Briquet Griffon Vendeen vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison

Abruzzenhund was established as an individual breed in the middle of the 20th century. They are descendant of the big, white Eastern sheepdogs which came to Europe 2000 years ago. Abruzzenhund is a mix of Turkish sheepdogs Akbash and Karabash, the Kuvac, Slovakian breed Hungarian breed, Komondor, and a French sheepdog Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Those dogs were much bigger than today’s breed. Abruzzenhund is still not very popular breed, but it is very common in Great Britain and Italy. They have been used as guard dogs, hunting dogs, and working dogs because they are very brave and strong.

The Briquet Griffon Vendeen, a product of France is a hunting down bred down from the Grand Griffon Vendeen. The two dogs are descendants of the Gaul’s Canis sequsius and the Gris de St. Louis hounds. They are one of four dogs with rough coats from the Vendeen area along France’s west coast. Many of these lines were decimated by the Second World War and are still not found in France today.

The Briquet Griffon Vendeen survived the war due to a French dog show judge named Hubert Dezamy, who restored the breed and it is mainly a show dog today. Many of Frances royalty prior to the French Revolution favored the breed as show dogs as well. The Briquet was originally developed for hunting of smaller game and is a scent hound. The larger Grand Griffon Vendeen was used in the hunt for large game, namely wolves and boar.

The Briquet Griffon Vendeen is recognized by the UKC and the FCI but not by the AKC and the breed is hardly known outside of France

A height of Abruzzenhund variates between 60-73 cm, males are slightly bigger than females. While the weight is 30-45kg, again, males are heavier than females.

Lifespan of Abruzzenhund

Abruzzenhund lifespan is between 11-13 years, but since these dogs don’t have any weaknesses and don’t tend to get sick, they can live longer with a proper care and adequate food and training.

Litter size of Abruzzenhund

Litter size of Abruzzenhund depends, but as any large breed, they usually have 6-9 puppies. And that is a very good considering size of the breed.

Abruzzenhund is not the only name of this breed. There are more names that you might hear. You can hear names like Maremma, Pastore, Abruzzese, Cane da Pastore, Maremmano- Abruzzese, Italian Sheepdog, and many similar names. Basically, they sound similar but there are differences.

Abruzzenhund is a friendly dog, but it is very powerful. Very strong jaw with a scissors bite makes them very strong. They have small but intelligent eyes, usually dark colored. The undercoat is dense, while the coat is white with segments of ivory to white yellow. Their long undercoat and coat make them winter resistant.

This medium sized dog is stocky and well proportioned. He looks very much like the Grand Griffon Vendeen only smaller. It is less muscular than other hound dogs and it holds its tail up when working. The head is short with a medium/long muzzle. It has low set ears and a flat skull with large, dark eyes and pronounced eyebrows. It also has a mustache.

Abruzzenhund is a very well-balanced breed who loves spending time with other animals and people. They have a very good temper. They love being around families, and they are very gentle with children. It is important to train Abruzzenhund properly because the dog of that size should be a leader. A human with a strong character should train this breed. Training is important because they tend to make their own decisions which can be bad sometimes.

The Briquet Griffon Vendeen is a smart, attentive and sensitive dog. It is easy to train. They are loyal and bond quickly with their owner/trainer. These are enthusiastic dogs with a lot of stamina and get along with dogs and children. They don’t like to be told what to do. They respond well if you bribe them with treats or play with them. They are patient, extroverted and happy dogs.

A great thing about Abruzzenhund is that they are very healthy dogs. They don’t have any chronical health problems, so if you are feeding your dog properly, with a lot of exercises they will not have any health problems. It is also important to check genetics of the dog.

They are bred to be healthy and hardy, but still have some health concerns. These include:

Aseptic Meningitis

This is a frightening disease if you find your dog has it. It is characterized by a high fever and an intense hypersensitivity to touch. Aseptic Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain. It is caused by an infection and the most common ones include:

Ear infections

Sinus infection

Bite wounds – infected

Severe Allergic Reaction to something – may take medication

Ear Infections – long droopy ears can get infected

Deafness – white dog can be born deaf

Hypothyroidism

Hip dysplasia – bone doesn’t fit well into joint

Patellar luxation – dislocated knee cap

Glaucoma- Increased pressure in the eyes

Skin and Food Allergies

Epilepsy - Seizures

They learn very quickly, but it requires strong will and constant training to keep them happy. They are great working dogs, and with the positive training, they are amazing. It is very important that they follow rules and to keep them in balance with training.

Feeding Abruzzenhund

They can eat a lot of food, depend on their activity. High-Quality dog food twice a day for a grown dog is a must. While puppies should eat 3-5 times, smaller portions of food. The food is important especially for working dogs, they need up to 2000-3000Kcal per day. Abruzzenhund will enjoy eating meat with a lot of vegetables and oil.

They are not recommended for small house or apartment. They need big yard because they require a lot of space. During the winter they can be outside because of their coat, but during the summer they need to be in the shade with a lot of fresh water available anytime.

Grooming the Abruzzenhund

The coat should be brushed and groomed very often because they have a thick coat. There is a lot of dead and loose hair in it. During shedding, period takes even more time to groom your dog properly. They love and they need exercise. Mental exercise is important as physical. Every day walking, running, playing with other animals is an important part of dog's activity. When they get enough quality exercise, they will sleep in the house.

Feeding

Don’t overfeed your Briquet Griffon Vendeen. Give her at least 2 meals of high quality dry food – two and one half to three cups daily.

Health issues

Aseptic Meningitis can result in death.

Ear Infections can cause meningitis

Deafness – born with this

Hypothyroidism

Hip dysplasia – lameness, arthritis

Patellar luxation - lameness

Glaucoma - blindness

Eye Issues -blindness

Skin and Food Allergies

Epilepsy – could be fatal

Exercise and games

Every type of Griffon is a strong hunter and has strong instincts. The Briquet is no different. They need to be able to hunt as this is one of the strongest of scent hounds. They need a fenced in yard at the very least to explore and smell. They also enjoy long walks with new smells. Stay in shape because your Briquet Griffon Vendeen has stamina to share.

They love to play in leu of hunting. The games they love include frisbee, retrieving balls, and learning new tricks. They need mental stimulation as well as physical.