This old Belgian street dog is a rare and odd canine breed that was designed to hunt and kill rats. Despite its small size, the Brussels Griffon is far from a spoiled dog. Their intellect, sense of humour, and attitude of self-importance keep them one step ahead of their owners, who already adore their puppies.

Despite the fact that they are purebred dogs, they may still be found at shelters and rescues. Keep in mind to adopt! If you want to bring a dog home, don't go shopping.

Griffons adapt well to apartment living, although the neighbours may not enjoy this little watchdog's proclivity for barking at the first indication of trouble. For their small, these dogs have a lot of energy and require a lot of exercise and entertainment. Novice pet owners expecting a calm lapdog may be disappointed to discover that this pup does not stay still for as long as they had hoped. Humans who can satisfy the breed's requirements and keep up with training, on the other hand, will be rewarded with a loving and devoted family member.

Brussels Griffon Highlights
Breed Size	Small
Nature	Gentle, Friendly, Playful, Outgoing, Willful
Energy Level	Active
Intelligence	High
Barking Level	Frequent
Coat Length	Short, Medium, carly
Breed Group	Toy
Droll Amount	Low
Good with	Seniors, Cats, Dogs, Children, Familes
Feed Level	Normal
Colour Type	Red,black,brown / chocolate / liver,blue
Other Facts	Easy to train,prone to health issues,high prey drive,high potential for weight gain, loves water,apartment-friendly,good for first-time pet owners.

Dog History

Brussels Griffons have their origins in Belgium, where small, terrier-like dogs were developed to hunt and kill vermin in stables, particularly those of horse-drawn hansom cabs (today's taxis) in cities.

The Affenpinscher, Pug, and English Toy Spaniel were all used to produce the Brussels Griffon as we know it today. The stature and wiry coat texture come from the Affenpinscher, while the wide, expressive eyes, rounded head, and upturned underjaw come from the Toy Spaniel. The Pug influence may be observed in the Brussels Griffon smooth-coated breed.

These crosses eventually produced the Brussels Griffon, or Griffon Bruxellois in Europe, a tiny dog with excellent rat-hunting talents and a nearly human-like face.

These cheeky little pups were popular as house pets for noblemen and labourers alike throughout time. Belgian breeders produced a standard for the breed in 1883, which was a written description of how the dog should appear, and began entering them in dog competitions. The small Griffon Bruxellois fell in love with Marie Henriette, Belgium's queen and a dog aficionado, and she began breeding and marketing them in Europe and worldwide. The Griffon Bruxellois Club was founded in 1889 in Brussels, and the smooth-coated type was given the name Griffon Brabancon.

In the early 1890s, both rough-coated and smooth-coated Brussels Griffons were sent to England. The breed was accepted into the English Stud Book in 1898, and clubs were founded to further improve the breed.

Around the same period, the Griffon arrived in the United States. The American Kennel Club registered the first Brussels Griffons in 1899, and they were presented in the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. In 1900, the American Kennel Club recognised the breed as a distinct breed.

During World Wars I and II, when breeding dogs — or even keeping a little dog as a pet — was a luxury few could afford, Griffon numbers plummeted. Brussels Griffons were virtually extinct in their native Belgium at the conclusion of World War II, but they survived in England largely to the efforts of English breeders.

Although they were popular in the late 1950s and again in the late 1990s after a Griffon outshone Jack Nicholson in the film As Good As It Gets, Brussels Griffons have remained a rather rare breed.

Health and Care

Griffons are typically healthy, however they are susceptible to some health issues, as are other breeds. Although not all Griffons will contract any or all of these illnesses, it's vital to be aware of them if you're thinking about getting one.

Find a reliable breeder who will show you health clearances for both your dog's parents if you're buying a puppy. Health clearances demonstrate that a dog has been checked for and cleared of a certain disease. You can expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) for hip dysplasia (with a score of fair or better), elbow dysplasia, hypothyroidism, and von Willebrand's disease in Griffons; thrombopathia from Auburn University; and normal eyes from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) in Griffons.

• Hip Dysplasia
• Patella Luxation
• Eye Problems
• Skin Allergies

Care

Griffons are unquestionably housedogs. Their modest size, though, makes them suitable for any home, from city highrises to country estates, as long as they're inside with the family. They can wow you with their natural rat-hunting ability in either location.

They have a lot of energy and require frequent exercise to keep in condition, but they may get by without a yard if they get daily walks or other forms of exercise. They can't chill the air they breathe in since they have a small snout, and they might overheat on hot, humid days. On a hot day, put your Griffon somewhere cold to avoid heat stroke. If you do take him out in the sun, keep an eye out for indications of heat exhaustion, such as sluggishness and heavy, fast gasping. Vomiting or diarrhoea, as well as seizures, are more dangerous symptoms. On a hot day, don't let him play hard, and make sure he gets enough of fresh, refreshing water.

The Griffon's intellect and athletic skills make him a competitor in dog sports like agility, obedience, and even tracking, provided you can persuade him that it's worth it. Positive reinforcement — praising your dog for doing things correctly rather than penalising him for making errors — is the only method to persuade a Griffon to cooperate. You can't make a Griffon do anything, but you may convince him that it was his idea.

Brussels Griffons, like many other petite breeds, may be difficult to housetrain. If you employ crate training and are consistent and persistent, your dog may become house-trained. Or maybe not.

Dog Breed Care Tips and Important Instructions

The two variants of this breed have different grooming requirements. Except during seasonal shedding (typically in the spring and fall), when daily bushing is recommended for the week or two it takes for them to blow their coat, the smooth-coated Brussels griffon requires only a weekly brushing and the occasional wash.

Although the rough-coated Brussels griffon does not shed much, it does require more maintenance. That lovely beard and shaggier hair need to be groomed by a groomer or by their owner to keep nice and tidy. Brushing this sort of coat more frequently can help it.

According to Mason, griffons need to wash their teeth every day since their face shape makes them more susceptible to periodontal disease. "They also require an annual anaesthetic dental cleaning," she adds.

If you want to maintain your Brussels griffon healthy, you must exercise him on a regular basis. Unfortunately, toy breeds who are content to merely snuggle on a lap may not make it clear that they want to go for a walk. Mason claims that without regular activity, this breed has a predisposition to gain weight.

Socially, Brussels griffons adore their owners, but they also like playing with other dogs. They're kind and affectionate, and they just want to be with their owner in any scenario.

With Brussels griffons, early and regular training yields quick results.

"All these dogs think about is how they can please you," Vickers-Smith says. "If you start working with them at a young age, they're easy to teach with plenty of positive reinforcement."

Although house training takes time, Vickers-Smith warns that many owners have unreasonable expectations. "No one thinks about how difficult it is for a young puppy to retain their bladder at that age, or how little that bladder must be."

Feeding

1/4 to 1/2 cup of high-quality dry food each day, split into two meals, is the recommended daily quantity.

The amount of food your adult dog consumes is determined by his size, age, build, metabolism, and degree of activity. Dogs, like people, are unique individuals that require different amounts of food. It practically goes without saying that a dog that is very active will require more than a dog who is sedentary. The type of dog food you buy makes a difference as well; the better the dog food, the more it will nourish your dog and the less you'll have to shake into his bowl.

Rather than putting food available all the time, measure his food and feed him twice a day to keep your Griffon in good form. Give him the eye and hands-on tests if you're not sure if he's overweight. Look down at him first. There should be a waist visible. Then, with your thumbs down his spine and fingers stretched downward, place your hands on his back. Without pressing too much, you should be able to feel but not see his ribs. If you can't, he'll need to eat less and exercise more.

Fun Facts

• On Instagram, Brussels griffons are quite popular. Follow the sweetness of Digby Van Winkle, Brussels Sprout, or the Bone Squad, a family of six.
• Ashley Benson (from "Pretty Little Liars" and Spring Breakers) owns a Brussels griffon named Walter Gene Benson.
• In Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, George Lucas drew inspiration from the Brussels griffon to create the Ewoks.

Home Training Tips and General Information

• Don't push your Brussels Griffon over his or her limits.
• During training and exercise, you must consider the health characteristics of this breed. The fact that they are prone to overheating is one of the most significant things to keep in mind. This is due to the shape of their nose.
• As a result, you should make sure they are not overworked during any activity. You should not be fooled by this breed's desire to act as though they have it all together. This is why it is recommended that you take rests in between both activities.
• Patience will be useful.
• When dealing with this breed, patience will help you achieve a lot. As a result, you should not give up on them, especially when it comes to training. This is because they may attempt to assume the role of alpha dog and be domineering.
• You will ultimately enjoy the benefits if you have patience and the correct type of persistence. However, a good training process takes more than patience and positive persistence. In the following section, we'll go over this in further detail.
• Make Training and Exercising a Pleasure
• This is especially effective with breeds like the Brussels griffon. This strategy will eliminate their predisposition to be sceptical of the training procedure. Using this strategy, you should make the activities worthwhile for them.
• Treats are one of the most effective methods to accomplish this. However, you must exercise extreme caution in not abusing the usage of treats. This has a propensity to happen, so you should be intentional in your efforts to avoid it.
• Repetition
• When you repeat teachings with this breed, you may build confidence and discipline. This is why you should be adamant about following your instructions and repeat them several times.
• If the repetition goes on for too long, kids will get bored and uncooperative. As a result, it's best to keep training sessions short.

FAQS

Brussels Griffon Unique Name

Male Name	Female Name
Bentley	Abby
Chewy	Brownie
Copper	Camilla
Felix	Casey
Huck	Cookie
Ned	Delia
Otis	Diamond
Quincy	Ivy
Ringo	Jade
Sarge	Karma
Shadow	Nola
Simba	Pearl
Theo	Sally
Wrigley	Sweetie
Wyatt	Winnie
Oscar	Cameo
T-bone	Claire
Tex	Keesha
Volvo	Kerry
Xena	Blu