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| Is a PBGV The Right Breed for You? Purebred dogs were all developed for a specific purpose to aid humans with their various tasks and endeavors, but these specialized traits can have a far-reaching impact on your life and the level of harmony in your home if you don't research the breeds you are considering very carefully. You may love the disheveled appearance and happy-go-lucky demeanor of the PBGV, but there is much more to this breed than meets the eye. |
| While you may love the outward appearance of an Australian Shepherd, you need to realize that a dog purposely developed to control and protect livestock, performing difficult mental and physical precision tasks, may not be ideally suited to the life of a couch-potato housepet. These dogs are not generally a good choice if you live in an apartment or condominium and favor a fairly inactive lifestyle, especially if you work outside the home and will be gone for 10 hours a day. And while you've probably been captivated by the outward appearance of the PBGV, this breed is not the ideal choice for every home, either. Although every dog is an individual, in general, Petits have been genetically fine-tuned for hunting small game, primarily rabbits and hare. To bring him to the highest level of perfomance possible in the field, certain traits were selected in the foundation breeds behind the PBGV that can cause a certain degree of tension in an urban setting. The combination of both sight hound and scent hound ancestry has given the Petit an alertness and tenacity that is more pronounced than in some other breeds. By nature, PBGVs are always "on the hunt," whether you're out walking in the woods or playing with him in your backyard. Any sudden movement will catch his eye, and any intriguing scent must be followed to its source. Thus, the PBGV is not a good choice if you're seeking an off-leash jogging, biking, or hiking companion. PBGVs are best kept on lead at all times when outside the confines of their homes and their own securely fenced yards. One of the PBGV's primary tasks in the field is to alert his Packmaster when he has found the scent of game and a trail to pursue. Since PBGVs are "walking hounds," bred to work independently and range far ahead of their human hunting companions, they have a wide vocal range that allows them to communicate with the Packmaster, even when they are out of sight in the brush. The Petit is considered to be one of the "musical" hounds of France, and he loves to show off his vocal talents. A PBGV can be quite "talkative," which can lead to conflicts with neighbors if you do not diligently monitor his barking and teach him to mind his manners. As a small game specialist, the PBGV will "go to ground," meaning that he is an expert digger who can quickly get a rabbit out of a hole. This same talent misapplied can enable him to become an escape artist if he decides that his best digging should be done along your fence line. To keep your Petit safely at home, he should never be left outdoors unattended for extended periods of time. A quick trip to the store or post office while leaving your Petit in the yard can result in an escaped, lost dog. With his extremely independent and inquisitive nature, a PBGV needs a lot of stimulation, both physical and mental. If left to their own devices, out of boredom, they can become quite destructive. PBGVs thrive with lots of individual attention and human contact. Though their independence can challenge your skills as a trainer, you should not confuse intelligence with trainability. When positive and creative training methods have been employed, PBGVs have done extremely well in the obedience ring and as agility competitors, and they really shine as therapy dogs. As a very social breed, the PBGV needs to be actively involved with humans, and must become a part of your daily family life. Typically, the PBGV is very gregarious and outgoing in nature, readily accepting attention from strangers. Petits are friendly almost to a fault. They excel as watch dogs, issuing an alert when a stranger approaches. But, since they are very friendly and social, they do not make good guard dogs. The ideal PBGV home is committed to having a new family member, has a well-crafted plan for keeping their dog entertained, active, and out of mischief, has a carefully considered plan for the dog's daily care and health needs, and is very sensitive to the issues involved in owning a highly energetic, inquisitive, and vocal dog. The ideal PBGV household is one in which a real investment of time and attention will be made for a mutually satisfying relationship between dog and owner. If you have any concerns about any aspect of the Petit's nature discussed here, please do some more research before deciding that this is the breed for you. Take our Quick Test: You may also want to read PBGVs With Kids and/or PBGVs With Other Pets . |
| Are you looking for a laid-back quiet breed? Do you want to walk, jog or bike with your dog off-leash in urban areas? Do you highly value your light-colored carpeting, fine upholstery, fragile collectibles and award-winning landscaping? Do you want a dog who is more obedient than intelligent? |
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| If you answered "yes" to one or more of the questions above, please consider a different breed! |
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