Brittany Fawn Basset is a breed originating in France, where it was bred for small game hunting. One of its distinguishing characteristics is its elongated body with short legs and long ears. The breed is beloved for its friendly and affectionate nature.
General details
Dogs of the breed are small in size and rustic in appearance. Their weight ranges between 10 and 13 kilograms, while their height varies between 32 and 38 centimeters. The life expectancy of this breed is 13 to 16 years and they belong to Group 6 of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI), which groups hounds, scent hounds and similar breeds.
Breed history in brief
The breed is a descendant of the extinct 16th century Brittany Fawn, bred for small game hunting. During the 19th century and after World War II, the number of the breed was greatly reduced, even so, the efforts of breeders dedicated to the promotion of the breed prevented its extinction.
The ability to hunt various animals such as rabbits, foxes or wild boar made the Brittany Fawn Basset an excellent hunting dog. Today, especially in France, the breed is still used for hunting, although it has also gained great popularity as a pet due to its affectionate and playful nature.
Breed characteristics
In spite of being a Basset, its back is broad and short. The skull is elongated and the muzzle is characterized by its sharpness. The gaze is impetuous with slightly sunken, dark brown eyes. The ears are long, drooping and reach the level of the jaw, ending in a point. The tail is sickle-shaped and of medium length, thickened at the base.
The coat is short and dense, with a rough texture. The coloration varies from fawn to red.
The Brittany Fawn Basset combines an affectionate and friendly temperament with a high energy level and hunting instinct. The intelligence of these dogs makes them easy for their owners to train, although they require plenty of daily activity and play time to keep them happy. Their natural hunting instinct may require some early training to control their impulses.
Common health problems
Most Brittany Fawn Basset hounds show excellent health and tend to be long-lived, reaching 16 years of age. Even so, they may show some genetic predisposition to disorders or diseases such as coliform enteritis, colobomas, hemolytic anemia, corneal leukomas, intestinal malabsorption, renal tubular dysfunction, factor XII deficiency, hypothyroidism, progressive retinal atrophy, pyruvate kinase deficiency and retinal dysplasia.
In addition, the OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) recommends congenital, advanced or basic cardiac screening.
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