Breeds / Toy
Brussels Griffon puppies
Bold, sensitive and full of character, the Brussels Griffon is a small Belgian companion with a flat face and a strong attachment to its own people. It can be wary of strangers and needs early socialisation.
The facts
- Size class Toy
- Country of origin Belgium
- Adult weight 3.6 to 4.5 kg
- Adult weight in pounds 8 to 10 lb
- Adult height 18 to 25 cm
- Energy level Moderate
- Grooming Moderate
- Coat type Short to medium double and smooth and wiry
- Typical lifespan 12 to 15 years
- Good with children Fine with supervision
- Good with other dogs Fine with supervision
Where these come from:
About the Brussels Griffon
The Brussels Griffon began as a Belgian stable dog used on rats in Brussels, then took in pug and toy spaniel blood that gave it the flat face and the oddly human expression it is known for. It comes in two coats, a rough wiry one and a smooth one. It is a small dog with a large opinion: bold, comic, intensely attached to one or two people, sensitive to the mood of a room, and often reserved with strangers and with children.
Half an hour of moderate exercise and games a day keeps a Griffon happy, and it would far rather do things with its person than amuse itself. The smooth coat needs a weekly brush and drops hair seasonally; the rough coat sheds very little and is usually clipped or hand stripped. Being flat faced, it labours in heat and humidity and tends to snore. The common mistake is skipping socialisation because the dog is small, which produces a shrill, suspicious adult.
What to expect at eight weeks
At eight weeks a Brussels Griffon puppy is sleeping around 18 to 20 hours a day, is not house trained, and cannot hold on for more than an hour or two at a stretch. A toy breed puppy at eight weeks is small enough to be genuinely fragile. It can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so it needs frequent small meals rather than two big ones. Expect moderate energy, in short bursts separated by long naps. Grooming needs are moderate, so build the brushing habit now while the coat is still short and easy. The socialisation window is open and closing: everything it meets calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of its life.
Health worth knowing about
Conditions this breed is reported to be predisposed to. Predisposed does not mean inevitable, it means ask about it.
- Brachycephalic airway problems, which make hot and humid weather risky and are assessed on veterinary examination
- Patellar luxation, found on a patella evaluation
- Hip dysplasia, screened by radiographic hip evaluation of breeding stock
- Cataracts and other eye defects, screened by an ophthalmologist evaluation
- Heart problems, screened by a cardiac exam
- Chiari like malformation and syringomyelia, diagnosed by MRI scan
From Brussels Griffon breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/brussels-griffon/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.
Your Brussels Griffon puppy's first six months
- Vaccination schedule, dated for your country.
- Worming and parasite schedule.
- Feeding calculator. Set expected adult size to Toy for a Brussels Griffon.
- Adult size predictor, to check growth against the 3.6 to 4.5 kg adult range.
- Puppy names and the first week checklist.
Other toy breeds
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Not veterinary advice. Breed information is general. Your own dog, and your own vet, always win.