The Brussels Griffon, such as the Belgian Griffon and the Little Brabanzón, are three breeds of dogs that descend from the “Smousje”, an old hard-haired terrier that lived in Brussels and was used as an employee to remove rats and rats in the stables.In the nineteenth century, these Belgian dogs crossed paths with Pugs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and gave birth to the modern Griffon of Brussels and les Petits de Brabanon.
The popularity of these three breeds suddenly increased in Belgium and throughout Europe when Queen Mary Enriqueta ventured into the breeding and education of these animals; however, in the following years of war, these races were almost extinct.Fortunately for European conophilia, some breeders have managed to save the breeds even though they have never been able to regain their old popularity.
- Today.
- The three domestic dogs are used as pets or in dog shows.
- Although they are little known dogs all over the world and endangered.
The height of the crossing is not indicated in the FCI standard for any of the three breeds, however, the Brussels Griffon and the Belgian and the Petit Brabanon usually have a height between 18 and 20 centimeters and an ideal weight of 3.5 to 6 kilos.These dogs are small, robust and square body profile, but despite their small size and lots of fur, it has elegant movements.
The head is striking and characteristic in this breed canine, in all three cases is large, wide and round, the short snout, the very marked stop and the black nose, large, round and dark eyes, According to the FCI standard, should not be prominent but, apparently, this is a subjective assessment and a criterion that is not satisfied 100% in these three breeds of dogs , the ears are small, tied high and well separated from each other.Unfortunately, the IFC still accepts amputated ears, although this practice is only harmful to the animal.
The tail is high and the dog is usually raised, unfortunately in this case the FCI standard also does not favor the animal and accepts that the tail is amputated, even if there is no reason (except aesthetic) to do so.The types of “aesthetic” practices are disappearing around the world and this is not legal in many countries.
The fur is what distinguishes these three breeds the most.The Brussels Griffon has a hard, wide and slightly curly coat with an inner fur.Accepted colors are reddish, but dogs with black spots on the head are also accepted.
These three small dogs are so similar to each other that they also share behavioral characteristics, in general they are active, alert and brave dogs, usually very attached to a person they follow most of the time, many of these dogs are a little nervous, but not too much.
Despite the tap of Brussels, the Belgians and the small Brabanons can be friendly and playful, they are also shy or aggressive when not properly socialized, these breeds can be more difficult to socialize than other companion dogs, because the personality is strong and bold., may conflict with other dogs and people trying to dominate them (this can happen because of the misconception that the animal should be punished to educate it) However, when these dogs are properly socialized as puppies, they can live with other dogs, animals and strangers.
Because these dogs require a lot of company, they tend to follow a single person and have a strong personality, which can easily develop behavioral problems when they live in the wrong environment, such as destructive behaviors, excessive barking or even separation anxiety when passing..a long time alone.
Despite these possible behavioral problems, the Brussels Griffon and its “cousins” are excellent pets for adults who have enough time to dedicate it to the dog.They are not recommended for beginner tutors as they require a lot of attention.They are also not a good idea for families with children, as these dogs can react badly to noises and sudden movements.
The care of the fur is different for the two Griffins and for the Petit de Brabanon.For Faucets, it is necessary to brush the hair two or three times a week and manually remove dead hair about three times a year.
The three breeds are very active and need a lot of exercise, however, due to their small size, they can perform exercises inside, however, it is important to walk your dog every day and play games.You should keep in mind that dogs with crushed snouts are sensitive to thermal shocks, so when temperatures are very high and the environment is very humid, intensive exercise is not recommended.
The need for companionship and attention is very high for these dogs, the Brussels Griffon, the Belgian Griffon and the Little Brabanzón need to spend most of their time with the family and the most attached person.They are not dogs to live in the garden or on the terrace, but appreciate when accompanied outside.They adapt very well to apartment living, but it is better to live in a quiet place and not in the city center.
In addition to proper socialization, canine training is very important for these three breeds of dogs, since it is necessary to be able to control these small dogs for their strong personality, traditional training based on domination and punishment generally does not work well with these On the contrary, usually generates more conflicts than advantages, on the other hand, positive training styles such as clicker training generate good results with the Griffon of Brussels , the Belgian Griffon and the Petit de Brabacon.
In general, these are breeds of healthy dogs that usually do not suffer from frequent diseases.However, there are some common diseases among these three breeds, such as nasal desenosis, exophthalms (eyeball protrusion), eyeball damage, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, Rotulian dislocation and dystychiasis.