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The Belgian Shepherd belongs to the large breeds of dogs. Males reach a height at withers of 62cm, bitches have a height at withers of 58cm. However, due to their raised head, the appearance of the dogs usually appears larger.
If you are an experienced and active dog owner, you will have a loyal and hard-working companion at your side with this temperamental dog breed, who will be happy not only to accompany you at work, but also to relax with you on the couch.
The Belgian Shepherd’s physique is light and even though the dogs belong to the large dog breeds, they never appear bulky.
This appearance makes the animals look very elegant and proud. The long-haired variants Tervueren and Groenendael look particularly majestic.
Especially compared to their relatives, the German Shepherd, the Belgian Shepherds are more petite and shorter. The German Shepherd has a rectangular build, while the Belgian Shepherd is almost square in shape.
There are four different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd. The dogs differ essentially in the length, direction of growth and color of their coats.
The Malinois is the best known breed type and visually closest to the German Shepherd. The coat is short and pale yellow to light gray-brown with black clouds. The black hair tips make the light base color appear slightly darker.
The Laekenois is the most original type of breed. However, he is the rarest today. Just like the Malinois, it belongs to the short-haired breed representatives. However, he is rough haired. But the coat color is the same as in the Malinois.
The Tervueren also has the same coat color as the Malinois, but the coat is longer.
The Groenendael is also long-haired. He is the only one of the four breed types whose coat is solid black. White markings on the toes as well as a small white chest patch are tolerated by the breed standard just as in the other breed types.
The life expectancy of the animals is 10 – 14 years.
The Belgian Shepherd is a herding dog. In the past, he was mainly responsible for the protection of the herd and the farmers. Even today, the Belgian Shepherd has the important characteristics of a herding dog.
He is alert, lively and faithful. At the same time, he is always ready to defend his pack. This also makes the Belgian Shepherd very responsible and most importantly, it is so perfect as a guard dog against burglars.
However, being an active and enterprising dog breed, some Belgian Shepherds also tend to be hyperactiveas well as jealous.
On the whole, however, it is important to the Belgian Shepherd that he pleases his master or mistress. Thus, they are not only intelligent dogs, but also docile.
A loyal companion and guard dog, it is important for the Belgian Shepherd to live with his master or mistress. Therefore, you should not leave your four-legged friend alone too often and in no case keep him in a kennel.
Sufficiently exercised and well trained, the Belgian Shepherd is well suited as a family dog because of his loyal and devoted nature. He can also be kept well with other pets if he has been accustomed to them from an early age.
Since the Belgian Shepherd is an active and intelligent dog, he wants you to challenge him both physically and mentally. For this, a job as a police – or rescue dog is particularly suitable. You can also look for a dog sport like dogdancing or agility for your four-legged friend to keep him busy. The main thing is that there is enough action, he is challenged and you as master or mistress are with him.
When training them, you should keep in mind that Belgian Shepherds are not beginner dogs. They need someone to show them who the pack leader is. Otherwise, the Belgian Shepherd may want to take the lead himself. Therefore, it is important that you are consistent in your parenting, but also loving.
A good and balanced diet is essential for the health of your four-legged friend. The energy requirements of the animals are strongly dependent on age, weight and activity level. A senior needs a different food than an active working dog.
Especially meat is an important source of protein for the dogs. Likewise, vegetables and fruits are important nutritional components. However, you should avoid sugar and grains in the feed.
Care for the Belgian Shepherd is relatively simple. However, coat care can vary greatly due to the different breed types. While with Malinois and Laekenois it is enough to brush them once a week, you need to brush Groenendael and Tervueren several times a week, because the coat of these types of breeds is longer and denser. Nevertheless, this long coat is also easier to care for than that of other longhaired dogs.
You should also check and care for your ears and teeth regularly to prevent inflammation.
Since the breeding of Belgian Shepherds is always focused on only one type of the four breed types and they may no longer be crossed among themselves, the Belgian Shepherd is a robust and healthy dog breed that has hardly any dispositions for breed-specific diseases.
It was not until theend of the 19th century that the Belgian Shepherd emerged as a breeding breed, although it had been known since the 15th century. However, at that time there was no uniform appearance of sheepdogs. They were kept by Belgian shepherds and farmers as herding, guard and working dogs and thus had their fixed tasks in the service of their people. The characteristics were more important than the appearance at that time. In 1891, Adolphe Reul, a professor at the Belgian School of Veterinary Sciences, catalogued the breed for the first time, thus laying the foundation for the breed standard. On September 28, 1891, the Club du Chien de Berger Belge was founded by him and in 1892 the breed standard was then established.
If you are an experienced and active dog owner, you will have a loyal and hard-working companion at your side with this temperamental dog breed, who will be happy not only to accompany you at work, but also to relax with you on the couch.
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