History of the Brussels Griffon

(A version of this article appeared in the December 2017 issue of SHOWSIGHT)

History of the Brussels Griffon

Historically speaking, the Griffon is not an ancient breed. While owners of some breeds will argue that their breed is the one that Noah chose to board the Ark, Griffon fanciers generally take pride that their breed is completely man-made and highly caricaturized.

Though the term “griffon” has been widely used among canine enthusiasts since the 1500s, we do not find Brussels Griffon, or more correctly, Griffon Bruxellois brought into descriptive terminology until the late 1870s in Europe.

Some Dutch breeders have been working at re-creating the Smoushund since the 1990s by using street dogs and farm dogs that have a terrier look about them. These recent breedings have failed to produce a consistency in size and color that the old photographs show.

The Pug breed also figures into the mix of the creation of the Brussels Griffon. The first recorded cross with the Pug came about in 1884 and was a pedigreed black bitch named Mep. Several other recorded Pug crosses occurred between the mid-1880s and 1926 and were registered with the Societe Royale de St. Hubert in Belgium.

Many of these progenitor stock dogs are listed as Griffon de Ecurie on their pedigrees, but upon recognition of the breed by kennel club authorities, they became known as Griffon Bruxellois, Griffon Belge, or Petit Brabancon.

The earliest mention of these dogs is in Societe records dating to 1886, which state clearly that these “Belge” dogs are darkly grizzled with markings or black. Petit Brabancon translates literally to “Little Brabant.” Brabant was a region of central Belgium where the smooths were favored, especially among prostitutes and street performers who acquired them from breeders, disposing of them as “throwbacks” to the Pug.

Though we may find their actions strange, we need to keep in mind that many of these types of thoughts are carried forth among today’s breeders.

After over 30 years of working very closely with Griffons, I have come to associate the breed more closely with their King Charles Spaniel relatives than either of the two other contributing breeds.

Many of the features that breeders seek, and that are stated in all standards worldwide, are attributes that were contributed by the early breedings with Toy Spaniels.

The facial arrangement, upsweep of under jaw, finish of face, bombe’ or crest of the cranial ridges, density and quality of bone, and cobbiness of body are all features that were contributed by these King Charles or Toy Spaniel crosses.