Brussels Griffon

The Brussels Griffon is a small, hardy dog of high intelligence. Generally, they are very active and need a lot of attention which makes them good family dogs, but not recommended for families with young children.Official Site: American Brussels Griffon Association

The Brussels Griffon is susceptible to several health issues. The Griffon generally has a short snout, which makes it prone to heat stroke if left in the sun for extended periods of time. Since the breed is a smaller dog, it is not uncommon for the pet to require a Caesarean birth. Typically, a Griffon gives birth to one to three puppies in a litter. The Griffon also has large eyes, which makes it susceptible to eye lacerations, which can lead to poor eye health if not treated properly.

The Griffon is a toy dog, originally bred to protect stables from rats and was created from the breeding of the Affenpinscher to the Belgian street dogAmerican Kennel Club: Brussels Griffon History. The breed has been featured in several films, including As Good As It Gets, Gosford Park and Sweet November.

In October 2007, Ellen DeGeneres gave her Brussels Griffon mix, Iggy, to the family of her hairdresser. The organization Mutts and Moms claimed that this violated the terms of their agreement with DeGeneres, and thus took back the dog from the family it had been given to.