Why should you get a Brussels Griffon? Here’s some pros and cons, to help you to decide if this breed is suited to your family and your lifestyle. Griffons are smart, lovable, funny, eager to please and generally easy to train.
The Brussels Griffon is primarily a quiet fellow. He is not given to lots of yappy barking at random sounds, as some toy breeds are. He should not be hired as a guard dog, as he is not big enough and tends to like everybody who comes into the house.
Brussels Griffons don’t seem to realize that they weigh only 8 to 12 pounds (3.6 to 5.4 kg), and usually will stand up to much bigger dogs.
Their health is generally very good. The rough coats do not shed, but the coat grows quickly and requires clipping every two months or so. Smooths shed, but not a lot.
The long beard of the roughs gets dirty easily and has to be brushed or cleaned often to get out food and other debris. After they drink from their bowl, the roughs often trail droplets of water across the kitchen floor.
Reputable breeders usually will question you about your lifestyle and why you want a Brussels Griffon. Most everyone works, so it is normal for dogs to be alone eight hours a day. But for people who have numerous hobbies or commitments that require them to spend a lot of time away from home, a Brussels Griffon would not be a good choice.
These dogs love human company and become depressed if left alone too long. And, even though they are small, they need exercise in order to thrive. They need the discipline of a caring owner, as well as affection, which they will return in huge quantities.
The Brussels Griffon has never been a really popular breed, like Golden Retrievers or Dachshunds. It used to be that few people recognized the breed.
But that changed after the release of the movie As Good as It Gets in 1997, which featured a Griffon named Verdell, who displayed all the funny and loving traits of the breed, charming and entertaining his owner and the next-door neighbor played by Jack Nicholson.
That film brought popularity to the breed and led a lot of people to acquire Brussels Griffons because they thought Verdell was cute. The breed is cute, but Griffons require the same attention, care, and training as any dog, including housebreaking, leash training, grooming, and socializing.
They are not wind-up toys. They require a lot of time, so be honest with yourself about how much time and work you are willing and able to devote to raising a dog properly.
Many Brussels Griffons are turned into shelters or rescue centers when people realize that they are not stuffed toys and have the same needs as any larger dog.
Size
The great thing about Brussels Griffons is that they are small and cooperative. They don’t need a large backyard in which to roam and they are wonderful pets for apartment dwellers because they don’t take up much room and love to walk the city streets.
For people who are able to take their pet with them to work, the Griffon is perfect because of his small size and cooperative nature. Griffons can be carried easily in their owner’s arms or in pet carriers. They are usually easy to crate train and will sleep or rest happily and quietly near their owners.
Griffons with Children
If they are well socialized, Brussels Griffons are great with children and seem to understand that children aren’t always gentle, and are forgiving of tugs on their beards and tails.
However, because Griffons weigh so little and are only about 14 inches (35.6 cm) high, they need to be protected from being dropped or roughly treated, even by well-intentioned children who simply want to play.
How your Griffon gets along with children depends on you. Children who want to pet a dog are often over-eager and rush into the dog’s face. It is up to you to show them how to gently stroke from the neck across the back—never on the head, as it is small and the eyes could easily be poked or the nostrils blocked.
Teach children that it is best to stroke all animals from behind the ears. That is a much less confrontational approach.
The best way for a child to hold a Griff is to sit down on the floor and take the dog onto his or her lap. Griffon puppies are usually squirming with happiness and can easily slip out of a child’s arms. If the child is sitting on the floor, the puppy cannot be dropped.
Show your older children how to scoop up the puppy and hold him firmly against their chest. Never let them pick up the puppy by his legs. And, of course, Griffon ears are not for pulling.
Parents with young children might look for an older dog that has had some training. However, if selecting a puppy, it’s a good idea to let the child sit on the floor and see which puppy chooses him. Animals sometimes have an uncanny knack of knowing whom they belong with.
Once you get home, let the child and puppy play, carefully watching that the play does not get too rough. You may have to explain to your child that the puppy is a baby and that you need to be gentle with it.
The best way for children and Griffons to interact is to give the child a small, soft toy that can be used to gently play tug of war or thrown for the puppy to run after. Or let the child give the puppy a small dog biscuit.
Will my Child be Allergic?
Brussels Griffons are among those breeds classified as hypoallergenic, meaning that they have a relatively low capacity to induce allergic reactions. No breed is totally nonallergenic.
Allergic people generally tolerate Brussels Griffons very easily because these dogs don’t shed and have a low level of dander, particularly as compared to Sporting, Hound, or Working breeds.
A recent medical study showed that children who grew up in a home with pets did not develop allergies to animals, probably because their immune systems learned how to handle the potential stressors of pet hair and dander.
But the only way to know for sure is through trial and error. It would be helpful if you could visit someone who owns a Griffon and note your child’s allergic reaction.
