This is a little dog with a huge personality. They have either a smooth coat or a rough coat of medium length in red, belge (reddish brown and black), black and tan, or black.
At a height of about 8 to 11 inches (20 to 28cm) they are very small dogs weighing in at just 7 to 11lbs (3 to 5kgs).
History of the Brussels Griffon
There are three breed types under the FCI Standard for this dog, The Griffon Bruxellois (Brussels Griffon), the Griffon Belge (Belgian Griffon) and the Petit Brabancon. The two Griffon breeds have rough coats, the Petit Brabancon is the short hared of the three accepted breeds under the FCI.
All have descended from a rough coated dog known as a “Smousje”, a breed known for centuries to have been bred around Brussels area of Belgium.
The Smousje was famous as a mascot of cabbies in the 1800’s and was used for guarding carriages and catching rodents in and around the stables.
Sometime during the 19th Century the Smousje breed was crossbred with the Ruby King Charles Spaniel, the Affenpinscher and the Pug. The first Griffon Bruxellois recognised at the L.O.S.H. (The St. Hubert Stud Book) was in 1883.
The breed having beedn established then gained popularity around 1900 when Queen Marie-Henriette of Belgium took an interest in these small fun friendly dogs.
Temperament of the Brussels Griffon
Considered by the AKC to be a well-balanced dog that is easy to train. They are alert, curious, proud, watchful and get very attached to their owners. Playful and energetic but not ideal for roughhousing with kids. Here at Top Lap Dogs we consider that they make a great companion lap dog. If you love a devoted companion this is the dog for you.
They are generally good with other dogs having a mild temperament, however because they are quick of foot, do not be surprised if they jump and run across the furniture and some do have a tendency to bark so firm words at an early stage will teach them not to bark too much when the door bell rings.
General Info
Your Brussels will need a short daily walk. The coat will need combing 2 or 3 times a week unless shorn.
You can expect them to live to a ripe old age of 12 to 15 years.
Generally they do not have any health concerns as they are usually fit and well dogs.
