Belgian Shepherd

History

The Belgian Shepherd descends from the same common herding dog type as the Bouvier des Ardennes, Dutch Shepherd, and German Shepherd, and was used by Belgian shepherds for centuries. By the late nineteenth century, the breed was becoming obsolete and faced extinction. In 1891, the Club de Chien Berger Belge was formed to save the type, and a team led by Adolphe Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary School surveyed the dogs, finding great variation in appearance.

They assembled 117 specimens and began standardising them into varieties. The first breed standard was drafted in 1892, and between then and 1956, the number of recognised varieties fluctuated from two to eight. In 1905, interbreeding between varieties was forbidden, but the First World War caused a decline in numbers, so in 1920 matings between varieties were allowed again. The Second World War again threatened the breed, and in late 1945 inter-variety matings were encouraged, helping the breed recover.

The current breed standard, adopted in 1956, specifies the four varieties known today: Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois, and Tervueren.

Appearance

The Belgian Shepherd is a medium-sized, athletic breed built for endurance. Dogs stand between 56 and 66 cm, with bitches about 4 cm shorter; weight is typically 20 to 30 kg. The breed standard gives an ideal height of 62 cm for dogs and 58 cm for bitches. The head is large and long, with triangular erect ears rounded at the base and a broad, long muzzle.

For a dog 62 cm at the withers, the head should be 25 cm long and the muzzle about half that. The body is muscular but not heavy; body length from shoulder to haunches is roughly equal to height at the withers, slightly longer in bitches. The topline is straight, the belly neither low-slung nor overly high, the chest deep but not broad. The neck is muscular, widening at the shoulders with a slight arch at the nape.

The tail is strong, medium-length, and curves upward at knee level. Forelegs are straight and well-boned; hind legs are muscular and powerful. The four varieties differ mainly in coat type and colour. The breed standard describes three coat types: long-haired, short-haired, and rough-haired.

Varieties

Long-haired dogs have a long, smooth coat with short hair on face, ears, and legs, plus feathering on the rear of legs, a mane on neck and chest, and a bushy tail. Short-haired dogs have very short hair on face, ears, and lower legs, short hair elsewhere, and slightly longer hair on neck and tail. Rough-haired dogs have a rough, dry coat about 6 cm long over the body, with shorter hair on the top of the muzzle and legs, and long hair on the face and muzzle.

The Groenendael variety is long-haired with a solid black double coat, straight outer coat particularly long around shoulders, neck, and chest, short hair on the face, and well-feathered legs and tail.

Temperament

Belgian Shepherds are highly intelligent, alert, and sensitive. They are typically very trainable, vigilant, and hard-working, with a strong guarding instinct that makes them protective of property and family. The Groenendael and Tervueren varieties have a reputation for occasionally being snappy, which may make them less suitable as companions for children.

The Laekenois is considered very good with children but can occasionally be troublesome with other dogs. The breed responds well to training, ideally from an early age, and is very active—particularly the Malinois. All coat types require ample exercise but adapt well to living indoors.

Use

The Belgian Shepherd, including the Groenendael, Laekenois, and Tervueren types, is most often a companion animal. These dogs can take part in obedience trials and Schutzhund.

Their adaptability allows them to work as assistance, detection, guard, guide, police, and search and rescue animals. The Laekenois has recently taken on various duties with the Belgian Army, while the Tervueren is a common drug detection dog for government agencies. The Malinois has gained favor with customs, military, border patrol, and police worldwide, serving groups like the United States Armed Forces, the Secret Service, Israel’s Oketz Unit, the Australian Defence Force, and the anti-poaching unit at Kruger National Park.

Did You Know?

• The Société Royale Saint-Hubert recommends testing all four varieties for hip and elbow dysplasia.
• A genetic polymorphism in the dopamine transporter gene has been linked to rage syndrome in the Malinois.