The Brussels Griffon breed of dog is a bright and cheerful toy dog with an intelligent, monkey-like expression and a harsh coat of black, beige (black and reddish brown), black and tan or red. He can be either rough- or smooth-coated and has a thickset, short body. The head of the Brussels Griffon is in many ways the most important feature. He should have an almost human expression. Eyes set well apart, very large, black, prominent, and well open. The eyelashes long and black. Eyelids edged with black. Ears, small and set rather high on the head, may be shown cropped or natural. The skull is large and round, with a domed forehead. The stop is deep. The Brussels Griffon's nose is very black, extremely short, its tip being set back deeply between the eyes so as to form a lay-back. Lips should be edged with black, not pendulous but well brought together, giving a clean finish to the mouth. Jaws must be undershot. The incisors of the lower jaw should protrude over the upper incisors. The lower jaw is prominent, rather broad with an upward sweep. Neither teeth nor tongue should show when the mouth is closed. A wry mouth is a serious fault. The neck of the Brussels Griffon breed of dog is arched, back is level, and body thickset and short. The brisket should be broad and deep, ribs well sprung. The tail is set and held high, docked to about one-third. The Brussels Griffon's forelegs are medium length, straight in bone, well muscled, set moderately wide apart and straight from the point of the shoulders as viewed from the front. Pasterns short and strong. Feet round, small, and compact, turned neither in nor out. Toes well arched. Black pads and toenails preferred. The hind legs are set true, thighs strong and well muscled, stifles bent, hocks well let down, turning neither in nor out. The Brussels Griffon with a rough coat is wiry and dense, the harder and more wiry the better. There should be no silky hair anywhere. The coat should not be so long as to give a shaggy appearance. The head should be covered with wiry hair, slightly longer around the eyes, nose, cheeks, and chin, thus forming a fringe. The rough coat is hand-stripped and should never appear unkempt. The coat may be tidied for neatness of appearance, but coats prepared with scissors and/or clippers should be severely penalized. The Brussels Griffon with a smooth coat is straight, short, tight and glossy, with no trace of wiry hair. With regard to color, the Brussels Griffon breed of dog may be either red (reddish brown with a little black at the whiskers and chin allowable), beige (black and reddish brown mixed, usually with black mask and whiskers), Black and Tan (black with uniform reddish brown markings, appearing under the chin, on the legs, above each eye, around the edges of the ears and around the vent) or black. Any white hairs are a serious fault, except for "frost" on the muzzle of a mature dog, which is natural. The gait of the Brussels Griffon breed of dog is a straightforward, purposeful trot, showing moderate reach and drive, and maintaining a steady topline.