Breed group: Herding

Weight: 60-65 lbs

Height: male: 24-26, female: 22-24 inches

Overview

The Belgian sheepdog, also known as the Belgian Groenendael, is named after a village in Belgium. These dogs are one of the four different Belgian Sheepdogs. All the Belgian Sheepdogs were bred from tough working dogs, which guarantee that the current breeds are compatibly talented on the field. Nicholas Rose, a breeder from Groenendael developed the first Belgian Sheepdog. Seeing that this breed is so intelligent and protective, they have been used as herding dogs, and in both of the World Wars. They are also used for drug detection purposes, search and rescue, schutzhund and to be a companion for the family.

Temperament

You will find that Belgian Shepherds are extremely intelligent, vigilant and sensitive to everything going on around them. These dogs also form very strong connections with their owners and families. It is important that this breed is socialised enough when they are still puppies, be active enough and to have enough human interaction. This breed will not do well when left alone for extended periods of time. They find it very difficult to be left alone. These dogs can go through unreasonable fears when young and develop anxieties over certain objects and places which have not been a problem earlier. Belgian shepherd dogs like to please their owners, but can also be dominant and will require an experienced owner. These dogs require lots of activity and interaction with their families - they will need a job to do

Care

This breed will need a daily brushing to keep his straight haired coat in a good condition. It is important to brush their coats down all the way to prevent tangles from forming. You will find that these dogs shed more during the warmer seasons, and they will require more grooming during these periods.

Training

These dogs will require a skilled trainer and firm training. The Belgian Sheepdog is a very intelligent breed, and they are very keen on pleasing their owners. This breed does amazingly well in obedience training, and also in working sports as they were originally bred to be herding dogs. These dogs love to please their owners; will not react well to a negative training environment. The Belgian Sheepdog will need lots of exercise, and also interaction with people.

Health problems

In general the Belgian Sheepdog is a very healthy breed when compared to other breeds. The main illnesses they suffer from are hip dysplasia, epilepsy, thyroid conditions and eye cataracts.