Brussels Griffon puppies

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 them the flat face and the oddly human expression they are known for. They come in two coats, a rough wiry one and a smooth one. This 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 they would far rather do things with their person than amuse themselves. 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, they labour in heat and humidity and tend to snore. Small as they are, they still need plenty of socialisation, or you may end up with 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. They can be hurt by a jump off a sofa and by being stepped on, and toy breeds are prone to low blood sugar, so they need 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 they meet calmly now, from vacuum cleaners to men in hats, is easier for the rest of their 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

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.

Kit sizes: crate 22 inch (22 x 14 x 16 in, 56 x 36 x 41 cm) for an adult of up to 4.5 kg; chew toys made for small breeds. Worked out the same way as the crate size calculator. PetMD bases a crate on the dog's own measurements, not weight or breed alone, so measure once the puppy is home.

Buying guides for this

• Puppy pads: are they a good idea, and how to pick ones that do not leak
• Best chew toys for teething puppies, by size, and the chews to skip
• Harness or collar for a puppy? What the neck pressure studies show
• Best crate for a puppy: wire, plastic or soft, and how to size one with a divider

Other toy breeds

More on the Brussels Griffon

Previous: Broholmer · Next: Bull Terrier

Sources

• akc.org for adult weight and height, life expectancy, energy, grooming, shedding and the temperament ratings, coat type and health notes
• fci.be for country of origin
• Health notes from Brussels Griffon breed information at https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/brussels-griffon/. Discuss any of these with your own vet.

Photo: Dan9186, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped. All photographers are listed on the photo credits page.