Briard Brussels Griffon Mix

The Briard Brussels Griffon Mix, is a mixed breed dog resulting from breeding the Briard and the Brussels Griffon. Both of these dogs can be friendly but personalities differ, so you never know. The Briard is known for being intelligent, fearless, and loyal. All dogs need proper socialization and that will be a big factor in how they interact with others. What does this mixed breed look and act like? Is it more like the Briard or the Brussels Griffon? Those are the questions we will try and answer below. Continue reading below to see pictures, videos, and learn more about the beautiful Briard Brussels Griffon Mix.

While we really recommend that you acquire all animals through a rescue, we understand that some people might go through a breeder to get their Briard Brussels Griffon Mix puppy. That is, if they have any Briard Brussels Griffon Mix puppies for sale.

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Briard Brussels Griffon Mix History

All hybrid or designer dogs are tough to get a good read on as there isn’t much history to them. Breeding specific dogs like this has become common in the last twenty years or so even though I am sure that this mixed breed found it’s share of dogs to the shelter due to accidental breeding. We will take a closer look at the history of both parent breeds below. If you are looking at breeders for new, designer dogs please beware of Puppy Mills. These are places that mass produce puppies, specifically for profit and don’t care at all about the dogs. If you have a few minutes, please sign our petition to stop puppy mills.

Briard History

The fluffy Briard is another native of France. Historians report that Charlemagne, Napoleon, Thomas Jefferson, and Lafayette all kept Briards at some point in their lives. The dog is thought to date from the 8th century. She survived the French Revolution and subsequent redistribution of land, living the exhausting yet peaceful life of a sheepdog. The Paris dog show of 1863 was her coming-out party, and there was much public interest in the Briard thereafter. It is believed that the Beauceron and the Barbet were bred in the 1800s to produce the Briard and standardize her appearance.

As shepherds, Briards were a fine choice for the farms of early France. They could work the field rounding up sheep during the day and guard the family by night.

The original (French) breed standard was written in 1897, and the first breed club was organized in 1909, only to disband after World War I broke out; as happened with many breeds, the Briard faced near-extinction after the war. France called on its Briards for military duties, and they answered, performing such tasks as helping to carry wounded soldiers, food, supplies and munitions. It is thought that the Briard’s eagerness to please made her work longer and harder than other canines. When the war ended, the number of Briards in the world had sharply dropped.

The French formed the breed club in 1923 and set about the business of restoring the breed. They rewrote the breed standard, and it has remained unchanged for all these years except for a minor modification in 1975. The Briard Club of America adopted this same standard in 1928.

Brussels Griffon History

As they had done with sheepdogs, the Belgians, in the mid-to late 1800s, were breeding new varieties of toy dogs. Besides the Brussels Griffon (French: Griffon Bruxellois), these included the Belgian Griffon (Griffon Belge), and the Petit Brabançon. All three of these toy dogs are thought to descend from the same ancestor, a dog called a Smousje. Smousje was a rough-coated, small terrier-like dog kept in stables to eliminate rodents. Later on, both the Pug and two varieties of the English Toy Spaniel are thought to have been crossed with the Brussels Griffon. Today, the primary distinction among all the Belgian toy rodent-hunting dogs is their coat texture — they are referred to as either a wire-coated or a smooth-coated Brussels Griffon.

Among the significant breed registries, the AKC recognizes only the Brussels Griffon; European groups recognize all three earlier Griffons with breed standards differing mostly in coat texture and color.

Fun fact: The Brussels Griffon is connected to the Star Wars movie franchise. For Return of the Jedi (1983), the visual effects director used an image of a Griffon Bruxellois, the same species of dog George Lucas owned, to design the general look of the furry Ewok characters. The makeup artist took it from there, and the denizens of the Forest Moon of Endor were born.

By 1870, the Brussels Griffon had raised himself from a chaser of barn rats to a favorite among royalty. Belgian Queen Henrietta Maria so enjoyed them that they became sought after by both members of the nobility and working-class people in Brussels. The present-day Brussels Griffon is a spirited little dog who appeals to people of all social classes on both sides of the Atlantic.

As happened to so many breeds during the two World Wars, the Brussels Griffon nearly became extinct during the 40-year period during which the wars were fought. A dedicated group of admirers in the U.K. and elsewhere restored the breed, but it remains relatively uncommon, especially in the U.S.

Briard Brussels Griffon Mix Size and Weight

Briard
Height: 22 - 27 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 70 - 90 lb.
Lifespan: 10 - 12 years

Brussels Griffon
Height: 9 - 10 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 8 - 10 lb.
Lifespan: 10 - 15 years

Briard Brussels Griffon Mix Personality

The Briard and the Brussels Griffon are known for being courageous and protective. They are also very loving dogs. This dog will require a very strong and firm owner who makes sure to assert that they are the alpha and not the dog. They are cautious, yet non-threatening with strangers, and are affectionate towards family and children. Early socialization helps take care of any bad habits that could develop. She responds well to positive reinforcement, like all dogs. She should be rather affectionate and enjoy spending lots of time with you. Don’t plan on leaving her alone for long periods as he won’t do well alone. She wants to be with the “pack.”

Briard Brussels Griffon Mix Health

All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems as all breeds are susceptible to some things more than others. However, the one positive thing about getting a puppy is that you can avoid this as much as possible. A breeder should absolutely offer a health guarantee on puppies. If they won’t do this, then look no more and don’t consider that breeder at all. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur. We obviously recommend that you look for a reputable animal rescue in your area to find your new mixed breed. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.

The Briard mixed with the Brussels Griffon might be prone to joint dysplasia, PRA, night blindness, among others.

Note that these are just common problems in both breeds.

Briard Brussels Griffon Mix Care

What are the grooming requirements?

Even if you know the breed, sometimes it is hard to tell if it will be a heavy shedder or a light shedder. Either way, Get ready to invest in a good vacuum if you want to keep your floors clean! Give them baths as needed, but not so much that you dry out their skin.

What are the exercise requirements?

Plan on taking them for extremely long walks and hikes to keep their energy level down. This mix will more than likely have a high energy level. This exercise will keep them from being destructive. A tired dog is a good dog. A tired dog is a good dog though. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.

What are the training requirements?

This is an intelligent dog that will be a little bit challenging to train. They are going to want to take the alpha position and need someone with a firm, strong, hand that can let them know their place. The best thing you can do is break the sessions into shorter daily sessions to keep their attention span higher. It might have a prey drive and be disposed to running for and chasing small prey, but if handled properly this can be managed. All dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. So make sure to praise her when she does well. She is an intelligent dog who loves to please, and loves a physical challenge. The more exercise she gets the easier she will be to train. Proper socialization is imperative to all dogs and puppies. Make sure to take her to the park and doggy day care to get her around as many people and dogs as possible.

Briard Brussels Griffon Mix Feeding

"A lot of times diet is done on a per-dog basis. Each one is unique and has different dietary requirements. Most dogs in the U.S. are overweight. A mix like this one that is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia should really be on fish oil and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as soon as possible. A good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background.

Overfeeding any dog is not a good idea as that can really exacerbate health problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia.

I good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background."

Briard Links

Links to other breeds you might be interested in