Is the Brussels Griffon Dog Breed Your Perfect Canine City Companion?Appearance
The Brussels Griffon dog breed is a small, sturdy almost square terrier. They have an almost human expression because of their flat face and wide-set eyes.The Brussels Griffon dog breed is divided in 3 types; Brussels Griffon or Griffon Bruxellois, Griffon Belge and Petit Brabaçon. These 3 types are identical except for their coats and colours. The Brussels Griffon and Griffon Belge both have a wiry coat that's pretty harsh and dense, which hardly sheds. They have a very distinctive fringe around the face, particularly around the nose, cheeks and chin. The Petit Brabaçon has a short, straight, glossy, flat coat. As for the colours, the following 3 types are allowed:- Griffon Bruxellois: red or reddish-brown, black is only allowed around the muzzle.- Griffon Belge: black and tan, black, black and red- Petit Brabaçon: all colours from the other two types are allowed The height should be between 7 to 8 inches (18-20cm). Weight is between 6 and 10 pounds (2,5-5kg). TemperamentThe Brussels Griffon dog breed is very loving breed with a huge heart. They do tend to bond more with one person, rather than with the whole family. Keep this in mind if you have to go out to work all day, as they hate being seperated from their master. Teach them to be alone at a young age.Griffons get along fine with other pets like dogs, cats and ferrets. Because they are big dogs in little bodies it's important to keep an eye on them around larger dogs as they may want to dominate them. It's an intelligent breed, so you should have no trouble teaching it tricks. They also make a good watchdog. It's important to nip excessive barking in the bud if you want your neighbours to love your Griffon as much as you do. As with all dogs, this breed needs rules and limitations or your Griffon will display all sorts of behaviour problems; stuborness, excessive barking, snapping or even biting. They're pretty active indoors, but will do fine without a garden. All they need is a daily walk to keep them happy. 
HealthcareIf you're thinking about breeding, the Brussels Griffon dog breed often needs a Cesarean as they have trouble whelping. They usually have a small litter of 1 to 3 puppies.Eye problems are very common in the Griffon. These involve lacerations because the eyes have little protection from the snout, cataracts, lens luxations and glaucoma. Be wary of heatstroke. The short snout can cause respiratory problems, especially in hot weather. Keep your Griffon inside, in a cool area or on a cooling pad if it gets to warm outside. Their coat needs very little attention. The Griffon Bruxellois and Griffon Belge will need to have their coat stripped. The life expectancy is 12 to 15 years. Breed BackgroundThe Brussels Griffon dog breed originated from a small wiry coated terrier called a Smousje in the 18th Century. They were kept by coachmen, especially in and around Brussels, to keep the vermin away from the stables. They were then cross-bred with the Pug and King Charles Spaniel to the Griffon we now know.Griffons were particularly popular with workmen and noblemen in Belgium. Both world wars were pretty disastrous for the breed. With hardly any Griffons left in Belgium, the breed survived only thanks to the dedication of breeders in England. It's never been a very popular breed, although there has been increased interest since it starred in the film "As Good As It Gets". The popularity of toy dog breeds has also increased interest in the Brussels Griffon. 
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