Belgian Shepherd Tervueren

The Belgian tervueren shepherd owes its name to the Belgian village of Tervueren . It should be noted that this breed of dog was not always very popular. In fact, after two periods in which the population of this variety was on the verge of disappearing, the tervueren managed to gain popularity in 1945. Although each variety of Belgian Shepherd has a particular history, the history of the tervueren is part of the history of the whole. the breed, being the variety resulting from the crossing between the Belgian Groenendael shepherd and the long-haired collie .

The height at the withers for males ranges between 60 and 66 centimeters. For females, the height range at the withers is between 56 and 62 centimeters. The weight of the males should be between 25 and 30 kilograms. The weight of females should be between 20 and 25 kilograms.

Let’s see what the other characteristics of the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren are :

• The ears are triangular and pointed : they are small and set high on a long, straight and thin head.
• The eyes are dark and almond-shaped : they give the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren an expression between haughty and melancholic .
• The powerful teeth of the tervueren close in scissors : they are arranged in a snout that is wider at its base than at its end.
• The snout is never pointed.
• The front limbs are straight : parallel to each other.
• The hind limbs are powerful , but without giving the appearance of being heavy. They have normal angulation.
• The hair of this Belgian Shepherd is diverse : it is short on the head, the outside of the ears and the lower part of the legs (except for the back side of the forearm, which has fringes). The rest of the body is covered by long hair, although not as long as in other shepherd breeds such as the bobtail.
• The tervueren’s hair is straight and long : it is most abundant on the neck and the chest, where it forms a beautiful collar that gives the tervueren an air of royalty. The hair is also very abundant on the tail where it forms a pompadour.

Belgian Shepherd Tervueren Colors

The accepted colors for the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren are carbon red and carbon gray , always with a black mask. Carbonado is the color resulting from hairs that have a black end, so the base color darkens a little. The tail of medium length and abundant hair should reach at least to the hock.

Vigilant, active and of great vitality , the tervueren is an excellent guard dog and protector of its own. As his protection and territorial instincts are highly developed, it is necessary to socialize him as a puppy . The Tervueren has as much energy as any other Belgian Shepherd, so he needs some daily occupation to keep himself distracted and burn off all the excess energy. Some exercise options for the tervueren dog are Agility , flyball or tracking. It should be noted that a lack of physical and mental exercise can cause behavioral problems.

Even so, the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren is a great dog companion, with a faithful and affectionate character who will be able to create great bonds with his guardian and his family. As we have pointed out, socialization is very important in the tervueren dog, so its character may be accentuated or softened depending on whether it has been done better or worse. Finally, the Tervueren shepherd is not recommended as a first dog due to the possible inexperience of the canine guardians to control his great activity.

Like other dogs, the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren needs specific care due to its large size and activity. Let’s see what these tervueren care are:

• Diet : Being a large breed of dog, the Belgian Tervueren requires a great balance between the vitamins, minerals and nutrients it needs but without overdoing it, as it can be bad for its health.
• Exercise : Although the Belgian Tervueren can adapt to apartment living, he needs a lot of exercise . Therefore, it is better if he has a garden or a patio. Whether he lives in an apartment or a house, daily walks are essential for this dog. They must be long walks. In addition to exercise, this dog needs constant company. He is not a dog to leave in the garden or yard most of the day.
• Grooming : The Belgian Tervueren sheds hair regularly throughout the year. Additionally, males lose more hair once a year. Females lose hair profusely twice a year. Regular brushing is necessary to keep the tervueren’s coat in good condition. A visit to the dog groomer can be useful if the owner does not have knowledge on the subject.

Now that you know what the characteristics and colors of the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren are, in addition to its specific care, let’s see what we have to do to educate it.

This dog is easy to train if the proper methods are used, although, as we have noted, it is not recommended for beginner trainers. Harsh methods can destroy the tervueren’s character, or lead to confrontation. It is preferable to use dog training methods that are based on cooperation and not dominance.

It should be noted that it is not until he is 3 years old that he acquires complete mental maturity, so you have to be patient and be delicate with him. The first few days it is better to let them play but at the same time they also have to learn the basic commands. The Belgian Shepherd Tervueren needs a tutor who knows about dogs. Given the right conditions, this dog can become an excellent guard dog , a great herding dog, or a wonderful pet. It all depends on correct upbringing and education.

Like the other varieties of Belgian Shepherd, the Tervueren is a hardy dog ​​that rarely has health problems. However, veterinary care and correct administration of vaccines are always necessary, so a veterinarian with solid knowledge and experience should be chosen.

It is not very common for this breed to be affected by the condition of hip dysplasia but even so, we have to keep an eye on it just in case. What is known in this breed are cases of epilepsy, thyroid secretion and pancreatic problems.

After having reviewed what the characteristics of the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren are, you probably want him to be part of your life. Either because of their character or because you are passionate about dogs. As we have mentioned throughout the sheet, this breed of dog can be complicated for beginner guardians, something that must be taken into account since, otherwise, we will not be able to give them the best care due to inexperience.

Due to its popularity, you can try searching at a breed club or an animal shelter to see if there is any specimen that has similar characteristics or is of the Belgian Tervueren breed. Even so, remember that physical traits are not the most important thing when adopting a dog, but rather you have to think about giving it the best care and life.