Belgian Shepherd

The Belgian Shepherd (also known as the Belgian Sheepdog or Chien de Berger Belge) is a breed of medium-to-large-sized herding dog. It originated in Belgium and is similar to other sheep herding dogs from that region, including the Dutch Shepherd Dog, the German Shepherd Dog, the Briard and others. Four types have been identified by various registries as separate breeds or varieties: Groenendael, Laekenois, Tervuren, and Malinois.

History[edit source | editbeta]

Breed cretion and recognition[edit source | editbeta]

The Laekenois variant

The Malinois variant

In the late 1800s a group of concerned dog fanciers under the guidance of Prof. A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School gathered foundation stock from the areas around Tervuren, Groenendael, Malines, and Laeken in Belgium. Official breed creation occurred around 1891, when the Club du Chien de Berger Belge (Belgian Shepherd Dog Club) was formed in Brussels. The first breed standard was written in 1892, but official recognition did not happen until 1901, when the Royal Saint-Hubert Society Stud Book began registering Belgian Shepherd Dogs.^[1]

By 1910, fanciers managed to eliminate the most glaring faults and standardize type and temperament. There has been continued debate about acceptable colors and coat types. Structure, temperament and working ability have never been debated in regards to the standard.

Appearance

Structure

The Belgian Shepherd Dog is a medium-to-large size dog. All varieties share a similar underlying musculoskeletal structure, closely resembling the popular German Shepherd breed save for the hindlegs. All variants also share a close cranial features, having a domed forehead, a long, square-cut muzzle and black noses with their ears pointed and fully erect. One of the identifying characteristics of the breed is that it is square, with its height from the ground to top of the withers being equal to its length.

Belgian Shepherd Dog

The Groenendael variant
Other names	Belgian Sheepdog, Chien de Berger Belge
Country of origin	Belgium
[hide]Traits Weight Male 25–30 kg (55–66 lb) Female 20–25 kg (44–55 lb) Height Male 60–66 cm (23.6–26 in) Female 56–62 cm (22–24.4 in) Coat Long, short, rough Color depends on variety Litter size 6-10 pups Life span 10–14 years
[show]Classification and standards