Petit Brabançon
The smooth-coated member of the Belgian griffon family: compact, alert and very attached to its people.
At a glance
- Size
- Small
- Weight
- 3.5–6 kg
- Life expectancy
- 12–15 years
- Exercise
- 30–45 min a day
- Grooming
- Once a week
- Coat
- Smooth, short
- Colours
- Red, Black, Black and tan
- Bred for
- Companionship
- Country of origin
- Belgium
- FCI
- Group 9, no. 82 · Companion & toy dogs
Breeders on Kuldo
No breeders on Kuldo have this breed yet.
Living with the breed
| Affectionate with family | 5/5 – Very high |
|---|---|
| Good with children | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with other dogs | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Good with cats | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Open to strangers | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Energy | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Playfulness | 4/5 – High |
| Needs mental stimulation | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Easy to train | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Prey drive | 2/5 – Low |
| Watchful and protective | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Barking | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Shedding | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Grooming effort | 1/5 – Very low |
| Drooling | 1/5 – Very low |
| Good for first-time owners | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Suits apartment living | 5/5 – Very high |
| Adaptability | 3/5 – Moderate |
| Copes with being alone | 1/5 – Very low |
| Copes with heat | 2/5 – Low |
| Copes with cold | 2/5 – Low |
Kuldo's own guidance from the breed's typical traits. Every dog is an individual, so talk to the breeder.
Is it the right breed for you?
Great if you …
- want a small dog with easy coat care
- are home much of the day
- live in a flat
Think twice if you …
- want a dog to take on long, hot hikes
- leave the dog alone for long hours
- have very young children
Care
Temperament
Lively, affectionate and alert, with a strong attachment to its family; often cautious with strangers and sensitive to tone of voice.
Exercise
Two short walks and some play a day are usually enough; keep exertion low in warm weather.
Grooming
The short coat needs only a weekly rub or brush, though it does shed; clean facial folds and teeth regularly.
Training
Learns well with rewards and patience; consistency helps with house training and barking.
Health
Like its griffon relatives it can have breathing problems linked to the short face, eye injuries, patellar luxation and syringomyelia. Ask the breeder for eye, knee and breathing checks and any MRI results.
Health tests breeders usually do
- Eye examination
- Kneecaps (patella)
- Breathing (BOAS)
Ask the breeder to show you the parents' results.
About the breed
The Petit Brabançon shares its origins with the Griffon Bruxellois and Griffon Belge, the small stable dogs of Brussels that were later crossed with toy spaniels and pugs. The pug influence shows most clearly here, in the short smooth coat and clean face without a beard.
It is a sturdy little dog for its size, keen to be involved in family life and quick to notice visitors. Its coat is easy to keep, which makes it the most practical of the three Belgian breeds for busy owners. Like its cousins, it does best when it can spend most of the day with someone it trusts.
Did you know?
Petit Brabançon puppies and rough-coated griffon puppies can appear in the same litter, since the breeds come from a shared gene pool.