Most breeds “stand” on the shoulders of breeds that came before them, and some of these ancestors, while rare, are still around. It’s ironic that some of these breeds look like mixed breeds to us instead of the originals they are. The Griffon Nivernais is one of them.

This loveable, “shaggy dog” is the Griffon Nivernais, a French scenthound built for stamina over speed. It’s one of the great rustic dogs of Europe with a long and distinguished history dating back to the 13th century. As with so many French breeds, the French Revolution upended Nivernais lines, and by the 18th century, few dogs were left. This lead to an enormous problem with wolves which the Nivernais had helped control.

Some sources say the effort to reconstruct the breed began in 1925 by hunters in Morvan, but another source maintains that the effort began much earlier at the beginning of the 19th century. Surviving Nivernais were bred with thirteen Grand Griffon Vendeens to create the Griffn Vendeen-Nivernais. The new dogs effectively reduced the wolf problem, and by the end of the century, the predators were under control, while the Vendeen part of the dogs was gradually reduced so that the breed became distinct enough to be known as the Giffon Nivernais.  The breed standard was recognized in 1925 and has a breed club in France.

If the breed looks familiar to you, it’s because it was an important contributor to the Otterhound.