Brussels Griffon
Description:
Someone once said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and this is the case of the small Brussels griffon. This dog has a lot to offer to its future owner. There are two varieties in these dogs; one has a short coat and the other has a wiry coat, however they are identical except for their coats. This dog's head has a very peculiar look to it; it almost looks like a person. It has a big round head, and its fore head is arched. Its ears are small, highly inserted and are nipped or left long. The ones with wiry hair have long black eyelashes, big eyebrows and a mustache under their muzzle, a beard and locks on their cheeks. This dog's body is short and stocky; its back is straight, its ribs are ample; its short and its tail is highly inserted and sometimes docked, (find out about the laws in your country concerning this procedure though). The wiry coated ones have a rough and course coat, it should never feel woolly or silky and should not be lacking any hair on their body. The short-coated ones have a silky and shiny coat, and it should not be rough to the touch. This dog comes in four different colors, which are light red, beige, black and red, and solid black. Their ideal weight is around two to four and a half kilograms.
Ideal owner:
This attractive looking dog has a peculiar ability to manipulate and can become very spoiled and cheeky. It needs to get well trained otherwise it can become very vicious and develop bad habits. The Brussels griffon is a very vivacious and demanding dog and it always wants its owners to spoil it. It is very sensitive though and is very charming in a home and is very smart.
Growth:
The Brussels griffon generally weighs around 140 to 200 grams at birth. The spurs should be cut and if the tail is to be docked it needs to be done after five days of birth. Nipping its ears is optional and will need to be done at five months of age. Make sure though to find out about the laws in your country concerning docking and nipping. The color of this dog can vary at birth; sometimes they are born chocolate color and they stand out for the complete absence of black pigmentation and rarely blue. The pads on this dog are pink as is its stomach and nose, which might also be liver color. If the dog has this color though it cannot be used as a show dog. Its adult coat starts to show at six months of age. This dog needs a healthy diet, a limited amount of treats, as well as sufficient exercise and good training from the moment it is a puppy in order to educate it correctly and keep it fit and healthy.
General health:
This is one of the strongest toy dogs that exist. The Brussels griffon is pretty free of the typical diseases within this group of dogs. One of the problems that have been observed are short shoulders and skulls, so make sure to pick one that has good bone structure and if possible ask to meet the parents to confirm this. Some of these puppies are also unable to control their urination or defecation and when this happens it is necessary to put the dog down, as it is an unmanageable problem. Split lips have also been seen. It is also very important to take care of its eyes since they are prone to getting foreign objects in them and getting scratched. As far as its diet is concerned, it is not too demanding and good quality dog food and daily walks are pretty much all it requires. The type of grooming its coat needs depends on the type of coat it has; on the wiry haired ones stripping is necessary; this is a simple but technical technique. Since inferior prognathism is common in this breed, regular dental checkups are a must so as to avoid gum diseases and premature tooth loss. Puppies sometimes lose their teeth very slowly and they might need to be pulled if they don't come out properly. This dog has a long life span of around fifteen years or more.
