Rafeiro do Alentejo vs Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen - Breed Comparison

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen hails from France. They have always been used to hunt game by scent. This dog has always been appreciated for its independence and the fact that is is mentally focused and fit.

These dogs, referred to as the PBGV descend from the larger Griffon Vendeen, which comes in four distinct sizes. The first official French standard for this dog was published in 1898. It was in 1909 that a revised standard for the dog recognized two distinct varieties.

The first PBGVs were imported to the United States in 1983 and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen Club of America was founded in 1984.

Known also as the Portuguese Mastiff, the Rafeiro do Alentejo comes from Portugal and has always been used as guardian for livestock. Their numbers declined quite a bit when there was no longer a need for this kind of job.Today it is essentially a companion dog.

The official standard of the Rafeiro do Alentejo was established in 1953. The dog is is recognized as a breed by the Portuguese Caniculture Club as well as the Federation Cynologique Interationale.

Both male and female dogs are much the same in size, standing at between 32 and 40cm and weighing between 15 to 20 kilograms.

These are solid dogs with fairly short legs and a harsh double coat that is medium length and rough. The coloring is essentially white with patches of orange, lemon, tan or black. The dog has a general tousled appearance with quite a bit of hair around the face. The ears are set low and are floppy while the tail is medium length and held high.

Temperament:

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is a friendly, social, outgoing dog that is good with children and other dogs. He is stubborn and should be trained and socialized so that he is well mannered around people and so that he also obeys simple commands.

They are quite noisy dogs, ‘talking’ to other dogs with a howl and bark.

The Alentejo is a large dog standing at between 64 and 75cm in height and weighing 45 to 60kg. He is a powerful dog with a deep chest, dark eyes, floppy ears. His coat is short to medium length, thick and straight. The color of the coat is a mix of fawn, a wolf grey, white, cream and black.

Temperament:

This is a serious dog with a calm demeanour about him. It doesn’t matter how calm he is though, as every dog will require training ad socialization if you want to enjoy having an obedient, well mannered dog around you. This is particularly important with a large, independent, self-confident, territorial dog like this.

He isn’t an aggressive dog but he is protective, wanting to guard and look out for his human family. They are dogs that get on well with children and other pets in the home, being wary of strangers.

They’re not recommended for life in small properties in the city as he requires a large garden at least.

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen is known for his amicable characteristics. They’re also intelligent, curious dogs and will respond well to training and socialization.

Apart from getting on well with children in the home, they also get on well with other dogs. They’re independent and strong willed and can be inclined to bark a bit to make himself known. It is why he is best suited to a home in the suburbs or countryside where his barking won’t disturb close-living neighbors, although training and socialization should change this habit. With training, this dog can become a most wonderful friend and pet.

The Rafeiro do Alentejo is a quiet dog, but intelligent and strong-willed. Training and socialization will make him easy to get on with.

He will become an excellent companion, and can come indoors because he is well mannered and considerate. He was bred to be a guard dog, and the responsibilities he had taking care of livestock has been transferred to looking out for- and protecting his human family.

He makes a wonderful pet and companion, even with children and other pets, more so when brought up correctly by loving, firm, consistent dog owners.

Average longevity of these dogs is about 12, 13, or 14 years if he gets looked after well.

Eyes and joints are always a problem with the Petit and several of the eye diseases dogs get can actually lead to blindness.

Corneal wounds are fairly common in dogs. The cornea can be injured and lacerations can damage the eye. You’ll see your pet rubbing at the affected eye.

Hip joints can cause lameness and pain. Dogs can develop hip and joint problems at any age. Joint problems can be better eliminated by providing the dog with good nutrition and exercise. If your dog is obese, joint problems can be more severe. Weight loss can reduce the signs of joint pain in dogs.

The Rafeiro do Alentejo is a generally healthy dog breed, and with good care can get to 11, 12 or 13 years of age.

Of course with a large dog like this, it is always a good idea to be aware of canine hip dysplasia, particularly because this is a large dog with a deep chest.

This makes him also vulnerable to bloat, a condition where the stomach swells with gas and which can be life threatening. Other things to watch for are ear infections and parasites.

These are active dogs and they will like a daily walk to burn off some of their excess energy. They can adapt to living in the city or the countryside but they will certainly need to receive exercise wherever they are. Buy him some toys and a ball and throw it for him – this can be a wonderful form of exercise for your 4-legged friend.

Grooming:

They need to be brushed at least twice a week to avoid matting and tangles. Some people opt to have the coat stripped. This is either done by hand or with a special stripping tool. Some dog owners prefer to hand the dog in for a professional cut, but this can alter the texture of the coat.

Because of the floppy ears, they will need regular ear cleanings to prevent ear infections brought about by dirt, wax and moisture within the ear.

He will also need to have his paw nails clipped. He can’t tell you about aching teeth, so do your canine friend a favor and check inside his mouth to ensure that all his teeth are still in tip top condition. Bad teeth can cause all kinds of illnesses and even affect the heart and kidneys.

Diet:

The nutritional needs of your Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen are very important if your want your pet to enjoy good health.

Vitamins and minerals are an essential part of his nutrition, and luckily the top quality commercially manufactured dog foods see to it that the food has essential nutrients in them. With the best ones, your pet can expect a balanced diet.

Try and avoid the lower quality foods as these have toxic fillers and unhealthy ingredients in them that can make your pet sick.

Give him some home-made food too. You can chop this food up and mix it into his kibble occasionally to give him a healthy tasty treat. The best thing about dogs as pets is that they love their food to be simple and nutritious. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some healthy vegetables such as spinach, carrots and sweet potato will do him the world of good.

If you can, a little bit of raw meat from time to time can also be excellent for him. Make sure he is never without a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

Make your grooming time with this serious, calm canine friend of yours a special bonding time. His coat simply requires a brush twice a week to keep it healthy and shiny.

While bushing him, run your hands over him to make sure there aren’t any unusual lumps. Check inside the floppy ears to make sure they’re not red which could be the start of a painful ear infection.

Look a his nails and trim them if they’ve become too long. Check inside his mouth and make sure there aren’t any black, rotten teeth as this can seriously impact the health of your pet.

Exercise:

Options for exercise will include long walks and a chance to run off his leash. In the back yard it will be to his benefit to throw balls for him to fetch. You can even bring him indoors and play some calm games with him. He should have exercise every single day.

Diet:

Good food is needed for good health. It is always convenient to make use of the commercially manufactured dog foods there are on the market.

You don’t want to feed this to your dog day after day so provide your pet with some tasty home-made food too. Dogs want simplicity and consistency with their diets so they don’t battle with upset stomachs and an unnecessary trip to the vet.

Some home-cooked food twice a week and added to the dry kibble can keep him healthy and happy. Boiled chicken, sweet potatoes, brown rice or pasta, carrots and spinach will be perfect for him. Chop the food up finely and add it into the dry kibble once or twice a week.

Some people even cook it in bulk, refrigerate it and warm up small portions to add to the kibble. Raw meat added in occasionally can also be a good treat. Make sure your pet is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.