Belgian Shepherd Dogs: features, types and contents

The Belgian Shepherd breed is not widespread, as most breeders prefer to deal exclusively with representatives of the German variety. But if you familiarize yourself with the detailed description of its representatives, find out the features of their character, the opinion of lovers of large dogs will radically change.

As indicated in many scientific records, the history of Belgian Shepherds begins in ancient times. This is evidenced by letters dating back to the 17th century, which provide information on four-legged shepherd assistants, where the lion's share of the work of dogs was to look after a large number of livestock.

But despite this fact, most breeders are sure that the history of the Belgian Shepherd Dog began much earlier. After all, scientists found documents of 1650 with a description of representatives of the Belgian breed, more precisely, dogs very similar to them. But if you look exclusively at historical documents, it becomes clear that Belgian Shepherd Dog is a fairly young breed that has been around for 100 years. It is only important to understand which of these conflicting data are true.

Everything is explained quite simply. In ancient times, people did not engage in targeted breeding of specific dog breeds. Moreover, shepherds in the past were not considered prestigious pets.European aristocrats did not consider it necessary to create special cynological clubs for representatives of the described breed, because their ladies preferred to start decorative dogs with an unusual appearance as a pet.

And yet, despite the lack of interest, people came to breeding this breed only in the second half of the 19th century. Just then, the shepherd dogs had an expanded palette of coat colors, although the main assessment was also given to the performance of the breed, namely assistance in grazing cattle. They skillfully drove animals that fought off from the herd and guarded cattle from the encroachment of wild animals.

A similar opinion was held by Belgian farmers who viewed the shepherd only from a consumer point of view. But everything changed with the onset of the industrial revolution. In this crucial period for Belgium, the country's economy began to rebuild. Rural residents were forced to move from their villages to cities, which negatively affected the demand for shepherd dogs.

The Belgian breed owes its official recognition to the outbreak of nationalist sentiments that arose in the 19th century in Europe. Then most nationalities began to create special breeds of four-legged pets, which would become their national treasure. Already in September 1891, a society of Belgian breed breeders was formed in Brussels.

A little later, in November, the first exhibition event was organized in Kurgam, at which more than a hundred pedigree dogs performed. Professor Riyul was invited as an official guest, who studied dog features and planned to fasten a certain breed to each Belgian region.

Among the dogs present at the show, only a third received the recommendations of a scientist for subsequent breeding. Riyul chose medium-sized dogs, and the professor was not at all interested in the characteristics of the animal's fur. Thanks to his painstaking work, the primary exterior of the Belgian Shepherd Dogs was introduced in 1892.

The breeding process took place over several decades. At first, only three categories of Belgian shepherd were presented, distinguished by color. This fact prompted the rest of the dog breeders to a lot of negative emotions, as their wards did not fit the standards of officially accepted categories. They also created their cynological club, where they were engaged in independent breeding of their outbred pets. This confrontation between dog breeders lasted several years, after which there was a merger of clubs, which affected the change in breed standards.

Thus, three categories of Belgian shepherds were supplemented by a fourth variety.

• Groenendael. Dogs with a medium black pile color. The name they owe to a small village located near Brussels.
• Lakenua. Long-haired dogs with ashy color of wool. The breed received its name in honor of one of the Laken districts.
• Malinois. Shorthair dogs with a yellowish color. The name of the variety comes from the small town of Mechelen.
• Tervuren. Long-haired dogs with a red color. The category received its name in honor of a small town located near the capital.

Nevertheless, numerous breeders' disputes do not subside to this day. The members of the Belgian club insist that the four varieties of Belgian shepherd dogs presented are different breeds, and the World Federation of Cynologists claims that they are the same Belgian shepherd dogs. Accordingly, official representatives, namely the Federation of Cynologists, inspire confidence.

However, the recognition of the breed only by Belgian dog handlers was not enough.The next step to world recognition was the appeal of breeders to the Royal Organization of Cynologists. However, their application was rejected. In 1901, the breed was still registered by members of the Royal Society. Moreover, for each category special standards were formulated, where the main criteria were color and length of coat.

With the onset of the 20th century, Belgian shepherds began to serve in the Belgian police. Along with this, they patrolled state borders, escorting the military, and caught smugglers with prohibited items trying to illegally enter their territory. Thanks to their skills, in 1907 they began to take these dogs for service in the USA, and a year later they entered the service in France.

Particular attention must be paid to the role of the Belgian dog breed in wartime. Throughout the First World War, dogs served. They were engaged in the protection of entrusted perimeters, delivered mail, helped military doctors to pick up the wounded from the battlefield. It was this period that turned the views of dog breeders on Belgian shepherds. In such a difficult time, animals revealed all the traits of their character, namely courage, strength and loyalty.

Belgian Shepherd Dogs are medium-sized strong dogs. Their external data and structural features indicate performance. It is important to note that there is no sophistication in the Belgian exterior.

The beauty of the animal lies in other features, namely the muscles and movements that are noticeable in every step of the animal. In addition, the dimensions of animals vary by gender - the growth of males is 60-66 cm, and the height of the females is 56-62 cm. Color depends entirely on their category. The weight of an adult male on average is 26-30 kg, while females can weigh a little less, namely 20-25 kg.

According to the characteristics of the exterior, Belgian shepherds differ in moderate body lines. The head has a harmonious warehouse, but it seems a bit dry. The skull is relatively proportional. The frontal part lacks clear lines. Cheekbones are barely noticeable against the general background of the muzzle, while they have developed muscles.

The face of the shepherd dog has an elongated shape, tapering to the tip of the nose. The nostrils are black, wide. The thin lines of the lips are tightly pressed to the jaws. On the mucous membranes there is no pigmentation of pink shades.

The ears are tall and look like triangles. The tips are pointed, the auricles are rounded. At times of alarm, the ears of the Belgians take a vertical position and rush with their tips up.

The eyes are medium in size, in appearance resemble the shape of an almond. There is a brown pigment on the iris. The brighter it is, the better the exterior of the dog. The eyelids of Belgian Shepherds have a clear and even outline of black color. In the look of these dogs you can feel the mind and interest in the surrounding world.

A distinctive feature of the Belgians is their white teeth, which require careful care. According to the standard of the exterior, the bite can be scissor or straight. The absence of the first painters is not a culling of the breed.

The neck of the Belgian breed has an elongated shape, flowing smoothly to the body, characterized by proportionality. The small chest is secreted by the volumetric muscles that characterize the hardy qualities of the dog.

The tail of the Belgians is of medium length, with a thickened part on the base. With complete calm, the tail hangs down, and when excited, rises.

The forelimbs of the Belgians have a strong bone structure and well-developed muscles. Toes tightly pressed to each other.The hind legs are perpendicular to the ground, have a curved shape, which allows dogs to easily repel from any surface.

Next, you should consider the distinctive features of the coat of each category of Belgian shepherd dogs.

• Groenendael are owners of long hair with a thick undercoat that protects the animal from the weather. A distinctive feature of the coat of Groenendale is the lack of shine.
• Lakenua have hard and rough to the touch coat.
• Short coat by category malinois located almost over the entire surface of the body. An exception is the collar, hips and tail.
• Wool Tervuren in many ways resembles a "fur coat" Groenendael with the only difference in the length of the hair on the head and hind legs.

Having familiarized yourself with the generalized description of the exterior of the Belgian Shepherd, you need to carefully consider each category of this breed individually. As you know, today there are four categories of Belgian Shepherd.

• Groenendael;
• Tervuren;
• Malinois
• lakenua.

The first three varieties have many common features in appearance. The fourth variety is considered to be small, respectively, has significant differences in relation to their counterparts. Their ears are slightly smaller, the muzzle is shorter, but the body is much denser.

In terms of performance, all categories of Belgian Shepherds have similar data, although each individual species has some individual character traits.

These charming long-haired pets are much more common in black. Some representatives of this category have a white coat on their chest resembling a tie. These dogs have an inquiring mind, they very sensitively feel the mood of their master and at any moment are ready to give him a “paw of help”.

These dogs have a fairly long coat, which has a bright red color with a tint of red. On the face there is a neat black mask. A distinctive feature of the nature of these dogs is courage. They are without hesitation ready to rush to the defense of their family.

Unlike their counterparts, representatives of this category are short-haired. Their color is fawn, on the face there is a black mask with neat contours. By nature, these dogs can show a dominant position. Malinois is a gambling creature, ready to play for days on end. They have excellent watchdog qualities.

A distinctive feature of these dogs is a hard coat of ashen color. In some representatives of this category, the color may be red, more close to a yellow tint. By nature, these creatures are very good-natured, calm and obedient.

Belgian Shepherd is a rather unusual breed. Confirmation of this is the variety of characters in each category of breed. When getting acquainted with an animal, these factors are not striking, but after spending some time with it it will become clear that each dog behaves differently. For example, Groenendael is ideal for the role of a guard. Not a single offender can escape his attention.

As soon as Groenendael notices the danger, he notifies his owners with a loud bark. But he experiences fear and timidity in the company of strangers. At the same time, even to the family of their owner, these pets show some caution. The dog does not immediately have confidence in the people whom he sees for the first time in his life.

Representatives of this category are quite mobile animals. They are prone to custody and care for each member of the family. Ideal hosts for Groenendael will be people leading an active lifestyle. Thanks to this, the dog will not stay in four walls and will be able to get out with the owner for long walks. If you do not give the animal natural freedom, the dog will splash out the accumulated energy in the house. Moreover, this may not always end well.

The category of Belgian Shepherd Dog Lakenua combines several conflicting characteristics. For example, playfulness and seriousness, an active lifestyle and passive rest. Along with Groenendael, Lakinua is able to cope with the work of a security guard and, if necessary, are ready to engage in a fight with the offender, thereby protecting their owner. Lakinua easily finds a common language with other pets, if in puppyhood she grew up with other four-legged family members.

The exceptions are rodents and birds living in cages. As an ideal pastime, the Belgian Lakenois prefer forays into the country, trips to the mountains, where the animal can get physical activity and throw out the accumulated energy.

Representatives of the Malinois category, along with their brethren, need regular shakes to be able to throw out the accumulated energy. The rest are very balanced and obedient dogs. Like a faithful dog, they step on the heels of their owner and carefully listen to his every word.

Malinois does not like loneliness. Staying alone in a stuffy apartment, such a dog may begin to yearn, and then try to get rid of the accumulated energy, which can lead to a small pogrom. The owner of a Malinois shepherd dog should pay a lot of attention to his pet, but do not spoil the dog, but be strict if necessary. Although this may not be necessary, as representatives of this breed differ in complaisant character.

The Belgian Tervuren, unlike his brothers, is distinguished by an impulsive character and lively temperament. Although initially the first representatives of this category were shy. As a result of tribal selection, these character traits have been eradicated. Tervuren are actively responding to any sign of their owner, so even the call to the animal itself smoothly flows into a fun game.

It is worth noting that representatives of this breed category experience a maximum degree of affection for only one of the family members, who are accepted as the owner. The playful nature of the animal requires constant communication with humans. If the dog remains alone for some time, it can direct its energy into an unnecessary direction, namely, tearing slippers or breaking a vase.

The four categories of Belgian Shepherd Dogs presented are common to the breed.

• These dogs can make their own decisions in the most unexpected situations.
• Belgian Shepherds are quite sensitive creatures. They keenly accept criticism and comments from the owner.
• Once in an unknown environment, they easily adapt in it.
• They have a tendency to dominate other representatives of the animal world.

Choosing a small and healthy puppy is not an easy task. There is no difference which category of Belgian breed was preferred.

First of all, future owners need request information from the breeder about the puppy’s parents, and if possible even get to know them. This fact will help to understand what qualities and character traits the dog could inherit from its ancestors.

When buying a dog, you need to pay attention to his age. The ideal option is 2 months. By this moment, the puppies of the Belgian Shepherd have already partially formed the psyche, thanks to which they easily perceive the surrounding world.

Then you can proceed to a direct examination of all puppies from the litter in order to choose the most interesting individual. It is necessary to pay attention to the most active and lively kids. Such puppies have very strong immunity and in the future they will not cause trouble to the owner with diseases, lack of appetite or mood. Besides, playful puppies are quite easy and quick to train.

And most importantly - to get a thoroughbred puppy should be in the official and reputable nurseries. Buying a puppy in the bird market is extremely dangerous, even despite the low price of the animal. Instead of a Belgian shepherd puppy, a mongrel can be brought home from there. And if you manage to get a thoroughbred dog outside the kennel, most likely the body of such an animal is weak and has a predisposition to multiple diseases, because of which you will have to constantly visit veterinary clinics.

High-quality grooming of Belgian Shepherds is a labor-intensive process. The complexity of the job is in cleaning and processing the hairline of animals.

The shedding of the Belgians occurs in the summer and winter. During molting, it is very important to comb the dog daily. In spring and autumn, it is enough to scratch the animal once a week. In order to comb the wool in a good quality, it is necessary to use a brush with frequent teeth. This device provides maximum disposal of hair loss. It is important to scratch the dog in a calm environment and exclusively in the direction of the coat.

The rest of the care entirely depends on the category of Belgians.

Groenendael dogs tend to molt profusely. The fallen wool will lie on the furniture, on the floor, on clothes and even on the kitchen table. Lakinua have curly hair, which must be cut twice a year, so that the appearance of the animal will be neat and well-groomed.

The most unpretentious representative of the Belgian shepherd is Malinois. Their coat is short, due to which it is possible to comb the pet once a week. This is quite enough to get rid of dead hair and create a presentable appearance for the dog.

A distinctive feature of the Tervuren category is the double coat. For this reason, representatives of this breed suffer from the formation of warlocks. Tervuren dogs should be thoroughly combed at least several times a week. In addition, they must be taught from puppyhood to the procedure of cutting wool on their paws.

Swimming Belgians is extremely rare. Specialized shampoos for thick hair used in bath procedures can adversely affect the structure of the dog’s hair, the hair will lose its stiffness and dullness. If the dog began to emit an unpleasant smell of a dirty dog, you can use special dry products with a pleasant aroma.

You should check your dog’s eyes and ears on a regular basis. If strange secretions occur, you need to get rid of them with a cotton swab or a disc dipped in warm water or a weak solution of tea leaves.

Owners of large dogs do not know the troubles in the issue of clipping, Belgian shepherds are no exception. They spend a lot of time on the street, their claws independently grind on asphalt. And only in the winter, when ice and snow lie on the roads, the owner will need to “manicure” his dog with a special claw cutter.Then you need to process sharp corners with a file to remove nicks.

Equally important is caring for the oral cavity of the dog. The shepherd dog needs daily brushing, so the owner of the animal needs to purchase a special toothbrush. It is forbidden to use toothpastes made for human consumption for a dog’s mouth. For cleaning the oral cavity of pets, special cleaning products are created. They can be purchased at any pet store.

Modern dog lovers of large breeds prefer industrial feeds. But the Belgian Shepherd dogs are unpretentious in this matter and will feed on what lies in the bowl. And yet, for the full development of the animal must be provided with a balanced diet.

Modern industrial feeds provide pets with the necessary vitamins and minerals. The breeder, in turn, needs to purchase super premium class feed for his dog. The main thing is not to forget that a separate diet is developed for each age of the animal.

But it is best to feed the four-legged guard of the Belgian Shepherd breed natural food. Important to remember, it should not be human food from the table. Otherwise, the animal will constantly beg, and sometimes even steal human food.

The natural menu of the dog should be varied. Dogs are predators by nature. But this does not mean that they should eat exclusively raw meat. For the full development of the shepherd, you need to get a varied diet, which should be based on lean meats, for example, beef, rabbit or chicken.

For breakfast, it is preferable to treat the pet with cereals, for example, buckwheat, rice or barley. At lunchtime, the dog should be fed with stewed vegetables and add vegetable oil to them. Once a week, you should pamper your pet with sea fish, dairy products and boiled eggs, but in small quantities.

To know what vitamins a dog needs to be given during the period of active growth, it is necessary to consult a veterinarian. He will be able to choose the right vitamin-mineral complex so that the animal does not have a deficit of elements important to health.

It is strictly forbidden to feed the Belgian Shepherd with sweets, smoked products, tubular bones, raw pork and river fish. Violation of at least one of these prohibitions can result in serious health problems for the animal. For example, tubular bones, once in the esophagus, can damage its walls, which will cause the dog to bleed internally and be very difficult to save. Chocolate for four-legged friends is a deadly poison. Helminths may be present in fish.

The dog should always have access to clean drinking water. This is especially important for pets who eat dry food, as thirst increases from it.

Belgian Shepherd Dogs are breeds whose training must be started at an early age. The main thing at the same time is not to forget about insight. It is this factor that will help to maximally feel the mental state of the dog, to understand its mood and psychological balance.

Belgian females are much more docile and calmer than males, which by nature need to show independence of their own nature. Experienced dog breeders recommend starting to raise a puppy from the first day of his appearance in the house.

Initially, one should not tire a puppy with long walks and various games. If the pet is stretched out on its litter and begins to fall asleep, there is no need to disturb it. A dog, like any other creature, needs rest. After all, they still have a lot of time left to learn various teams, to learn their own nickname, to get used to a leash with a collar and not to cope with the need in the wrong place.

The nickname in the issue of education is a separate item. Firstly, the owner should remember that the name of the pet should be short, and secondly, be associated exclusively with bright and kind emotions. Do not contact a four-legged friend by name if he messed up or ruined some thing. Realizing that punishment awaits him, the baby will not want to approach his master, respectively, he will not respond to the nickname.

The process of training Belgian shepherd dogs is distinguished by many nuances, depending on the breed category. It is important for Groenendahl to unquestioningly carry out commands and tasks. Representatives of this species treat training as games that are of great benefit. For this reason, they do not create any problems and strictly follow the instructions of their owner. Although for some representatives of this breed independence of morals can overcome instinct, which will negatively affect the achievement of the goal.

That is why Groenendael it is necessary to train a very young age, not giving the dog long breaks. Training should be dailyotherwise the dog will not be able to wait for obedience.

Lakenua, on the other hand, is easy to learn and is happy to meet the owner. They enthusiastically run with their owner race or overcome an obstacle course. The main feature of these dogs is tirelessness. Rather, a person will get tired of coming up with tasks, rather than a dog doing them.

In the process of training You should not use a strict voice and be too persistent. The dog will feel it and will do everything exactly the opposite. But if you approach the question of training correctly, you will be able to educate the real guard and best friend for a large family. After all, it is precisely Lakenua for their qualities that are most often taken to the police service or to the army.

In addition to proper training, Malinois must be brought to a common area with other dogs, where the shepherd can communicate with relatives, learn from them the basics of communication with their owners. They very quickly absorb the information received, which indicates their highly developed intelligence. Only dog ​​communication can play the opposite role. The dog will see elements of disobedience in its relatives and can take them for granted.

Tervuren try to dominate and show more independence than the other categories of the Belgian breed. For these dogs, an intensive team training and obedience course is important. The owner should avoid a despotic attitude and rude behavior when working with animals. Otherwise, the pet will not perceive this behavior of the owner and will not respond to his words.

The dog must consistently execute commands, the owner needs to be patient if the dog is unable to cope with something, and then, in fairness, treat the animal with a treat.

All about the Belgian Shepherds, see the next video.