The Belgian Griffon, the Brussels Griffon and the Petit Brabançon are three very similar breeds of companion dogs, sharing history and who come from the same place, the European city of Brussels, in Belgium. We could say that they are three breeds in one, since they only differ in color and type of hair. In fact, although the International Cinological Federation (FCI) considers these dogs as three separate breeds, other organizations such as the American Kennel Club and the English Kennel Club recognize three varieties of a single breed called the Brussels Griffon.
In this tab on our site we are going to tell you everything you need to know before adopting a Belgian griffon, from its origin and physical characteristics, through his character and his care, up to his education and most common he alth problems.
Origin of the Belgian Griffon
The Belgian Griffon, like the Brussels Griffon and the Petit Brabançon, are three breeds that descend from the "Smousje", an old wire-haired terrier-type dog that lived in Brussels and was used to eliminate rats and mice in stables. During the 19th century, these Belgian dogs were crossed with pugs or pugs, and with King Charles spaniels, giving rise to the current Belgian and Brussels griffons and petit brabançon.
The popularity of this breed, along with the other two, grew suddenly in Belgium and throughout Europe when Queen Maria Henriette introduced the breeding and keeping of these animals. However, the subsequent two world wars almost completely extinguished the three breeds, but, fortunately for the European dog community, English breeders managed to rescue them, however, they never regained their former popularity.
Today the three breeds of Belgian companion dogs are used as pets and in dog shows, and although they are very little known dogs in the world, they are fortunately not in danger of extinction..
Physical Characteristics of the Belgian Griffon
The only thing that differentiates this breed from the other two mentioned above is the coat. Thus, the Belgian griffon has hard, long, slightly wavy hair with an inner layer of hair. Accepted colors are black and black and tan, but black mixed with red-brown is also allowed.
Otherwise, the three breeds have identical physical characteristics: height at the withers is not indicated in the FCI standard for any of these three dog breeds, but both the Belgian Griffon and the from Brussels and the petit brabançon usually have a size between 18 and 20 centimeters. The ideal weight for these three breeds is 3.5 to 6 kilograms. These purebred dogs are small, stocky and have an almost square body profile. However, for their small size and broad chest, they have graceful movements.
The head is the most striking part of the Belgian griffon. In all three breeds, the head is large, wide and round. The muzzle is very short, the stop very marked and the nose black. The eyes are large, round and dark. According to the FCI standard, they should not be prominent, but it seems that this is a subjective assessment or a criterion that is not always met in these three dog breeds. The ears are small, set high and well separated from each other. Unfortunately, the FCI continues to accept amputated ears, although this practice only represents harm to the animal.
The tail of this breed of dog is set high and the dog generally carries it raised. On this occasion, the FCI standard does not favor animal welfare either, since it accepts the amputated tail even if there is no reason to do so. Luckily, the custom of amputating tails and ears for "aesthetic" reasons is disappearing all over the world and is already illegal in some countries.
Belgian Griffon Character
These three dog breeds are so close to each other that they even share temperament characteristics. Many of these dogs are a little nervous, but not too much. In general, Belgian Griffons are active, alert and courageous dogs; and tend to stick to one person, whom they accompany most of the time.
Although Belgian Griffons, Brussels Griffons and Petit Brabançons can be friendly and playful, they can also be shy or aggressive when not properly socialized. These three breeds can be more difficult to socialize than other companion dogs, since their character is strong and reckless, and they can get angry with other dogs and with other people who try to dominate them by wanting to make them submissive. But when these dogs are socialized correctly and from an early age, they can tolerate other dogs, other animals and strangers without any problem.
Because these dogs need a lot of company, have strong personalities and tend to follow the same person, they can easily develop some behavior problems. behavior when they live in the wrong environment. These dogs can engage in destructive behavior, barking, or even separation anxiety when they spend too much time alone.
But despite all those potential problems, the Belgian Griffon and their canine cousins make great pets for adults who have enough time to spend with their canines. They are not good pets for first-time owners because they need a lot of attention, and they are not good for families with children either, as these dogs tend to react badly to sudden movements and noises.
Belgian Griffon Care
Both the Belgian Griffon, the Brussels Griffon and the Petit Brabançon have great needs for companionship and attention All three breeds need to pass the most of the time with the person to whom they are most attached and with their family. Belgian Griffons are not cut out for living in a garden or on a patio, although they do enjoy being outdoors when accompanied. They adapt well to living in an apartment, but it is better that they live in a calm and quiet area and not in the center of big cities.
The three breeds are very active and need a lot of physical activity, and thanks to their small size they can do this exercise indoors. Even so, it is important to walk the dogs daily and give them some play time Keep in mind that they are dogs with flattened snouts that are susceptible to shocks thermal, so it is not necessary to exercise them intensely when there are high temperatures and in very humid environments.
Regarding coat care, there are some minor differences between the three breed classes. Thus, for Belgian and Brussels griffons, it is necessary to brush their hair two or three times a week and to strip (manually remove dead hair) about three times year. And you only have to bathe them when they are really dirty.
Belgian Griffon Education
Apart from correct socialization, for these three breeds dog training is very important, since it is necessary to be able to control these small dogs with a strong personality. Traditional training, based on punishment and dominance of the dog, does not usually give good results with the Belgian Griffon or with the other two breeds, but rather the opposite, it usually generates more conflicts than benefits. On the other hand, positive training styles, such as clicker training, usually give very good results with any of the three.
Belgian Griffon He alth
Generally, the Belgian griffon, or the Brussels griffon and the petit brabançon are usually he althy animals, and do not present diseases of dogs with more often than other breeds. Even so, it is very important to know some of the most common he alth problems within these three breeds in order to prevent them. These include: stenotic nostrils, exophthalmia (protrusion of the eyeball), eyeball lesions, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, patellar luxation and distichiasis.
