Interested in the Belgian shepherd? Get the facts & information on this brilliant working dog in our comprehensive guide…
There are four distinct dogs that fall under the category of the Belgian Shepherd. These include the Laekenois, Tervuren, Groenendael and the Malinois. Back in their home country Belgium, the four are counted as being one breed with the structure and hair color being the only differentiating factors. In some other countries however they are recognized as distinct breeds.
Irrespective of the categorization of the variations the fact of the matter remains that all of them are relatively the same size and are classified as medium sized dogs. The four varieties are known to possess a high level of intellect and a determination to work hard. The only real differences amongst the four are regarding their appearances. In fact their similarities are so intense that you can actually find the different breeds to take birth in the same litter.
Physical Appearance
With a fur coat variation of four different colors the Belgian shepherd grows to an average height of 24-26 inches. A full grown adult can weigh in at 29 to 34 kg. The Belgian shepherd gives birth to a litter of six to ten puppies and has an average life span of twelve to fourteen years.
Character of the Belgian shepherd
The intellect of the dog is its overriding quality. Along with this the dogs have a high level of alertness and are very quick at detecting any perceived threats. Furthermore they can develop very strong bonds with human beings and hence become extremely loyal working dogs.
In order to make the most of these innate qualities of the Belgian shepherd they need to be exposed to a considerable amount of socialization in their early days. Not only do they need to be around human beings rather they need activity outlets to exert their excessive energy as well.
One thing that is common between all the four varieties of the Belgian shepherd is the fact that they need to engage in a lot of activity and close associations with human beings. These dogs like to keep busy and must have some work to do otherwise they might lose their cool. They should be kept busy with learning tricks or herding tasks in order to remain pacified. Belgian shepherds love to take on responsibility and this is where they display their full worth as assistance dogs.
Generally people consider the Belgian shepherd to be a rather good looking dog that is well suited to family life with its loyalty and intelligence. Any family looking to keep a Belgian shepherd as a pet needs to make sure it is given the love and care that it needs otherwise it can become very agitated and unpredictable.
The Belgians display a high level of comprehension and this is why they can be trained to perform a host of activities. They love to work in partnership with their trainer and thrive for extensive training sessions. With its extra ordinary intelligence the Belgian shepherd can be trained to perform the entire spectrum of tasks that dogs can be expected to fulfill.
