Brussels Griffin: amazing dogs, in which it is impossible not to fall in love

The Brussels griffin (or griffon), also called the zwerg-griffin, refers to small, "roomy" (decorative) dogs. Unfortunately, the breed is not yet very common, and there are very few breeding nurseries. We hope, this article will help to increase the popularity of the dog, in which it is impossible not to fall in love.

History of origin

It's probably worth starting with ancient mythology. Some myths speak of Scythian gold, protected ... by griffons. Images of the animal show all the art of Rome and ancient Greece. So the first mention of griffons, as you can see, can be found even in the heyday of a fairly ancient civilization. However, then they were described as animals with the bodies of lions and the heads of birds.

Such a history of origin is also similar to a myth. But she is so beautiful that she does not want to give it up.

I must say that the very word "griffon" is translated as "hard wool". Apparently, that's where the name of the breed came from. But back to history.

The first Brussels griffins were portrayed by Van Eyck (Flemish painter) in the painting "Chet Arnolfini" in 1434. After about 70 years, this dog can be seen next to Henry the Third in a painting written by Jacobo Empoli.

The tiny Brussels griffin was at that time a symbol of the elegance of the aristocrats (rich ladies considered it a smart addition to their toilet). These dogs often traveled in carriages with their landladies.

It is believed that the ancestors of the griffins, who turned out to be beautiful and brave rat-catchers, were afferpinchers and ordinary Belgian courtyards. These animals were inquisitive, alive, vigilant and unpretentious. True, then the Brussels Griffon breed was just beginning to form. Dogs were much larger than those we used to see today.

By the 19th century, "bearded dogs" had "conquered" the carriage court of Belgian monarchs. The breed of Brussels Griffon conquered the heart and Mary Henrietta, Queen of Belgium. By the way, it was she who began to popularize the "bearded", actively supporting the annual exhibitions.

The first Brussels griffin is officially registered in the tribes. Book (LOSH) in 1883. But at exhibitions he appeared three years earlier, in Brussels. It was a small red-haired dog with an elongated, stiff hair. The sergeant of the police was the master of the griffin. Since the breed by that time did not have a clear name, it was recorded as a "police dog".

The history of the origin of the breed is in fact based on a variety of assumptions. We will focus on the most plausible.

Of course, the basis of the breed was afferpinscher. To shorten the muzzle, they decided to use a king-charles spaniel. True, the "infusion" of these bloodlines occurred already in the XIX century. Thanks to this, the appearance of the griffon became nobler, but the ability to exterminate rodents disappeared. Later, the "pug" was added to the griffon, which managed to take root in Holland. As a result, two varieties of wool cover were obtained. Yorkshire Terriers, Pekingese took part in the formation and breed. So there was a modern breed of Brussels Griffin.

Standard

When did the Brussels griffin finally form? The breed standard was adopted relatively recently - March 25, 2003 (No. 80, FCI). According to him, Griffon of Brussels should be small, well-balanced, alert, almost square format, elegant in constitution and movement and at the same time with good skeleton. The head, in comparison with the body, is large, expressive, "human" (many breeders replace the expression "face" with "face"). Skull roundish, wide. The forehead is pronounced. The coat is stiff, ruffled, straight, longer on the cheekbones and the eyes, but especially on the chin. The nose is wide, black (the nostrils are open), when viewed from the side, should lie on a line with the eyes. Black lips should be tight fitting (the upper covers the bottom, but without sagging). Teeth - a complete set (snack, and the incisors should line up in a clear line, while the upper canines are parallel to the canines inferior (against each other)). Eyes expressive, widely spaced, large and round (not convex!), Brown, black at the edges. Ideally, proteins are not visible. Eyes light, small, oval are considered a disadvantage. The ears are comparatively small and highly set, in unopened form, hang forward, semi-standing. The back is straight. Loin short, barely convex, muscular. Breasts should be pronounced, when viewed from the side it seems outstanding. Ribs are spring-loaded (not flat, not barrel-shaped). The abdomen is pulled up (the groin line is expressed). High-leveled docked (optional) tail raised. A short, broken, twisted tail is a serious drawback. The limbs are widely spaced, parallel. Paws round with tightly compressed fingers (not streptured), not turned inside or out. Claws dark, preferably black. Movements are powerful, with good thrust, parallel. The high ascent of the forepaws and the amble are imperfections. Wool is stiff, not curly, requires trimming. Color red (shades), black is allowed on the mustache and beard. Weight varies between 3.5-6 kg. Disqualifying defects: white spots, color not noted in the FCI Standard, unpigmented nose, lower jaw curve, visible tongue (if the jaw is closed), outstanding upper jaw, aggressiveness, excessive shyness. The absence of the testis (or both) is also an excuse for disqualification.

Character

The Brussels griffin inherited many of the qualities of its ancestors. As for the character, here he absorbed the best features: loyalty, calmness, confidence. This dog will follow the owner, wherever he follows. Griffons are true companions. They will not suit people who are not at home for longer than the day. Loneliness for the "bearded man" is simply deadly. Griffon is very sensitive by nature. However, he is not shy, aggressive or hysterical. Although, I must admit, it becomes very capricious when he is too pampered.

The bearded men are clever and are quite capable of training. And their ease and "maneuverability" allows you to perform even the most intricate circus tricks (of course, with special training).

Socialization, attitude towards children

Pekines has not given the griffon his dislike for children. On the contrary, "bearded" is suitable for the whole family, including for the one where there are kids. Griffons are very fond of games with children. By the way, in those families where there is no child, the "bearded man" is looking for another companion - a dog (any breed), a cat, guinea pig, etc. Special attachment to other animals is noticeable with frequent absence of the owner.

The socialization of "bearded" in childhood and adolescence affects behavior in a more mature (mature) age. It is extremely necessary to accustom the griffon to communicate with other people and animals. Of course, this dog can completely "close" on his master, especially if he gives her a lot of time. However, a person approaching you risks being bitten. And it's not about aggression. A Griffon Babe may just be frightened of the hand of someone else's hand reaching out to him. You should understand: giffons are dogs that rely entirely on the host. They can be lost in unfamiliar situations, frightened by strangers, etc. That is why early socialization is so necessary. Being at home, the Brussels Griffon is confident in himself for all "one hundred thousand". He can give a voice at a call or knock on the door and even bark the visitor. However, the "bearded" is not one of those who will make noise for days or nights on end. The Griffons try to avoid confrontation, preferring tranquility.

A haircut

Smooth-haired griffons do not require any special care - just brush your hair daily (choose brushes with natural bristles), cut off the curl on the tip of the tail and remove the wool growing between the fingers. For neatness, some breeders prefer to prune the wool around the anus. This ends the haircut of the Brussels griffin.

Stripping

It will be required for a woolly dog. This procedure is sometimes called trimming, which is not entirely true. Stripping requires: tweezers, brush (bristles), pout (small, small), comb (preferably double-sided, with frequent prongs on one side and with middle teeth on the other), thinning scissors. Griffon should not just look ottrimingovannym, especially at exhibitions. Some "bearded" because of the lack of undercoat may look bald, even a month after stripping.

Start the procedure with combing (first with a brush, then with a comb with sparse denticles). Raise a little wool on the back and try to snatch a few hairs. Easy removal indicates the readiness for stripping. The coat of hair is plucked from the withers, between the shoulder blades, then along the back, along the sides of the tail. Wool is pulled out only in the course of growth, on itself. Removing long hairs on the sides, follow the uniformity (balance) of the contours.

Next - the turn of the hind legs. Remove thick hairs below the hocks. Now look at the front paws. Pull out the longest hairs on them. Do not overdo it - excessive removal can create the effect of an elongated paw, as opposed to the desired effect of the cat's paw.

Now you can proceed to the shoulders and chest. Here, the longest hairs are also removed. The hairs are plucked from the outer surfaces of the shoulders, down to the elbows. Before should be straight.

Then stripping the chest (front surface and to the bottom point).

The tummy and the genitals place are trimmed either with a typewriter (No. 10) or with scissors.

Examine the dog standing on the table. If there are single hairs that violate the harmonious appearance, delete them.

Now proceed to the head. Start plucking behind your eyes, grabbing small bunches of hair. Gradually, move to the ears and the top. Do not forget to leave long hairs to form the eyebrows. Pull behind the ears (back surface), heading down to the chest. Do not stop. Continue to remove the hairs, moving down, along the sides of the neck, towards the jaw. Your task - the formation of a distinct beard and the simultaneous "dissolution" of it with the hair that is on the chest. It is necessary to pluck the wool and behind the beard (it is better to comb or collect it) to the throat in such a way as to separate the head by getting a clear neck line. Remove long hairs from the ear canals. Wool on the edge of the ears is better neatly trimmed, which will give them a more perfect look.

Place between the eyes (the transition of the "forehead") - the site is particularly sensitive. Be careful. Hairs near the edges of the eyes are removed either by tweezers or by safety scissors. The wool on the beard, bordering on the ears, is cut from the corner along a clearly straight line. Cut the hairs between the toes and the bottom of the foot.

Wash the hyphon with a mild, natural shampoo.

Domestic dogs are enough to strip twice a year completely, but with the exhibition this procedure is carried out in stages: first limbs with sides, then back, then head.

Where to buy griffon?

This is best done in the nursery, in the breeding center, in the club. The Brussels griffin (puppies cost 15-40 thousand rubles) rarely appears on the markets. And the danger of getting a sick mongrel instead of a thoroughbred healthy puppy in the so-called "poultry houses" is quite large. You can look through newspapers and specialized magazines with ads (including Internet publications). But it's better to go directly to the nearest dog club. It is desirable that it refers to the international cynological system (for example, FCI). In this club you will be given contacts of the breeders, engaged in the breed of Brussels Griffin. Nurseries, as a rule, guarantee not only the high quality of dogs, but also "lead" their puppies throughout their life, maintaining close contact with their new owners.

At what age to acquire griffon?

This issue should be solved with the breeder. On the one hand, it is better to take the dog already podrochennuyu and fully vaccinated. But in this case the puppy will cost more. Yes, nature, especially impressionable, will experience: "Did they feed well? And do they not offend? ", Etc. Therefore, if you consider it necessary (and most importantly, possible), conduct the vaccination course yourself. So you will know for sure that the puppy is and is proglisted on time, and the vaccinations are done on time, and the food is the best.

Choosing a puppy

The case is no less complicated than the selection of the nursery. The Brussels griffin (photo in the article), as already mentioned, is a rare breed, so do not rely on a large number of litters being prepared for sale. You may even need to register and queue up. Do not forget: a good breeder will not sell the puppy to the first person you meet, and so he will look to you as you do to him.

When choosing a puppy, make sure that he is a formed person. A properly grown baby will not be aggressive or overly shy. If you decide to take a puppy at the age of, say, one and a half months, then socialization will fall on your shoulders.

And what if you have to buy an adolescent dog? All puppies are charming, but you can not go about feelings. In addition to excellent appearance, griffon must have a cheerful disposition, be sociable, playful. Natural shyness is always different from excessive passivity and unmotivated aggression. A small Griffonchik should be well-fed (be careful - a swollen abdomen may indicate puffiness), with clear eyes (without excretions), with a moist nose (but not a runny nose), without a hernia, without dewclaws, without parasites.

Podroschennye puppies are sold with puppy cards and veterinary passports, which bear the marks of earlier vaccinations. Negotiate with the breeder about a joint visit to the veterinarian on the day of purchase (this is a kind of insurance of the two sides). If you plan to further show the griffon at exhibitions, take an interest in the expert assessments of parents and relatives - the higher they are, the more your puppy has a chance to become a winner.