How to Groom a Petit Basset

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen is a dog that originated from Vendeen, a region in France. The dog's name includes the word "griffon," which is French for "wired or rough hair." The coat is also long and has thorough grooming requirements, at least once a week. In addition to brushing, you should also clean the dog's ears and teeth, clip its nails and trim the hair between the feet pads and around the private areas.

Things You'll Need

  • Wire brush
  • Slicker brush
  • Rake
  • Ear cleaning solution
  • Ear powder
  • Tweezers
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Nail clippers
  • Styptic powder
  • Blunt-nosed scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Brush your Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen using a wire brush starting with the head and heading toward the tail. Brush with the grain of the hair. If you find matted fur, wet the hair and use a slicker brush to untangle the hair. During shedding season, use the rake to remove the dead hairs from your dog's undercoat.

    • 2

      Clean your dog's ears weekly. Dip a cotton ball in the canine ear cleaning solution and wipe around the area. Pluck out the hair that grows inside the ear once or twice per month. To facilitate the hair removal, use ear powder and pluck the hairs using a pair of tweezers. Removing the hair from the ears keeps the area clean and prevents the accumulation of bacteria.

    • 3

      Brush your dog's teeth daily, if possible. Bacteria, plaque and tartar can accumulate and lead to gum disease and other dental problems that are extremely painful. Use a small toothbrush designed for dogs and buy special canine toothpaste. Get your basset used to teeth cleaning from an early age.

    • 4

      Trim your dog's nails. The nails shouldn't touch the ground when the dog is walking, otherwise they may cause discomfort and affect the dog's gait and posture. When trimming the nails, look for the quick, which is an area filled with blood vessels and nerve endings. Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens are mostly white, so the nails are white as well and the quick is pinkish. Avoid the quick while cutting. If you touch the quick, your dog will bleed. Use styptic powder to reduce the bleeding.

    • 5

      Check your dog's paws for any debris or foreign objects that may be trapped. Perform the check after each outing. Remove foreign objects or debris with tweezers. Cut the hair between the feet pads with a pair of blunt-nosed scissors.

    • 6

      Trim the hair around the reproductive system area with blunt-nosed scissors. The urine and feces that gather in the hair covering the area can facilitate the accumulation of bacteria and infections may follow.