The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is one of many old French breeds. They are a scent hound (hunting and trailing by scent, rather then sight), hunting primarily small game such as rabbit.

The origin of the breed goes back to the 16th Century and to the Petits larger ancestors.  There are four varieties of the Griffon Vendeen hounds - the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, Briquet, and the Grand Griffon. The breed name is very descriptive:  Petit - small, Basset - low, Griffon - wire or rough coated, and Vendeen - the region when the breed originates.

The correct pronunciation of the breed is Puh-tee Bas-say Gree-fohn Von-day-uhn.  Because of the lengthy name of the breed, they have many nicknames. The most common would be Petits or simply their initials, P.B.G.V.

Until the early 1950's both the Petit and the Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen were described in the same standard.  And in fact both varieties were interbred until 1977 when the French club banned it.  Paul Dezamy, the first president of the Club du Basset Griffon Vendeen (1907) was a foremost breed expert and devised the first standard for the BGV.

The same standard recognized the two types, one standing approximately 13-15 inches at the shoulders and the other 15-17 inches, with the main difference being one had a crook in the front leg and the other didn't. It was not until the 1950's that the Societe de Venerie, in their newly published book of standards, gave the P.B.G.V. an official standard of its own.

It was Paul Dezamy's son-in-law who wrote the first standard devoted solely to the PBGV (1951). But the result of long term interbreeding between the two sizes caused many problems.  Characteristics of both the Petit and the Grand Basset still appear in litters and probably will for a long time to come. This is why "Petit" breeders put so much emphasis on size today. Height however is not the only difference between the PBGV and the GBGV. The differences can be easily seen in the head size, length of ear and tail, coat and if you get to know the two breeds, their personality and temperament are also quite different.