Brussels Griffon

The Brussels griffon has two types: smooth coated, which is short-haired, and rough coated, which is wire-haired. When dogs of the two varieties mate, puppies may turn out rough coated or smooth coated. At birth, they cannot be distinguished, but, soon, the rough-coated puppies will develop soft whiskers.

This distinctive-looking farm dog, called “the griffon of the stables” in Belgium, was originally useful for catching rats. The breed was developed by mixing the Affenpinscher, known for its simian appearance, with Belgian dogs, and, through crossbreeding with pugs, their muzzles became shorter. Like the pug and other breeds with flat noses, these dogs snore loudly.

“They are basically lovely and friendly dogs,” one owner says. “They are also easy to keep, because they are robust.”

The smooth-coat type doesn’t require any special care except brushing, but the rough-coat type requires stripping to keep the coat hard and must be groomed every 3 months Or so using hair clippers.

Origin : Belgium
Size : (male) Height about 8 inches ; weight 8-10 pounds
(female) : same
Coat : Wiry or short, depending on variety.
Colors include reddish tones and solid black.