The Brussels Griffon was originally bred to kill rats. This breed is unique and unusual in its own way. The dog has an affectionate and gentle character, a high level of intelligence. Dogs of this breed are very attractive, many argue that the amazing piercing gaze of the Belgian Griffon is very similar to that of a person.
Brief description of the breed
Brussels Griffons are often referred to simply as "Griffons". The hunting skills of these dogs have found their application in the fight against rats. Especially often they were bred by horse breeders, because it was in the stables that rats and mice often started. As a result, these pets began to gain popularity and turned into excellent pets, which are distinguished by cheerfulness, affection and curiosity. Griffons have long been faithful companions and friends of man.
Today there are two varieties of Brussels Griffon: wire-haired and smooth-haired. Experts distinguish three types of Griffons (small Belgian dogs): Petit Brabancon (with smooth hair), Brussels Griffon (with hard red hair) and Belgian Griffon (with hard hair of any color except red).
All Griffons have a somewhat flattened muzzle with a protruding chin, large, wide-set eyes. These dogs are somewhat reminiscent of fantastic animals. Despite their small size, griffons - These are strong, athletic dogs. Dogs of this breed often achieve excellent results in agility, obedience and in many sports.
Representatives of this breed are quite capricious dogs, they require the attention of the owner and want to be with him. Griffons get along well with other dogs and pets. At the same time, noisy children can cause irritation in the animal. These pets are very attached to their owner, I love spending all day with him.
Due to the small size of the Brussels Griffon, the dog can live in the apartment. But you should understand that griffons love to bark. This must be taken into account in the case of living in an apartment building. In order for the barking of the dog not to be uncontrolled, it is necessary to teach the dog the correct behavior from an early age.
This interesting dog breed is not suitable for all dog breeders. It is suitable for those who are ready to devote a lot of time to their pet, to spend most of their time with it. In addition, the Brussels Griffon shows independence in character. This fact indicates that difficulties may arise in the process of training and training. You also need to know that dogs of this breed live long enough: from 14 to 15 years.
basic information
| Breed name: | brussels griffon |
| Country of origin: | Belgium |
| The time of the birth of the breed: | 18th century |
| Type of: | decorative and companion dogs |
| The weight: | 3 - 6 kg |
| Height (height at the withers): | 26 - 32 cm |
| Life Expectancy: | 14 - 15 years old |
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ICF classification:
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Group 9, Section 3, Number 80, 81, 82 |
| Puppies price: | 350 – 850 $ |
| Most popular nicknames: | list of nicknames for the brussels griffon |
Assessment of breed characteristics
| Adaptability
(a definition meaning how easily a dog can adapt to changes in life) |
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| Shedding level
(Level and frequency of hair loss in the animal) |
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| Tenderness level
(The level and amount of tenderness and affection that the dog gives in return for attention to itself) |
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| Exercise needs
(Dog's daytime activity level) |
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| Social need
(The required number of contacts of the dog with other animals, as well as people) |
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| Apartment content
(A factor that determines the level of noise and other inconveniences that a dog can deliver to owners in relation to the size of the apartment to the size of the dog) |
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| Grooming
(The number of bathing, brushing, and the number of professional grooming sessions required for the dog) |
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| Friendliness in an unfamiliar environment
(Features of the behavior of a dog in a society with strangers or in an unfamiliar environment) |
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| Tendency to bark
(Tendency to bark and its frequency and volume) |
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| Health issues
(Potential health status of the dog) |
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| Territoriality
(The dog's tendency to protect his home, yard, or even his owner's car) |
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| Friendliness to cats
(The tendency towards tolerance for cats and decreased manifestation of hunting instincts) |
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| Intelligence
(The ability of the dog to think and solve emerging difficulties (not to be confused with learning!) |
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| Education and training
(The level of difficulty in training the dog to perform certain actions) |
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| Friendliness to children
(A factor that determines how friendly a dog is to children, whether he likes to play with them and tolerate some childish pranks) |
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| Game activity
(The concept is determined by its very name, and, as a rule, is found in almost all dogs) |
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| Observation
(The ability of a dog to detect the presence of a stranger on its territory) |
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| Friendliness to other dogs
(The tendency of the dog to find common language with his other relatives) |
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Brussels Griffon photo:
Origins of the Brussels Griffon
The history of the Brussels Griffon begins in Belgium 200 years ago. It originates from the time when small terriers were bred to help fight rodents in local stables. The Brussels Griffon as we know it today was created by crossing several dog breeds, including the Affenpinscher, pug and Russian Toy Spaniel. From the Affenpinscher, the Griffon retained a special coat structure, but from the Toy Spaniel, the pet inherited the shape of the head and expressive eyes. It must be said that smooth-haired terriers often resemble ordinary mutts.
As a result of crossing the mentioned dog breeds, it was possible to breed a pet with excellent hunting abilities, which were aimed at fighting rodents. Over time, these cocky dogs became more and more popular and firmly entered the lives of many people, taking their place among other pets.
In 1883, Belgian dog breeders set the breed standard, ie. a written description of all the main characteristics of the Brussels Griffon. Since that time, griffons began to appear at various exhibitions. Their active breeding began. By the way, the Queen of Belgium herself, Marie Henriette, fell in love with this breed. We can say that it was the royal love for the griffon that caused the active breeding of this breed in Europe. In 1889, the first Griffon club in Belgium was formed. Since that time, smooth-coated griffons have been called "griffon-brabancon".
Both smooth-haired and wire-haired Griffons were taken to England in the early nineties of the nineteenth century. Already in 1898 the breed was officially recognized in England. Clubs began to form. Griffons got to the USA and Russia almost at the same time. The first Brussels Griffon club in America was registered in 1899. In the same year, dogs of this breed were presented at the Westminster Kennel Club exhibition. The breed was officially recognized by dog breeders in the United States in 1900.
During the two world wars, the number of dogs of this breed was significantly reduced. The maintenance of griffons in those difficult times was considered a real luxury that only a few could afford. By the end of World War II, the Brussels Griffons had practically disappeared from their homeland. It was possible to restore the breed thanks to the efforts of English breeders.
Brussels Griffons are even now considered a fairly rare breed, although very fashionable. The peak of popularity fell on the fifties and nineties of the last century.
Brussels Griffon Personality
The Brussels Griffon is a toy dog breed. As already mentioned, the breed was bred for hunting rodents. These pets look like gentle pocket animals with a very expressive appearance and no less expressive eyes.
Despite their tiny size, Griffons are very brave and quite strong. Feature of these dogs is the ability to climb trees (in this they can compete even with cats). These dogs love to be in the spotlight, the owners should always please their pet in this regard. If the animal has grown up with children or pets, then they get along excellently with them.
Like any other dogsBrussels Griffons love attention and affection. They hate being alone. As a rule, Griffons feel best in the home of the elderly. This is due to the fact that it is these people who have a lot of free time, which they completely devote to their little friends.
Maintenance and care
Training and education of the Brussels Griffon
Brussels Griffon health and disease
The Brussels Griffon has a relatively long lifespan. As a rule, they live from ten to fifteen years. Despite this, Griffons have many health problems, the main of which are related to diseases of the reproductive organs. Females often fail to conceive, and complications during childbirth are also common. Often you have to resort to caesarean section.
For one litter, the female brings not many puppies, it often happens that only one Griffon is born. Puppies are very weak, there is always a huge risk of death of the newborn. Among dogs of this breed, diseases such as glaucoma, cataracts, hip dysplasia and luxation of the patella are often observed.
Some interesting facts
- Brussels Griffons are prone to overeating. Pay close attention to your pet's diet. During feeding, it is necessary to give exactly as much food as the pet should eat at one time. Never leave food leftovers!
- Griffons are often stubborn, which is a significant barrier to learning and training. It is especially difficult for beginner dog breeders to cope with this. During training, you must be consistent and persevere.
- Brussels Griffons bark loudly at any rustle. This feature of their behavior makes these dogs excellent guards. But this can also become a serious problem in the case of living in an apartment, because frequent barking is unlikely to please the neighbors.
- Griffons are very sensual and gentle dogs. You should never shout at them, otherwise the animal will have a feeling of fear, which, in turn, will lead to aggression and a tendency to bite.
- Griffons can snarl and growl. They don't really like being hugged. That is why dogs of this breed are not suitable for families with small children. Some representatives of this breed do not like children at all.
- Females of this breed often have problems during pregnancy. Often they have to do a caesarean section. For one litter, the female brings not many puppies.
- Griffons have an increased mortality rate in puppyhood.
- Griffons do not tolerate heat well due to the peculiarities of the formation of the skull and airways. Also, short hair does not save the animal from the cold in winter.
- After the rapid increase in the popularity of Griffons, the number of unscrupulous breeders also increased. You should not buy a dog from an unverified dog breeder or in pet stores.
Nurseries and breeders
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