Introduction
Belonging to the family of Belgium Sheepdogs, Belgian Tervuren breed dogs originated in Belgium. Most of the kennel clubs consider all the four types of Belgium Sheepdogs as the same breed with different varieties of hair coats. Apart from Belgium Tervuren, the other three varieties of Belgium Sheepdogs are Belgian Malinois, Belgian Groenendael and Belgian Laekenois.
These dogs are good at a number of tasks like tracking, agility, herding, search and rescue, sled and cart pulling, police work, narcotics and bomb detection and a variety of other tasks. The breed’s name is derived from the Belgian village of Tervuren.
Physical Appearance
The strong and agile Belgian Tervuren dog breed is medium in size and well muscled and square in build. The expression is somewhat intelligent, alert and inquisitive. There is a mane of hair around the neck that is more prominent in males than females.
The slightly almond shaped eyes are medium in size and dark brown in color. According to breed standards, light, yellow or round shaped eyes are considered faulty. The erect and high set ears are triangular in shape. The tail has long and abundant hair.
Color: Belgian Tervuren color is rich fawn to mahogany with black overlay and black mask.
Height: These dogs are generally 24 to 26 inches in height. Female Belgian Tervurens are usually 22 to 24 inches in height.
Weight: The average weight of Belgian Tervuren breed dogs is generally 65 to 75 pounds. The bitches are also 60 to 70 pounds in weight.
Health Problems
These dogs are relatively healthy and are not prone to any major health issues. Still, they are susceptible to epilepsy, hypothyroidism, eye problems, skin allergies and other common dog diseases. Occasionally, some dogs may be prone to problems like Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia.
Life Expectancy: Belgian Tervuren dogs usually live up to 12 to 14 years.
Litter Size: The average Belgian Tervuren litter size is generally about 6 to 10 puppies.
Grooming Requirements
The thick, long and straight double coat of a Belgian Tervuren requires brushing and combing at least once or twice in a week to remove burrs and loose hair. The texture of the constant light shedding hair coat is neither too silky nor too wiry. Daily brushing would be required during the shedding seasons.
The coat sheds heavily once in a year in case of lames and twice in a year in case of females. Belgian Tervuren grooming consists of trimming the hair between paw pads, outer ears, trimming the toenails, cleaning the eyes and ears etc. These dogs can be bathed once in a month’s time with the help of a mild shampoo.
Temperament
Belgian Tervuren temperament is obedient, brave, protective, devoted, energetic and highly intelligent. These dogs can be aloof with strangers. Belgian Tervuren dogs do well with confident and experienced dog owners that are neither too gullible nor too harsh.
These loyal and alert dogs serve as excellent guard dogs. Belgian Tervuren puppies should be trained and socialized right from the beginning to avoid overly shy or aggressive behavior.
When properly socialized, these dogs can be friendly with children. They do well with other pets in the house when properly introduced, or else they are likely to dominate other pets, especially dogs.
Key Points
These active herding dogs tend to exhibit problem behaviors in the absence of adequate physical and mental stimulation. Therefore, they need strenuous physical activity on a regular basis. Belgian Tervuren should be taken for long daily walks and given opportunity to run and play in a securely fenced large sized yard.
They are moderately active indoors and do well in apartment situation when adequately exercised. Though these dogs can adapt well in most of the climates, they usually prefer the cooler ones.
They are capable of staying outdoors for long but need human companionship as well. However, do not pamper your beloved Belgian Tervuren excessively by over feeding the dog as it may lead to obesity.
