Brussels Griffon

Brussels Griffon (Griffon Bruxellois) are considered a “toy dog” breed, because of their generally small size. They also have a flat face, with a prominent chin and of course their large wide-set eyes, which gives Brussels Griffon a very special, almost human expression!

Brussels Griffon History

The Griffon Bruxellois breed would have existed from the 16th century in Belgium. The ancestors of this breed were stray dogs in Brussels and were utilized as rat catchers in the coaching stable where they were known as “Griffons d’ecurie”. It is said that the Flemish artist Jan Van Eyck has portrayed the picture of this breed in the 15th century. They accompanied the coachmen on their journeys as mascots. In Brussels, even today one can notice the stickers of Brussels Griffon in the taxi cabs. It is in the air that the current day Griffon has been bred through Yorkshire terrier and the Irish terrier in determining the temperament and behavior. The Pug is also identified as the contributor to one of the breeds of the Griffon family, namely the Petit Brabancon, a smooth coated Griffon. This breed was first introduced in Britain in the 19th century.

Griffon Bruxellois, Griffon Belge and Petit Brabancon

There are three variations of the Brussels Griffon breed. They can be listed as Griffon Bruxellois, the Belgian Griffon also named as Griffon Belge and the Petit Brabancon. The Petit Brabancon, a smooth coated dog, is a breed of the Pug from Victoria and the Belgian dog and is named after the Belgian National Anthem. Also, when Charles Spaniel and ruby varieties were bred with the Belgian dog, a rough coated tanned Brabancon was developed. All the three breeds were developed from its ancestor known as the Smousje. Smousje is a small terrier like dog with rough coated skin, primarily used in the stables as a watchdog to eliminate rodents. The Griffon Bruxellois gained popularity in the late 1800s among the working societies and the noblemen in Belgium. In 1883, the first Griffon Brussels was registered in the Kennel Club Studbook, Livre des Origines Saint-Hubert. The popularity of this breed was further promoted when Queen Marie Henriette, a dog enthusiast, showed interest in the dog exhibition shows held in Belgium. Attracted by the nature of the dog, she started breeding the Griffons, thereby exposing the Griffons to international fame.

Brussels Griffon Used to Hunt Vermin

It was at the Brussels Exhibition of 1980 the Brussels Griffon came to exposure for the first time. However, Van Eyck, the Flemish painter, had depicted this breed resembling the early examples of Brussels Griffon. In the 17th century Brussels were kept by cab drivers. It was first used for hunting vermin. Brussels Griffon is also known as Belgium Griffon and Griffon Bruxellois. Brussels Griffon is a toy dog. The modern Griffon breeds also contain the contribution of Yorkshire and Irish Terriers for breeding. However, the history of the three breeds of Griffons is not clear. You can find Griffons, but sporadically. The lovable and small Griffon Bruxellois is sensitive too. It has more affinity to humans than to any other living beings. However, all these are general clues and you should get into details of the Griffon Bruxellois that you would like to buy.

Brussels Griffon Saved from Extinction

War time is always a danger to any breed. First and Second World War were no exceptions. After the First World War, the recovering number of this breed declined significantly as no breeding was done to avoid the dogs being born with webbed toes. By the end of Second World War, Belgium was left with no native Griffons. The dedicated breeders of England were vigilant enough to save the Griffons from extinction. In 1910, the Griffon Brussels was recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Though this breed was not widely popular, it is gaining its place as a house dog in the recent times. One reason is that the popularity of toy dogs is on the increase. Moreover, its appearance in the movie “As good as it gets” has brought this breed to the limelight. Consequently, it was taken into role for many other Hollywood movies like Sweet November, Gosford Park and so on.

Brussels Griffon = Intelligent

Brussels Griffon are intelligent. Their temperament resembles that of terriers. Griffon Bruxellois dogs are cheerful and they are good companions. Brussels Griffon are charming and affectionate to everyone. In general, they are lively and curious dogs who are good with other animals, surprisingly with cats too!

Please browse through Terrier Grooming for more Brussels Griffon breed information, and we hope that you enjoy your stay and find the site useful.

Brussels Griffon Health & Behaviour

There is a number of health problems associated with the Brussels Griffon breed. They include the luxating patella, seizures, Legg Perthes, cataracts and heart problems.

Do not feed Brussels Griffon table scraps. They may become insatiable and may develop interest in picky eating. The downside is that it is not easy to housebreak these dogs. However, they are good watchdogs. Brussels Griffon learn tricks easily. The facial expression of these dogs has earned them the nickname ‘monkey face’. These dogs are sometimes treated as little human beings, but this can develop Small Dog syndrome in them, and this encourages them to believe that they are the owners of the house. Such Brussels Griffon may try to act as your boss. So, they may behave badly with mischievous children. For these reasons, Brussels Griffon’s need mental and physical exercises in a sustained manner. However, these behaviors are not their nature, but they develop such behaviors if you treat them at par with you.

Brussels Griffon Resources

Brussels Griffon Grooming Supplies

Brussels Griffon on Wikipedia

Brussels Griffon Videos