged hunting breed of dog of the scent hound type, originally from Brittany, a historical duchy of France.

Description[edit]

Appearance[edit]

The Basset Fauve de Bretagne is a smallish hound, built along the same lines as the Basset Hound, but lighter all through and longer in the leg. Wire-coated, the coat is very harsh to the touch, dense, red-wheaten or fawn, sometimes with white markings on the chest.[1] They measure 32 – 38 cm in height and weigh between 36 - 40 lbs but due to the historically controversial practice of registering mixed litters of Griffon and Basset Fauves, sometimes a litter of bassets will produce dogs with long legs. They have coarse, dense fur which may require stripping. Although their coat repels dirt and does not mat easily, they still require weekly combing and brushing.[2] The hair on the ears is shorter, finer and darker than that on the coat.[1] The ears just reach the end of the nose rather than trailing on the ground and should be pleated. They should have dark eyes and nose and ideally no crook on the front legs. The French standard says these are the shortest backed of all the basset breeds so they generally do not appear as exaggerated as the British Basset.

Health[edit]

Mortality[edit]

Based on a small sample size of 15 deceased dogs, Basset Fauve de Bretagnes in the 2004 UK Kennel Club survey had a median longevity of 10.4 years (maximum 13.9 years).[3] Most common causes of death were road traffic accidents, cancer, heart failure, and kidney failure.[3] The high incidence of road traffic accidents may be perhaps blamed on this dog's love of the scent. Basset Fauves can be trained very well in a controlled environment, but training is rapidly forgotten once a fresh rabbit trail is found.[4]

Morbidity[edit]

Among 84 live dogs in the 2004 UKC survey, the most common health issues noted by owners were reproductive, aural (otitis media and otitis externa), and ocular (corneal ulcers and cataracts).[3] A study of Swedish insurance data found that the top five causes of vet visits for the breed were being hit by a car or other vehicle, urolithiasis, prostate hypetrophy/plasia/cyst, bites by a snake or insect, and swallowing an inappropriate object.[5]

A 2006 study found a relatively low inbreeding coefficient, at 3.9%, the second-lowest of the nine French breeds in the study.[6]

History[edit]

The breed was developed in France as a hunting dog from the larger Grand Fauve de Bretagne, a breed that is now extinct. There was a rumour that the Basset Fauve de Bretagne was also close to extinction after the Second World War, and the breed was recreated using the remaining examples of the breed and crossing in standard wirehaired Dachshunds. However, the French club denies this, and says that Basset Fauve numbers were never so low. In 2002, there were 1060 new registrations of the Basset Fauve in France.[7]

The breed in the UK is mainly seen as a show dog and family pet, finally coming off the Kennel Club's rare breed register in 2007. In the UK, under 140 dogs are registered a year.[5] It can also be found in other parts of Europe where it is used to scent trail and also as a family pet.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "BASSET FAUVE DE BRETAGNE". www.fci.be. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
  2. ^ "Basset Fauve de Bretagne Dog Breed Information". American Kennel Club. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
  3. ^ a b c http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/570 Archived 2013-08-13 at the Wayback Machine Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee. 2004. Purebred Dog Health Survey. Retrieved July 5, 2007
  4. ^ "Interesting Facts About Basset Hounds". 30 September 2019. Retrieved 2021-05-21.
  5. ^ a b "Breed Health and Conservation Plan: Basset Fauve de Bretagne" (PDF). The Kennel Club: Dog Health. July 2020.
  6. ^ Leroy, G.; Rognon, X.; Varlet, A.; Joffrin, C.; Verrier, E. (11 January 2006). "Genetic variability in French dog breeds assessed by pedigree data". Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. 123 (1): 1–9. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0388.2006.00565.x. ISSN 0931-2668.
  7. ^ Roberts, Evan L. (2012-10-23). Basset Fauve De Bretagne. Fox Chapel Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62187-061-6.