Dach-Griffon

The Dachshund is instantly recognizable by its famously long, low silhouette that earned it nicknames like wiener dog and sausage dog. The breed is low to the ground, long in body, and short of leg, with robust muscular development and elastic, pliable skin without excessive wrinkling. Dachshunds are bred and shown in two sizes: Standard Dachshunds typically weigh between 16 and 32 pounds, while Miniature Dachshunds weigh 11 pounds and under at 12 months of age. There is no official height standard, but most Dachshunds stand under 9 inches at the shoulder. Despite their small stature, these dogs possess a well-balanced body with a bold, confident head carriage and alert facial expression that reflects their hunting heritage. The Dachshund comes in three distinct coat varieties: Smooth, Wirehaired, and Longhaired. The Smooth coat is short, shining, and lies close to the body, neither too long nor too thick. The Wirehaired variety features a uniform, tight, short, rough outer coat with finer undercoat distributed throughout, a beard on the chin, and bushy eyebrows. The Longhaired variety displays sleek, glistening, slightly wavy hair that is longer under the neck, on the forechest, underside of the body, ears, and behind the legs. All three coat types come in a remarkable array of colors and patterns, including solid red and cream, two-colored combinations like black and tan or chocolate and tan, and patterns such as dapple, brindle, and piebald. The Dachshund's head features a slightly arched skull that slopes gradually with little perceptible stop into a finely-formed, slightly arched muzzle, giving a Roman appearance. The eyes are medium-sized, almond-shaped, and dark-rimmed with an energetic, pleasant expression. The ears are set near the top of the head, not too far forward, of moderate length and rounded, framing the face when the dog is alert. The prominent breastbone creates a dimple on either side of the chest. The tail is set in continuation of the spine without kinks or twists. The breed moves with a smooth gait featuring good reach in front and strong thrust from behind, demonstrating the agility, freedom of movement, and endurance required for its original hunting work.

The Brussels Griffon is a small, sturdy toy breed with an almost human-like expression that has charmed dog lovers for generations. These compact dogs typically stand between 7 and 10 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 8 and 12 pounds, with the breed standard emphasizing that quality should never be sacrificed in favor of size. The body is square and thickset with a short back, creating a well-balanced, robust appearance that belies the breed's classification as a toy dog. Despite their small size, Brussels Griffons carry themselves with a confident, purposeful gait that reflects their alert and intelligent nature. Perhaps the most distinctive feature of the Brussels Griffon is its large, rounded head with a domed forehead and deep stop that creates the breed's characteristic almost human expression. The eyes are large, round, prominent, and set wide apart, conveying an alert and curious demeanor. The muzzle is very short and wide with a black nose, and the jaw is slightly undershot without showing teeth or tongue when the mouth is closed. The ears are small and set high on the head, carried semi-erect in natural dogs or cropped to stand erect in countries where this practice remains legal. The breed comes in two distinct coat types that are otherwise identical. The rough-coated variety features a wiry, dense outer coat that should not be silky, with longer hair around the face forming a distinctive beard and eyebrows that give these dogs their whiskered, gnome-like appearance. The smooth-coated variety, sometimes called the Petit Brabançon, has a short, tight, glossy coat that lies close to the body. Both varieties come in four colors: red, belge which is a black and reddish-brown mixture with a black mask, black and tan, and solid black. The tail is set high and carried upright, traditionally docked to about one-third of its length, though many countries now prohibit this practice. The overall impression is of a confident, charming toy dog with enormous personality and distinctive good looks.