Of all the breeds in the Toy Group, none is more appealing to a judge than an on-form, in-condition Griffon, be he rough or smooth. One of the main reasons for this is that one of the characteristics which the breed standard calls for is”the disposition of a terrier”. The Americans have a word for it, hardly ever used in this country, which is so much part of a show dog (regardless of breed) and that is “attitude”.
Attitude, in my opinion, is part and parcel of a top Griff. Just as is the smartness and squareness of outline along with free movement. It is my contention that non specialist judges should be looking for the overall picture, basing their assessment on balance, construction and temperament. Of course type must figure in their placements, but no all-rounder can seriously believe he fully understand the nuances of breed type in every breed he judges. Intimate knowledge of type can only come through living with, and breeding, a breed. Sorting out the minor details should really be the province of the breed specialist.
To me, the Griffon is a monkey in more ways than one. He not only looks like one facially, he also has the mischievousness of the species. He is a sturdy little chap, yet small and with a definite aura of “quality”. He moves freely and is built in such a way that everything fits and flows.
It puzzles me to watch specialist judges at work who obviously have their own pet loves and hates; their own particular fetishes. I have seen such judges putting up Griffs which resemble spiders, and others rewarding those who appear to have a smattering of Border terrier in their pedigree! These judges do not seem unduly bothered about the overall appearance of the dog, much less its disposition. No matter how wonderfully constructed a Griff might be, if it stands in the middle of the ring, head and tail down, looking thoroughly miserable, it just isn´t a Griff.
The breed is fortunate in that it has a comprehensive and articulate breed standard. The finer points are detailed clearly, but so too are the characteristics and general appearance. And remember that these come at the very beginning of the standard so, by inference, are of prime importance.
Like so many of the small bracycephalic breeds, Griffons are not easy to breed and every litter presents a challenger. Preserving type and quality along with sound conformation and temperament is tall order, but some breeders manage it with great success.
In many breeds, “showmanship” is considered a must in big winning dogs, even if an extrovert temperament is not really typical of that breed. In Griffon however, attitude, or “the disposition of a terrier”, is actually required by the Breed Standard. This is worth remembering and capitalising upon, because this is the stuff that group winners are made of!