The flexibility and intelligence of the Belgian Sheepdog, a highly trainable herder, are the stuff of canine folklore. This breed was created to put in a lot of hard effort. These delicate spirits detest neglect and yearn for human company. A Belgian Sheepdog’s arresting silhouette exudes grace and chiseled tenacity. The breed’s exceptionally arrogant head and neck carriage is an attractive trait. A man is maybe 26 inches tall at the shoulder; women are shorter. The black coat is thick, extending from the neck’s “collarette” to the back quarters “breeches,” and the dark eyes twinkle with a perplexing intelligence. Belgian Sheepdogs are bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in every manner. Belgians are known for giving their all in all sports and activities. In return, eager workaholics and their owners frequently develop a special affinity. Belgians “inspire such intense loyalty because they themselves live and love with such great passion,” as one fan put it.
Belgian Sheepdog
bright / watchful / serious-minded
Average sizes and life
expectancy of the breed.
Height
24-26 inches (male)
22-24 inches (female)
Weight
55-75 pounds (male)
45-60 pounds (female)
Life Expectancy
12-14 years
Breed Traits & Characteristics
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Affectionate With Family
How affectionate a breed is likely to be with family members, or other people he knows well. Some breeds can be aloof with everyone but their owner, while other breeds treat everyone they know like their best friend.
Good With Young Children
A breed's level of tolerance and patience with childrens' behavior, and overall family-friendly nature. Dogs should always be supervised around young children, or children of any age who have little exposure to dogs.
GOOD WITH OTHER DOGS
How generally friendly a breed is towards other dogs. Dogs should always be supervised for interactions and introductions with other dogs, but some breeds are innately more likely to get along with other dogs, both at home and in public.
Shedding Level
How much fur and hair you can expect the breed to leave behind. Breeds with high shedding will need to be brushed more frequently, are more likely to trigger certain types of allergies, and are more likely to require more consistent vacuuming and lint-rolling.
Coat Grooming Frequency
How frequently a breed requires bathing, brushing, trimming, or other kinds of coat maintenance. Consider how much time, patience, and budget you have for this type of care when looking at the grooming effort needed. All breeds require regular nail trimming.
Drooling Level
How drool-prone a breed tends to be. If you're a neat freak, dogs that can leave ropes of slobber on your arm or big wet spots on your clothes may not be the right choice for you.
Coat Type
Corded
Curly
Double
Hairless
Rough
Silky
Smooth
Wavy
Wiry
Canine coats come in many different types, depending on the breed's purpose. Each coat type comes with different grooming needs, allergen potential, and shedding level. You may also just prefer the look or feel of certain coat types over others when choosing a family pet.
Coat Length
Long
Medium
Short
How long the breed's coat is expected to be. Some long-haired breeds can be trimmed short, but this will require additional upkeep to maintain.
Openness To Strangers
How welcoming a breed is likely to be towards strangers. Some breeds will be reserved or cautious around all strangers, regardless of the location, while other breeds will be happy to meet a new human whenever one is around!
Playfulness Level
How enthusiastic about play a breed is likely to be, even past the age of puppyhood. Some breeds will continue wanting to play tug-of-war or fetch well into their adult years, while others will be happy to just relax on the couch with you most of the time.
Watchdog/Protective Nature
A breed's tendency to alert you that strangers are around. These breeds are more likely to react to any potential threat, whether it's the mailman or a squirrel outside the window. These breeds are likely to warm to strangers who enter the house and are accepted by their family.
Adaptability Level
How easily a breed handles change. This can include changes in living conditions, noise, weather, daily schedule, and other variations in day-to-day life.
Trainability Level
How easy it will be to train your dog, and how willing your dog will be to learn new things. Some breeds just want to make their owner proud, while others prefer to do what they want, when they want to, wherever they want!
Energy Level
The amount of exercise and mental stimulation a breed needs. High energy breeds are ready to go and eager for their next adventure. They'll spend their time running, jumping, and playing throughout the day. Low energy breeds are like couch potatoes - they're happy to simply lay around and snooze.
Barking Level
How often this breed vocalizes, whether it's with barks or howls. While some breeds will bark at every passer-by or bird in the window, others will only bark in particular situations. Some barkless breeds can still be vocal, using other sounds to express themselves.
Mental Stimulation Needs
How much mental stimulation a breed needs to stay happy and healthy. Purpose-bred dogs can have jobs that require decision-making, problem-solving, concentration, or other qualities, and without the brain exercise they need, they'll create their own projects to keep their minds busy -- and they probably won't be the kind of projects you'd like.
About the Breed
What To Expect When Caring For a Belgian Sheepdog
Owning a dog is not just a privilege; it’s a responsibility. They depend on us for, at minimum, food and shelter, and deserve much more. When you take a dog into your life, you need to understand the commitment that dog ownership entails.
Health
The breed of Belgian Sheepdogs is strong and healthy. Breeders who practice responsible breeding will check their breeding stock for diseases like epilepsy, elbow and hip dysplasia, cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy of the eye, as well as some malignancies. Note that Belgians are particularly susceptible to anesthesia should the necessity for surgery arise. As with all breeds, a Belgian should have their teeth washed on a regular basis and their ears checked for any indications of illness.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Elbow Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
As long as it's not shedding season, the double-layer coat of the Belgian Sheepdog, which has a dense undercoat and a tougher outer coat, is relatively simple to maintain. All a Belgian needs is a weekly brushing most of the year. Unless the dog gets into something filthy, baths can be infrequent. But Belgians shed a lot at least once a year. When this occurs, daily thorough brushing is necessary to get rid of the surprisingly significant amount of dead hair. The Belgian's nails should be frequently clipped, as with all breeds.
Exercise
Belgian Sheepdogs need a lot of activity each day, much like many other herding breeds do. And leaving the Belgian out in the backyard for a few hours is not enough because he is a sensitive creature who loves human company. Owners should prepare to engage in daily physical activity with their Belgians. This could entail playing with a ball, going for a long run, or practicing for and competing in obedience, agility, tracking, or herding contests, as well as participating in canine sports like flyball.
Training
Classes on puppy training and socialization are very crucial. They enhance the link between the puppy and the owner by encouraging good behavior, stopping undesirable tendencies in their tracks. Thankfully, Belgian Sheepdogs are quite intelligent and only want to please their owners, so they pick up training easily.
Nutrition
The Belgian Sheepdog should thrive on a premium dog food, whether it is produced commercially or is made at home under the direction and agreement of your veterinarian. Whatever the dog's age (puppy, adult, or senior), the diet should be suitable. Watch your dog's calorie intake and weight level because certain dogs are prone to obesity. Treats can be a valuable training tool, but offering them in excess might lead to obesity. Discover which foods fit the bill for canine consumption and which don't. If you have any worries about your dog's weight or diet, consult your veterinarian. Fresh water that is clean should always be accessible.
History
The climate and geography of Belgium are ideal for raising animals and producing dairy products, and the small but hardworking nation has long been self-sufficient in these products. A significant part of the economy of Belgium is milk chocolate, which is exported more than any other country in the world. Therefore, it should not be surprising that early Belgian farmers were focused with herding cattle.
Herding dog breeding was one of these interests. In actuality, Belgium used to be home to eight different varieties of shepherd dogs. The four breeds we are familiar with today were still around by the 1890s when they were first formally classified: the Belgian Sheepdog (also known as the Groenendael or Chien de Berger Belge), the Malinois, the Tervuren, and the Laekenois. Although their coat textures, colors, and lengths varied, their anatomical structures were the same. Nicolas Rose, a significant breeder in the 1890s who had a restaurant called the Chateau Groenendael close to Brussels, gave the longhaired black type, the modern Belgian Sheepdog, the name Groenendael.
By the start of the 20th century, Belgian Sheepdogs’ adaptability and work ethic had spread beyond the grazing grounds of their native country. Belgian Sheepdogs were utilized as police dogs in Paris and New York at this time. They were used by customs officers on border patrols to hunt down smugglers. They made a name for themselves as heavy gunnery freighters, ambulance dogs, and messengers during World War I. During the Second World Battle, Belgian Sheepdogs once again served as battle canines.
Since the founding of the Belgian Sheepdog Club of America in 1949, this magnificent breed has accomplished everything: been a show dog, an athlete, a police officer, a soldier, a therapy dog, a search and rescue dog, a watchdog, and a relentless backyard tennis ball fetcher.