The Brussels Griffon An adorable breed.

Intelligent, affectionate, loyal, curious … These are just some of the virtues that the Griffon of Brussels gives us. Definitely, this breed falls in love.

About ten years ago, seeing an Ewok walking by my side was the strangest thing.

I remember the people who were walking down the street at that time, stopping and hearing the children exclaim: Look, Dad! That dog has a beard !!

Fortunately, every day the Brussels Griffon is better known in Spain. An example of this is that a chain of stores in Spain has made a television spot in which a griffon appeared waiting in the arms of its owner, while the Star Wars soundtrack was playing off.

The Brussels Griffon is a small breed dog that usually weighs about 3 to 6 kg and, yes, it does look a lot like the Ewoks that appear in the Star Wars movie.

To find out more about its history: its origins date back to the 19th century in Belgium. These dogs were used to scare away rats that roamed in stables in Europe. In addition, they helped guard the house and kept its owners company.

This breed usually attracts a lot of attention for its monkey face. They have a very peculiar little face, with a flat nose (they are brachycephalic), ears attentive to everything and round little eyes that speak to us.

There are three varieties depending on the type of hair the specimen has: The Brussels Griffon, which has long, hard and red hair; the Belgian Griffon, with long, hard, black hair and, finally, the Petit Brabançon with short, reddish hair.

Obviously, the one that gives the least hairdressing work is the Petite Brabançon, for having short hair. On the contrary, the Brussels griffon and the Belgian griffon have to have their hair worked every few days using the stripping technique.

According to the FCI standard, the head must be large, broad and round, with a very short muzzle, a very marked stop and a black nose. The eyes are large, round and dark. Small ears are rewarded. The tail should not curl up, it should be set high and generally carried raised. Griffons have a prominent lower jaw (prognathism), but they should never show their teeth or tongue when they have their mouths closed, as this is considered a breed defect.

This breed has some care that should be noted. We must take good care of our eyes . As they are quite bulging, they are very prone to ulcers, so we must carefully monitor the ocular structure and check that they do not have transparent white spots, which can be a symptom of an ulcer. If our griffon suffers from an ulcer, it is very important to go to the vet as soon as possible so that it does not deepen, reaches the cornea and the damage caused may be greater.

Also, we must ensure that hairs are not accidentally introduced into the eye, since permanent contact can damage the eye cells and lead to keratitis or distichiasis (abnormal birth outside the usual lash line and rubbing them with the cornea).

Another important aspect to note is that the Brussels Griffon is quite delicate when it comes to heat stroke. Like all brachycephalic breeds, we must pay special attention in summer so that our pet does not suffer the dreaded heat stroke.

Regarding their character, it is important to note that they tend to suffer from separation anxiety, so those who are considering having a griffon should make sure that they are not going to leave their pet alone for a long time. They love company and pampering. Sometimes they can be fearful in front of young children. This, as always, will depend on how we train our dog. They can be scared by the noises, unexpected movements and games that they give them, but they are very good with them and, at most, what they will do is run to the opposite side. They have a very faithful character, they will not separate from you for a single minute. They will be your shadow.