Belgian Ovejero

Under this name the four varieties of an original race of Belgium are included/understood: the Belgian Shepherd of neutral long hair (Groenendael), the Belgian Shepherd of long hair (Tervueren), the Belgian Shepherd of short hair (Malinois) and the Belgian Shepherd of hard hair (Laekenois). The color of the layer and the length of the hair are very similar varieties constituting the main differentiation. The most spread he is the Belgian Shepherd of black long hair and less known the Laekenois.

The origin of this race is considered, by some, similar to the one of the German Shepherd, although during many centuries she was bred in Belgium without no criterion of selection. At the end of century XIX, a group of enthusiastic, directed by professor Reul, tried to put a little order definitively, fixing the four varieties that took the name from the Belgian locality where they were initially bred. The two world wars seriously harmed that group of dogs as much, that in 1920 and 1945 it was precise to begin almost again from zero. The tenacity of the Belgian criadores nevertheless, not only has allowed the survival of its shepherds but that has even affirmed anywhere in the world, to a dog that are finding more and more, a greater acceptance and great successes. At the present time, the Belgian Shepherd is an optimal dog of defense and for the care of the flocks, easy to train and very affectionate.

Views by a profane one, the characteristics of the four varieties can seem substantially different, although in fact is all the opposite: the constitution, the size and many other details are identical for the four. The general aspect of this race is therefore the one of elegant, compact and solid a dog of forms harmonious.

The head of the Belgian Shepherd is extended and lean, with flat and narrow skull; the nasal cane is rectilinear, with recess naso-frontal little marked. The head in addition, is divided in two almost equal parts having the skull and the snout of equal length. The eyes are slightly almendrados and of dark color; the ears, of triangular form, are of high insertion that the dog takes raised forwards. The union of the neck with shoulders moderately is extended, muscular and devoid of papada, while the trunk is gathered and solid with deep thorax with good fall and not very wide. It presents/displays vertical the previous and later extremities good, with quite robust bones and compact feet. With respect to the layer and to the variety of hair, one has long hair for the Groenendael and the Tervueren, short hair for the Malinois, and hard hair for the Laekenois.

Long hair. In this variety the librea appears with long and smooth, more abundant hair on the neck and the chest and, dense and long on the thighs and the tail. The black and shining color characterizes to the Groenendael, while the Tervueren presents/displays a beautiful color leonado with zones charges of coal very marked (ends of the hair, blacks) and accompanied by a mask that must be dark; also it can be of gray or greyish color.

Short hair. In the Malinois the hair is short and uniformly is distributed mainly the body, specially in the later part of the thighs in the tail where he is longer as much, as to form a plume, although it the same does not happen on the snout and the ears where it appears almost smooth. The color is leonado-carbon diamond, with greyish darker mask and.

Hard hair. In the Laekenois the hair appears hard and rough to the tact, with a variable length of 5 cm. to 6 cm, mainly the body, less in the ears where he is shorter and almost smooth. As far as the color, it goes of the leonado one to the leonado-carbon diamond and the greyish one.

The Belgian Shepherd, although every time in smaller scale, is still used to guard the flocks. Nevertheless, their extremely sensible character and its obedience to the master, jointly with a shrewdness and a sensitivity very developed, have progressively moved away it to the man of the animals approaching it more. Its facility for the learning has turned it an excellent dog of defense and guard. By its particular sensitivity, the training is made with gentleness, having eliminated absolutely any form of pressure or abruptness. If one treats, he gives optimal results more to him correctly, competing of equal to equal with his known relatives German. Of the four varieties, those that give better results they are, without doubt, the Groenendael, the Tervueren and the Malinois although perhaps by its greater diffusion, excels first that has been adopted like helping by some departments of the Belgian police. Like all the other dogs of shepherd, also the Belgian has necessities of much space.

Height and weight. The average raised one to the cross is of 62 cm. for the males, 58 cm. for the females. Average weight of 28 to 35 kg.

Head. Wide and lean, skull and snout practically of equal length. The moderately long snout, is sharpened towards the end of the nose. Black Trufa with open nasal graves good. Moderate recess naso-frontal.

Eyes. Of medium size, nonprominent nor sunk, slightly almendrados, of brown color. Black palpebrales cracks.

Ears. Of triangular form, rigid and straight, of high insertion.

Neck. Slightly extended, well muscular and devoid of papada. One is high and mighty gradually towards shoulders.

Previous extremities. Omoplatos long and oblique. Long forearms. Straight, metacarpos carpi short and strong. Feet cleared with curved fingers and closed and heavy and elastic plants well. Heavy and dark nails.

Body. Powerful but nonheavy. Approximately equal length to the raised one to the cross. Front seen chest little wide, short but deep and fallen thorax. Affluent torácica box with bent ribs in the superior part. Accentuated affluent cross. Back and lumbar region forming an air line, wide, very muscular. Belly moderately developed. Grupa slightly inclined, wide but not much.

Later extremities. Wide and very muscular thighs, perpendicular to the ground. Wide, muscular, angular extremities long, although not excessively, in corvejones, robust and musculados, enough next to the ground. Metatarsos solid and short. Feet slightly made oval with well closed curved fingers and. Plantar pads and nails like those of the previous feet.

Tail. Of average, strong length in the base. When the dog is in rest, it hangs inwards with the end at level of corvejón. When this in action raises it of marked the curve towards the end.

Coat. Difference according to the variety.

Varieties

The four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd are only different by the hair. As the crossovers between the different varieties do not affect the purity of the race, it can have subjects with intermediate hair of form, length and colors within estándars of each variety, that are enumerated next.

Of long hair (Groenendael and Tervueren). Long and smooth hair, longer and abundant on the neck and in the chest, where it forms a necklace. Short hair on the head, in the outer part of the ears and inferior part of the extremities with the exception of the forearms that are provided with long hairs in the later edge. Thighs provided with very long and abundant hair to way of ~ trousers. Very long and abundant hair also in the tail, where it forms a plume. The hairs in the base of the ears excel and fit at the top. The entrance to the ear is protected by dense hairs. The varieties of long hair are two: Groenendael, of black hair and uniforms and Tervueren of hair leonado-smoke, often with black mask in the snout.

Of short hair (Malinois). Very short hair in the head, the part outer of the ears and inferior of the extremities, short in the rest of the body. One appears dense in the tail where its aspect is extended around the neck, place in which forms a small necklace that, from the base of the ears, includes all the throat. Around the thighs there is a plume of longer hairs. The color of the Malinois is leonado smoke, frequently with black mask in the snout.

Of hard hair (Laekenois). Rough, dry and excited hair. It has the same length mainly (approximately 5 cm.) the body. The color is leonado, with zones more frequent charges of coal on the snout and in the tail. Between the requirements demanded for the Laekenois in the canine exhibitions, the one of an adornment of hairs is on the snout, nevertheless, does not have to be very long. The tail in addition, does not have to form plume.

FEEDING. The necessities of the Belgian Shepherd, in ration of maintenance are of 1600 kcal. daily. This amount tends to increase up to 2300 kcal. in those units that develop intense a physical activity. Provided with abundant hair and woolly subhair, the Belgian Shepherd is particularly resistant to the atmospheric elements. Nonexcessive a mineral-vitaminic complex, mainly in the first months of life, must consider a constant in the diet of this race.

DAILY CARES. For the units of long hair, it is necessary to use daily the brush to clean it thorough of the cellular remainders, the fallen hairs, vegetal pieces, dust, etc., which at the same time allows a visual control on the possible presence of garrapatas parasites such as, acaruses, fleas, etc. In the units of long hair, the presence of hairs in the entrance of the auditory meato, constitutes a natural barrier to possible infections of the internal structure of the ear but nevertheless, this it is not a reason so that the proprietor neglects the cleaning of this part that must make with a piece of cotton dampened with drops of oil of almonds (also it is possible to be used alcohol and water in equal parts). For the units of short hair, the daily cleaning is naturally brief although not for that reason more superficial and less constant. Finally, for the units of hard hair, the cleaning of the mantle must be made with a bristle brush.

WITH THE VETERINARIAN. Like in other dogs provided with abundant subhair, also it is frequents in the Belgian Shepherd eczema humid that appears with a cutaneous injury purulenta, painful, sometimes hemorrágica

 

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