50% off your first order. Redeem Now

Dog Food Chevron
Cat Food Chevron
More Chevron
See Plans & Pricing Account

FREEZE-DRIED RAW FEEDING GUIDE

How to feed a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

The Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen is a small, low-slung French scenthound built to run the countryside all day on rabbit trails — a busy, food-loving hunter packed into a 25-to-40-pound frame, which makes precise, high-quality feeding matter more than its size suggests.

Here is exactly how to feed a PBGV on freeze-dried raw: by weight and life stage, with the clean protein, joint support and skin-and-coat nutrition this tireless, shaggy-coated hound actually needs.

  • Adult weight25–40 lb
  • SizeSmall
  • EnergyHigh
  • Lifespan14–16 years
  • CoatRough, wiry double coat — tousled, moderate shedder
Build my dog's plan → Shop recipes
A healthy Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen
iStock / Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

What a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen's body needs

Every Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen trait comes back to one thing: how you feed them. Here's what matters most.

  • Tireless hunting drive

    Needs: Clean, high-quality animal protein

    Real meat, organs and ground bone fuel lean muscle and steady, all-day stamina for a hound bred to run scent trails — without the carb fillers that spike and crash.

  • Compact frame, big appetite

    Needs: Precise, weight-based portions

    A PBGV will happily talk you into seconds. Calorie-dense freeze-dried raw, measured by weight rather than the begging, keeps this small hound lean and protects its short-legged joints.

  • Hip dysplasia & luxating-patella risk

    Needs: Joint support + a lean body

    Whole real bone, organ and cartilage supply natural glucosamine and chondroitin while omega-3s calm joint inflammation — and keeping a PBGV lean takes load off vulnerable hips and knees.

  • Thick, wiry, tousled double coat

    Needs: Omega-3 fatty acids

    Whole-food animal and fish fats feed the skin barrier from the inside, keeping that signature rough coat healthy and easing dryness and shedding.

  • Floppy, hairy ears

    Needs: Low-inflammation whole-food diet

    Long pendulous ears trap moisture and debris; minimally processed raw skips the starchy fillers that can feed the chronic ear and skin inflammation prone breeds struggle with.

How much to feed a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

Quick answer: a healthy adult Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen (25–40 lb) needs about 3.8–6.0 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split across two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry — so it's much less by volume than kibble. Feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.

Ideal adult weightFreeze-dried per dayPer meal (×2)
25 lb 3.8 oz 1.9 oz
29 lb 4.4 oz 2.2 oz
33 lb typical Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen 5.0 oz 2.5 oz
37 lb 5.6 oz 2.8 oz
40 lb 6.0 oz 3.0 oz

Starting points for a moderately active adult (~0.15 oz of freeze-dried per lb of ideal weight). Active dogs need a little more, couch companions a little less — always adjust to body condition, not the bag.

Get exact portion →

What to feed a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen

For a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen we recommend complete freeze-dried raw as the daily base — real meat, organs and ground bone with no heat-processed filler — or as a topper while you transition.

Lean single-protein recipes like Chicken or Wild-Caught Cod suit easy keepers and sensitive dogs, while richer Beef suits hard-running or underweight PBGVs. Just add water and serve.

Recipes for Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens

Shop all →

Daily support for Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens

Shop all →

Treats Petit Basset Griffon Vendéens love

Shop all →

Feeding a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen by life stage

  • Puppy: PBGV puppies are energetic and grow fast — feed roughly 5–8% of current body weight across 3–4 small meals a day to fuel steady development. Use a slow feeder if your pup bolts its food.
  • Adult: Feed an adult PBGV to a lean, visible waist, split across two meals. Use the chart below as a starting point and adjust to body condition and how active the day was, not the bag.
  • Senior: This is a long-lived breed (often 14–16 years). Activity eases but appetite rarely does — trim portions, keep protein high to preserve lean muscle, and lean into joint-supporting nutrition.

Common Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen concerns — and the diet connection

  • Hip dysplasiaLargely genetic, but lean weight plus joint nutrients (natural glucosamine from real bone and cartilage, plus omega-3) help support comfort and day-to-day mobility.
  • Patellar luxationKneecap slips are aggravated by extra weight on a small frame; measured raw feeding to a lean body condition is one of the simplest ways to ease load on the knees.
  • Hypothyroidism & slow metabolismPBGVs can run a slower metabolism, so honest, calorie-dense portions and high-quality protein help maintain lean muscle and a healthy weight.
  • Skin & ear healthHairy floppy ears and a dense coat set the stage for trouble; a whole-food, omega-rich, low-filler diet supports the skin barrier and dials down inflammation.
  • Energy & lean muscleThis working hound runs on clean animal protein and fat for sustained energy and muscle maintenance — not on carbohydrate fillers.

Diet supports health but doesn't replace veterinary care — ask your vet about any specific condition.

Feeding a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen: what to know

A PBGV is small but genuinely athletic, and it is also persuasive at the food bowl. Feed to body condition rather than to the barking: you should feel the ribs easily under that wiry coat and see a clear waist from above.

Because the coat hides the body, weigh portions instead of eyeballing them, and re-check the amount every few weeks — especially after a quieter stretch, an injury, or any drop in the long walks and runs this hound craves.

Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen feeding questions

How much should I feed my Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen?
A healthy adult PBGV (25–40 lb) needs roughly 4–6 oz of freeze-dried raw per day, split between two meals. Freeze-dried is calorie-dense and measured dry, so it is far less by volume than kibble — feed to a lean waistline and adjust every few weeks.
What is the best food for an active PBGV?
A complete freeze-dried raw diet built on clean animal protein fuels the stamina this hunting hound needs without filler. Lean proteins like Chicken or Cod suit easy keepers; richer Beef suits hard-running or underweight dogs.
How do I switch my PBGV to raw?
Transition over 7–10 days, mixing a little more Land Animal into the old food each day. PBGVs are enthusiastic eaters and usually take to it fast — it is rich, so start at the lower end of the range and watch the waistline.
Does a Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen need joint support?
Many benefit from it, given the breed's hip-dysplasia and luxating-patella risk on short legs. Freeze-dried raw with real bone and organ provides natural glucosamine and omega-3, and keeping your PBGV lean is the most effective joint protection there is.
Why does my PBGV always seem hungry?
Scenthounds are food-motivated by nature, and that wiry coat can hide a thickening waistline. Feed measured portions by weight, not by the begging, and check body condition by feeling for the ribs rather than trusting the bowl drama.

THE CLEAN BOWL GUARANTEE

If your dog won't eat it, it's on us

Try Petit Basset Griffon Vendéen's first plan risk-free. If they turn up their nose, we'll make it right — money-back, and skip, pause or cancel anytime.

  • Vet-formulated
  • AAFCO complete & balanced
  • Pathogen-tested every batch

  • "Knowing exactly how much to feed took all the guesswork out. He's leaner, with more energy on our walks."

    — Jenna & Cooper

  • "My picky rescue finally runs to the bowl — and cleanup in the yard is a fraction of what it was."

    — Priya & Luna
Build my dog's meal plan →

Portions are starting points for freeze-dried raw and AAFCO complete-and-balanced recipes. Always feed to your individual dog's body condition and ask your vet about specific health needs.