Pomeranian vs Griffon Fauve de Bretagne - Breed Comparison

The Griffon Fauve de Bretagne is one of the oldest scenthounds in France and has always been part of a pack when hunting wolves and wild boar.

Once wolves started dying out in the 19th century and the dogs were no longer needed, they nearly became extinct. Luckily in 1949, Marcel Pambrun founded the Club de Fauve de Bretagne to bring the breed back from extinction.

Hailing from France, the dog is still used as a hunting dog in the country but is considered rare outside of Europe.

Pomeranian dog Known as the Pom and classified as a toy dog breed, the Pomeranian comes from the Spitz dog from the Arctic regions. It is thought that the dog is descended from larger Spitz-type dogs, and more specifically the German Spitz.

It appears to be an ancient dog breed because there are recordings of its existence from 1764 already. This little dog is thought to have got his name from the area known as Pomeranian in Northern Poland as well as along the Baltic Sea, Germany.

The first breed club for this dog was established in England in 1891. Not long afterwards the first breed standard was written. In the standard published in 1998, The Pomeranian Dog is categorized in the German Spitz standard.

Griffon Fauve de Bretagne are medium-sized muscular dogs standing at between 48 to 56cm and weighing in the region of 17 to 21 kg.

The fur of this dog is a tawny, golden, orange shade and is shaggy and coarse, being longer around the face. Known also as the Fawn Brittany Griffon, this scenthound has floppy ears and a long tail carried somewhat up and in a slight curve.

Temperament:

The GFB as he is also sometimes known by, is an affectionate and loyal dog that loves spending time with his human family.

He is a social, friendly dog, and when he is socialized and trained, he becomes even more amicable. He has been bred as a working dog and while he loves to spend relaxing hours indoors, he is essentially a dog that loves to be out and about chasing after prey.

He is alert and intelligent and therefore makes a good watchdog. Your Griffon is energetic and active and will require lots of exercise. He will love coming on walks with you, but this won't be enough and he will require ball- and rope games as well as the chance to join you on your jogging or cycling outings.

This is such a sweet little dog, full of good cheer and with such a bright little face. He weighs between 1.5kg and 4kg and stands at anything between 17 and 28cm in height.

He is such a compact little fluff ball with sharp erect ears and a fox like appearance with a well feathered tail that curls up over the dog’s back.

The coat is thick and spritely, not lying flat but standing up around the dog. Coats can be nearly any color, but the most common is tan, reddish, orange or you get a mix of cream tan and black.

Temperament:

When you look into the bright little face of the Pomeranian Puppy, you can see that he is a true extrovert. He is social and has a huge personality. They’re bright, eager, feisty, loving and loyal.

Full of fun and very intelligent, they may be small and cute, but training and socialization will do him the world of good as it means you can take him anywhere with you and he’ll be well behaved. They grow attached to their owners and want to protect them.

They can be somewhat aloof with strangers and its this wariness around them that makes them good watchdogs. They get on well with children in the home and are prepared to make friends with other pets in the family too.

You won't find a better canine friend than the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne, once known as the Grand Fauve de Bretagne.

They have always loved their role as working- and hunting dog but when they're in the company of their human owners, they are loyal and loving, wanting to please.

This good nature of theirs sees them getting on well with other pets in the home as well as with children.Your golden Griffon Fauve De Bretagne is such a friendly, sociable dog and this is what makes him such a popular and sought after family pet.

Pomeranians are such bright, friendly little dogs and they’re also active. These loving dogs are also intelligent so you can easily teach him some simple commands such as sit or lie down.

He won’t want to lie down for too long though because he’s full of beans.

He’s alert too so he makes a good watchdog. When you bring one of these dogs into your home as a pet and companion animal, you won’t be disappointed as he’s got a whole lot of love to give.

Capable of reaching 10 to 13 years of age with good care, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne isn't likely to cause you too much concern with dog illnesses, but there are those common dog illnesses that are worth knowing about because they affect so many dogs.

Hip Dysplasia:

This is such a common dog ailment that it requires mentioning every time. It's a condition where the hip joint bones don't fit properly, resulting in unnatural wear and tear which ultimately leads to pain and arthritis.

Sometimes it takes a while for the illness to become evident and you'll notice your pet being loathe to take part in the games he loves so much or battling to get up after lying down. It can start in a young dog and will require vet intervention.

Keep an eye on your dog for other common illnesses such as eye diseases, skin allergies and bloat, a disease which can be life-threatening and where the stomach of your dog swells up.

Your little Pomeranian Puppy is a sturdy dog who isn’t going to battle too much with health issues. With good care such as good food and exercise, the Pomeranian can reach 12 – 16 years of age.

Some of the most common health issues you might come across

Luxating Patella:

This problem comes about when the ridges which form the patella groove in the knee aren’t deep enough to allow the patella to sit securely. This causes the patella to move out of the groove. While the muscles are contracted, the patella isn’t able to return to the correct position.

Eye Problems:

Pomeranians Dogs are prone to quite a few eye problems such as tear duct problems and cataracts. As a responsible dog owner, take your pet to the vet if you suspect eye problems.

Collapsed Trachea: 

The trachea carries air to the lungs and it can collapse. Your dog will have a chronic, dry cough and this can be brought about when people tug on their dog's leash.

Dental Disease:

Every little dog battles with teeth and gum problems which can lead to early tooth loss. When you brush your Pomeranian, make a point of checking inside his mouth too, as a bad tooth can cause pain but also all kinds of health problems.

Grooming:

Your GFB, with his shaggy coat, will need a brush a couple of times a week and nothing much more, being looked upon as a fairly low maintenance breed.

He will require you checking inside his ears to ensure he is free of infection. You will need to have his nails trimmed if he doesn't wear them down himself and he will need to have his teeth brushed at least 2 or 3 times a week with special dog toothpaste- and toothbrush.

General Care:

As a medium sized dog, the Griffon Fauve de Bretagne will need a high-quality dog food full of all the right vitamins and minerals to ensure health and a long life.

He is a hunting dog so you want to make sure that protein is listed high on the ingredients list of his food packaging. You can vary his diet by adding in homemade fare such as cooked chicken, rice and vegetables and you can also try to include some raw meat into his diet too. This raw meat plays an important role in preventing skin allergies.

Never leave him without a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Ensure your 4-legged friend has a nice dry, warm spot with clean blankets to sleep on.

Grooming:

Pomeranians Dogs have a thick, double coat, so you will need to invest in a decent brush so that you can brush him. He is a shedder so this is an important part of grooming. Some people prefer to take the dog to the groomers and have the coat professionally cut.

Exercise:

Your cute little Pomeranian isn't the kind of dog to spend too much time asleep on the couch. He is energetic and full of beans and he will wait anxiously for you to take down his leash and take him on a walk. In indoors his bright little face will be watching yours to see if there’s any chance of a ball game.

Diet:

People never know if they should feed their dogs dry kibble, semi-moist or canned dog food. Homemade food is always good, but if you opt to also use commercially manufactured dog food, go for the good quality ones that have vitamins and minerals in them.

Every dog needs a good balance of protein, carbs, minerals, fats, vitamins and trace elements. People often get all worked up over feeding their pets when it can be so simple.

Use a high quality dry kibble, but now and then add some home-made cooked food into it as a treat – about once or twice a week. Boil some chicken, brown rice, sweet potato, carrots and spinach and add this in to the dry kibble.

Every now and then a little bit of raw meat will also do your pet the world of good. What could be more simple than this? Nutritious, tasty and healthy, and your pet will thrive on it.

Make sure he always has a bowl of fresh, cool water close by.