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Note: Until recently, the Belgian Shepherd Dog was known as the Belgian Sheepdog in Canada as he is recognized by the American Kennel Club in the U.S. The Canadian Kennel Club recognizes four varieties, all under one Breed Standard: the Groenendael (black), Tervueren (brown or grey with a black mask), Malinois (a short brown coat with a black mask), and the Laeken (brown, curly coated).
The American Kennel Club recognizes three varieties, all with separate Breed Standards: the Belgian Sheepdog (black), the Belgian Tervuren (brown or grey with a black mask) and the Belgian Malinois (a short brown coat with a black mask). The Belgian LaekenoisSee Note 2 above is presently accepted under the AKC's Foundation Stock Service (AKC-FSS) program.
The United Kennel Club recognizes the four varieties, all under the Belgian Shepherd Dog Breed Standard. The Groenendael is the long-haired black; the Tervueren is the charcoaled, long-haired, other than black, with a dark mask; the Malinois is the short-haired, charcoal, other than black, with a dark mask; and the Laekenois is the rough-haired other than black, with traces of charcoaling, principally on the muzzle and tail.
In many other parts of the world, the Belgian Shepherd Dog is known as the Groenendael or Chien de Berger Belge.
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He is elegant and aristocratic in appearance, muscular and agile, and his movement is light, brisk and tireless. The Belgian Shepherd Dog is well known for his devotion to his family and his desire to protect them and their property. He is an excellent family dog, loving and tolerant with children when he has been raised with them. Affectionate and friendly, he is also quite active, sensitive, highly intelligent and easy to train.
During World War I, Belgian Shepherd Dogs distinguished themselves on the battlefields, serving as message carriers, ambulance dogs, and even pulling machine guns.
Today, the Belgian Shepherd Dog is not only an excellent companion and friend, but he is seen competing in many sports and activities, including: Conformation, Obedience, Agility, Flyball, Herding, and Tracking. Belgians also excel as Search and Rescue Dogs because of their intelligence, endurance, agility and excellent scenting abilities.
There are four distinct coat types, differing in colour, which give the four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog breed distinguishing charactistices for each variety. The Groenendael and Tervuren are long-haired, the Malinois is short-haired, and the Laekenois is rough-haired.
The Groenendael is either completely black or black with a limited amount of white.
The Tervuren is either a rich fawn to russet mahogany or distinctly grey, each with a black overlay.
The Malinois variety's colour is from a rich fawn to mahogany with a black overlay. He also has a black mask and black ears, and the underparts of the body are a lighter fawn.
The Laeken coat should be a rough or dry texture and appear unkempt. His undercoat is thick and wooly and should be light fawn to red brown or grey.
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Health Issues:
If you are considering the adoption of a Belgian Shepherd Dog puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy's parents have all health clearances. Breeding of any dog should not be done until after they have been proven to be free of evidence of significant hereditary diseases. Recommended testing for the Belgian Shepherd Dog include tests performed on hips, elbows, thyroid, and eyes. In addition, because Epilepsy is a health condition found in this breed and there is no test presently available to determine if a dog will produce offspring with Epilepsy, it is important to inquire if either parent has been diagnosed with the disease. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the main Breed Listing and Breeders page.)
Additional Health Resources:
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Breed Standards:
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Training Resources:
- Training — For information on training your Belgian Shepherd Dog, see this growing section of Canada's Guide to Dogs for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.
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Additional Information:
- Is the Belgian Shepherd Dog Right for You? — from the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club of Canada
- Herding Dogs — A new section of the Canada's Guide to Dogs website which includes training and general information about Herding/Stock Dogs; listing of Stock Dog Clubs and Associations; listing of upcoming shows and events; and more.
- Clubs, Sports & Activities — This section of Canada's Guide to Dogs includes information on various sports and activities, including agility, flyball, conformation, and much more, along with listings of non-breed specific Clubs from across Canada. (Note: For Belgian Shepherd Dog clubs, see the Breed Clubs section.)
- Working Dogs — The Working Dogs section includes information and listings of organizations who are involved with various working dogs, such as Guide Dogs, Police K9s, Search and Rescue Dogs.
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