The medium-sized, graceful Belgian Tervuren herding dog is smart, confident, and known to be devoted and possessive towards loved ones. For this industrious, multi-tasking dog, lots of hard labor and tough play is nirvana. The Belgian Tervuren is distinguished by a straight, thick coat, a graceful, yet powerful frame, a proudly carried head, an attentive, intelligent disposition, and an insatiable desire to work. The Terv’s coat decorations, such as the athletic “collarette” around the neck, are more lavish on men because they tend to be bigger than women. One longstanding owner cautions that “their intelligence and high activity level can be a challenge for the less creative individual who may not understand the breed’s need to work.” But don’t think of Tervs as dismal, mechanical worker drones. Tervs, in fact, take great pleasure in their ability to conquer any duty, and owners report that a malicious sense of fun is at work whenever Tervs outwit their loving human.
Belgian Tervuren
alert / intelligent / courageous
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 Tervuren
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
A responsible breeder will check breeding stock for health issues such as hip dysplasia, a deformity of the hip joint, elbow dysplasia, progressive retinal atrophy, which causes vision loss and blindness, and epilepsy. As with all breeds, a Terv's ears should be checked for symptoms of illness on a regular basis, and his teeth should be washed on a regular basis.
Recommended Health Tests From the National Breed Club:
- Hip Evaluation
- Elbow Evaluation
- Thyroid Evaluation
- Ophthalmologist Evaluation
Grooming
The coat of the Belgian Tervuren is double-layered, with a dense, protecting undercoat covered by a rougher outer coat. For the majority of the year, all he needs is a brief but thorough brushing once or twice a week with a pin brush and a slicker brush. During shedding season, which comes at least once a year, these periods are extended to 15 or 20 minutes and may become a little more regular, and a rake is added to the toolkit to assist in the removal of all the dead hair. The Terv's nails, like those of all breeds, should be cut on a regular basis.
Exercise
Training
Socialization and obedience training are a must for the Belgian Tervuren. Exposing the puppy to a wide variety of people, places, and situations will help him develop into a well-adjusted, well-mannered adult. A Terv's intelligence and independence can lead him into trouble if he's not trained to channel his boundless energy into acceptable activities. Tervs tend to be play oriented and surprisingly sensitive, which means that harsh training methods seldom work, but turning the task into a game always does. Tervs take genuine delight in their ability to master a new task.
Nutrition
The Belgian Tervuren should thrive on high-quality dog food, whether purchased commercially or cooked at home with your veterinarian's supervision and consent. Any diet should be tailored to the age of the dog (puppy, adult, or senior). Some dogs are prone to becoming overweight, so keep an eye on your dog's calorie intake and weight level. Treats can be a valuable training aid, but feeding too much can lead to obesity. Discover which human foods are suitable for dogs and which are not. If you have any concerns regarding your dog's weight or diet, consult with your veterinarian. At all times, clean, fresh water should be available.
History