The Belgian Sheepdog is an intelligent and loyal companionwho requires time, training and socialization and an outlet forhis boundless energy. Due to his size, intelligence, vibrant per-sonality and elegant beauty, owning a Belgian Sheepdog is aresponsibility not to be taken lightly. When you invest time intraining and socialization, your dog will develop into a well-adjusted adult that you will be proud to be seen with in public.To help you provide the best care for your Belgian Sheepdog,we encourage you to participate in the Belgian Sheepdog Clubof America, regional special interest clubs, Internet chat lists,and a course in basic obedience.

OriginsAs stated in the Belgian Sheepdog standard, the Belgian

Sheepdog is known as the Groenendael, or Chien de BergerBelge, in most parts of the world. Its origin can be traced to thelate 1800s when it was listed among the many other shepherdsas a Chien de Berger de Races Continentales, which alsoincluded German Shepherds, Hollander Herders, Beaucerons,Bouvier des Flandres and Briards.

In Belgium, efforts were made to determine if there was a trueshepherd dog representative only of Belgium. In November of1891, under the direction of veterinarian professor AdolpheReul, a gathering was held on the outskirts of Brussels to exam-ine the shepherd dogs of that area. From this gathering it wasconcluded that for this Brabant Provence there was a consistenttype of sheepdog that differed only in color, hair texture, andhair length. These dogs were then called Belgian ShepherdDogs. The coat textures, coat lengths and the coat colors deter-mined the variety designations. The long-coated red or gray withblack mask was designated the Tervuren. The short-coated red orgray with dark mask was designated the Malinois. The long-coated black Groenendael was designated as the BelgianSheepdog and the wire-coated red or gray was designated theLaekenois. In 1959 the American Kennel Club determined thedifferent varieties to be separate breeds.

Throughout their history, Belgian Sheepdogs have earnedtheir reputation as truly well-rounded dogs, and to this day they

continue to captivate us. Their elegance of carriage, strikingblack silhouette, and balanced movement are a pleasure tobehold. Their talents in obedience, tracking, herding, agility, flyball, ringsport and as sled dogs have kept even the mostactivity-minded people satisfied. Their skills in police work,Red Cross, search and rescue, and as assistance and therapydogs have proven very valuable to society. However, these dogshave found their greatest value in the hearts of their owners asdevoted companions willing to give their all to those they love.

TemperamentBelgian Sheepdogs are sensitive, intelligent, high-energy

dogs. They are easily trained as long as training is done withgentle handling and without severe physical correction. MostBelgian Sheepdogs are energetic dogs and require vigorousdaily exercise to keep them healthy and happy. Running andplaying with another dog, retrieving a ball, swimming or partici-pating in other activities are some ways your dog can get theexercise he needs. If adequate exercise is not provided on adaily basis, your dog may bark or become destructive out offrustration and boredom.

Belgian Sheepdogs are healthy and long-lived dogs and areexcellent companions. They are tolerant of respectful children.Due to their herding and working history, they are intuitivelyprotective of their people. They are dogs that thrive on humancompanionship. They have an intense need to be near their own-ers, following them from room to room when indoors andwatching them closely at all times. Because of this trait, yourBelgian Sheepdog will be happiest when kept in the house as amember of your family. Dogs kept in kennels or outdoors infenced yards need a significant amount of “people time” eachday in order to remain emotionally healthy. Isolation fromhumans will quickly ruin a Belgian Sheepdog’s personality andgeneral outlook.

Care and Grooming Belgian Sheepdogs require a proper diet of quality food and

regular medical care with required vaccinations for protectionagainst diseases. Heartworm medication is highly recommendedif you live in a heartworm area. A healthy Belgian Sheepdogcoat sheds dirt and does not require a great deal of maintenance.Weekly brushing down to the skin with a pin brush will elimi-nate mats and tangles and remove dander and dust. A slickerbrush and undercoat rake will help remove undercoat during theshedding season.

Weekly toenail trimming and teeth cleaning should also bepart of your dog’s grooming routine. Owners who have takenproper care of their dogs are usually rewarded with theirBelgians Sheepdogs living long active lives. A BelgianSheepdog living to 14 years of age is not unheard of.

Be a Responsible Pet OwnerAs a dog owner, your responsibility includes ensuring that

your dog has a securely fenced area in which to exercise andleashing him when exercising in public places. When your

On Your New Belgian Sheepdog!(Groenendael)

© January 2008, BSCA

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The Belgian Sheepdog Club of America

Sheepdog Club ofAmerica urges youto NEVER takeyour dog to an animal shelter. You should firstcontact the breederof your dog. This is one of the rea-sons that responsi-ble breeders wantto stay in touchwith their puppybuyers. If that isnot successful oryou cannot locatethe breeder, thencontact the BreedRescue. Sometimesthe local shelterknows who the Breed Rescue contact person is in their area. If they do not, then please contact the Belgian Sheepdog Club of America either through their club Web site athttp://www.bsca.info or through the American Kennel Club Web site at http://www.AKC.org.

ContactsThe Belgian Sheepdog Club of AmericaAttn: Corresponding Secretaryhttp://www.bsca.info

The American Kennel Clubhttp://www.AKC.org

Recommended ReadingThe Belgian Sheepdog NewsletterContact the Belgian Sheepdog Club of America

Belgians: From Start to FinishedComstock, Alpine Blue Ribbon Books

How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With Rutherford and Neil, Alpine Blue Ribbon Books

Mother Knows BestBenjamin, Howell Books

Health Testing, Information and CertificationsCurrently Available for Belgian Sheepdogs

From the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) http://www.offa.orgHip DysplasiaElbow DysplasiaThyroid FunctionSlipped Stifles and HocksHeart Deformities

The Canine Eye Registration Foundation(CERF)http://www.vmdb.org/cerf.htmlEye Defects

The University of California—DavisDNA “Carrier” Testing for Epilepsy

The Canine Health Foundation http://www.akcchf.orgCanine Health Research and Reference Site

Belgian Sheepdog is not being supervised, he should be con-fined to your home or a fenced area. Your dog should neverbe allowed to run free or roam as he could be injured or killedor cause damage to property. You should never keep a dogtied or chained because of the high risk of injury to the dog.

The Belgian Sheepdog Club of America and its affiliateregional clubs strongly recommend that you spay or neuter yourBelgian Sheepdog. Most responsible breeders require this byselling their companion animals with spay/neuter contracts.There are several important reasons for this recommendation:

1. Neutered and spayed animals are normally healthier andusually live longer than unaltered animals.

2. Spaying a female before her first season greatly reducesthe risk of mammary tumors later in life and the dangerof life-threatening uterine infections.

3. Neutering a male removes the possibility of testicular can-cer and lowers the risk of prostate problems. A neuteredmale will generally be more tolerant of other male dogs.

4. Altering your dog WILL NOT change the basic disposi-tion of your Belgian Sheepdog. The American KennelClub permits dogs that have been spayed and neutered toparticipate in all phases of companion events.

Health ConcernsBelgian Sheepdogs are generally a healthy breed but, like

all living things, can be susceptible to disease and affected byhereditary issues. Every breed has health concerns that owners(both new and experienced) need to be aware of in order tomake the best decisions about ownership.

In this breed, some problems that are seen are cancer, epilepsy,hip and elbow dysplaysia, PRA and cataracts. Hypothyroidismand retained testicles issues are seen as well. Each of these healthissues are commonly found across all pedigree lines.

A breeder that subscribes to the Belgian Sheepdog Club ofAmerica Code of Ethics will try to reduce the likelihood thatthese health issues will occur in the dogs that they produce bycompleting health clearances on their breeding dogs. But mostof these health issues are polygenetic and come from morethan one gene pair. These traits are more complex than thetypical dominant or recessive genetic trait and therefore, muchmore difficult to identify in breeding stock unless the dog issymptomatically affected.

Another point to consider is that the health concerns high-lighted here are very rarely unmanageable—or result in thedeath of a pet. Many times, the health concerns referenced aremuch more of an inconvenience to the owners than they are tothe dogs—which learn to compensate quickly.

ConclusionIf the day should come when you can no longer keep your

Belgian Sheepdog (for whatever reason: divorce, moving, deathin the family, personal health crisis, etc.) the Belgian