Basset Fauve De Bretagne

Like every breed, the Basset Fauve De Bretagne is not the right fit for every home. Based on the breed’s typical traits:

• Use consistent, reward-based training, with plenty of patience and tasty rewards.
• Focus on lead walking and recall.
• Never rely on recall in open countryside: once the nose goes down, the ears often switch off.
• Try scent-based dog sports, which suit the breed well.

• Children

  Often good with children, with supervision.

• Other dogs

  Varies with the individual dog.

• Flats and smaller homes

  Usually happier in a house.

• Garden

  A garden is helpful.

• Being left alone

  Usually copes only with short periods alone.

• First-time owners

  Some dog experience helps.

Not yet reviewed by a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice: speak to your vet about your own dog’s health.

• Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD)

  An abnormality of the discs that cushion the bones of the spine. A disc can slip or burst and press on the spinal cord, causing back pain and weakness or paralysis of the legs.

• Angular limb deformities

  Caused by a pair of bones growing at different rates, so that the leg looks bowed or rotated. It can lead to pain and lameness.

• Glaucoma

  A painful condition in which pressure builds up inside the eye. A DNA test for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG-4) is available, and the Royal Kennel Club recommends it as best-practice testing before breeding.

• Ear infections

  The breed's floppy ears can make it prone to ear infections.

Responsible breeders and rescues are happy to talk about health, and any pressure to decide quickly is a reason to walk away. Before taking a Basset Fauve De Bretagne home, it is reasonable to ask about:

• Health testing of the parents. Ask which health tests the parents have had for conditions known in the breed, and to see the results.
• Veterinary and vaccination records. Puppies should have had a first vaccination and a vet check, with records you can take home.
• Microchip information. In England, Scotland and Wales puppies must be microchipped and registered by eight weeks old. Ask who the chip is registered to and how the transfer works.
• Registration paperwork. Registration papers, where they apply, record pedigree. They do not by themselves prove health or how a puppy was raised.

There are two costs: bringing a Basset Fauve De Bretagne home, and looking after one well. Puppy prices depend on the breeder, health testing and demand; the adverts below show what sellers are asking today.

Ongoing costs are the ones new owners most often underestimate: food, insurance (which usually rises with age), routine vet care, vaccinations and parasite treatment, dental care, grooming, training, bedding and equipment, and boarding or a sitter for holidays. Budget for the whole of the dog’s life, typically from 12 years, not just the first year.

If you have decided the Basset Fauve De Bretagne suits your life, take the same care choosing where your dog comes from. Meet the puppy in person, see it with its mother, and look at how the litter is raised.

• Check who you are dealing with: every Mypetzilla advert shows the seller type and what we have checked.
• Ask about health testing, vaccinations and the microchip before you commit.
• Take your time. Do not be rushed by deposits or "last one left" stories.
• Meet in person before paying anything, and keep conversations on Mypetzilla.

Basset Fauve De Bretagnes do come up for adoption, through rescue organisations, breed rescues and private rehoming, often because an owner’s circumstances have changed rather than any fault of the dog. An adult dog arrives as a known quantity: its size, coat and character are already on show.

Rescues will usually talk you through the dog’s history, any medical care, and the home it needs, including children, other animals and time alone. Be honest about your circumstances: a good rescue would rather place a dog once, well.