Griffon Bruxellois Dog Breed Information

The Griffon Bruxellois (better known in NZ as the Brussels Griffon) is the comedian of the Toy group. The 4 to 5 kg body, the flat face, the heavy beard and the constantly mobile expression combine into a dog that reads more like a small human than a small dog, and that is exactly the appeal. For owners who want a Toy with personality, opinions and theatrical timing, this breed is a strong fit. For owners who want a quiet ornamental lap dog, it is a poor one.

Adults stand 18 to 25 cm at the shoulder and weigh 3 to 5 kg. The breed appears in two coat varieties: the rough-coated (the more familiar bearded look) and the smooth-coated Petit Brabançon. Both can appear in the same litter and NZKC registers them under a single standard. Lifespan runs 12 to 15 years.

Personality and behaviour

Brussels Griffons are confident, devoted and theatrical. The default mood is engaged: a Griffon wants to know what you are doing, why you are doing it, and whether it can help. Most Griffons attach intensely to one person but accept the rest of the household happily. They are not Velcro dogs in the Maltese sense, but they do read household routine well and react visibly to mood shifts.

The breed is sociable but selective with strangers. Most Griffons will alert at the door, observe a visitor and decide on their own timeline whether to engage. With other dogs the default is confident; the small size never seems to occur to them, which can mean a 4 kg Griffon trying to start something with a Labrador if the owner does not intervene. Lead manners and clear boundaries from puppyhood matter.

The trait that surprises new owners is the comic timing. Griffons appear to know they are funny. They mug for attention, exaggerate reactions, hold poses, and use their expressive faces deliberately. AKC breed material describes the breed as the comedic version of the noble breeds; the description is fair. Owners often describe their Griffon as “watching me through narrowed eyes while I cook dinner”.

The other surprise is the sensitivity. Griffons withdraw under harsh handling, sulk after scolding, and remember small slights. They are not pushovers, but they need a consistent, clear-rewards approach to thrive. The breed is sometimes labelled stubborn; it is more accurately sensitive, and the difference matters in training.

Around children, the breed is patient with calm school-age kids who handle small dogs respectfully. Toddlers are a poor match: the small frame is fragile, the eyes are vulnerable, and the breed will protest sharply if grabbed. Most NZ breeders prefer households without children under seven.

Care and exercise

Plan on 40 minutes of exercise a day, split between two walks and indoor play. The breed is moderately energetic by Toy standards: more than a Pekingese, less than a Papillon. A 20-minute morning walk and a 20-minute evening walk plus a play session and a short training game meets the daily need for most adult Griffons. The flat face limits panting in heat, so exercise plans need to flex with the weather.

Grooming depends on coat. The rough-coated Griffon needs hand-stripping every three to four months to maintain the wiry beard and bristly outer coat. Hand-stripping is plucking out loose dead hair by hand or with a stripping knife; it preserves the texture, while clipping turns the wire coat soft and woolly within a year. NZ groomers experienced in hand-stripping cluster in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch and charge NZ$100 to NZ$160 per session. Brush the rough coat twice a week between strips. The smooth-coated Petit Brabançon needs only a weekly brush and no professional grooming.

Both coat varieties need daily face care. The bearded face on the rough variety traps water and food after meals; a daily wipe with a damp cloth is essential or the beard becomes smelly fast. The facial folds (smaller than on a Pug) need a daily wipe with a damp cotton pad to prevent fold dermatitis. The bulging eyes sit close to the world; a daily wipe and a same-day vet visit for any cloudy or weeping eye are both standard.

Dental care is the ongoing task. The flat face crowds teeth, plaque builds, and most Griffons need a scale-and-polish under anaesthetic every two to three years from age five at NZ$500 to NZ$900 per visit. Daily home brushing slows the build-up. Brachycephalic anaesthesia is higher-risk than non-brachy; choose a vet experienced in flat-faced breeds.

The dietary watch-out is portion control on a small frame. A 4 kg adult eats 70 to 110 g of food a day. The breed is leaner than most Toys, so the obesity battle is less constant than for a Pug or Cavalier, but the same toy-breed math applies. Treats need to come out of the daily allowance.

Climate fit across New Zealand

The Brussels Griffon’s flat face limits heat tolerance. The brachy is moderate (less severe than Pug or Pekingese, similar to a Boston Terrier or French Bulldog), but still requires care.

• Auckland and Northland. Manageable with planning. Walk before 8 am or after 7 pm December through February, ensure shade and indoor cooling, and never leave a Griffon in a parked car. Aircon or a tile floor for hot days helps. The breed copes better than a Pekingese in this climate but worse than a Papillon.
• Wellington. Excellent fit. Cool summers and breezy days suit the breed. Wind is no concern. A small fitted coat for winter walks below 8 degrees is sensible.
• Christchurch and Canterbury. A good year-round fit. Cold winters need a coat for outdoor walks (the wiry coat insulates more than a smooth coat but less than a double coat). Hot dry nor’westers in summer need early-walks discipline.
• Central Otago and Southland. Suits the breed indoors. The wiry coat handles cold reasonably; the smooth coat does not. An insulated coat for winter walks is sensible. Most Otago Griffons live as house dogs with structured short walks.

Where to find a Brussels Griffon in New Zealand

Three paths.

1. Registered NZKC breeders. The Dogs NZ breeders directory lists registered Brussels Griffon breeders. The breed is rare in NZ; most breeders are concentrated in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Expect a 12 to 18 month waitlist and NZ$3,000 to NZ$5,500 per puppy. A reputable breeder shows patella scores, eye certification, ideally hip scores (the breed has unusually high hip dysplasia rates for a Toy), and increasingly MRI screening for syringomyelia in breeding stock. Some NZ owners import from registered Australian or UK breeders; cost runs NZ$6,000 to NZ$9,000 with shipping and quarantine.
2. Toy and small-breed rescue. Pure Brussels Griffons in NZ rescue are essentially unheard of; the small population means almost none end up surrendered. Toy-cross dogs (often Griffon-Pug or Griffon-Affenpinscher) occasionally appear and are worth considering. Adoption fees run NZ$400 to NZ$700.
3. SPCA NZ. Pure Griffons are rare. Standard SPCA fees apply if one does appear, NZ$300 to NZ$600.

Avoid online listings without parent photos and breeders who cannot show health screening. The breed’s small NZ population and high price point make it a target for occasional volume breeding, with predictable consequences for patella, eye and hip health.

Insurance and lifetime cost

Brussels Griffon insurance claims in NZ cluster around four categories: brachycephalic respiratory issues, eye injuries, patellar luxation surgery and dental work. Three things to weigh on a policy:

• Brachycephalic exclusions. Some NZ insurers exclude or limit cover for BOAS, soft palate surgery and heat stroke. For any flat-faced breed, this is the most important clause. Read the wording.
• Hereditary condition cover. Patellar luxation, hip dysplasia and syringomyelia are all hereditary, all known in the breed, and all expensive. Confirm hereditary conditions are covered if no diagnosis was made before the policy started.
• Long lifespan compounding. Brussels Griffons regularly reach 14 or 15 years. A lifetime policy held for that long compounds; check premium increases between ages 8 and 14 carefully.

For a typical NZ Brussels Griffon on a mid-range lifetime policy, lifetime cost (purchase plus 12 to 15 years of food, vet, insurance, council registration, grooming and other) lands around NZ$26,000 to NZ$42,000. The high purchase price, the rough-coat hand-stripping line (around NZ$500 to NZ$700 a year for the rough variety) and brachycephalic vet costs are the biggest variables.