Dog
Griffon Nivernais Champions
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Breed Description:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog is a medium sized dog that should be robust and have a very rugged appearance. The dog should have an athletic look but it should be one that brings to mind a strong dog with plenty of stamina. The build of the Griffon Nivernais should be slightly longer than they are tall and the top line of the dog should be level. The head should be moderately long with a flat skull and the long ears, which should reach the nose, hang from the eye level down. The tail of the Griffon Nivernais should be set high on the dog and should be saber like in appearance.
The coat of the Griffon Nivernais should be hard in texture and long. It should never be woolly and there should never be any tight curls in the coat. It should give the dog a unkept appearance and there should be noticeable eyebrows and a moustache on the face. It is important to note that hte skin of the Griffon Nivernais should have good, black pigmentation on the nose, eyes, lips and where there is noticeable skin pigmentation. The breed can be a number of colors including fawn with or without white and black hairs but the preferred are wolf gray, wild boar gray, and blue gray. They can have tan markings.
Temperament:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog is an intelligent and hardworking dog that is known for their calm disposition and almost sad demeanor. The breed is usually very friendly with their family but they can be wary of strangers and seem aloof. The Griffon Nivernais is a wonderful companion that is happy to be with their family. They can do well with children but they do better with older children since they can be energetic. The breed does well with other dogs but proper socialization is needed for them to accept small, non-canine pets. The breed can be very stubborn and their intelligence makes them eager to work on their own. This is not a breed for new or timid owners and they really need a firm owner who can give proper training and firm rules.
Height:
The average height for a Griffen Nivernais is between 20.5 to 23.5 inches for a female and 21.5 to 24.5 for a male.
Weight:
Weight should be in proportion to height, however, the average weight is between 50 to 55 pounds.
Health Problems:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog is considered to be a very hardy breed with few health problems.
Living Conditions:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog is not recommended for apartments. This is an active breed that requires plenty of space. In addition, they tend to bark so a home with acreage is better, although they can do well in a home with a large fenced yard.
Exercise:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog is a very active breed and requires 45 to 60 minutes of exercise each day.
Life Expectancy:
12 to 15 years
Grooming:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog is actually a very easy breed to grom and you should only have to brush the dog once or twice a week. The overall look of the dog should be shaggy and it is important to only bathe the dog when it is absolutely necessary. Ears should be cleaned on a regular basis since the Griffon Nivernais can suffer from ear infections and nails should be trimmed once or twice a week.
Origin:
The Griffon Nivernais breed of dog was developed in France and was used as a farm dog that would hunt wolves and wild boars that were a nuisance to both farmers and shepherds. While it is not clear that what breeds went into the creation of the Griffon Nivernais, it is believed that the Gaelic hound may have attributedt to it. Other theories place the breeds origins in the Saint Louis dog and in several other water and herding breeds. The breed was quite popular in France and was even a favourite of King Louis IX, however, during the French Revolution, the breed was almost wiped out and ended up scattered across France. However, efforts were made after the French Revolution to reestablish the breed and dogs that were believed to have been from the original Griffon Nivernais were crossed with several other dog breeds including the Griffon Vendeen, the Foxhound and the Otterhound to create the breed as we know it today. Even with the renewed interest in reestablishing the breed, the Griffon Nivernais has remained a rare breed of dog. Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
