A chin beard, bushy brows and an expression the FCI standard calls almost human: the Griffon Belge is the black member of a small Belgian breed family. The standard distinguishes it from its red relative solely by colour. All three share a skull so short that there is sometimes insufficient room inside.
| FCI | Group 9 (Companion and Toy Dogs), Section 3 Small Belgian Dogs, Standard No. 81, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Belgium |
| Size (height at the withers) | not specified in the FCI standard; body length should roughly equal height at the withers |
| Weight | 3.5 to 6 kg |
| Life expectancy | no reliable study figure found (N/A) |
| Coat | rough and harsh with undercoat, slightly wavy, hand-stripped; facial beard and brows |
| Colours in the standard | black or black-and-tan in pure, rich colour; black mixed with reddish brown permitted; a few white chest hairs tolerated |
Three breeds, one standard
The FCI describes the Griffon Bruxellois, Griffon Belge and smooth-haired Petit Brabançon in one shared standard. All descend from the Smousje, a small rough-haired dog living around Brussels for centuries. The 19th century brought crosses with ruby King Charles Spaniels and Pugs. They guarded carriages and kept stables free of vermin. The shared standard describes either an undocked tail or one docked by two-thirds. In Germany, docking is generally prohibited under Section 6 of the German Animal Welfare Act.
A face in one plane
The standard requires a foreface no longer than 1.5 cm, with the nose at eye level and set back so chin, nose and forehead align in profile. The upturned lower jaw extends beyond the upper, producing an undershot bite. At the same time, wide-open nostrils and eyes that never protrude are explicitly required.
When the skull is too tight
In Chiari-like malformation (CM), the rear skull is too small for the brain, compressing the cerebellum. Syringomyelia (SM), fluid-filled spinal-cord cavities, can follow. A US MRI study of 84 Brussels Griffons found CM in 65 percent, SM in 52 percent, neurological deficits in 28 percent and neck pain in 20 percent (Freeman et al. 2014). Over half with SM appeared outwardly healthy. In a selected UK group of 56 Griffons, CM affected 60.7 percent (Rusbridge et al. 2009). The studies use the name Griffon Bruxellois without specifying how many black dogs were included.
Breathing under exertion
A Cambridge study exercise-tested 52 Griffons Bruxellois for brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS). 26.9 percent had no findings, 32.7 percent were clinically significantly affected, and narrowed nostrils were more common than in most other study breeds (Tomlinson et al. 2026).
Watchful and closely attached
Balanced, attentive, proud, very watchful and closely bonded to their person, neither fearful nor aggressive: the standard’s description. The harsh coat is hand-stripped rather than clipped, and the beard needs wiping after food.
Suitable if...
you want a small, alert indoor companion, spend much time at home and insist on parents’ MRI and breathing tests, even when they appear healthy.
Better avoided if...
the impish face is the main attraction. Treating neck scratching, reluctance to be touched at the neck or snoring as quirks may overlook pain this dog cannot explain.
The breed quiz establishes whether such a small, watchful dog suits your routine; our book “Which Dog REALLY Suits You?” (book in German) offers detailed help. If the bearded rough coat appeals, compare the Miniature Schnauzer with its normal-length muzzle; many more breeds appear in the Dog Breed Encyclopedia. Shelters and rescue organisations also seek homes for small dogs. For the first weeks, there is the free Puppy Starter Pack.
Further reading
- Pug: what a nose bred away means in everyday life
- Chihuahua: why the barking starts at home
- Puppy checklist: essentials and the first 3 days
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI Standard No. 81 Griffon Belge (fci.be, shared standard Nos. 80, 81 and 82, German version dated 21.05.2003); Freeman AC et al., Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia in American Brussels Griffon dogs, Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 2014; Rusbridge C et al., Chiari-like malformation in the Griffon Bruxellois, Journal of Small Animal Practice 2009; Tomlinson F et al., A cross-sectional study into the prevalence and conformational risk factors of BOAS across fourteen brachycephalic dog breeds, PLOS ONE 2026; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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