| Alternative Name Griffon Bruxellois,
Belgium Griffon (nick Griffon) (Hansom Cab Stable Dogs)
Basic Info
The Griffon Bruxellois or Brussels Griffon is a breed
of dog, named for the city of their origin, Brussels,
Belgium. Part of the toy dog category, the breed is
generally small, with a flat face, prominent chin, and
large wide-set eyes that gives the Griffon an almost
human expression—and they are often compared to an Ewok.
The Griffon Bruxellois is really three dogs rolled into
one, the Griffon Bruxellois, the Griffon Belge and the
Petit Brabançon. Identical in standard except for coat
and colour differences, in most standards they are
considered varieties of the same breed, much like
Belgian Sheepdogs. A sturdy toy dog with a thick set,
well balanced body, that should give a squared
appearance in proportion when viewed from the side. A
proper Griffon should be muscular, compact and
well-boned, and should not seem delicate, racy or overly
cobby. The Brussels Griffon will often feel heavier than
it is for such a small size. Because they are judged by
weight rather than shoulder height, proper proportioning
is essential to determine if a dog is too fat, too slim
or too tall for their size. Weight standards, especially
upper range disqualification, vary from standards, but
the ideal weight is 3.6–4.5 kg (8–10 lb) for both sexes.
The neck is medium length and arched slightly. The chest
is deep, and the back level. The tail, either cropped to
one-third it's length or natural in standards than allow
for that, should be set high, and when showing, should
express the alert, keen demeanor of the breed. Kinked
tails are not uncommon in the breed, and cannot be shown
unless they can be cropped below the kink to standard.
Head The head is the most important characteristic of
this breed, and the most well defined aspect of the
standard. The rounded head should be large to the body,
but should not appear to unbalance the dog. Depending on
the standard, the forehead will be referred to as
"rounded" or "domed". In either case, the appearance or
the skull should be of a circle (minus the features of
the muzzle) rather than an oval, and the forehead should
not bulge or protrude. The ears should be high set but
well apart, small, and carried semi-erect if natural.
They can be cropped; no preference is given. The dark,
wide set, black rimmed eyes are very large and
expressive, giving the face its essential human-like
qualities. They should be prominent but not bulging. The
nose is broad with wide nostrils, black, and set at the
same level as the eyes. There should be a very
pronounced stop, and the muzzle between the nose and
forehead should not be more than 1.5 cm in length. Many
standards prefer the stop to be so strong as to leave no
visible distance between the nose and forehead. The nose
should angle upwards. The muzzle from nose to chin
should not be in line with the face, instead, it should
slope towards the skull, giving a turned up or layback
look. The broad chin should be undershot and prominent,
sweeping up to the lips. The lips should be black, and
close fitting. The top lip is short under the nose, and
should not overlap the bottom lip, nor should teeth or
tongue should be visible. The upper lips should not be
pendulous in any way. The teeth should be strong and
straight, with none missing or askew. In the Brussels
Griffon and the Griffon Belge, the coat is wiry and
harsh. It should be dense, short enough not to disrupt
the form of the dog over the body, and long enough to
distinguish the texture and type from the Petit
Brabançon. Furnishings around the face form a fringe
around the eyes, cheeks and chin, but should not be
allowed to grow into a long, flowing beard. Rather, they
accentuate the natural form of the chin and cheeks. The
eyebrow, moustache and beard look is essential to the
human-like expression sought after in the breed. There
may be some furnishings around the legs as well, though
shorter than the head. In the Petit Brabançon, the coat
is short, smooth, glossy, and flat, rather like a Pug or
Boston Terrier. Color Brussels Griffon: Red or
reddish-brown; black allowed on muzzle. Griffon Belge:
Black, Black and tan (a black and tan pattern with
emphasis on a rich red shade), Black and red (black
mixed evenly with reddish-brown hairs). Black and red
may have a black face mask. Petit Brabançon: All colors
allowed for the other standards. Until recently, black
short may have been a fault, but it is now allowed in
all standards. A black mask is expected on the red or
reddish brown coat. Grey hair from age is not penalized.
Behavior
The Brussels Griffon is known to be a bit sensitive,
to have a huge heart, and to have a strong desire to
snuggle and be with his or her master. They have an air
of self-importance that can be especially charming. A
Griffon should not be overly shy or aggressive, however,
they are very emotionally sensitive. Because of this,
they should be socialized carefully at a young age. They
will be alert and interested in their surroundings.
Griffons tend to bond with one human more than others,
and because of this, along with their small size, may
not be suitable as a family pet, especially one with
very small children. They tend to get along well with
other animals in the house, such as cats, dogs and
ferrets, but can get into trouble because they have no
concept of size, and will attempt to boss around dogs
much larger than themselves. Having a Brussels Griffon
means having a true constant companion. They need their
favorite person all the time, and will be very unhappy
if left outdoors or alone most of the day. A Griffon
Bruxellois will want to follow you about the house, on
your errands, and to bed.
Origin
Belgium
History
For centuries, rough coated, short nosed toy dog
breeds have been found in Belgium, but the true history
of the Brussels Griffon started in the 1800s, not in
royal palaces, but in coach houses. To help keep rats
away, Belgium 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
Brussels 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 1800's
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 World War II 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 Brussels
Griffon left, and only through the vigilance of
dedicated breeders, in England particularly, that the
breed survived at all. The breed has never been numerous
or popular, but had a brief vogue in the late 1950's,
and now is generally an uncommon breed. 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, and also because of a general increase in interest
in toy dogs.
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