Belgian Shepherd, four varieties for a single breed

The Belgian Shepherd is a breed selected in Europe for guarding and guarding the flock.It has four, different varieties now famous throughout the world

• The Belgian Shepherd is a breed selected in Europe for flock keeping and guarding.
• It is now famous and also known as a companion dog and for those who love the outdoors.
• Its agility and lively character make it the ideal companion for lovers of dog sports.

The Belgian shepherd – better known in dog breeding as chien de berger belge  or belgian shepherd dog – is a splendid shepherd breed known for centuries in Europe, but now famous throughout the world.The standard of these dogs comes in four different varieties:The groenendael, The laekenois, The malinois and the tervueren.In Italy, the Malinois is the best known, closely followed by the long-haired, dark-haired Groenendael.Even if the morphology changes, however, the breed remains almost the same with its strengths, weaknesses, health problems and the daily attitude that distinguishes its nature.And only very few character and attitudinal changes are known for the different variants.

A breed born in Europe

The Belgian shepherd was used as a guard and surveillance dog for flocks in the pastures of north-eastern Europe and its history is intertwined with that of a much more famous and well-known dog:the German shepherd.The breed was born thanks to a group of scholars from Cureghen veterinary school in Belgium who began a first selection.In September 1891 the Club du Chien de Berger Belge and on November 15 of the same year the first meeting took place.

The breed standard, unique and without variety, was registered on March 20, 1894.Today there are four current ones, unchanged from over 20 years, and from 1974 Mating between different varieties has been prohibited.The Belgian Shepherd has an agile and well-proportioned physique.The weight for the male is around 30 kg, while the female reaches 25 about.The height at the withers is 62 for males and of 58 for females.

The health and temperament of the Belgian Shepherd

A versatile breed characterized by extreme intelligence and learning ability, the Belgian shepherd, in its four varieties, excels in sporting activities and dog sports.In Italy the Malinois variant is well known, while in the rest of the world we find the presence of the Groenendael, the long-haired, black version of the breed, appreciated above all for its lupine appearance and beautiful coat.

Explain the Dr. Francesco Miccoli, veterinary doctor and health director Of ReproVet Genetics Italy:“The Belgian Shepherd, precisely because of its great aptitude for sporting activities, must be carefully selected for hip and elbow dysplasia, the presence of which could compromise sports performance and general well-being.The breeding of these subjects, therefore, must have been based precisely on the selection of mares and stallions free from the pathology.The presence of the degenerative myelopathy – disease also present in German shepherds – which can develop in adulthood”.There are some other problems with the breed eye diseases like the cataract and certain forms of idiopathic epilepsy.

Different morphologies and few character differences

The four varieties of the Belgian Sheepdog are different only from a morphological point of view - and therefore in the breed standard - but experts have also found small differences in character and aptitude that distinguish these dogs depending on the variety.Let's see them together.

•  Malinois – this is the best-known variety of the Belgian shepherd, especially in our country.Agile and active, the Malinois is perfect for dog sports and is characterized by its great sporting attitude and its love for life in the open air.It is therefore perfect for sportsmen, but also for children and young people who make dog training their favorite activity.
• Groenendael – famous for its splendid dark coat and lupine appearance, this variety of the Belgian shepherd is known and widespread throughout the world.Very lively dog ​​– he is nicknamed “the four-legged Houdini” due to his tendency to escape from kennels and shelters - he loves to explore and get to know the area.Perfect watchdog, it is perhaps the most active and in need of movement of the four variants.Pay attention to the fur:it must be brushed and kept clean because the coat is long and easy to get tangled.
• Tervueren – it is the variant of the Belgian shepherd most used in its country of origin for police and territory protection activities.He excels in the search for people missing due to natural events such as avalanches, earthquakes, floods by virtue of his exceptional nose.
• Laekenois – Nowadays this beautiful dog is almost no longer bred and very few specimens exist.However, it has nothing to envy of the other members of the breed.And it's a shame that dog problems have almost caused its disappearance.