Grifficairn

9-13 lbs
9-11"
United States
Brussels Griffon
Cairn Terrier

Your Grifficairn is an ideal mix of the Brussels Griffon and the Cairn Terrier, which are both toy breed dogs. They usually weigh about 12 pounds and stand 11 inches high on average. Their coat is usually short and wiry with a medium density. The Grifficairn loves everyone and is good for people with children and other pets. They are easy to train although housebreaking them can take a little extra time and patience in some dogs. Their Terrier attitude makes them a courageous and fearless protector so they can be a good watchdog as well. However, they do not like to be left alone too long so they do well when there are other pets in the household.

purpose Purpose
Lap dog
history Date of Origin
1990s
ancestry Ancestry
Brussels Griffon and Cairn Terrier

Grifficairn Health

Average Size
Male Grifficairn size stats
Height: 10-13 inches Weight: 11-15 lbs
Female Grifficairn size stats
Height: 9-11 inches Weight: 9-13 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Brachycephalic Syndrome
  • Syringomyelia
  • Atopy Dermatitis
  • Mitral Valve Dysplasia
  • Craniomandibular Osteopathy (Lion Jaw)
Minor Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Progressive Retinal Atrophy
  • Cataracts
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
  • Allergies
  • Kidney Disease
  • Tumors
Occasional Tests
  • X-Rays
  • CT Scan
  • Eye Examination
  • Respiratory Tests
  • Skin Evaluation
  • Ultrasound
  • Blood Tests

Grifficairn Breed History

The Brussels Griffon originated in the 1800s in Belgium and was used as a ratter to keep the stables free of vermin. This breed comes in two varieties, which are the rough and smooth coated types. They got their name from the city where they were first born, which was Brussels, Belgium. Their ancestor, the Griffon d’Ecurie, was a stable dog in the early 19th century who was a favorite with horse-drawn cab drivers and farmers. Later that century, they were bred with the English Toy Spaniel, Pug, Affenpinscher, and the Yorkshire Terrier. It is thought that they got their size and rough coat from the Affenpinscher, facial quality from the Pug, and big eyes from the English Toy Spaniel. The Yorkshire Terrier contributed the smooth coat to the smooth coated Brussels Griffon. They have two other varieties, the Belgium Griffon and the Petit Brabancon, but they are not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The Brussels Griffon is the 97th most popular breed in the United States and they were accepted by the AKC in 1910. The Cairn Terrier has been around since the 1500s and was one of Scotland’s first original Terriers. This breed was known for its awesome ability of badger and fox hunting, which is where they got their name because a cairn is the rock den where badgers and foxes live. They are thought to be ancestors of the Skye Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, and the Scottish Terrier. They became increasingly popular in the 1930s when a Cairn Terrier played the role of Toto in The Wizard of Oz. The AKC officially accepted the Cairn Terrier in 1913 and they are the 70th most popular breed in the United States.

Grifficairn Breed Appearance

This breed has a short and harsh coat that may be wiry and has a medium density. They may be almost any color including black, gray, brown, red, cream, fawn, and brindle. However, they usually have a dark and bushy face with triangular ears that perk up when they are listening, which is almost always. They are small, standing 9 to 13 inches tall and weighing about 9 to 15 pounds on average. Their legs are short but muscular, with small feet that are good for digging. Their big, brown eyes are constantly alert and curious and their black nose is small and blends in well with the darkened muzzle.

Eye Color Possibilities
brown Grifficairn eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Grifficairn nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
black Grifficairn coat
Black
gray Grifficairn coat
Gray
brown Grifficairn coat
Brown
red Grifficairn coat
Red
cream Grifficairn coat
Cream
fawn Grifficairn coat
Fawn
brindle Grifficairn coat
Brindle
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Grifficairn wiry coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Grifficairn Breed Maintenance

You should brush your Grifficairn with a slicker brush and comb her beard and mustache with a metal comb at least once or twice a week. If they have a wiry coat, you will need to strip their fur of dead hair every few months. This can be done by hand or using a stripping blade. In addition, their ears need to be cleaned once a week and checked for redness, earwax buildup, or other debris. Trim your dog’s toenails about once a month and brush their teeth with toothpaste made specially for dogs at least once a week to prevent dental issues.

Brushes for Grifficairn
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Slicker Brush
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Grifficairn requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Grifficairn Temperament

This breed is highly intelligent, loves to be the center of attention, and wants to be with the family all the time. Since they are fearless and brave, they need to be socialized and trained well so they know how to behave with guests. However, they do get along well with other pets, including other dogs at your local dog park. Training them is quite easy because they learn fast and love to be praised for it. Some dogs may have trouble with housetraining but, with time, patience, and positive reinforcement, it should not be too difficult. Make sure you provide your dog with plenty of activities if you will be gone for a while because they hate to be left alone.

Grifficairn Activity Requirements

The Grifficairn needs at least one hour of activity every day to be healthy and happy. If your dog does not get enough exercise, she can develop behavioral problems such as excessive barking, chewing, or digging. Some of the activities your Grifficairn may enjoy are hiking in the woods, jogging, swimming, playing frisbee or flyball, fetching anything you can find, and playing with other dogs at the dog park. She may also like agility training and should be quite good at it, despite her size. In fact, because she is so small, much of her exercise can be done inside the house.

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
9 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes
activity minutes

Grifficairn Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
1.5 cups
cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$1.20 - $1.40
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$30.00 - $40.00
food bag monthly cost

Grifficairn Owner Experiences

Winnie
2 Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walk
Run
Look out the window
Catch treats
Nap
Dog-friendly events
Dog Parks
Eating Snacks
Bath time
We adopted Winnie as a rescue and she has really rescued us!! She is so cute and lovable. She loves to hang out with her doggie cousins on the weekend. We hope to get a second dog soon, so she has a playmate
5 years, 9 months ago
Bozley
7 Years
4 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Hand Wrestling
Walk
Begging me for turkey
Hiking
Look out the window
Play
Fetch
snuggling
We got Bozley from a Dog Rescue in North Carolina when I was in 2nd grade (I am currently ending my 8th grade year). He was around 1-2 years old then, and was INCREDIBLY nervous around people (so much so he threw up upon seeing us). We think he had some bad experiences in the rescue/with other people, specifically men. That is the only reason why he is often grumpy and barks so much at strangers in our house, especially adult men (kids are fine with him). My dad and grandfather are exceptions to this rule. However, he is doing much better now! We took him and his litter brother, Bodie (who belongs to my grandparents), to training, and they are relatively well-behaved now! Bozley does still poop on the floor sometimes, even as a middle-aged dog. He is very anxious, but we try our best to give him lots of love and affection. He is very protective of us and loves us all very much. He can't be ANYWHERE without our mom... he adores her! He is a very goofy dog, and we think his grumpiness/introversion his part of his charm. We make sure to give him good food, lots of baths, and take him for groomings. We cannot take him to regular grooming stores like Petco or PetSmart, because the place is so unfamiliar and he gets terrified of the scissors. He won't even let them touch him. So, instead, we go to a local dog groomer! She is very kind, gentle, and lives in a small farmhouse with other agreeable dogs. Bozley is very comfortable there and will let her groom him. I love taking him on walks! He will always come to me when he has to go out and gets very excited when I get his leash. Sometimes, he will come up into my room while I am doing school and sit on a pillow next to me. I love him, and he loves me. Though, most of the day, he is perfectly happy to sleep ANYWHERE. He does a funny thing where he takes a blanket and makes a little 'nest'. He even sleeps in my shirts and hoodies! He likes to sleep, but he also loves to play. Though Bozley is very introverted, is not a fan of other people or dogs (besides Bodie and my aunt's chihuahua, Ms. Honey), and is very anxious, he really is a well-behaved and goofy dog. We love him very much!
3 years, 6 months ago
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