16 Nov Interesting Facts about the Brussels Griffon Dog

The Brussels Griffon dog breed was initially bred to hunt and catch mice. He’s a different and unusual dog that is very cute despite its small size. This dog is also a lively, kind, intelligent and humorous dog. Griffons adapt well to apartment life, but neighbours may not want to hear his loud noises and think that this noisy breed will be a problem for them. These dogs also need a lot of exercise and playtime. This article will describe essential points about Brussels Griffon’s food, grooming, training, etc. Stay tuned to the end to know more.

Highlights of the Brussels Griffon dog breed

Positive points

• This breed has a fun and loving nature
• Brussels Griffon dogs are always caring and entertaining
• They are very suitable for living in an apartment
• Griffons don’t need a lot of training
• These dogs shed hair throughout the year only in spring and autumn
• He doesn’t require much cleaning to maintain them
• They are suitable for those who want to keep a dog for the first time

Negative points

• They have a lot of emotional relationships with their families and suffer a lot when they are away.
• Brussels Griffon dogs enjoy their voice
• He can be stubborn with independent thinking
• Like many miniature breeds, they will be challenging to keep at home

Brussels Griffon’s behavioural characteristics

Brussels Griffon is a lively and alert little dog with scary and different traits compared to other similar dogs. They have fun-loving characters and are an excellent choice for first-time owners; because these small dogs are brilliant and easy to train. Brussels Griffons are known to be sensitive; thus don’t respond well to harsh treatment and forced training but react well to festive treats and training with rewards. Griffon puppies need to be well socialized from a young age, introducing them to many new situations, people and animals, which may happen once they are fully vaccinated. 

Griffons form a powerful bond with their owners, which is why these little dogs don’t like to be left in their homes for long periods. They are prone to separation anxiety which leads to unwanted and destructive behaviour problems in the home environment. They are ideal for houses where at least one person stays home. They aren’t a good choice for people who spend most of the day outside.

Brussels Griffon’s intelligence and ability to train

Griffons are sensitive dogs, and no hard training will be possible. They respond well to rewarding and patient movement, and when given the proper guidance, these little dogs can be trained to participate in various dog sports and excel at them. Their training should start from early childhood. Griffons also need to be handled well from a young age, teaching them to touch their paws and ears; otherwise, many little dogs will squirm when you trim their nails or check their ears for infection.

Griffon puppies are adorable and will be intelligent as well. In short, they’re learning new things quickly, including good and bad things. New owners should refrain from training to avoid small dog syndrome. It’s best to set rules, limits and boundaries so that a griffon puppy understands what behaviour is acceptable and is not.

Children and dogs of the Brussels Griffon breed

Griffons will generally get along with children and have no problem seeing them. Still, any rough play with children should be avoided, which means that any interaction between children and the dog should be supervised by an adult. Be well-controlled to ensure the game time is smooth and there will be no problems. These small dogs are usually good with other dogs; if they have been raised with cats, they can tolerate their closeness. If the Griffon is introduced to pets and smaller animals, it can stay around them, but it isn’t wise to leave a griffon alone in the same room.

Diseases and the health

The average life expectancy of a Brussels Griffon is between 9 and 15 years if they are adequately cared for and fed a good quality diet appropriate for their age. The Griffon is known to be a hardy little dog and won’t suffer from the hereditary and congenital health issues that plague many other breeds. The most common breed-specific health concerns if you’re going to share your home with one of these lively and energetic dogs include:

• Hip dysplasia
• Patella dislocation
• Eye problems
• Skin allergy

Taking care of Brussels Griffon

Like any other breed, griffons need to be groomed regularly to ensure that their coat and skin are in excellent condition. Also, they should exercise regularly and daily to ensure they are healthy. More importantly, they should be fed high-quality food to meet all their nutritional needs.

Grooming

• The Brussels Griffon is a hairy dog ​​with thick skin and silky hair. His body hair is longer on the head than the hair around the eyes, cheeks and chin.
• These dogs are red (reddish brown colour with black and white spots on the chin), black and white and reddish brown, black and white with yellowish-brown spots on the chin, black and white with reddish brown spots on the chin, legs, eyes, around the edges of the ears and the back and all black.
• To remove excess hair, it’s necessary to brush him twice a week with a metal brush. They should be professionally cleaned twice a year. 
• If he likes to play outside and sleeps on his bed immediately after playing, it is better to bathe him once a week.
• To prevent the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth, it’s better to brush his teeth 2 or 3 times a week, but if you don’t want the dog to suffer from gum disease and bad breath, you must do this every day. 
• Trim his nails at least once or twice a month. If you hear your dog’s nails dragging on the ground while walking, it means that the nails are too long. Trimming the nails will help you avoid hurting your dog when he jumps excitedly to greet you. There are many blood vessels in the dog’s toenails, so cutting them too much will cause bleeding, and the dog may not cooperate with you the next time. 
• From an early age, examine your puppy thoroughly. They are susceptible to their feet, so they must constantly take care of their paws. 
• Look inside his ears and mouth. For the dog to cooperate reasonably with you during cleaning, it’s better to make cleaning a pleasant experience for him; you can give him a treat. 
• As you groom him, check the dog for signs such as sores, itching, signs of infection such as redness, sensitivity to touch, and inflammation on the skin in the nose, mouth, eyes and feet. The dog’s eyes shouldn’t have any redness or discharge. If you check your dog once a week in all respects, you can avoid serious problems that may occur.

Activity

Brussels Griffon Dogs are energetic; they are the kind of dogs that need at least 30 to 60 minutes of exercise daily. So, they are a good choice for people who lead a more sedentary lifestyle and take their dogs out for a few short walks a day. Ideally, Griffons should be taken for shorter walks in the morning and long walks in the afternoon. They also enjoy roaming freely in backyards and extensive gardens now and then, where they can let off some energy, but fencing must be very secure to keep them. It’s also essential for the Griffon to have mental stimulation because otherwise, these intelligent little dogs can get bored, thus, find a way to entertain themselves, which can mean being a bit destructive around the house.

Nutrition

Use a fixed schedule to feed the puppy to avoid health and physical problems. You can change a puppy’s diet, but it should be done gradually and ensure they don’t develop any digestive issues. If they do, it’s best to put them back on their original diet. It’s better to always consult a veterinarian before changing their diet.

Usually, older dogs have a more specific diet and eat less food. It can also be said that their body odour will be more due to their lack of nutrition, but it doesn’t mean you can give them a lower quality diet. It’s best to feed an adult dog twice a day, once in the morning and then again in the evening, ensuring it’s a good quality food that meets all their nutritional needs. It’s also important that dogs get the right amount of exercise to burn excess calories and prevent them from gaining extra weight, which will ensure their health. Obesity can shorten a dog’s life by several years, so you need to be very careful.

To Wrap up

Griffon dogs are a special breed that has attracted the attention of many people due to their unique features and appearance. These days it is observed that many pet lovers worldwide have taken care of them.  To have a healthy and lively dog, you need to pay attention to nutrition, activity, health, grooming, etc. You can prevent the disease and have a healthy dog in this case. In all these steps, you can count on the specialized team of MishkaGrooming. Our experienced and precise groomers have carefully and accurately groomed your dogs so they count the moments for the next session.