Origin

In 1880 this breed was first shown in the Brussels exhibition. Breed similar to Brussels Griffon was shown in the artwork of the Flemish painter Van Eyck. In the 17th century the cab drivers kept this dog to their stables pest free. This was a working breed but due to its good and gentle nature it became a great companion. Griffons are mix of Yorkshire terrier, Irish terrier and English toy spaniel.

General Description

Three types of griffons are there. The Belgian griffon has a long coat and its face is covered with fur. Brussels Griffon’s coat is longer than Belgian Griffon. The Petit Brabancon has a soft short coat. This breed has a stocky square shaped body. They have a large dome like head and cropped ears. Their tails is docked and stands straight. They have large shiny eyes and small nose. They are found in number of colours, red, red brown, black, tan etc.

Character

This breed is like a complete package and strong. The Brussels Griffon is a strong dog and very much athletic and alert in nature. They are one of the most intelligent dog breeds in the whole world. It is a well balanced breed and also a good companion at the same time. This breed is very much fun loving, cheerful and charming. They are very good family dogs and very easy to train. Some are independent in nature but they listen to their master commands very well. If introduced properly then they would go well with strangers. The Brussels Griffon are very cute in nature but at the same time they must be socialized properly other they would show aggressive behaviour.

Temperament

The Brussels Griffon are very connected with their families and can become your sole companion. They are very good and friendly to small children and love to draw attention of people. This breed is very suspicious and love to bark as they use the sound as an alarm whenever they feel necessary. They don’t love to be left alone for a long time. Leaving them alone for a long time may make them behave in destructive activities.

Training

The Brussels Griffon dogs are trained easily and they are always eager to show their skills. They are highly intelligent and skilled. But they should be trained at an early age as everything may slip out of your hand once they grow up. The training must be firm on one hand and calm and fair on other hand. Bottom line is that the training should be balanced. This breed is an expert at guarding, performing tricks etc.

Health

This is generally a healthy breed but like most other dogs they may suffer from hip dysplasia. Eye problems are also very common in this breed. The Brussels Griffon have a thick fur coat so they should be kept clean and combed properly otherwise they may be affected by fleas. Generally they live long and they do not have any sort of medical problems but some may suffer from diabetes when they grow old.