| Brussels Griffon Breed Information |
Origin The Brussels Griffon is named for the city of their origin, Brussels, Belgium. History indicates that they were used 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. 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, Sweet November and on the sitcom Spin City and also because of a general increase in interest in toy dogs. The dogs were naturally red with some black in their masks. But Hollywood wanted a solid colored black mask so they colored the dogs beards solid black. However, this is not the norm or typical breed standard. Grooming The smooth coat requires little grooming, but like many smooth coated breeds, it has a seasonal shed. The rough coat does shed some and needs regular grooming. A Griffon headed for the show ring requires stripping to maintain texture, color, and that typical Brussels Griffon appearance. Pets that are not hand stripped need to be clipped 3-4 times a year to maintain a neat look. Grooming a Brussels Griffon for a pet : http://www.mosellegriffons.com/agrooming.html Temperment They are intelligent, alert, sensitive, attracting attention by an almost human expression. They are 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 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. Size The usually weight between 8 to 10 pounds, and should not exceed 12 pounds. Type and quality are of greater importance than weight, and a smaller dog that is sturdy and well proportioned should not be penalized in the show ring. Life Span A typical lifespan of a Brussels Griffon is somewhere in the range of 12-15 years. |
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