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Recently this dog underwent a name change. His
old name, Belgian Sheepdog, may be more familiar.
There are four different
varieties of Belgian Shepherd corresponding to four different coat
types.
The dogs are named for the
Belgian towns where they were most popular.
The Belgian Shepherd Dog stands about 25 inches tall at the shoulder. There
are four different varieties of Belgian Shepherd corresponding to four
different coat types. The Groenendael has a long-haired, solid black
coat. The Tervuren is also long-haired and is fawn or gray with
black overlay. The Malinois has a fawn and black short coat. The Laeken is
rough-haired and comes in red brown, fawn, or gray. Regular grooming is
important, particularly for the long-haired varieties.
The Belgian Shepherd is very protective of his family and makes an excellent
guard dog and watch dog. He needs early socialization to gain confidence
in his owners and accept other pets or
children in other families. Responsive and loyal, this dog does very well in
obedience training. Agility, tracking, and flyball are other activities at
which the Belgian Shepherd excels.
Bred to herd, the Belgian Shepherd Dog is
born to work and if left to his own devices, will create his own work
by herding whatever is around: people, children, other pets, etc. An
elegant and sensitive breed, the Belgian Shepherd is nevertheless very
active and requires lots of daily outdoor exercise. He will best suit an
owner who enjoys lots of outdoor activity such as walking, jogging,
cycling, etc.
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