Brussels Griffon: Your new pet
The Brussels Griffon is a pretty friendly dog with a very tender look. As the name implies, it comes from Brussels.
People who decide to choose a Brussels Griffon as a life partner do not do it randomly; they do it because of their characteristic way of being, which is a combination of intelligence, a good sense of humor and a pinch of stubbornness. Many of the owners of this breed make it known that they appear to have a large or giant breed dog in a small package.
Some people might remember a very famous television host in 1971 called Stanley Dangerfield, who was the conductor of Crufts, a television show dedicated to a dog show. Dangerfield opined in his various writings that this breed was controversial since many people believed it was a dog with great beauty, while other people believed it was a tremendously ugly dog. But the truth is that the Griffon is a dog with unique characteristics and with a very loveable attitude.
The Brussels Griffon is a fairly popular breed in Britain, as in the rest of the European continent, although in the United States not so much; but regardless of where it is it is a very nice dog, which surprises since It is not a race with worldwide popularity.
Dogs of this breed have been multiplying more and more in each census that is carried out, although this breed is not very censed, because there are not many important fan clubs that support it, so we hope it is a breed that maintains its charisma and particular physical aspect.
The Griffon is a dog that descends from the terriers since its behavior is similar in some aspects to the terriers’, the similarities that it keeps with these is that it is a dog that wherever it goes it will always be eye-catching and is very attentive to its surroundings. Besides, it is a dog that is quite confident, it is not afraid of anything and when it is decided to perform some action there is no one to stop it. This puppy can face a giant breed dog without problems since inside it is the same size as them, so its owners must pay attention when the Griffon is close to bigger dogs, so it does not get harmed.
Whoever has a Griffon in their house will always have joy coming from a vivacious dog who is always very affectionate with the family, but, with strangers, they can be a little suspicious at times. Due to these characteristics in its behavior, the Griffon of Brussels must be trained from a very young age to prevent it from believing it is the head of the house.
In Internet forums there are many comments with funny tones about this breed, among these, we could see one that caught our attention: “My Griffon is the reincarnation of the devil in a furry and adorable costume”, which may be explicitly a clear description of the behavior of this adorable pet.
Although it is officially a miniature breed, on the inside, this dog is larger than a Great Dane. It is a fairly collected and compact dog; it is very well balanced, its back is short and has a compact and rounded chest.
The Griffon, as it looks, looks like a heavy dog, however, it is not. This happens because their bones are strong. In short, it is a compact animal that does not grow much, at least in its physical appearance. If you compare the head of the Griffon with the rest of the body, it is large. The hair of his head is hard and this form on the tip of the snout a kind of beard, which gives a special touch and that when we see, we know that we have found a dog quite peculiar.
Another thing that has called the attention of its owners is that the expression of this dog is almost human, this happens because its skull is rounded. In its nose, the nostrils should be open enough to avoid future respiratory problems. The Griffon’s eyes are always dark, quite large and perfectly round, which adds points to the «human» expression when it stares at its owners.
The Brussels Griffon is a miniature dog that will always keep the same height regardless of its gender, however, its weight can vary since it can weigh from 2.2 kg to 5 kg. There are Griffon dogs that have straight hair and hard hair.
History and Origin of the Brussels Griffon
The Griffon is a dog with a lot of history in which even the nobility is related because it is a dog that only kings and high-class people could afford before.
There are several theories regarding the origin of this breed, the most relevant one being the one that tells the picture found in the National Gallery, called “the marriage of Giovanni Arnolti and Giovanna Cenanu”, where you can see a small dog with a funny expression, of red color, dated 1434. Handley Spicer, one of the founders of the breed, used the painting to record the supposed antiquity of the breed and the great resemblance it still keeps with the dogs of this same breed in ancient times.
He also argued that the painting makes it clear that the current Griffon looks the same as the griffons that resulted after the imports England requested from Belgium.
There is also another work of art in which a dwarf can be seen being surrounded by small red dogs with the characteristic expression of a Griffon, a painting dating from the 16th century painted by Jacopo de Espoli.
Spicer firmly maintains that this breed was born as a result of the cross between a pug, pinscher toy and spaniel toy.
Another theory says that the origin of this dog could be from Smousje, a small dog that could be found in Brussels, a dog that in turn was crossed with a Pug Carlino and a King Charles Spaniel.
Several writings try to explain the exact origin of this dog, having almost all in common to “Miss”, a dog that was owned by a mechanic who lived in the royal square, a dog that was the mother of the first champion dog Belgian called «Fox». Another dog that is also mentioned in these treaties is «Petit Waterloo», which was a dog that crossed a female Carlina, resulting in a beautiful litter among which was a puppy called «Tom», which in turn began a lineage with quite similar characteristics to what are nowadays the standard in the Griffon breed, being some a large head, expressive eyes, small body, broad chest and in some cases straight hair and in others rough.
Many straight-haired dogs were born and the right to be called purebred was taken away, but then, seeing that they had very good gifts that did not possess the species of rough hair, they managed to be recognized within the standards of the different regulatory associations, however, dogs with a black fur color were not yet recognized as griffons. It took time for these griffons to be recognized under the name of “Belgian griffons” and another time for them to also recognize the black and red-haired Griffons.
After some years of establishing the standards of the breed, it was decided that it would be a good idea to cross them with other breeds, starting with a Spaniel Toy called “Ruby”. This gave the Griffon, as it is known today, a rather small nose and the color with which they are seen nowadays, but also it modified the shape of the skull and did it in the form of a dome, lengthened his ears and gave him what today we would call «duck’s foot», a congenital problem in the breed that forced the breeders to sterilize the specimens that had it. However, this problem increased because dogs with better characteristics in the breed were coming with this congenital problem, which affected the breed severely.
There are also other theories about the origin of the Griffon that should be mentioned, such as, for example, the article that was published by Warzée, a lady expert in dogs originally from Belgium, shared by her in 1934 and which was shown in the English magazine «Our Dogs.»
In this publication, she stated that the Griffon is the result of the cross between a Yorkshire terrier. In the publication, it says that, during a dog show at Field de Manoeuvres, a place near Brussels, an English person saw this Griffon, and he liked it so much that he took it immediately to live with him on an island, and people liked the specimen so much that they had no choice but to import more specimens.
The Griffon quickly became famous throughout England but quickly became extinct as a result of world wars; however, he quickly recovered and since he was famous, he had an advantage over the other dogs that were also almost extinct due to wars.
The United States was a key factor for the extension and recovery of the breed once the World Wars ended and the communication and transit channels were unlocked, taking the Griffons to the American continent.
Main Characteristics
The Brussels Griffon is considered a small breed, at least in its body since, psychologically, it is completely the opposite. It is plump and squared, well balanced, with a short back and round chest.
The Brussels Griffon has a heavy appearance since it is a chubby animal, however, it should not be very heavy concerning its size. Its bones are not too strong, just like its muscles.
Something characteristic of the Griffon is its head, which is larger in proportion to its body. Some specimens have straight hair and hard hair, in the case of those who have rough hair, the fur that is on the head of this is quite coarse. Another thing that gives its “touch” of a giant dog in a small container is its “beard” that is formed from the abundant fur of its snout.
Its chubby head gives off a rather characteristic human aspect. The skull is not too flat, rather, it is rounded and not very domed. The nostrils must be wide open as this will prevent them from «drowning» due to a moment of emotion, short of breath.
The nose must be in the center of both eyes, which are dark, very round and clear, which give off a very careful look, almost as if they were judging us. According to the breed standard, a specimen is «purer» if the eyes have a black rim. The snout has a very good amplitude from where its lips protrude, of which the one below is the one that predominates a little outwards.
We are talking about a small dog that according to its breed standard can weigh from 2.2 kg to 5 kg, but the 3 kg weights are the ones that are best received by breed standards.
There are two kinds of Griffon, which are considered two different breeds, although the characteristics of both make them only two types of dogs with different fur, one hard and the other smooth, also varying in the color of their fur. These two varieties are the Brussels Griffon, with rough hair and the Belgian Griffon, with straight hair.
The Brussels Griffon has a rough fur, like the Fox Terrier, but it has no curls. In some cases, some specimens with a very dense inner layer have curls.
Behavior with other dogs
The Brussels Griffon can be quickly labeled as a dog with a strong character, crafty and somewhat grumpy, thanks, in part, to its appearance, however, it can also be a very friendly dog with the other dogs and pets of the home. When the owner isn’t home, the Griffon might even invite other dogs to join in its adventures and follow him everywhere, since it feels like a leader and is good at practicing this.
When they do not know other dogs, the Griffon is usually reserved, as with unknown humans, but after a while seeing the same person it will behave as usual since they will have taken confidence, as with other dogs. You must know that the Brussels Griffon is a dog that cannot be alone for a long time since it tends to develop anxiety for isolation, so, if you are a working person you should adopt a new pet if you already have in your house a Brussels Griffon, but if not, then you should adopt two dogs of this unique breed so that in addition to being the owner of one of these dogs you are also a breeder and support the conservation of the breed.
Starting to socialize the Brussels Griffon with other dogs
Socialization plays a key factor in the life of one of these little dogs. Both the male and the female are dominant dogs (although the male is much more) and will want to dominate other dogs at any rate. So they may not get along with those dogs that resist this dominance, they may not even get along with you if you don’t let yourself dominate! But everything can be solved by allowing them to socialize during their puppy stage.
During the puppy stage, Griffon dogs need to interact positively with other dogs and pets, as their behavior with other animals depends on it. The best thing for them is to socialize in a completely natural way, first to leave them about 3 months after they are born with their mother and siblings, that way they will understand the basic notions of pack behavior, it will know that it is not right to bite others, to be too abrupt or dominant because a leader already exists. You must distrust breeders who offer a puppy with less than two and a half months of living with their mother and siblings since in addition to socialization these puppies should drink breast milk to stay strong in the face of diseases that can attack them during this vulnerable stage, which is achieved through the mother’s breastmilk. It strengthens the immune system of the puppy.
That way, your Brussels Griffon will be prepared to end its cycle of socialization with you. How? Very simple, you will simply have to provide a friendly environment where it can interact with other dogs of different ages and animals of all kinds that do not represent a danger to it, to get used to the presence of all types of animals and not be hostile or dominant with these.
It is also important to take into account the behavior of the dogs that you might already have at home, only you know how the adoption of another dog could affect your current dog, and due to the small size of the Brussels Griffon, it could not defend itself well from aggressiveness of another dog and be badly injured. This little dog does not like to be played with, while others get the idea that it is a small defenseless animal, it could react violently if it perceives this as much from other dogs that they like to play as from small children who still do not know how to treat an animal.
The non-socialized Brussels Griffon loves dominance and being the star at all times. He will not tolerate any indication that another dog wants to be the leader or receive more love from his master. When a spoiled Griffon arrives at the house, it wants to be the only dog to be paid attention to, being the other simple «servants», that is, common working dogs.
Socializing this dog with his mother and siblings and continuing such treatment when he gets home will forget this idea and know that everyone occupies the same range of followers and the only leader is the master, to whom it will give as much attention as possible.
However, to prevent your Brussels Griffon from growing resentment with other domestic dogs, do not give special treatment to other dogs. As with human children, you must give equal treatment to all dogs, love them all equally.
Diet and feeding of the Brussels Griffon
Feeding a dog correctly is not easy, even with industrialized foods that claim to have all the ingredients and vitamins a dog needs. Many of these products contain a large number of elements that do not nourish, so feeding it becomes something where you have to be quite fussy and investigative.
There are several ways to feed a Brussels Griffon, but we will first talk about the famous dog croquettes, which are the main way in which people feed their pets around the world. Are they all good for a Griffon? The answer is no. There are many brands, flavors, and colors, but very few will feed your dog efficiently at all stages of his life. For example, some promise a premium quality, but contain a large number of flours, which are not intended to feed, just to quench, your little friend’s hunger, so you should avoid dog food with large amounts of flour and look for those that contain a benevolent amount of protein, carbohydrates, and vitamins.
The foods that normally meet the latter requirements are the most famous in the canine feed industry, although they are usually quite expensive. You can look for cheaper food, but now that you know the characteristics they must have to avoid poor feeding in your puppy you will know which ones are cheap and of good quality, saving you from excessive spending while also feeding your dog efficiently.
Now, let’s continue with the second type of food that many people who do not have many resources to acquire these dog foods choose to feed a dog with leftovers from human food.
Feeding a small dog with food leftovers may seem like the best solution, that is, you do not have to waste food by throwing them in the trash, you just have to give it to your friend and he will take care of leaving your shining plate because dogs love human food, but, unfortunately, this activity is not something healthy for your Griffon. Dogs deserve quality food and leftovers will not be able to give it all the vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates and proteins it needs. Many times the leftovers have an abundance of carbohydrates and fat, which is not healthy for a dog as it will make it fat and at the same time it will not have the strength or energy to exercise because of the significant lack of protein in what it is eating, so if you thought about feeding your dog with leftovers you should know that it is not adequate, however, you could adapt the food to a correct type of feeding with some homemade dog food recipes.
Feeding a Brussels Griffon with homemade food
Surely you will see your Brussels Griffon as a member of your family, but this does not mean that it can eat the same things since many foods can be toxic, and, even if they are not, sweet foods, for example, can degenerate its teeth at a fast pace. If you started to give it leftover food from time to time you should sharply cut that behavior, both you and all your relatives so that it learns that it will not get more food from you that way and that the right thing is to wait for its homemade food to be ready. How to choose the ingredients and what will be the preparation of the food for your Brussels Griffon? This is a topic that you must discuss with a veterinarian since they are experts in feeding small and large breeds with homemade food, but we can tell you that their food should have good fats, carbohydrates, lots of protein, a little calcium, and other vitamins and minerals, balance between meats, vegetables and eggs, and your dog will love you for feeding him in a healthy and tasty way, without neglecting its diet.
Watch out though! With the homemade feeding, your dog could develop tartar quickly in its teeth and get sick of both them and the heart. Dental health and heart health go hand in hand. If your dog develops tartar you should worry more about its dental health, in fact, from the moment you start feeding your dog this way you should start brushing its teeth often to prevent the proliferation of this annoying bacteria that can make your dog’s teeth sick and fall out.
Buy him a small toothbrush and start brushing your puppy’s teeth, that way, as an adult, it will understand that it is something completely normal and will not behave in a grumpy way like other dogs that begin to brush its teeth.
Necessary care
Breeding Brussels Griffon can be a bit difficult due to the characteristics of the birth, subsequent breeding, and ego that puppies develop from an early age, but once they enter a certain age they become adorable and healthy dogs.
Griffons are resistant dogs, but due to the smallness that characterizes them they often develop typical diseases of small dogs, so it is a good idea to be attentive at all times and keep strict control with a veterinarian from the first week of life.
During the first days of life, the puppies will obtain significant amounts of calcium and vitamins from their mother’s milk, this will also give them the necessary antibodies to live the first weeks of their lives, but there are very dangerous viruses that can make them very sick, to the point of death, before the month is reached, therefore, it is necessary to go with a veterinarian to place the respective vaccines for each puppy, developing a vaccination and deworming plan to maintain a solid health like that of most of the specimens of this race.
In normal health conditions these little rascals can live between 12 and 15 years, but with exceptional care and to the letter, a lot of love and attention and a neat area where they can develop every day this estimate can be extended.
Female Brussels Griffon and her jealousy
The females of this breed are jealous with quite specific and marked symptoms, without coloration during estrus, which makes it difficult to know when it was time to separate the female from the males so that they do not reproduce without consent or with a wrong breed that could end in the dog’s death due to giant puppies. Another element that greatly hinders the mating of Griffons is that the female is usually in heat for a short period, which makes the presence of the male necessary at all times so that she can take advantage of the period determined for conception.
Diseases of a Brussels Griffon
Some specimens of the Brussels Griffon can be born with a depression on the palate, which should be checked quickly at the time they are born. For this, you must open the mouth of the little ones and touch with a finger their palate to check that it does not have a cleft. A palate of these characteristics usually makes it difficult to suck the mother’s milk, so she will have to take special care of the puppy to survive.
If there is any deformity in the newborn it is best to be informed of the actions to be taken with the help of a veterinarian. Remember to keep euthanasia as a last resort since every puppy deserves to live a good life despite additional efforts during its puppy stage.
Another scenario in which the life of a Brussels Griffon may be at risk is during the manifestation of a heatstroke, which is nothing more than insolation in a dog product of temperatures too high or direct contact with the sun, which is the result of not having a place to hide from it. You will know that a dog is suffering heatstroke when it lies on the ground and begins to gasp in a strong and fast way without any encouragement to move. The first thing you should do during that moment is to take it to an area where it does not receive sunshine and it is not so hot, never to the air conditioner directly since it could kill him immediately, after a moment pour cold water on his shoulders, neck, and head, after this give it a saline solution (serum) with the help of a syringe. If it is unconscious do not do any of this and take it to a veterinarian.
Although it may occur at home, a heatstroke in small dogs such as the Brussels Griffon is often frequent when the dog is subjected to the heat of a closed vehicle.
Brushing and bathing of a Brussels Griffon
You should teach your Brussels Griffon that bathing and brushing are two necessary activities that should not be boring or traumatic for him, for example, you can brush and then go for a walk with it, after this repeat the same activities every time and this will relate both the bathroom and brushing respectively as a good thing since then comes a walk.
Regarding the frequency of these activities, you should do brushing at least twice a week. The Brussels Griffon can shed a good amount of hair that should be removed from it with a special comb of steel tips to drag all dead hair. The bathrooms will be more distant, with one per month or when you consider it dirty will suffice.
You should not forget to check the eyes and teeth to see that everything is in order.
How to train a Brussels Griffon
The Brussels Griffon has more than a strong character, it also has an acute intelligence that makes it perfect for being a very polite companion dog if this advantage is exploited on your part. It has even been used as an exhibition dog and has participated in numerous dog obedience competitions, winning or obtaining important places in many of these.
As it happens in many specimens with great intelligence, although it enjoys this, it is difficult to train, or at least it is not as simple as training hunting dogs, for example, that are already accustomed to paying attention to their masters for many centuries. Griffon’s intelligence makes it think about the reason of things, such as «Why should I listen to this human if I do what I want?» Because it is a dominant dog, it would probably be comfortable giving orders to you, so you should control this character from a very early stage, through socialization and the delimitation of the things it can and cannot do at home when it is still a puppy.
So, now that you know that despite being a small ball of hair and an excellent company when trained it is very difficult to train it due to its dominance and intelligence, you may still want a Brussels Griffon, if so then you must dedicate a lot of time and have patience when you train it. No living being likes to be treated badly, especially an intelligent dog, so, screaming, scolding and physical abuse, besides being a crime, will make training much worse, making it almost impossible or inducing the dog to a state of constant nervousness and insecurity that can trigger very aggressive behaviors, especially in dogs of this breed.
Avoid aggressiveness and dominance before training
To avoid dominance and aggressiveness in a Brussels Griffon, you must first allow it to socialize with other animals. The first step of any training is this, to let you know that it is not the king of the world, that it is a simple follower dog that has to be accountable to its owner. To achieve this simply and naturally, you must acquire a Brussels Griffon of at least three months, not less. Why? During the stage of breastfeeding and breeding of the pups, the mother will teach all her children to behave kindly, and the puppy’s time with its siblings will reinforce them. Acquiring a Brussels Griffon ahead of time would not be doing anything other than interrupting this important cycle.
After this important stage has been completed, you will have a three-month Brussels Griffon in your hands. Apart from all the care involved in having a small puppy dog in your care, you must introduce it, when you have their respective vaccines and under strict surveillance, to an environment of your home where other pets such as dogs, cats, rabbits or birds live. In this way, the Brussels Griffon will understand that the world is full of different animals and that everyone can live in harmony.
You should avoid introducing this little dog to an environment where there are dogs that you know have behavioral problems, have hunter ancestors or are dominant, with this you will protect the integrity of your Brussels Griffon. It may be a good idea to approach it to a female dog instead of a male since they have more maternal sense than males.
Through this teaching, the Brussels Griffon will understand that it is not alone and can approach playing with other animals if they are willing, decreasing the likelihood that being without its master nearby will miss him in such a way that they develop separation anxiety.
What aspects should you train in a Brussels Griffon?
Walking on a leash is one of the main aspects to train in a Brussels Griffon. It is almost certain that when you start walking it, it will pull on the leash, “choking” itself with it when pulling trying to release it, bark for release, throw it on the ground and roll, among other independent dog behaviors when feeling “tamed”, you should not congratulate him or attend these tantrums, just say “no” and follow the walk, sooner or later it will understand that you are the one leading the march and not him. For this, don’t go faster if your dog wants to go faster, shorten the chain so that it stays by your side and get used to it. When it doesn’t throw tantrums, stays by your side and it doesn’t pull on the chain then reward it with a treat right away.
It is important to remember that it should not be taught several orders at the same time, because it can confuse your dog and will retrace the training you have been practicing with it.
Behavior with humans
The Brussels Griffon is a somewhat controversial dog thanks to the contrasted opinions of people who have one and those who do not want to have one under any circumstances. However, the owners of these friendly dogs are attracted in a very unique way by these, they like the bleakness of impudence, airs of grandeur and the grumpy touch that they can have, but above all, the owners of a faucet Brussels love the great sense of humor that this little dog can have which is perfect for people looking for a pet.
Many have come to describe this little animal as «poison», due to the saying «… poison comes in small jars,» denoting the mischievousness of these, or have also opted to call them a large small dog, since it is a dog that behaves like a large or giant breed dog, that is, it is not a little aware that it is a small dog and it may fight dogs that quadruple its size without any fear of the situation.
Griffon owners also claim that it is a dog with high intelligence, as well as its impudence. Although for people who have not interacted with a Griffon, they are ugly or deranged dogs. People who have seen one and have had the opportunity to see how they relate to their owners can claim that their external appearance may be a bit neglected, but they are really beautiful and exotic inside.
This breed is not as popular in the United States as in Latin America, it has its focus of popularity in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom, but regardless of where it is popular if you are looking for a dog with personality, energy, intelligence and a dash of naughtiness, then the Brussels Griffon is the dog you are looking for.
If you have had a terrier dog, then you can imagine the personality of the Brussels Griffon a bit since it descends from terriers at some point in its history. Like these friendly companion dogs, the Griffons never go unnoticed, for better or for worse.
Why a Brussels Griffon?
A Brussels Griffon is quite funny since it can behave like a big dog. Their actions usually come over-acted as well as their behavior. It is a dog that looks like an old man because most of the time it has a grumpy expression, although this is not because it wants to, but because that is its nature, which is why many people describe them as ugly.
The Griffons are dogs that get along with the whole family, especially with children if they keep the respect they deserve, otherwise, they may get a good scare by the Griffon since this little crook will not hesitate in defending against a jerk of hair or very tough games, also developing fear and nervousness if something like that happens.
Why not a Brussels Griffon?
If you are going to adopt or receive a Brussels Griffon as a gift you should keep in mind that it is not a toy despite its small size, especially since it is very clear that it is not one and does not like to be treated as such, in its mind it is a big dog that must be respected and that wants a little independence in his day to day to go from here to there, investigating if some intruder has crossed the limits of its territory.
Also, it could be seriously injured, as the product of that thinking, by other large dogs that do not tolerate a dominant behavior by this small animal. Many large dogs may take that behavior as a game, but others can take it seriously and defend their territory from the small threat, therefore, you must be very aware of it and not allow it to walk freely around to avoid it getting hurt by stray dogs or dogs from other houses that are also free, it is important to fence the home when having a Brussels Griffon.
To summarize, you may see it a little different from other dogs, because no dog is really ugly, only people who have not had a dog and haven’t tried the great company that these small pets are, can consider them ugly. Many times dogs are better than some humans; you may end up falling in love with it like the thousands of owners of a Brussels Griffon, product of its remarkable and unique character, we assure you that they will not go unnoticed when you take a walk because at all times he will be taking care of you.
Its environment
The Brussels Griffon is a dog that fortunately can adapt to a large number of environments thanks to its small size. This dog formerly called «the pet of the kings» since only the nobility had the habit of having a dog as a pet instead of a working dog. It is a cross between pug dogs, cocker spaniel toy and pinscher, so in their veins, it is customary to be a pet dog, accustomed to interaction with humans who love them a lot since they have a defined character and pet behavior, although a little strong and dominant.
They are originally from Belgium, as its name states. In the streets of this country dogs wandered with an expression very similar to that of the current Griffon, they were called street hedgehogs. Fortunately, they became popular among the people of that country, especially among the housewives and those who had the task of transporting people from one place to another, which allowed it to spread throughout the region.
The weather in Belgium has always been merciful to people and animals, presenting itself in a way not too cold in winters or very hot in summers, being normally colder than warm, but being a pleasant cold. Brussels Griffons have a long history since those times, so their bodies adapted to these cold climates, preparing them to face winter and summer in the streets of Brussels. Therefore, it is not recommended for tropical climates with too high temperatures, remember that it is a small dog with a lot of hair, so it can be quite prone to heat stroke if left outside during summer, for example, in Venezuela or the coasts of Colombia.
The Brussels Griffon is not a dog that gets along very well with large areas of land as it is used to living together inside the home and a small patio where it can make its needs in a specific area and that does not generate discomfort to the owners.
With large amounts of land, it would feel free, but in turn, overwhelmed and maybe a little alone. This dog needs constant attention from its owner and family; the feeling of loneliness can trigger destructive, anxious, nervous and depressive behaviors. Therefore, a large land can lead it to develop these feelings if its owner is missing because they are at work, for example.
It is not recommended as a dog for one person. We all have obligations, but the idea of being alone all the time until its owner arrives bothers him, so the family that chooses this dog as a pet must be at least three members so that when one is not able to tend to the dog, another member checks up on it and so on.
Do you want a Brussels Griffon dog but do you live alone?
If you want a dog of this breed because you are very attracted to his personality and charisma then you can adopt not one, but two dogs of this breed to keep company while you are not able to. The dogs must be socialized so that they understand that other dogs can also be an excellent company and that they should give them the same respect they expect for them.
What implements or accessories should a Brussels Griffon have in its surroundings?
Every dog deserves to have its cup for water and food, two dogs cannot share the same dish since this will trigger a fight between the two or more dogs since they do not know who you are placing the food, making everyone fight for her since they believe it is his.
They must also have toys. The toys will make them forget for a moment that you are not there and they will spend biting them and taking them from side to side.
A dog house is an excellent idea whether your Brussels Griffon lives inside or outside the home. This way you will know that this is its own space. Similarly, each dog needs its own space or house to avoid fighting.
Daily exercise. Every dog needs this element in its life to avoid obesity and prevent the bones from losing strength. Give your Brussels Griffon 30-minute walks and exercises disguised as games and it will be more than happy with you.