Meet the breeds! Here is a new section dedicated to those animals we love! Each magazine will feature a different breed. Here we celebrate the 2022 AKC National Championship Breed, the English Bulldog, and the 2023 Westminster Winner, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen.
Bulldog Kind but courageous, friendly but dignified, the Bulldog is a thick-set, low-slung, well-muscled bruiser whose ‘sourmug’ face is the universal symbol of courage and tenacity. These docile, loyal companions adapt well to town or country.
You can’t mistake a Bulldog for any other breed. The loose skin of the head, furrowed brow, pushed-in nose, small ears, undershot jaw with hanging chops on either side, and the distinctive rolling gait all practically scream ‘I’m a Bulldog!’ The coat, seen in a variety of colors and patterns, is short, smooth, and glossy. Bulldogs can weigh up to 50 pounds, but that won’t stop them from curling up in your lap, or at least trying to. But don’t mistake their easygoing ways for laziness. Bulldogs enjoy brisk walks and need regular moderate exercise, along with a careful diet, to stay trim. Summer afternoons are best spent in an air-conditioned room as a Bulldog’s short snout can cause labored breathing in hot and humid weather. Did You Know? The word “bull” appears in “Bulldog” due to the breed’s historical connection with bullbaiting, a popular sport in medival Europe that is now illegal. Information taken from www.akc.org. For more information, visit https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/bulldog
Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen The low-slung, shaggy-coated Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen is a vivacious French rabbit-hunting hound known for a happy demeanor and durable constitution. Bred to work in a pack, PBGVs enjoy company and do well with other dogs and kids.
A loose translation of the name describes the dog well: Petit (small), Basset (low), Griffon (shaggy), Vendéen (from the Vendée region of France). Put it all together and you have a diminutive hound, standing 13 to 15 inches at the shoulder, with short but strong legs and a rough tousled coat, bred to hunt rabbits on the rugged west coast of France. Other distinctive features of these little extroverts are a proudly carried head, a saber tail, and a loud, houndy bark. Did You Know? His name in French reveals much about him: petit - small; basset - low to the ground; griffon - rough or wire coated; and vendéen - the area of France in which he originated. Information taken from www.akc.org. For more information, visit https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/petit- basset-griffon-vendeen
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