Belgian Griffon

Practically identical to his canine counterpart, the Brussels Griffon, he differs only in colour. Once highly appreciated by the ladies of the Court, he has today retained his nickname of "Ladies' little dog", both for his size and his affectionate and loyal character. With his cheerful air and lively temperament, the Belgian Griffon brings a smile to every member of the household.

Height 50 to 60 cm
Weight 20 to 29 kg
Life expectancy 10 to 15 years
Home country Belgium

Quick Overview of the Belgian Griffon

Temperament

  • Lively and alert
  • Energetic and loving
  • Faithful and easy to live with

Appearance

  • Excellent build, very robust
  • Harsh and slightly wavy coat
  • Large round brown eyes

Health

  • No particular pathology
  • Generally excellent health

Temperament of the Belgian Griffon

Lively, energetic, alert, affectionate, loyal and very easy to live with, the Belgian Griffon is neither timid nor aggressive. This cheerful little dog is very sociable and makes an excellent companion for children.

Its socialization and education are relatively easy but they must still be adequate.

This "little lady's dog" is nowadays exclusively used as a companion dog.

Attentive, alert, curious, and cheerful, he is a very amusing dog, making the joy of his entourage. Very devoted to his master, the Belgian Griffon lives only to be with his family, and to participate in all family activities.

Tireless and always ready to play with everyone, he is nice most of the time, but can also  guard of property and his own.

In spite of his small size, he is very brave and will alert if an intruder shows up.

He is very intelligent and loves to learn. His education is therefore relatively easy even if it must be firm and adequate, because he sometimes tends to be slightly stubborn.

An early and well-adapted education will prevent him from growing up doing as he pleases.

Very sociable, he has no problems with the residents of the household, human or animal.

Even if he is naturally sociable, he is however sometimes shy with strangers, which makes him a good guardian. His socialization must therefore aim to not exacerbate this natural shyness of strangers.

He can live anywhere and with all kinds of owners. Despite his small size, he has a very high need for exercise, but he can easily do that just about anywhere, precisely because of his small size.

Breed Appearance

The Belgian Griffon has a physique that can easily fit into a square shape with a very sturdy build and excellent skeleton.

His silhouette is very elegant and his lively appearance with a compact structure fascinates with his vivid and alert expression, giving him an almost human impression.

Height

Between 52 and 60 cm (20.47 to 23.62 inches) for the male
Between 50 and 58 cm (19.69 to 22.83 inches) for the female

Weight

Between 23 and 29 kg (50.71 to 63.93 pounds) for the male
Between 20 and 25 kg (44.09 to 55.12 pounds) for the female

Color

The color of his coat is black or black and red.

Hair

His rough hair is slightly wavy and messy, and it also has an undercoat.

Morphology

His head is rather wide with a very marked stop. His big brown eyes are round.

His small ears can be cropped and erect, or long and semi-erect. His small nose is black. His tail can be natural or shortened.

According to the FCI breeds nomenclature, this breed belongs to group 9, section 1 and is #81

Price and monthly budget

Price you can expect to pay for a Belgian Griffon puppy: between and
These prices are indicative and may vary from breeder to breeder

Health of the Belgian Griffon

The Belgian Griffin generally enjoys an excellent health. No particular disease or pathology affects him.

Occasionally, some dogs may suffer from eye infections or skin problems, although these cases are rare. His life expectancy is very appreciable.

GROOMING

His pretty fleece, which is nevertheless quite full, requires regular brushing to ensure a beautiful and healthy coat. No other particular maintenance is necessary.

History of this breed

Originally from Brussels, the capital of Belgium, the Belgian Griffon, like the Brussels Griffon and the Petit Brabançon, was originally descended from a small wire-haired dog "Smousie", from the outskirts of the city.

In the 19th century, the type of the current breed was determined by the blood supply of the Pug and King Charles' Spaniel Ruby.

This very vigilant dog was used at the time to protect stables from invasions of harmful rodents and to guard carriages.

The breed became very popular when queen Marie-Henriette of Belgium took a special interest in him. The small dogs then became of royal interest and their popularity grew so much that it contributed to the massive expansion of the breed abroad.

Numerous subjects were later exported, contributing to the considerable growth of the breed throughout the world.

He is a formidable little life companion, like a surprising guard and hunting dog. He can easily sound the alarm when intruders invade his territory, just as he can chase away small rodents from the surrounding area. He is also very much noticed in skill sports (agility).

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