MyDogBreeds
Greek Sheepdog is originated from Greece but Brussels Griffon is originated from Belgium. Greek Sheepdog may grow 55 cm / 22 inches higher than Brussels Griffon. Greek Sheepdog may weigh 44 kg / 98 pounds more than Brussels Griffon. Both Greek Sheepdog and Brussels Griffon has same life span. Both Greek Sheepdog and Brussels Griffon has almost same litter size. Both Greek Sheepdog and Brussels Griffon requires Moderate maintenance.
Known as the Olympus Dog or even simply as the Greek Shepherd, the Greek Sheepdog is a large to giant molosser dog from Greece. His purpose has always been to guard flocks and livestock from predators and he has been around for hundreds of years, looking much like the Great Pyrenees.
It is believed that the dog was likely bred with a number of breeds – both local and non-local dogs.
Unfortunately there were no records kept of the development of the breed but today the Greek Sheepdog remains a rare and fairly unknown breed outside of Greece.
It's numbers are dwindling in Greece too and since 1998 the Greek ARCTUROS has made attempts to save the breed, starting the Greek Shepherd Dog Breeding Program.
The Brussels Griffon is one of the three different types of Griffons. There is the Belgian, the Petit, and the Brussels Griffon. “Griffon” means wiry and the Brussels Griffon lives up to that moniker. The Brussels Griffon’s coat is longer than that of the Belgian Griffon and the Petit Brabanon (Griffon) has a smooth, short coat. The breed is probably originally developed by crossing Belgian street dogs with the Affenpinsher as early in the 1800’s. They were favored by the cabbies in Brussels as guard dogs. They were also bred to hunt rats. Sometime toward the end of the 19th century, the Griffon was again crossed this time with a pug. This accounts for the type of head that the Brussels Griffon has, namely a brachycephalic head. It also accounts for the smooth coat of the Petit Griffon. The modern-day Griffon may also have been crossed at some time with one or more of these breeds: the English Toy Spaniel, the Irish Terrier and the Yorkshire Terrier.
By 1880, the breed was recognized and appeared in the Brussels Exhibition of 1880. They were also found in paintings of the same era by the Flemish painter, Van Eyck. In the beginning of the 20th century, the breed was extremely popular with the nobility in Belgium. As with so many other breeds, the number of Brussels Griffon was greatly reduced during the First World War. It did not take them long however to make a comeback after the war. Their popularity then spread around the globe.
The European FCI considers the Brussels Griffon, the Belgian Griffon and the Petit Brabancon (Griffon) to be three separate breeds with no interbreeding among them. They are shown as three separate breeds in Europe, with the difference between the Belgian and Brussels being the accepted colors. The Brussels is only red in color while the Belgium Griffon can be in all other colors. In the United States the three types of Griffons are considered one breed with three varieties. Only the Brussels Griffon is recognized by the AKC. The difference in coat and color make for the different varieties in the U.S.
The Greek Sheepdog is a large dog, standing at 65 – 75cm and weighing roughly between 32 to 50kg. He is a dog that displays physical strength. He has a large head with brown eyes and a serious expression on his face. He has a thick double coat which is essentially white with red, black or brown markings.
You will also see tri-color dogs. He has floppy ears today but there was a time when the right ear of the male dog was cut off or cropped. The tail is long and bushy and it can be held low but also held up so that it curls over the back.
Maybe because of his size and him being a strong-willed, independent thinker, the Greek Shepherd may not be the best choice for a first time dog owner. Having said that, if you're a strong, firm, patient, kind person, then you'll be able to raise any kind of dog, first time or not.
The Greek Shepherd is a brave, loyal, calm, protective dog and with socialization and training, can make an awesome pet. They are dogs who are a bit suspicious with strangers, not making friends too easily. He loves his human family and wants to be part of their activities. He can't be left on his own day after day as this can lead to excessive barking and destructive behavior.
They've been dogs used to working with livestock and they will certainly need to be taken on daily walks and involved in rough and tumble games as they thrive on activity. The dog won't fit easily into city life where there is just a handkerchief-sized garden as he needs space and activity.
All three types of Griffons are toy size dogs with short, thick bodies and distinctive brachycephalic heads. Regardless of coat color their muzzles and whiskers are black, and they have large eyes, also black, a mustache and beard. They have black eyelashes and a nose that is very black. All this is set against their red, beige, black or black and tan coat. Their forehead is dome shaped and the muzzle is short. The breed has small ears that are high up on the dog’s head. The ears might be cropped in the United States but would not be in Europe. The lower jaw is prominent and the jaw itself is undershot. They have black toenails and pads, with strong and muscular hind legs. The Griffon has a docked, high set tail in the U.S. and a full tail in Europe and all of the United Kingdom.
The rough coated types have a dense and wiry coat and the standard encourages the hardest possible wire coat. Their heads are also wiry and long around the chin, cheeks, nose and eyes. They should be hand-stripped and never left ungroomed. The coat can matt if not taken care of adequately. One of the most important features of the Brussels Griffon is its human like face or monkey like appearance.
Your Greek Shepherd is an intelligent, independent dog who likes to show his loyalty and devotion to his owner.
He is a protective dog too and when trained and socialized makes an excellent family pet. These Molosser type dogs are formidable dogs known for their bravery and courage.
They're the type of dogs who like a strong leader-type of owner and when he gets someone who he can look up to as his leader, he becomes a loyal, devoted pet.
The Brussels Griffon is sociable, alert and very intelligent. She is very energetic, playful and loving. They bond deeply with their family. Housebreaking might be a challenge as it is with all toy/small breeds. They are incredibly lonely and restless when their people are not around them. They have great personalities, terrier like characteristics, and deep loyalty to their humans. They are great companions and love children. Just remember how small they are. They are susceptible to Little Dog Syndrome if the human does not establish themselves as the alpha right away.
With good care and lots of love, this dog can live to be between 10 to 12 years of age. He is unlikely to get sick very often, but still it it wise to know of some of the health issues than can occur with large breed dogs like this.
This is a disease of the heart muscle. The heart is enlarged and unable to have the right heart rhythm. The distended muscle isn't able to push the blood through the heart chambers to where it is needed. Cause for this dilated heart can be genetic, nutritional, infectious or metabolic.
Because taurine and carnitine are involved in good heart function, and low levels of these amino acids can cause symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy, supplementation is useful, especially if you feel your dog isn't getting in the right kind of food.
Borreliosis, a bacterial infection, causes Lyme disease, transmitted by the Ixodes tick. The tick bites the dog and the toxins gets into the dog's bloodstream, with the bacteria travelling to different parts of the body.
Typical symptoms in a dog includes loss of appetite, fever, no energy, swelling of joints and lameness, but symptoms can progress to kidney failure too or cardiac problems. Treatment will include antibiotics.
The Brussels Griffon is susceptible to many of the diseases and genetic conditions that many other toy or small dogs have. Flat-faced breeds like the Griffon also suffer from difficulty with breathing under certain weather conditions and they are known to snore. They should not be kept in hot, sunny, humid climates for this reason. They may also display patella luxation (slipping kneecaps) and hip dysplasia. Lastly, they are susceptible to ear infections. Dams are often in need of cesarean sections to deliver their litters. They have very serious health issues due to the head shape and flat face. These might include eye and respiratory issues and syringomyelia – a deadly neurological disease. They are susceptible to epilepsy, dental issues and eye lash issues.
The coat of the Greek Shepherd is fairly long so it will need to be brushed at least twice a week to keep it free from matting and tangling. He is an average shedder and the brushing will remove all loose hairs, keeping the coat sleek and shiny.
Feeding your Greek Sheepdog requires giving him top quality food as this will ensure he is healthy and can ward off common dog illnesses. If you're going to be feeding him kibble, make sure to go for the top quality brands, and as a treat for your pet you can add in some brown rice, pasta, brown bread, cooked chicken and vegetables.
Dogs are essentially carnivores and he will need to have some raw meat such as beef added into his kibble from time to time. He should never ever be without a constant supply of fresh, cool water.
The Brussels Griffon can choke easily so take care with the size of kibble you feed them. They need about one fourth to one half of a cup of high quality dry food that is designed for small or toy dogs. Divide this amount into two or three small meals per day. Puppies should be fed more often than adults but never feed just one large meal per day. Be careful that your Brussels Griffon does not become obese.
The Brussels Griffon, regardless of type has some very serious health issues due to the shape of their heads.
Brachycephalic Syndrome – This can cause all the respiratory issues as well as eye issues such as cataracts and corneal ulcers.
This is a very playful and energetic breed that needs at least some exercise every day. They love to play with their family. They are smart and easy to train. They love agility, obedience, barn hunt and tracking activities. You can just as effectively play with and exercise your Brussels inside as well as out.