Brussels Griffon
The Brussels Griffon is a descendant of the German Affenpinscher and a 17th century well-defined type of street dog, very common to Belgian peasants and well known as the "Griffons D'Ecurie" or the Stable Griffon. These rough and bearded,shaggy coated, good natured dogs, killed rats in the stables. The infusion of the Affenpinscher blood was thought to refine this ratting ability. The ensuing dogs were later bred with the smooth coated Pug resulting in a breed which to this day produces two coats, the smooth and the rough coat. Next the Ruby English Toy Spaniel was added, creating today's facial attributes and appearance, but which ended the breed's ability to catch and dipatch vermin. Today's brussels Griffon is a small, compact dog with either a rough or smooth coat which sheds very little, requiring grooming about once a week. It is a sturdy, alert, intelligent, short bodied dog with an attention getting, almost human expression on its whiskered face. Brussels Griffons are excellent watchdogs, are well suited for any dwelling. They are quite active and love a romp in the woods or a good walk with their master.
It takes patience to acquire an adorable Brussels Griffon, as litters are difficult to whelp and usually small.
Over time, the Brussels griffon became more of a family companion than a ratter.
Appearance and Size
The Brussels griffon is a small sturdy dog with a stout body. The most important characteristic of the breed is his almost human facial expression. The eyes are set far apart. The ears are small and are often cropped. If left natural, the ears are partially erect. The head is large for the body size with a domed forehead and an undershot jaw. The muzzle is short. The tail of the griffon is usually docked to about one-third.
The Brussels griffon has two different coat types: rough and smooth. The rough coat is wiry and harsh. The smooth coat, also referred to as the petit brabancon variety, is short and straight. The coat colors can be red, belge (black and reddish brown mix), black and tan or black.
The adult Brussels griffon stands around 7 to 8 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 6 to 12 pounds.
Personality
The Brussels griffon has a lively spirit and a big heart. He loves his family but if not trained properly, can be moody.
Home and Family Relations
The Brussels griffon is a happy and pleasant dog that acts similar to a terrier. They make wonderful family companions and are very affectionate but can be high-strung and demanding. The griffon prefers to be indoors with his family. He does well with older children but should be closely supervised with small children. The Brussels griffon can do well with other pets in the family if raised with them.
Training
The Brussels griffon is an intelligent dog and with patience, persistence and positive training can be taught a variety of tricks. Some griffons may be difficult to housetrain.
Special Concerns
The Brussels griffon doesn't like to be left alone and prefers to spend all of his time with his family. The breed can be demanding, petulant and enjoys being spoiled.
Common Diseases and Disorders
The Brussels griffon is a hardy breed that has few known diseases. Females can have dystocia, difficulty giving birth, luxating patella, which is a slipped kneecap, and respiratory problems. Some can be prone to heatstroke.
The average life span of the Brussels griffon is 12 to 15 years. We realize that each dog is unique and may display other characteristics. This profile provides generally accepted breed information only.
For centuries, rough coated, short nosed toy dog breeds have been found in Belgium, but the true history of the Griffon Bruxellois started in the 1800s, not in royal palaces, but in coach houses.
To help keep rats away, Belgian coachmen used to keep small terriers called Griffons d’Ecurie in their stables. These Affenpinscher-like dogs were friendly and popular. At some point in the 1800s, these coachmen bred their Griffons with imported toy dogs, such as the Pug, and the King Charles Spaniel, bringing about the change in coat types that lead to the Petits Brabançon, which was originally a fault of the breed. The spaniels also brought the rich red and black and tan colour of the modern Griffon Bruxellois and Griffon Belge.
The Griffon Bruxellois grew in popularity in the late 1800s with both workers and noblemen in Belgium. Queen Marie Henriette was a dog enthusiast who visited the annual dog shows in Belgium religiously, often with her daughter, and became a breeder and booster of Griffon Bruxellois, giving them international fame and popularity and indirectly leading to two Griffon Bruxellois clubs starting in England and America.
The First World War and Second World War proved to be a disastrous time for the breed. War time is difficult on any dog breed, and the recovering numbers after the First World War were set back by increased vigilance in breeding faults such as webbed toes. By the end of the Second World War, Belgium had almost no native Griffon Bruxellois left, and it was only through the vigilance of dedicated breeders (in England particularly) that the breed survived at all.
The breed has never been numerous or popular, but had a brief vogue in the late 1950s, and now is generally an uncommon breed. There has been a recent increase in interest in the United States due to appearance of a Griffon in the movie, As Good as It Gets, and also because of a general increase in interest in toy dogs.
In the film As Good as It Gets (1997), as Verdel, played by six Brussels Griffons,
named Timer, Sprout, Debbie, Billy, Parfait, and "JILL", the star
Temperament
Despite being a Toy dog, the breed is very active.The Griffon Bruxellois is known to have a huge heart, and a strong desire to snuggle and be with his or her master. They display a visible air of self-importance. A Griffon should not be shy or aggressive; however, they are very emotionally sensitive, and because of this, should be socialized carefully at a young age. Griffons should also be alert, inquisitive and interested in their surroundings.
Griffons tend to bond with one human more than others. This, along with their small size, may make them unsuitable as a family pet, especially for a family with very small children. Griffons tend to get along well with other animals in the house, including cats, ferrets, and other dogs. However, they can get into trouble because they have no concept of their own relative size and may attempt to dominate dogs much larger than themselves.
Some say: "Having a Griffon means having a true constant companion. They need their favorite person all the time, and will be very unhappy if left outdoors or alone most of the day. A Griffon Bruxellois will want to follow you about the house, on your errands, and to bed."
Health
Griffons have a handful of various health issues, including both physiological and genetic. It is thought that many of the issues have long existed in the breed, and only in recent years these issues have been identified and categorized. Despite many of these health concerns the typical life span of a Griffon is somewhere in the range of 12 to 15 years.
Breeding
Breeding can be a difficult health issue for the Griffons. Because of the breed's size it is not uncommon for some complications to cause a caesarean section to be needed. The number of puppies in the litter also determins the extent of these complications. It is not unheard of for a litter to have six in it.
Heat Stroke
Due to the shortened snout that Griffons have, heat stroke is a major concern for the breed. To be left outside for any lengthy period of time is extremely devastating for a Griffon. Also as a result of the breed's smashed face, the extreme heat conditions may cause serious respiratory issues.
Eyes
Lacerations - Lacerations are a common issue amongst the breed. Because the Griffons have such large eyes and a short snout, there is very little there to protect their vision from foreign bodies. If a laceration is left untreated it can result in blindness.
Cataracts - As with most breeds, cataracts are a common problem as the dog ages. For many breeders it is a disappointment that the cataracts typically develop long after the dog has already been bred.
Lens Luxations - Lens luxations can be fairly common in the breed and result in secondary glaucoma
Glaucoma - Glaucoma can also be a common issue amongst Griffons due to the breeds facial features and eye size.
YOY MAY WANT TO VISIT THE FOLLOWING SITE FOR MORE DETAILS ON THE BREED
