The Breed Archive / Belgian Shepherd
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Belgian Shepherd

Intelligent, eager to work, alert and full of energy always ready to spring into action

The Belgian Shepherd, filled to the brim with devotion, drive and wit, puts everything it has into everything it does. These impressive dogs come in four varieties:
- Groenendael aka Belgian Sheepdog (long-haired, black)
- Tervueren (long-haired, fawn)
- Malinois (short-haired, fawn)
- Laekenois (rough-haired, fawn)

They were formerly bred as livestock guardians and herding dogs. The FCI lists the varieties as a single breed, while AKC and KC consider each breed to be distinct. Though they differ in appearance, they all share the will to work, learn and excel at the side of their owners.

Extremely intelligent and eager to please, Belgian Shepherds are easy to train but they demand copious amounts of physical and mental activity every day. Without activity and without a task, these dogs can quickly become restless and display problematic behaviour as they are unable to deal with their excess energy.

The Malinois and Tervueren in particular are extremely lively dogs that can sometimes be prone to overreacting. They are eager to work, but are also very sensitive and demand a lot of attention and time from their owners. They are adaptable and very affectionate towards their family, but can also show territorial behaviour.

The rough-haired fawn Laekenois were first bred by flemish shepherd and breeder J.-B. Janssen who lived in a suburb of Laeken.
The long-haired fawn Tervueren is named after a region outside Brussels where breeder Felix Corbeel owned a brewery.
The short-haired fawn Malinois was developed by The Club of Malines of which Frantz Huyghebaert (owner of the famous Tjop) was a member.
The long-haired black Groenendael was established by breeder Nicholas Rose who was the owner of Chateau de Groenendael.
Historically one breed, differing in coat colour, length & texture, the four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd are named from areas around Brussels where they originated as herding dogs.

Belgian Shepherd characteristics

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history

Did you know that the Belgian Shepherd originated in Belgium? And that its job was to shepherd livestock? Admittedly, it’s not easy to build suspense when talking about the Belgian Shepherd’s origins, but as always, there’s more to the story than meets the eye.

The Belgian Shepherd’s ancestor is a type of herding dog that was common in agrarian western Europe for centuries and it laid the foundation for many other European breeds, among them the Bouvier des Ardennes and the German Shepherd.

Belgium – its moderate climate and wide plains ideal for livestock and dairy farming – had its fair share of herding dogs and the breeders’ attention on ability rather than appearance brought forth a lot of different types.

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In 1891, after many European countries had already begun to formally establish their native breeds, the Club de Chien Berger Belge (the Belgian Shepherd Club) was created to find out whether there was a shepherd dog representative of Belgium. The club got to work and identified a dog of “square, medium size with well-set triangular ears and very dark brown eyes” as a native of the country. Despite the differences in length, colour and texture of these dogs’ coats, they were classified as one breed – with quite a few varieties. Over time the numbers ranged between two to eight, until the four varieties we know today were stipulated in the Belgian Shepherd’s breed standard of 1956. Their names came from the villages in the area around Brussels where they were developed – Malines, Laeken and Tervuren, as well as from the estate of breeder Nicolas Rose, the Chateau Groenendael.

Over the years, the dogs' versatility and high intelligence saw them employed as the first police dogs in Belgium and as messenger dogs in both World Wars. Fast forward a century and the Belgian Shepherd still captivates us with its dedication, diligence and the boundless love it holds for its people.

Breed facts

Group
FCI: Sheepdogs and Cattledogs - Group 1
KC: Pastoral Group AKC: Herding Group
Colour
black (Groenendael), fawn (Tervueren, Malinois, Laekenois)
View colour distribution
Sports
Obedience, Agility, Tracking, Herding
The Belgian Malinois is also often seen in Schutzhund competitions, where a dog’s tracking, obedience and protective skills are tested.
Origin
Belgium
Size
Large
Coat type
long-haired (Groenendael, Tervueren)
short-haired (Malinois)
rough-haired (Laekenois)
Breed standards

health

The Belgian Shepherd breed is generally considered to be robust and healthy, although like most large breeds, it can develop Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, a misalignment of the joints that causes your dog pain while walking. Another disease of the musculoskeletal system that can also occur in Belgian Shepherds is Spondylosis. Progressive Retinal Atrophy, an eye disease which eventually leads to blindness, is also known to affect the breed, as are Cataracts and Keratitis.

The Belgian Shepherd can also suffer from Epilepsy, a condition that causes seizures. Various forms of hereditary ataxia (movement disorders) are also known. Stomach cancer is common in the Groenendael and the Tervueren.

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