Hovawart vs Griffon Fauve de Bretagne - Breed Comparison

Hovawart vs Griffon Fauve de Bretagne - Breed ComparisonGriffon Fauve de Bretagne is originated from France but Hovawart is originated from Germany. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne may grow 14 cm / 5 inches shorter than Hovawart. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne may weigh 30 kg / 66 pounds lesser than Hovawart. Both Griffon Fauve de Bretagne and Hovawart has almost same life span. Both Griffon Fauve de Bretagne and Hovawart has almost same litter size. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne requires Moderate Maintenance. But Hovawart requires Low Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
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France
Germany
Height Male:
48 - 56 cm
18 - 23 inches
58 - 70 cm
22 - 28 inches
Height Female:
48 - 56 cm
18 - 23 inches
51 - 68 cm
20 - 27 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 21 kg
37 - 47 pounds
25 - 51 kg
55 - 113 pounds
Weight Female:
17 - 21 kg
37 - 47 pounds
22 - 49 kg
48 - 109 pounds
Life Span:
10 - 13 Years
10 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
6 - 8
Size:
Medium
Large
Other Names:
GFB, Grand Fauve de Bretagne, Fawn Brittany Griffon
Hovie
Colors Available:
tawny, Golden, orange, sandy
gold and black, gold, blonde
Coat:
Longish, shaggy, coarse
long dense
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Courageous, Independent, Intelligent, Loyal, Protective, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Low Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

History

griffon fauve de bretagneThe 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.

hovawartThe Hovawart, is a German Black Forest breed developed as a guard dog for large estates in the medieval era. They first appeared in history in the early 13th century as heroes who saved the German son of a castle lord, despite being injured themselves. The boy they saved grew up to be a German legend. He wrote the oldest German code of law that remained from medieval times. In it he names the Hovawarts as a dog that if you are responsible for hurting, stealing or killing it, you must pay for it or replace it. No other dog had this protection.

In the late fifteenth century Hovawarts were featured in Heinrich Mynsinger’s “The Five Noble Breeds”. This guard dog breed was esteemed on a level with the hunting dogs – their health a question of life or death for their owner. In the 1500’s the popularity of the breed began to fade. The GSD or German Shepard Dog began to replace the Hovawarts as the preferred guard dog.

By the early 20th century the breed had almost disappeared but were saved by breed enthusiasts in the early 1900’s. Zoologist Kurt Konig was prominent in this effort and went looking in the Black Forest area for dogs working on farms. Using the dogs, he found on these farms, Konig began a breeding program crossing the them with Newfoundland’s, Kuvazoks, Leonbergers, GSD, an African hunting dogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs.

By 1922 the first litter of these pups was entered officially into the German Breeding Registry. In 1937 the Hovawart was recognized by the German Kennel Club. However, many members of the breed died in World War II as they were used widely by the military and not many were left by 1945. Once again breed enthusiasts came to the rescue forming a Coburg Hovawart club. This club still exists and in 1964, for the second time, the breed was recognized by the German Kennel Club. Other countries also began to take notice of this working breed.

The Hovawart has many skills in addition hunting and guarding. The Hovawart does not work for people, he works with them as he is a very independent thinker. He is also good at search and rescue and tracking. An owner of this breed must be stronger, smarter, more alert, intentional and consistent than his Hovawart. These are not dogs for the faint of heart or first-timers.

Description

griffon fauve de bretagne puppy - descriptionGriffon 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.

hovawart puppy - descriptionThe Hovawart is a proud and majestic dog and his looks match his character. He looks a bit like the Golden Retriever with a powerful and broad forehead. His skull and muzzle are the same length and his nose is black. His oval eyes are a medium to dark brown and his ears are high set and triangular.

Their chests are strong, broad and deep. The breed has strong legs straight in front with round, strong and compact feet. They are heavy boned with dense, long coats that lie flat and have a slight wave to them. The coat can be black and gold, blond or black.

Characteristics

griffon fauve de bretagne dog - characteristicsYou 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.

1.Children friendliness yes, they are good with children.

Special talents

hovawart dog - characteristicsThey have a great sense of smell and a well-balanced personality.

Adaptability

They are not indoor dogs and should have a yard to run in. They do not tolerate hot weather well. They do great out in the country.

Learning ability

They are intelligent independent thinkers. They lengths well with positive reinforcement.

Health Problems

griffon fauve de bretagne puppies - health problemsCapable 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.

hovawart puppies - health problemsThough their isolation protected them from genetic health issues for centuries, once they were being rejuvenated and mixed with other breeds some common issues began to show up. These include:

  • Underactive thyroid
  • Hip Dysplasia – can cause arthritis or lameness
  • Osteochondritis – causes joint pain in shoulders mostly
  • Liver Shunts

Caring The Pet

Grooming:

griffon fauve de bretagne dogs - caringYour 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.

Feeding the puppy

hovawart dogs - caringFeed breed specific high quality dry food for puppies. Feed 1-2 cups in 3-4 meals per day

Feeding the adult

Again Feed breed specific high quality dry food for adults. Feed 2-3 cups per day in 1-2 meals per day.

Points for Good Health

Points for Good Health – Stamina

Games and Exercises

The Hovawart needs plenty of exercise. Remember this is a mountain farm dog used to working all the time. Walk or jog with them daily. They can excel at field trials, obedience, search and rescue, agility, flyball, therapy dog, and service dog.

Comparison with other breeds

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  30. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Griffon Fauve de Bretagne vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison