Griffon Bruxellois

The Petit Brabançon is descended from a small rough-haired Brussels dog called "Smousje" and is also the origin of the Brussels Griffon and the Belgian Griffon. The Smousje is used to guard carriages and hunt rats from the stable. In the 19th century, ruby red King Charles Spaniels and Pugs were crossed with the Smousje and introduced the short coat while establishing the current type of small Belgian dogs. The Petit Brabançon is the result of a hair selection from the Brussels Griffon. In 1883, the first small Belgian dogs (Petit Brabançon, Brussels Griffon and Belgian Griffon) were registered in the Saint Hubert origins book (LOSH) managed by the Royal Saint-Hubert Society. They became popular in the early 20th century, notably thanks to the interest shown by Marie-Henriette of Habsburg-Lorraine, second Queen of the Belgians. The Petit Brabançon is generally less known than the other two small Belgian dogs. With 144 registrations in the French origins book (LOF) in 2012, the Petit Brabançon is one of the least known breeds in Group 9 of the International Cynological Federation "toy and companion dogs". It is, however, better represented than its cousins the Belgian Griffon and Brussels Griffon.

The Petit Brabançon is described in the FCI standard as a balanced, alert dog, very attached to its master and vigilant. It should be neither fearful nor aggressive. It is a dog endowed with much curiosity, very lively and exuberant, who wants to participate in family life. Because of its great liveliness, it is not recommended for owners with very young children. The Petit Brabançon gets along well with its fellows. As for cats, it tolerates their presence and can even be playful with them.

The Petit Brabançon standard of the International Cynological Federation, although it is numbered differently for the three breeds of small Belgian dogs, is common to all three breeds. The Petit Brabançon is a small-sized dog, of sturdy appearance with well-developed and elegant bone structure. The body is practically inscriptible in a square. Set high, the docked tail is shortened by a third. The undocked tail is carried raised with the tip directed toward the back. The limbs are parallel, of good bone and sufficiently spaced apart. The head represents the most characteristic part of the body. Quite important compared to the body, the head has a very short muzzle whose bridge does not exceed 1.5 cm in length. The wide nose with well-opened nostrils is at the same height as the eyes. The tip of the nose is raised backward, which seen in profile, places the chin, nose and forehead on the same line. Well spaced, the eyes are large and round, dark brown in color. Set high, the small ears are carried semi-erect. If the ears are docked, they are carried erect and pointed. The coat is short, rough, laid and brilliant, measuring a maximum of 2 cm. The coat is red, black or black and tan. The Petit Brabançon has a dark mask.