The Three Types of Griffon

There are three adorable types of Griffon and all of them make charming and entertaining companions and family pets. The Petit Brabançon is the smooth coated version of the breed with the other two being the Griffon Bruxellois and the Griffon Belge, both of which have harsher, wiry coats. They are in fact identical and it's their coats and their texture which sets the three Griffons apart.

The Griffon Bruxellois

The Griffon Bruxellois boasts a long life span when correctly cared for which involves feeding these little dogs a good quality diet that suits the different stages of their lives. They can live for anything from 9 to 15+ years and remain very puppy-like throughout which is another of their endearing traits.

They stand at anything from 18 to 20 cm at the withers and can weigh in at around 3.6 to 4.5 kg when fit and healthy. They are prone to suffer from a few hereditary and congenital health disorders which includes the following:

• Cleft palate
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Degenerative disc disease
• A sensitivity to the Leptospirosis vaccine
• Difficulties birthing due to the size of puppy’s heads

When it comes to temperament, all Griffons are fun-loving characters by nature enjoying nothing more than to keep their owners and families entertained. They can be real clowns when the mood takes them. They form extremely strong ties with their owners and often develop separation anxiety when left to their own devices for any length of time which in short, means they are better suited to people who work from home or in households where one person typically stays at home when everyone else is out.

They are ultra intelligent but sensitive too and don't like being treated harshly or told off too severely. In short, owners need to be firm yet gentle when handling and training a Griffon Bruxellois being careful not to let them get away with too much which could result in a dog developing a condition known as small dog syndrome"" making them harder to live with and manage.

They are low maintenance when it comes to keeping their coats looking good thanks to the fact they are close-lying, harsh and short. They shed steadily throughout the year, but more so in the spring and autumn much like other breeds. They may be small in stature, but they boast a tremendous amount of energy which means they need to be given at least 60 minutes exercise a day and they also need to be given a ton of mental stimulation to prevent boredom from setting in. They are a good choice for first time owners, but they are better suited to families where the children are older rather than toddlers.

The Griffon Belge

The Griffon Belge is also a real character and a small, energetic dog that likes to keep everyone entertained. They too have very human/monkey-like faces which adds to their endearing appearance. Providing they are well cared for and fed a good quality diet to suit their ages, the Griffon Belge can live for anything from 12 to 15 years.

They have stand at anything from 18 to 20 cm at the withers and can weigh in at around 2.5 to 5.5 kg. They too are prone to certain health concerns which includes the following:

• Slipped stifles
• Eye issues
• Respiratory problems
• A sensitivity to heat
• Puppies are often delivered by Cesarean section because they have such large heads

The Griffon Belge is an intelligent little dog that has a real sensitive side to their natures as such, they need to be handled and trained with a gentle, but firm hand. They do not answer well to any sort of harsh correction, but respond very well to positive reinforcement being careful not to overdo the treats which could result in a dog putting on too much weight.

They form strong bonds with their owners and never like to be left on their own which often sees these little dogs suffering from separation anxiety. The result is that dogs develop some destructive and unwanted behaviours which can be hard to correct. They are a good choice for first time owners and are renowned for being wonderful companions for elderly people. They are better suited to families with older children rather than toddlers who may be a little too boisterous for them to cope with**.**

They are low to moderate on the grooming front thanks to their harsh, rough, wiry coats with dogs coming in a variety of colours which includes black and tan, reddish/brown and solid black. They are active, energetic little dogs that need to be given a minimum of 40 to 60 minutes daily exercise to be truly well balanced happy dogs. They also need to be given a lot of mental stimulation or boredom might set in which could result in a dog being destructive as they find ways to keep themselves entertained.

The Petit Brabançon

The Petit Brabançon is the smooth coated version of the Griffon and they boast a life span of anything from 9 to 15 years when correctly cared for and fed a good quality diet to suit the different stages of their lives. They stand at 18 to 20 cm at the withers and can weigh in at around 2.5 to 5.5 kg. They too have very monkey-like almost ""human"" faces with compact, strong and powerful bodies. What sets them apart from the other two Griffons, as previously mentioned is the texture of their coat which is close-lying and smooth rather than wiry and harsh.

They are a great choice for first time dog owners although they are better suited to families with older children rather than toddlers. Intelligent, protective and loyal, the Petit Brabançon thrives on human company and never likes to be left on their own for too long. Like their wire-haired counterparts, they can quickly develop separation anxiety when they are on their own which results in dogs becoming destructive around the home.

They are generally healthy little dogs although they are known to suffer from certain health concerns which includes the following:

• Cleft palate
• Cataracts
• Glaucoma
• Degenerative disc disease
• A sensitivity to the Leptospirosis vaccine
• Difficulties birthing due to the size of puppies heads

They too form strong ties with the people they love which is typically the person who takes the most care of them and can be a little shy when they are around strangers, but rarely would one of these little dogs show any sort of aggressive behaviour towards people they don't know preferring to keep their distance and bark.

When it comes to grooming, they are low maintenance thanks to their close-lying smooth coats. They do shed steadily all year round only more so in the spring and autumn. They are energetic little dogs needing a minimum of 30 minutes or more exercise every day to keep them fit, healthy and happy. Because they are so intelligent, they also need lots of mental stimulation to keep them occupied and to prevent boredom from setting in which can makes these little dogs wilful and therefore harder to manage.

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