Perro Cimarron vs Brussels Griffon - Breed Comparison

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 Perro Cimarron, also known as the Uruguayan Cimarron is a molosser type dog which originated in Uruguay. The dog is believed to have descending from European dogs which were brought to the country by early colonizers.

These dogs are the official mascot of the National Army of Uruguay. The dog is also recognized in Uruguay as well as by the Federation Cynologique Internationale. The dog was exported to the United States and then recognized by the United Kennel Club in the category Guardian Dog.

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.

The Perro Cimarron is a large dog standing at between 58 to 61cm and weighing 38 to 45kg, both males and females.

He is a muscular dog with the coat being short and smooth and in a pale fawnish color or brindle and with a black face.

The Uruguayan Cimarron is a multi-purpose working dog but today he is mainly a family companion. This large mastiff type dog is muscular and athletic. He has a large head, the ears are high set and floppy but sometimes they are still cropped and made erect. The tail is thick, low set and reaches to the hock. He has a black nose, brown eyes and a black mask.

Temperament:

Strong, alert, self confident and brave, the Perro Cimarron may not have a particularly friendly face but he loves his human family and is loyal to them. He is calm and cool but even so, he will need to be trained and socialized and then he becomes calm around different people and in different situations. He is a dog that can get on well with children and pets in the home.

Characteristics

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.

The Uruguayan Cimarron is not looked upon as a pet for the first time dog owner. He is strong willed, stubborn, somewhat aggressive and independent and will require a strong, firm, consistent owner.

He will make a loyal, affectionate pet for the person who takes time to socialize and train him. He also makes a good watchdog.

The way any dog breed is brought up will determine how he turns out, and if this particular dog is brought up the right way and given the right amount of care and exercise he needs, he can make as good a pet as any other dog breed.

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.

Most dogs, when they are well cared for, don’t get sick often. The Cimarrón is a robust kind of dog but even so he can get any one of the many common dog illnesses there are such as hip dysplasia, bloat, dental disease, cancer, obesity and others.

Urinary Tract Infection:

This infection can make your dog restless and you will notice your dog trying to wee often but unable to. It can be terrible watching your dog battling, and you will need to get your pet to the vet soon.

Parasites:

Your dog can pick up parasites anywhere such as ticks ad fleas. There are also internal parasites such as tape- and heartworms. They can bring your pet down, making him lethargic and nauseous, so it is best to research canine parasites so you can know what steps to take to protect your dog.

Skin Problems:

Don’t for one minute think that skin problems are a minor ailment. The pain and itching can drive your dog to despair. The skin can be red, inflamed and oozing. There are so many things that can cause your pet to get a skin allergy and you will need to get him to the vet to get some kind of relief for him.

Feeding

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.

Health issues

The Brussels Griffon, regardless of type has some very serious health issues due to the shape of their heads.

Syringomyelia – extremely painful and fatal neurological disease.

Brachycephalic Syndrome – This can cause all the respiratory issues as well as eye issues such as cataracts and corneal ulcers.

Epilepsy - Seizures

Dental Disease – gum disease

Puppy Mortality – one of every four Brussels Griffon pupped die at birth.

Exercise and games

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.

Exercise:

As a high energy, intelligent dog, the Cimarron Uruguayo needs plenty of exercise. He won’t be content to sit around and will be frustrated and even destructive if he doesn’t receive lots of attention and exercise. Daily walks will be imperative as well as other forms of physical and mental stimulation.

Grooming:

Your Uruguayan Cimarron is a low maintenance dog because of the short coat which will still require brushing twice a week as he does shed quite a bit. Other forms of grooming include nail clipping, checking the ears and teeth as both of these can become seriously infected if not checked and attended to.

Diet:

If you have a Uruguayan Cimarron dog as a pet, you will need to be looking at the best food for him as he is large and energetic. There are some excellent commercially manufactured dog foods on the market and you want to be sure that you read the ingredients list so that the food can benefit your pet.

It’s never a good idea to just go on and on feeding your pet kibble. A break every now and again can do your pet the world of good. Some home-made food such as boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots and spinach will delight your dog when added into his kibble occasionally. He loves the tasty simplicity of such a diet and will never have to worry about digestive problems.

For such a dog, some raw meat added in from time to time will also do him good. Make sure he always has access to fresh, cool water.