Brussels Griffon, Breed of the Week
I heard a sentence from my Hunny’s mouth which I never expected to hear. Brace yourselves. He said, “I think I’m of an age where I’d like a lap dog.” (Shh! A Brussels Griffon might be just the thing.)
It took me a minute to pick my jaw up off the floor. Who is this man? What on earth is he thinking? I’ll tell you what he’s thinking. He wants the dog in this video I showed on Monday:
And he probably thinks I’m the one who will train it. Heh. Not. And is that a shaggy Jack Russell?
So we tossed around dog types (like I’m seriously entertaining this), and he stopped when I got to the Brussels Griffon, the adorable lap dog I met last week.
Seriously so ugly it’s cute. And since Wednesday is breed day, let me tell you a little bit about the Brussels Griffon. Especially since I might be looking for one in the near future. (Today’s post is gently recycled. We did get a lap dog. Then another. And they’re quite like Miss Olivia in some ways.)
What is a Brussels Griffon?
The AKC breed page (my favorite place to begin the info hunt), has this to say:
The intelligent and cheerful Brussels Griffon has a terrier-like disposition and is known for his almost human expression. This affectionate breed comes in a variety of colors, including red, belge (black and reddish brown), black and tan, or black. This breed makes a good watchdog and can be taught to perform a variety of tricks. A Brussels Griffon was featured in 1997’s hit, “As Good As It Gets”, starring Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.
I don’t even remember there being a dog in As Good As It Gets. Sheesh. And if you look at this face –
you might think, as I did, that it bears an ugly resemblance to the Affenpinscher we talked about a couple of weeks ago. You’d be right. Affenpinschers were part of the breeding stock for the Brussels Griffon. But many Brussels Griffon have very wiry fur, not soft. They’re Belgian bearded dogs, bred as rat catchers. I think a lot of little terriers were bred as rat catchers. If they were guaranteed not to chase my chickens, they might be a good investment for my back yard. (Our lap dogs seem to be an Affenpischer mix and a Brussels Chihuahua mix. And yes, the Affen mutt chases the duck all over the yard.)
The Brussels Griffon make good companion dogs. Like many terriers, they’re active dogs, needing regular walks. Unlike the terriers I’m familiar with, the Brussels Griffon needs regular brushing. They can have either a smooth or a wiry coat, but they do shed. When I was petting little Olivia here
her coat was coming off all over my lap. It was the strangest thing, wiry terrier hair shedding.
Pros and Cons to Owning a Brussels Griffon
Pros:
- Happy, affectionate, loyal and sweet – these dogs tend to be owner loyal and a little shy. Miss Olivia, however, had no compunctions about cuddling up to me and begging to be my new best friend. I assume she’s been well socialized.
- Intelligent and alert – they take note of everything going on in the household and are easy to obedience train
- Velcro dog – everywhere you are is where they want to be, including in your bed at night. A delightful companion dog!
- Low incidence of health issues – what health issues they do have are few
Cons:
- Difficulty in housebreaking – this is common in the toy breeds in general, though (Our little guys poop upstairs when they’re angry at us)
- Not for those with dog allergies – they shed and create dander
- A difficult breed to find – these dogs are carefully bred, and sparingly
The Brussels Griffon also comes in a smooth coat version, looking more like a Pug (one of its ancestors). I was happy to find the wiry coat version. I would guess that the Brussels Griffon would enjoy Jones Natural Chews Lamb Lung Puffs, as well as the Woofermen and the Windee Rings.
Well thanks for playing! I’ll do my best to keep a lap dog out of the house while we still have teenagers, but there is no guarantee. It will probably come down to my begging for a Great Pyrenees and the compromise being a Brussels Griffon or a Jack Russell for my Hunny. *sigh* The things you do for love and harmony.
Giveaway
For your own sweet dog (or ornery dog – whatever floats your boat), Jones Natural Chews is hosting a giveaway of the Other Ear. Your dog wants it. It’s a fatty, yummy, bacon-like pig chin. Look at your dog. It’s drooling just thinking about it. See? So click on this sentence, a new window will open, then you’ll scroll down to the entry box near the bottom and click. Just do it already. Your dog is drooling, for Pete’s sake.
Spreading the good chews …
Flea
