Origin: Belgium
Height: 7-8 inches at the
shoulder
Weight: 6-12 pounds
Exercise Needs: Moderate
Grooming Needs: Low
Life Expectancy: 13-15
years
Good With Kids: No
Trainability: Medium
Common Misspellings: Brussells Griffon,
Brussels Griffin, Brusels Grifon
Alternate Names: Belgian Griffon, Griffon Belge,
Griffon Bruxellois, Small Brabant Griffon, Petit
Brabancon
Best-known for his role in the 1997 movie,
“As Good As It Gets,” starring Helen Hunt and
Jack Nicholson, the Brussels Griffon has been
gaining recent popularity as a very intelligent
and personable companion animal. Possessing an
almost human appearance and personality, this
little dog is sweet, sensitive, and incredibly
loving, making him an ideal pet for single pet
owners.
Back in the early 1800’s, vermin was a common
problem in the stables - not only did they eat
and soil in the livestock‘s feed, but they also
ran the risk of spreading illness. In order to
combat this, coachmen would customarily keep
small terrier-type dogs with them, where these
game little canines would keep the rats at bay.
Much like the Affenpinscher dog, in appearance,
these little stable dogs would come to be known
as Griffons d’Ecurier, which meant “wire-coated
stable dogs). Believed to be a cross between the
German Affenpinscher and Belgian street dogs,
the true origins of these foundation dogs remain
a mystery to this day.
As time progressed, experimentations with the
breed would be conducted and he would eventually
be crossed with breeds such as the King Charles
Spaniel, the court-favored Pug, and the Ruby
Spaniel. While he maintained his plucky
attitude, small stature, and great intelligence,
the Brussels Griffon gained several things from
the crossbreeding. He would inherit an almost
human look about his face from the Spaniel
blood, and a wider variety of colors. Also from
all of the crossbreeding, two distinct varieties
of the dog would emerge; the wire-coated and
whiskered rough, and a smooth-coated variety who
would be named the Brabancon, in honor of “La
Brabonconne,” the Belgian national anthem.
The Brussels Griffon is also known by several
other names, including the Belgian Griffon, the
Griffon Belge, Griffon Bruxellois, Small Brabant
Griffon, and the Petit Brabancon.
There are 3 distinct types of Brussels
Griffon: the wire-coated rough Griffon, the
smooth-coated Brabancon, and a throwback to his
English Toy Spaniel ancestors, a variety of
Griffon that often emerges as a web-footed and
either tailless or kink-tailed Griffon (also
acceptable by the breed standard). Regardless of
the type, however, these unique little dogs have
similar qualities which link them together,
including the distinctive upsweep to the lower
jaw, a highly domed skull, and up-tilted nose.
It is often said that their intense little eyes
and pouty expressions make them resemble humans
and this distinctive look remains a part of the
breed standard.
The Brussels Griffon is a toy breed, weighing
no more than 8-10 pounds as an adult, and can be
found in one of four colors: The red is a
reddish-brown shade with a sprinkling of black
allowed along the chin and whisker area. The
beige is a mixture of black and reddish brown
hair, intermingled, and commonly has a black
mask and whiskers. The third color is the black
and tan; a black dog with reddish-brown markings
found above each eye, around the edges of the
ears, under the chin, on the legs, and around
the vent. The final color is the black which is
to be solid black, with no white markings. The
only exception to this is the gray or silvering
hairs that can often be found on the muzzles of
elderly dogs.
It is said that these little dogs are filled
with self-importance. In truth, they are very
human-like in their personalities, as well as
their looks, and can often be very
self-conscious and shy with strangers. If
scolded, the Brussels Griffon will sulk or pout,
and it is not uncommon for these unique little
dogs to have a mischievous streak either. Once
the Brussels Griffon warms up to you, however,
he is usually a very loyal and affectionate
little friend. Like many terrier-type dogs,
however, he must always be watched around larger
dogs, as he tends to overestimate his own
abilities and will often challenge dogs much
larger than himself.
A busy little dog, the Brussels Griffon does
enjoy an active lifestyle, despite his small
stature. A short walk in the park or a little
bit of chasing the ball down the hallway will
usually do the trick however so, while he does
like to be on the go, his exercise needs are not
too strenuous. In addition to walks, the
Brussels Griffon also enjoys gentle games of
tug-o-war and the opportunity to chew on rubber
toys, so he is capable of entertaining himself
if left alone for short periods of time.
Both the wiry rough-coated Brussels Griffon
and his smooth counterpart, the Brabancon,
require little grooming in order to keep them
looking nice. For the Brabancon, a soft-bristled
brush can be used once a week, just to remove
any dander or dead hairs, and to help distribute
the dog’s natural oils through his coat. The
rough-coated Brussels Griffon will also enjoy
being brushed in such a fashion, though you may
find that a comb will work best to free any
tangles from his whiskers. Fortunately, with the
Brussels Griffon, the rougher the coat, the
better - which tends to mean less tangles and
snarls for you.
While the whiskers of the Brussels Griffon
can be trimmed lightly in order to make his
appearance neat, there should be no heavy
scissor-cutting or clipping performed on this
dog. In fact, such a look is severely penalized
in the show ring, according to the breed
standard. The Brussels Griffon is a scruffy
little ratter and his appearance should reflect
this. Many say that it’s the wild little beard
that makes this little charmer so endearing.
Aside from basic coat care, you will also
want to carefully clip your dog’s toenails every
few weeks in order to keep them at a healthy
length. If you are unsure as to how to do this,
consult your veterinarian for assistance.
Bathing the Brussels Griffon should only be need
to be done once a month unless he gets into
something particularly smelly or dirty.
It takes patience to train a Brussels
Griffon. While he is a very intelligent little
animal, the Brussels Griffon puppy has just
enough of the terrier in him, to make him a very
independent little dog. While they don’t mean to
be inattentive, they commonly are busy paying
attention to everything that is going on around
them, making them seem distracted, and they
don‘t take well to scolding or punishment.
Crate training is the best means of
housebreaking these wonderful little dogs and
obedience lessons are highly recommended,
teaching him to focus more and pay attention to
you. Using the treat reward method also works
very well to help keep his attention on you,
just be careful not to over-use treats - only
give them for appropriate behavior.
Like any breed of dog, the Brussels Griffon
is subject to a variety of health concerns. Your
best bet is, when deciding to choose a new
Brussels Griffon puppy, check around with
several breeders and ask about the various
health issues that can affect these beautiful
little dogs. A reputable breeder should be
well-versed in the health concerns and should be
able to give you more details, as well as
showing you the sire and dam of your potential
puppy. Some of the health problems that can
affect Brussels Griffons include:
- Subluxated patella
- Elongated soft palate
- Eye injuries and ulcers of the eye
- Difficulty whelping and high puppy
mortality
- Hydrocephalus
- Congestive heart failure
- Collapsing trachea
- Degenerative disk disease
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The Brussels Griffon is an excellent pet for
the right person, but careful thought must be
given as to whether or not you are the right
individual for this little dog. Fiercely
independent and notoriously headstrong, the
Brussels Griffon puppy can be difficult to train
and requires a great deal of patience. Due to
their small size and their excitable nature,
they are not an ideal family dog, particularly
if you have small children and, with a
combination of small litter size and a high
mortality rate with puppies, a Brussels Griffon
puppy usually sells for a minimum of $1,000.00.
If you aren’t bothered by a high price tag and
you are willing to invest the time and affection
with this little individual, however, the
Brussels Griffon may be the perfect dog for
you…and you may be just what he’s looking for
too!
There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn
more about the Brussels Griffon dog breed. We've compiled a list of
Brussels Griffon information sites to assist you in quickly locating
quality information about the Brussels Griffon dog breed, while
avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor
attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general.
If you know of a Brussels Griffon information site that offers
unique, quality information and photos of the Brussels Griffon
breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so
that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.
Brussels Griffons are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at
Brussels Griffon pictures, you can usually gain more insight into
what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help
you decide if you really want to become a Brussels Griffon owner.
The following sites below offer pictures of Brussels Griffon dogs,
Brussels Griffon puppy photos, funny Brussels Griffon photos and
more. Enjoy!
Now that you have decided that the Brussels Griffon is the right
breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a
responsible Brussels Griffon breeder from which to buy a healthy,
well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good
breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first
Brussels Griffon puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To
buy a puppy from a responsible Brussels Griffon breeder, you may
need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting
time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper
ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase
a great deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will
likely end up falling in love with a puppy with health and
behavioral problems that will likely need special care, plenty of
veterinary visits, regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do
your homework and find a responsible, caring Brussels Griffon
breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens their
breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee and
post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Brussels Griffon
breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit,
and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long
lived and affectionate family companion that will provide you and
your family with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.
Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...
Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These
sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders
listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Brussels
Griffon puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many
sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for
puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear
of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the
breeders whom they allow to advertise.
We Highly Recommend:
Brussels Griffon clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn
even more about the Brussels Griffon dog breed, help you locate a
responsible Brussels Griffon breeder, or help you find a Brussels
Griffon dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving,
forever home. We've compiled the following list of Brussels Griffon
clubs and Brussels Griffon rescues web sites for your convenience:
Choosing a name for your Brussels Griffon puppy can be a daunting
task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot
of thought and research to find just the right name for your
Brussels Griffon. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a
few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you
decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of
humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side?
A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Brussels Griffon
puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue
about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog
names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful
information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just
"garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on
visitor hits for this popular subject.
We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name
for your new Brussels Griffon puppy. These sites offer inventive,
unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped
thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for
their new baby!
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