Basset Fauve de Bretagne puppies

About the Basset Fauve de Bretagne

The Basset Fauve de Bretagne comes from Brittany, where they were bred down from larger French hounds to hunt rabbit, hare and fox through cover too thick for a taller dog. They stand 32 to 39cm and weigh 10.4 to 17.7kg, with a harsh wiry fawn coat, a deep chest and a quick, driving gait that surprises people who expect short legs to mean slow. They are bold and busy outdoors, sociable at home, and rated highly for tolerance of children and other dogs, which still needs supervision and early socialisation to hold up.

Expect a high energy dog in a small frame. Walks stay on the lead and gardens need solid fencing, because a Fauve that catches a scent stops hearing you. The coat is easy, a weekly comb followed by a stiff brush, with hand stripping for the heavier coated dogs and seasonal rather than constant shedding. Training is where new owners come unstuck. This breed rates poorly for biddability, so short cheerful sessions with food beat repetition, and off lead freedom has to be earned in a safe space.

What to expect at eight weeks

At eight weeks a Basset Fauve de Bretagne puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A medium breed puppy at eight weeks is a manageable armful that will not stay that way. Most of the growth happens between now and six months, so buy for the adult dog where you can. This is a high energy breed. At eight weeks that shows up as intensity rather than stamina, and they will need a job to do long before they need long walks. Grooming is straightforward, but start handling the coat, feet and ears in week one anyway so it is never a fight later. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their life.

Health worth knowing about

Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.

• Primary open angle glaucoma, detectable by DNA test so carriers can be identified before breeding
• Progressive retinal atrophy, picked up by an ophthalmologist evaluation of breeding stock
• Epilepsy, diagnosed by ruling out other causes of seizures
• Cardiomyopathy, screened by a cardiac exam on breeding stock
• Skin allergies, diagnosed once parasites and infection have been ruled out
• Age related thyroid disease, found on a thyroid blood panel

Your Basset Fauve de Bretagne puppy's first six months

• Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
• Worming and parasite schedule.
• Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Medium for a Basset Fauve de Bretagne.
• Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 10.4 to 17.7 kg adult range.
• Puppy names and the first week checklist.

Kit sizes: crate 30 inch (30 x 20 x 23 in, 76 x 51 x 58 cm) for an adult of up to 17.7 kg; chew toys made for medium breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other medium breeds

More on the Basset Fauve de Bretagne

Previous: Basset Bleu de Gascogne · Next: Basset Hound

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Basset Fauve de Bretagne breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/basset-fauve-de-bretagne/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: pc.david, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.