Brussels Griffon Dog

The Brussels Griffon breed is in the toy dog category, and is described as a Star Wars Ewok. The head is large with a round domed forehead. It has a very short muzzle that has the appearance of being pushed back, with a small short nose. This breed has an overbite with a hanging tongue. The eyes are prominent and widely set with long black eyelashes. The ears are high set and can be cropped or left naturally. The natural ear is carried in a semi erect position. This breed have straight leg bones of medium length. The tail is set high, and in some countries docked. This breed has two types of coat, rough and smooth. On the smooth coats, the fur is short, tight, glossy and straight. On the rough coat, the fur is dense and wiry. It is to be noted the short coats are easier to groom. Coat colours include red, brown with a little black on the chin and whiskers, brown coloured dogs usually have a black mask as well. Black and tan comes with a reddish-brown marking under the chin, above each eye, and on their legs. This colour is also seen around the ears and around the vent.

History: The Brussels Griffon dog, as the name suggests, came from Brussels, and were first shown at the Brussels exhibition of 1880. In the 17th century, this dog was kept by cab drivers, to rid the stables of rats and mice. This breed then went on to become a companion dog. There is a large mix of other breeds, to name just a few, we see English toy spaniel, Yorkshire terrier and Irish terrier. Somewhat rare the Griffon may be very difficult to find.

Temperament: The Brussels Griffon breed has a happy disposition, and is intelligent. This makes for a great personality and a fine companion dog. They are good with other dogs and cats. This breed is very affectionate lively and loves everybody. They make good watchdogs and can be taught to do tricks. Care is needed to help the dog know their place in the family, or they can suffer from small dog syndrome. It is not a good idea to treat this dog as you would a human baby, as this will cause the dog to wish to take over the home, and you will have a dog with behavioural problems. This can cause obsessive barking, over demanding, separation anxiety, snapping and even biting. If you remember this dog is a dog. With enough mental and physical exercise, they are a good companion and do not become highly strung, moody or oversensitive. This dog may be small, but still needs good leadership, with consistent rules that they must follow, to become a well-balanced dog.

Health issues: The Brussels Griffon breed can have eye and respiratory problems, sensitivity to heat and prone to slipped stifle.

Grooming: As mentioned earlier, the coat of the rough variety requires a lot of grooming. Grooming will need to be done at least every other day. The Brussels Griffon breed sheds little to no hair.

Living conditions: The Brussels Griffon breed is good as an apartment dog. They can be very active indoors, but it is important that the dog is walked daily to fulfill their needs.