Belgian shepherd groenendael

Overall description of the breed

The Groenendael Belgian Shepherd Dog is, as its name suggests, of Belgian origin. The breed was created by a group of passionate breeders led by Professor Reul of the Veterinary School of Cureghen. Their aim was to develop 4 varieties of shepherd dogs in Belgium, including the Groenendael, Tervuerens, Laekenois and Malinois. The first official Belgian Shepherd Club was founded in September 1891 and the first standard was defined and published in 1894.

The Tervuren and the Groenendael are distinguished by their long coat, of a fawn colour, grey for the former and black for the latter, as for the Malinois, its coat is short, fawn and silky. Direct descendant of the sheepdogs present in Belgium. On the other hand, the Laekenois has a medium-long coat with a rough texture, and is the least common of the four. Their morphologies are absolutely identical in every respect, the difference between all these varieties is based solely on the length and texture of the coat. The International Cynological Federation registered it definitively on January 1, 1956, and its current standard was published on March 13, 2001, encompassing the four varieties, the Groenendael, Tervuerens, Laekenois and Malinois.

Officially recognized in 1909, the Groenendael Belgian Shepherd is well proportioned and ideally built for the tasks that have been assigned to it over the course of its evolution, they are hardy dogs, which do not need to spend a lot of money! Lower and less heavy than his cousin the German Shepherd, his head is well shaped, very long, but without exaggeration, it remains proportional to his muzzle, which is fine and chiselled. His eyes are of medium size and always dark in colour. The Belgian Shepherd is a very athletic dog, all muscle, yet he retains an extraordinary suppleness and impressive vigour. Solidly built, their neck and shoulders are stocky, with a firm, compact topline, and their lower legs are thick and particularly energetic, allowing them to be powerful in their movements.

The character of the Groenendael Belgian Shepherd is essentially designed for work, obedience and listening are no longer a secret to him. They are extremely efficient guard dogs, clever, lively, energetic and very courageous. They will not hesitate to defend their territory against all intruders who venture there. They are also very good family dogs and can be gentle and affectionate, especially with children. However, their vigour can sometimes seem brutal with young children, and constant supervision is required during playtime.

They are very loyal to their owners and would not hesitate to give their lives for them in the event of danger. All four varieties of Belgian Shepherds are full of energy, their daily expenditure needs are very high, without intense activity or frequent stimulation, the Groenendael could develop serious behavioural problems or become destructive, even aggressive. Also selected for its calmness, it knows how to keep its self-control if the situation requires it, despite its great vitality, it can also live peacefully in a comfortable home and remain calm if no event comes to disturb its rest.

The Belgian Shepherd is a versatile dog and is particularly valued in a variety of fields such as security, police, military, missing persons, anti-terrorism and anti-drug trafficking. The Belgian Shepherd can bring a lot to a family if it gives him time and attention, if you are looking for a faithful companion, sporty and ready to do anything to please you, the Groenendael will correspond to you in all points, devoted and loyal, he will think of you before thinking of him!

Adult: The Groenendael Belgian Shepherd Dog will weigh 55 to 66 lbs for the male and 44 to 55 lbs for the female, his height at the withers will be between 23.6" and 26" for the males and 22" and 24.4" for the females