Griffon Fauve de Bretagne

The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is thought to have originated sometime during the 13^th century. They are from France and are classified as a scenthound. The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is a pack animal used to hunt in packs so they can track and corner their prey while waiting for the hunters to catch up. The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne was introduced to the French court in the 1520s by Admiral d’Anneboulde. Francois I had a pack of these hounds that were used regularly for hunting. Only the aristocracy was allowed to own this breed until the French Revolution. After the French Revolution anyone could own and hunt this breed. They were mainly used to hunt wild boar and wolves, however, when the native wolf became extinct in the 19^th century the number of Griffon Fauve de Bretagnes sharply declined and were on the verge of extinction. In the 1940s a breeding program was put in place to save the breed. With careful breeding practices and clever marketing of the breed, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne once again became a popular hunting dog within their native France. The breed has been tracked by Mme. F. Corbeau of the French Club du Fauve de Bretagne to ensure the breed is thriving and remains a popular choice for French hunters. They are still considered rare outside of France and there are not many found throughout Europe. In recent years, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne has begun to gain popularity within the United States and several breed clubs have started in many different countries.