History
In Belgium, at the end of the 1800s, there were a great many herding dogs, whose type was varied and whose coats were extremely dissimilar. In order to rationalise this state of affairs, some enthusiastic dog fanciers formed a group and sought guidance from Prof. A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School, whom one must consider to have been the real pioneer and founder of the breed.
The breed was officially born between 1891 and 1897. On September 29th, 1891, the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club (Club du Chien de Berger Belge) was founded in Brussels and in the same year on November 15th in Cureghem, Professor A.Reul organised a gathering of 117 dogs, which allowed him to carry out a return and choose the best specimens. In the following years they began a real programme of selection, carrying out some very close interbreeding involving a few stud dogs.
By April 3rd, 1892, a first detailed breed standard had already been drawn up by the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club. One single breed was allowed, with three coat varieties. However, as was said at the time, the Belgian Shepherd only belonged to ordinary people and therefore the breed still lacked status. As a result, it wasn’t until 1901 that the first Belgian Shepherds were registered with the Royal Saint-Hubert Society Stud Book (L.O.S.H.).
During the following years, the prime movers among the Belgian Shepherd enthusiasts set to work with great determination to unify the type and correct the faults. It can be said that by 1910 the type and temperament of the Belgian Shepherd had been established.
During the history of the Belgian Shepherd, the question of differing but acceptable varieties and colours had led to many heated discussions. On the other hand, anything involving morphology, temperament and suitability for work has never caused any disagreement.
There are four distinct varieties of Belgian Shepherd, each named after the town in Belgium where the variety originated.
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Groenendael: Black or black with limited white on chest and tips of toes. Long straight abundant coat
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Tervueren: All shades of red, fawn or grey with black mask and overlay. Long straight abundant coat.
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Malinois: All shades of red, fawn or grey with black mask and overlay. Short coat of firm texture, thicker around the neck and tail.
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Laekenois: Reddish fawn with black shading. Harsh, wiry coat with furnishings of hair on the head.
General Appearance:
Characteristics: The Belgian Shepherd is a medium sized dog, originally bred for herding and guarding the flocks in Belgium. Today it is a breed noted especially for its intelligence, beauty and versatility. With its four distinct varieties with three different coat types and three coat colours, this national breed of Belgium is unique in the canine world.
The Belgian Shepherd is a square, elegant dog with fine proportion and proud carriage of head, giving an impression of graceful strength. With high set triangular ears and a dark slightly almond shaped eye, the Belgian Shepherd has a lively enquiring expression. The movement is brisk and agile befitting a dog oririnally bred to herd sheep.
Temperament: Charactistically Belgian Shepherds are loyal, social, affectionate dogs, who quickly become attached to members of the family. Like all large breeds they benefit from a lot of socialisation as puppies and from basic obedience training. They are naturally wary of strangers but should never be timid, nervous or attressive.
Apptitude: The Belgian Shepherd has proved to be an all-round dog enjoying great success in Agility, Obedience, Fly-Ball and of course the Show Ring. In many countries in Continental Europe and in North America the breed is highly respected for its working ability and Belgian Shepherds are widely used as police dogs, search and rescue dogs and sniffer dogs.
The Belgian Shepherd is also, of course, a natural herding dog. Last, but not least, with his sociable nature, the Belgian Shepherd Dog makes a wonderful companion.
HISTORY * BREED STANDARD * GROOMING * HEALTH
Breed Standard
Extracts reproduced with kind permission of Dr. Robert Pollet, Author BELGIAN SHEPHERD (Interpet Publishing)
Every owner of a Belgian Shepherd Dog asks himself the question one day: “What does the perfect Belgian Shepherd Dog look like?” or “What is the value of my dog as a representative of its breed?” To find the right answer, it should be enough to read the breed standard and thereby determine how well your dog measures up. A breed standard is used by the governing Kennel Clubs to describe the ideal or ‘model dog’ of each recognised breed. Show dogs are judged against this standard which describes the ideal physical and temperamental characteristics of the perfect specimen.
Many of those interested in the Belgian Shepherd Dog are inclined to think that the Belgian Shepherd Dog and German Shepherd Dog are very similar. Even today, in articles and books on shepherd dogs, we can read that the Belgian Shepherd Dog is smaller in size, which is false, and weighs less, which is true That it’s shape would be ‘rather similar’ to that of the German Shepherd is a completely false statement, since the type and the silhouette of these two breeds are completely different.
The Kennel Club (UK) Standard for the Belgian Shepherd
When comparing the English Kennel Club breed standard (previously adopted by the Irish Kennel Club) to the offical standard on the Continent, (the FCI standard) (more recently adopted by the Irish Kennel Club), no significant differences can be seen, except the description of the colour of the Tervueren and Malinois. According to the Kennel Club standard, grey is a fully accepted colour in the Tervueren and the Malinois. The FCI standard however states that (1) in the Tervueren the fawn colour with black overlay and black mask (black muzzle) is the preferred one; (2) in the Malinois only the fawn colour with black overlay and black is acceptable; and (3) in both the Tervueren and Malinois grey is not desirable. The Groenendael is only solid black and the Laekenois only fawn with traces of black overlay.
General Appearance: Medium-sized dog, well proportioned, intelligent, attentive, hardy and alert.
Characteristics: With fine proportions and proud carriage of head, conveying an impression of graceful strength. Not only a sheep dog but a guard dog.
Temperament: Wary, neither timid, nervous nor aggressive.
Head and Skull: Head finely chiselled, long but not excessively so. Skull and muzzle roughly equal in length, with at most a slight bias in favour of the muzzle, giving impression of a balanced whole. Skull of medium width in proportion to length of head, forehead flat, centre line not very pronounced; in profile parallel to imaginary line extending muzzle line. Muzzle of medium length tapering gradually to nose. Nose black, well-flared nostrils. Moderate stop. Arches above eyes not prominent, muzzle finely chiselled under eyes. Cheeks spare, quite flat but well muscled.
Eyes: Medium size, neither protuding nor sunken, slightly almond-shaped, preferably dark brown; black rimmed eyelids. Direct, lively and enquiring look.
Ears: Distinctly triangular appearance, stiff and erect, set high, moderate length with external ear well rounded at base.
Mouth: Wide, lips thin-textured, very firm, strongly pigmented. Strong white teeth firmly set in well developed jaws. Scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Pincer bite tolerated.
Neck: Very supple. Neck slightly elongated, well muscled and without dewlap, broadening slightly towards shoulders. Nape very slightly arched.
Angulations ‘normal’ and very good for a Belgian Shepherd
Forequarters: Withers distinct, strongly boned throughout with wiry, powerful muscle structure. Shoulder blades long and oblique, firmly attached, flat, forming such angle with humerous as to enable elbows to work easily. Forelegs long, well muscled, parallel. Pasterns strong and short. Carpus clearly defined. Dewclaws permissible. 
The Belgian Shepherd is a ‘square’dog; its body fits into a square
Body: Body powerful but elegant. In males, length from point of shoulders to point of buttocks approximately equal to height at withers. In females slightly longer permissible. Chest deep and well let down. Ribs moderately well sprung. Upper line of body straight, broad and powerfully muscled. Belly moderately developed neither drooping nor unduly cut up continuing lower line of chest in a graceful curve. Rump very slightly sloping, broad but nor excessively so. Skin springy but quite taut over whole body. All external mucous membranes highly pigmented. 
Angulations rather ‘moderate’, even for a Belgian Shepherd
Hindquarters: Well muscled powerful. Good but not excessive angulation; hocks well let down. Viewed from behind, legs parallel. Dewclaws to be removed.Feet: Toes arched, very close together; soles thick and springy with large dark claws. Forefeet round. Hindfeet slightly oval.
Tail: Firmly set, strong at base, of medium length. When at rest, hangs down, with tip slightly bent backwards at level of hock; when moving it should lift accentuating curve towards tip, never curled, nor bent to one side. Tip may be carried slightly higher than topline.
Gait/Movement: Brisk, free and even.
Coat: There are three distinctive coat types:
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Groenendael/Tervueren: Outer coat long, straight and abundant. Texture of medium harshness. Not silky or wiry. Undercoat extremely dense. Hair shorter on head, outside of ears and lower part of legs. Opening of ear protected by hair. Hair especially long and abundant, rufflike around neck, particularly in males. Fringe of long hair down back of forelegs, long and abundant hair evident on hindquarters and tail. Males longer coated than females.
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Laekenois: Harsh, wiry, dry and not curly. Any sprinkling of fluffy fine hair in locks in rough coats is undesireable. Length of coat about 6cms (2.5 ins) on all parts of body. Hair around eyes but not to obscure them. Muzzle hair not so long as to make head appear square or heavy. Tail not plumed.
Malinois: Hair very short on head, exterior of ears and lower parts of legs. Short on rest of body, thicker on tail and around neck where it resembles a ridge or collar, beginning at base of ear and extending to throat. Hindquarters fringed with longer hair. Tail thick and bushy. Coat thick, close of good firm texture with woolly undercoat, neither silky nor wiry.
NO VARIETION IN THESE TYPES IS ACCEPTABLE.
Colour
Groenendael: Black or black with limited white as follows; small to moderate patch or strip on chest, between pads of feet and on tips of hind toes. Frosting (white or grey) on muzzle.
Laekenois: Reddish fawn with black shading, principally in muzzle and tail.
Tervueren/Malinois: All shades of red, fawn, grey with black overlay. Coat characteristically double pigmented, wherein tip of each light coloured hair is blacked. On mature males this blackening especially pronounced on shoulders, back and rib sections. Black mask on face, not extended above line of eyes and ears mostly black. Tail should have a darker or black tip. Small to moderate white patch or strip permitted on chest, between pads of feet and on tips of hind toes. Frosting (white or grey) on muzzle. Beyond age of 18 months a washed out colour or colour too black undesirable.
NO VARIETION ON THESE COLOURS BY COAT TYPE IS ACCEPTABLE.
Size: Ideal height: dogs 61—66 cms (24—26 ins); bitches 56—61 cms (22—24 ins). Weight in proportion to size.
Faults: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Note: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
HISTORY * BREED STANDARD * GROOMING * HEALTH
Grooming
Belgians do not require hours of grooming to keep their coat in top condition. The adult coat is made up of two types—the fluffy, downy undercoat which provides insulation and the longer topcoat, which is waterproof. To keep the coat under control and free from mats and tangles your dog should be thoroughly brushed at least once a week. A spray bottle of water applied to the coat during this brushing will keep down on the amount of dirt and dust that may accumulate in his coat. During shedding it may be necessary to brush daily.
Pin Brush Slicker Brush
Comb Thinning Scissors
Nail Clippers
No expensive grooming equipment is required for Belgian coat care. The basic grooming kit needs to consist of no more than a slicker brush, a metal comb and thinning scissors. Pin brushes come in many variations but the ones with metal ‘bobbles’ on the end of the pin tend to rip out too much undercoat. If possible, try out several types of brushes to see which suits your dog best. Dog combs are essential for teasing out the feathering on the dog’s front legs, and the combs with two types of teeth, one being coarser than the other, tend to work the best.
Start with your dog relaxed on the floor beside you, and wait until he is tired and content. A tired puppy is less likely to fight against you, and it is almost impossible to groom a hyperactive puppy that wants to chew all the equipment, including you!.
Grooming Procedure (Groenendael & Tervueren)
Brush coat thoroughly in sections down to the skin, paying particular attention to the soft hair behind the ears and the heavy feathering of the tail, breeches and mane (males) When the dog is shedding the slicker brush can be used to remove all the dense, soft undercoat. Coat should be brushed forward and away from the body from approx. mid-rib cage. Hair should be brushed down from that point back.
With a thinning shears remove any hair around the paws that touches the ground or grows out between the toes. This gives a neat natural look. Trim excess feathers on hocks with thinning shears.
Keep the ears clean using cotton moistened with a standard ear cleaner, not too wet. Do not put your fingers in deeper than you can see down. Wipe dry with another cotton ball.
Nails should be cut regularly to prevent splitting.
HISTORY * BREED STANDARD * GROOMING * HEALTH
Health
Extracts reproduced with kind permission of Dr. Robert Pollet, Author BELGIAN SHEPHERD
(Interpet Publishing)The Belgian Shepherd is generally a healthy dog. He requires no special care and has a low incidence of medical problems. He is likely, when properly cared for, to go through life never needing the services of a vet apart from routine visits. It is most likely that your Belgian Shepherd will never suffer from any of the following hereditary defects.
Although some common hereditary diseases indeed do occur in the Belgian Shepherd, they certainly do not endanger the breed as a whole. Some of these hereditary disorders are briefly described:
Hip Dysplasia—
HD is a fairly common condition found in purebred dogs. When a dog has hip dysplasia, it’s hind leg has an incorrectly formed hip joint. By constant use of the hip joint, it becomes more and more loose, wears abnormally and may eventuallybecome arthritic.HD can only be confirmed with an x-ray, but certain symptoms may indicate a problem. Your dog may have a HD problem if it walks in a peculiar manner, hops instead of smoothly runs, uses his hind legs in unison (to keep the pressure off the weak joint), has trouble getting up from a prone position or always sits with both legs together on one side of it’s body. As the dog matures, it may adapt well to life with a bad hip, but in a few years the arthritis develops and many dogs with HD become crippled. HD can be diagnosed definitively when the dog is two years old. The usual treatments are surgical. The removal of the pectineus muscle, the removal of the round part of the femur, reconstructing the pelvis and replacing the hip with an artificial one are all surgical interventions that are expensive but they are usually very successful. Follow the advice of your veterinary surgeon.
Left: Normal Hips. Note that the photo image is clear and the structures shown are distinct. The projection of the pelvis, the spine, the tail and the legs is straight with one side of the anatomy being a mirror image of the other.
HD is considered an inherited disease, but nutritional and environmental factors can also play a part. Breeders and owners should avoid overfeeding their puppies and, similarly, excessive exercise for puppies is not advisable. HD occurs primarily in larger breeds and is less common in smaller breeds. The percentage of Belgian Shepherds being free from HD is rather high. The fact that it is less common in Belgian Shepherds than in most other Pastoral and Working breeds is mostly attributable to the not-too-pronounced angulation in the hindlegs and the elegant structure and light weight of the breed with respect to size.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) & Cataracts—
Several cases of PRA, known as “night blindness”, have been found in Belgian Shepherds in some countries. PRA is a degenerative condition involving the retina (the light sensitive membrane at the back of the eyeball). Night blindness is an early clinical sign, leading to a progressive loss of vision and eventual blindness. Elimination of the disease is only possible by avoiding affected animals in breeding programmes. The problem, however, is that it usually becomes apparent only in older dogs, which makes it difficult to eradicate. Cataracts, both juvenile and adult, have also been experienced in some lines. Cataracts can be defined as an inherited tendency to opacity of the eye lens, which can progress to blindness. Fortunately more and more breeders are checking and certifying breeding stock for all eye problemsEpilepsy—
can be an inherited disease in which there are spasmodic fits. It has become fairly widespread in the long-haired Belgian Shepherd varieties. The mode of inheritance is complex. Treatment with oral anti-epileptic drugs is possible. Epilepsy in the Belgian Shepherd is now an acknowledged serious problem, though many breeders in the past were reluctant to discuss it. At the moment, in some countries, research projects have been started to examine heritability and to survey how widespread the problem is.USEFUL LINKS
HISTORY * BREED STANDARD * GROOMING * HEALTH