|
|
The Griffon Bruxellois or
Brussels Griffon is a breed of dog, named for the city of
their origin, Brussels, Belgium. Part of the toy dog category,
the breed is generally small, with a flat face, prominent
chin, and large wide-set eyes that gives the Griffon an almost
human expression—and they are often compared to an Ewok.
The Griffon Bruxellois is really three dogs
rolled into one, the Griffon Bruxellois, the Griffon Belge and
the Petit Brabançon. Identical in standard except for coat and
colour differences, in most standards they are considered
varieties of the same breed, much like Belgian Sheepdogs.
A sturdy toy dog with a thick set, well balanced body, that
should give a squared appearance in proportion when viewed
from the side. A proper Griffon should be muscular, compact
and well-boned, and should not seem delicate, racy or overly
cobby. The Griffon will often feel heavier than it is for such
a small size. Because they are judged by weight rather than
shoulder height, proper proportioning is essential to
determine if a dog is too fat, too slim or too tall for their
size.
Weight standards, especially upper range disqualification,
vary from standards, but the ideal weight is 3.6–4.5 kg (8–10
lb) for both sexes.
The Griffon Bruxellois is known to be a bit sensitive, to have
a huge heart, and to have a strong desire to snuggle and be
with his or her master. They have an air of self-importance
that can be especially charming. A Griffon should not be
overly shy or aggressive, however, they are very emotionally
sensitive. Because of this, they should be socialized
carefully at a young age. They will be alert and interested in
their surroundings.
Griffons tend to bond with one human more than others, and
because of this, along with their small size, may not be
suitable as a family pet, especially one with very small
children. They tend to get along well with other animals in
the house, such as cats, dogs and ferrets, but can get into
trouble because they have no concept of size, and will attempt
to boss around dogs much larger than themselves.
Having a Griffon means having a true constant companion. They
need their favorite person all the time, and will be very
unhappy if left outdoors or alone most of the day. A Griffon
Bruxellois will want to follow you about the house, on your
errands, and to bed.
For centuries, rough coated, short nosed toy dog breeds have
been found in Belgium, but the true history of the Griffon
Bruxellois started in the 1800s, not in royal palaces, but in
coach houses.
To help keep rats away, Belgium coachmen used to keep small
terriers called Griffons d’Ecurie in their stables. These
Affenpinscher-like dogs were friendly and popular. At some
point in the 1800s, these coachmen bred their Griffons with
imported toy dogs, such as the Pug, and the King Charles
Spaniel, bringing about the change in coat types that lead to
the Petits Brabançon, which was originally a fault of the
breed. The spaniels also brought the rich red and black and
tan colour of the modern Griffon Bruxellois and Griffon Belge.
The Griffon Bruxellois grew in popularity in the late 1800's
with both workers and noblemen in Belgium. Queen Marie
Henriette was a dog enthusiast who visited the annual dog
shows in Belgium religiously, often with her daughter, and
became a breeder and booster of Griffon Bruxellois, giving
them international fame and popularity and indirectly leading
to two Griffon Bruxellois clubs starting in England and
America.
The First World War and World War II proved to be a disastrous
time for the breed. War time is difficult on any dog breed,
and the recovering numbers after the First World War were set
back by increased vigilance in breeding faults such as webbed
toes. By the end of the Second World War, Belgium had almost
no native Griffon Bruxellois left, and only through the
vigilance of dedicated breeders, in England particularly, that
the breed survived at all.
The breed has never been numerous or popular, but had a brief
vogue in the late 1950's, and now is generally an uncommon
breed. There has been a recent increase in interest in the
United States due to appearance of a Griffon in the movie, As
Good as It Gets, and also because of a general increase in
interest in toy dogs.
A Griffon Bruxellois can be seen in the film As Good as It
Gets (1997). It was played by six Brussels Griffons, named
Timer, Sprout, Debbie, Billy, Parfait, and Jill. Jill was the
star.
On the sitcom Spin City, Carter's suicidal dog Rags is played
by a smooth-coated Petit Brabançon variety of Griffon
Bruxellois called Wesley.
|
online
>>
