Meet the Petit Basset Griffon Verdeen

Watching the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Dog Show this year, I had the pleasure of seeing many breeds that were less familiar to me. One breed the announcer mentioned sounded something like "Peeby Geeby." What kind of dog was that? Turns out it was the...most...adorable...dog I'd ever seen! A PBGV. Or, Petit Basset Griffon Verdeen.

The dog has a long body and long ears like a basset hound, but it's furry. According to the PBGV Club of America, the dog is a type of rough coated french hound. The full name is pronounced "Puh-TEE Bah-SAY Gree-FOHN VON-day-uhn." Whew, a mouthful!

These dogs are low to the ground and weigh 31-40 lbs. They are friendly, cheerful and intelligent. Bred for hunting rabbits, they have a strong hunting instinct and should not be let off lead when outside or they might be off on a chase!

Who can resist these cuties?!