Brussels Griffon
Navigate through the tabs
Navigate through the tabs below to view the breed's info of your interest.
The breed's info is divided in four sections; namely:
the breed's history ,
the breed's main stats ,
the dog's potential health issues
and finally, how the breed scored in 26 different categories.
All the above information should give you a respectively good overview for the dog of your interest.
Dog Breed's Main Info
The Breed's History:
The three variations of this dog, the Brussels Griffon (Griffon bruxellois), the Belgian Griffon (Griffon belge), and the Petit Brabancon, all descend from an old type of dog called a Smousje, a rough coated, small terrier-like dog kept in stables to eliminate rodents, similar to the Dutch Smoushond.
The little wire-haired dog in the foreground of the Jan van Eyck painting The Arnolfini Marriage is thought to be an early form of this breed.
In Belgium coachmen were fond of their alert little Griffons d'Ecurie (wiry coated stable dogs) and in the 19th century, they bred their Griffons with imported toy dogs. Breeding with the Pug and King Charles Spaniel brought about the current breed type, but also brought the short black coat that led to the Petits Brabancon, which was originally a fault in 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 19th century with both workers and noblemen in Belgium. The first Griffon Bruxellois was registered in 1883 in the first volume Belgium's kennel club studbook, the Livre des Origines Saint-Hubert (LOSH).
The popularity of the breed was increased by the interest of Queen Marie Henriette, 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.
Many dogs were exported to other countries, leading to Griffon Bruxellois clubs in England (1897) and Brussels Griffon clubs in the U.S.A. (1945.)
Country of Origin:
Belgium
Breed Group:
Companion
Height:
7 inches to 8 inches (17,78 to 20,32 cm)
Weight:
7 to 12 pounds (3,18 to 5,45 Kg)
Life Span:
12 to 15 years
Potential Health Issues:
Hip Dysplasia,
Patella Luxation,
Eye Problems,
Skin Allergies
Adaptability
Apartment Living:
First Time Owners:
Sensitivity:
Being Alone:
Cold Weather:
Hot Weather:
Friendliness
Affection With Family:
With Kids:
With Dogs:
With Strangers:
Health and Grooming
Shedding:
Drooling:
Easy To Groom:
Overall Health:
Weight Gain Potential:
Size:
Training
Easiness:
Intelligence:
Mouthiness:
Prey Drive:
Barking or Howling:
Wanderlust:
Need For Exercise
Energy Level:
Intensity:
Exercise Needs:
Playfulness:
Our Mobile Application
Check out Our Mobile Application "Dog Breeds Central"