Belgian Shepherd Dog

The Belgian Shepherd Dog is a medium-sized herding dog from Belgium. It is bred in four varieties that differ in coat and color: the long-haired black Groenendael, the rough-haired fawn Laekenois, the short-haired fawn Malinois and the long-haired fawn Tervueren. Once a shepherd’s dog, it is now kept as a companion and trained as a police, guard, detection, guide, assistance, and search and rescue dog.

History

The breed comes from the same common stock of Western European herding dogs as the Bouvier des Ardennes, the Dutch Shepherd and the German Shepherd, and it worked for Belgian shepherds for centuries. By the end of the 1800s it was falling out of use and in danger of dying out. In 1891 the Club de Chien Berger Belge was formed to save it. A team led by Adolphe Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary School gathered 117 dogs and began sorting them into varieties by coat and color.

Crossing between varieties was banned in 1905, then allowed again in 1920 and encouraged from late 1945, after each world war had cut numbers. The current standard, with its four varieties, dates from 1956.

The Groenendael is believed to go back to 1885 and to Nicholas Rose of the Château de Groenendael. The Malinois is named for the Mechelen region (Malines in French) and was the first variety to breed true. The Laekenois, always the rarest, is named for the royal Château de Laeken, and the Tervueren for Tervuren.

Most kennel clubs and the FCI treat the Belgian Shepherd as one breed. The American Kennel Club registers the four varieties as separate breeds.

Appearance

This is an athletic dog built for endurance, about as long in the body as it is tall. Dogs stand 56–66 cm, with females about 4 cm shorter than males, and usually weigh 20–30 kg. The head is long, with upright triangular ears and a long, broad muzzle.

The Groenendael has a long, solid black double coat. The Tervueren is long-haired too, usually fawn with a black overlay and black extremities, sometimes gray. The Malinois is short-haired and fawn with a black overlay and a dark face. The Laekenois has a harsh, dry, slightly tangled fawn coat about 6 cm long, with a bristly muzzle.

Temperament

Belgian Shepherds are highly intelligent, alert and sensitive. They are hard-working and very trainable, with a strong guarding instinct toward family and property. The Groenendael and Tervueren have a reputation for sometimes being snappy, which makes them less suited to homes with children; the Laekenois is considered very good with children but can be difficult with other dogs. All need plenty of exercise, though the breed adapts well to living indoors.

Care and health

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 12 years for the Malinois and 13.8 years for the Tervueren. The Belgian kennel club recommends testing all four varieties for hip and elbow dysplasia, and the Malinois for epilepsy as well. Working lines of the Malinois have been associated with rage syndrome.

Facts on this page were checked against Wikipedia and may have changed since.