The Bearded Stable Rat-Catcher: Griffon Belge Coffee Mug

Before they were pampered companions in European apartments, the Griffon Belge was employed as a ruthless, highly efficient biological weapon against the rat populations of 19th-century Belgian carriage houses. Look at that face. It is not the noble visage of a wolf descendant. It is the face of a highly judgmental, wiry-haired goblin that has somehow evolved to manipulate human psychology with terrifying precision. The Griffon Belge possesses an almost unsettlingly human, monkey-like expression. This fluid watercolor graphic refuses to sanitise the dog's inherent weirdness, capturing the rough, unkempt reality of a coat originally designed to deflect rodent teeth. Most dog-themed ceramics are embarrassing. They slap a cartoonish, generic silhouette on a flimsy cup and expect you to be grateful. This is a heavy, unapologetic piece of drinkware. It hides coffee stains perfectly. Pour a dark roast. Drink it while your actual Griffon stares at you from the rug, silently criticising your morning routine.