Belgium Groenendael Shepherd
Description:
This dog has a square body and a noble, agile, intelligent and strong look to it. This dog is well proportionate and very elegant. The male's height is around sixty to sixty-six centimeters and females are around fifty-six to sixty centimeters. The head of this dog is very strong and should be in proportion with the body. It has medium sized eyes which are almond shaped, make sure though that they stick or bulge out. The ears should look triangular and erect, not fallen. The neck is rounded and sufficiently long to allow it to have a proud demeanor to its head. The wichers is slightly higher than the back and descends towards the back; the superior line is leveled and straight; the chest should look long but not wide. The abdomen should not retract nor should it look like it is hanging down. The hindquarters have a medium length and descend. The front legs are strong and should be parallel; the hind legs should also be parallel, have good substance, and the bones should have an oval shape rather than round. The coat of this dog should be straight and abundant, it should not be silky or wiry; the texture of it should be somewhat rough though. The undercoat is very dense and varies depending on the climate. The color of this dog is always black.
Ideal owner:
This dog has become pretty popular as a companion dog, and is often times confused for a completely black German shepherd. All of the varieties of Belgium shepherds are outstanding when it comes to field work, including obedience, shepherding, Agility, sledding, search and rescue, as cop dogs, and detecting fires etc. this breed is very fascinating, love children, and highly enjoys playing outdoors. Inside the house it is very well educated, but it is too active to live in an apartment.
Growth:
This dog weighs anywhere from six to seven kilograms at eight weeks of age. It does not reach full maturity until the age of four years, although females mature before the males do. The breeders of these dogs have been in general ethical and responsible, which has lead to a very healthy breed. Despite this very good factor, it is still necessary for the future owner to get to know this standard and look for a healthy puppy. This dog is famous because of its loyalty and intelligence. As a puppy it might be very distrustful by nature, but it should not act shy or aggressive. During adolescence this dog's coat will change from its soft puppy hair to its thick adult coat. This dog needs a lot of exercise during its adolescence and it needs to spend a lot of time with its human family. Training should begin at a young age. Teething can be a rough change for this dog, so make sure to provide it with plenty of adequate teething toys to alleviate it.
General health:
This breed has had problems with hip dysphasia however it is not as generalized as it is in other big work dog breeds. Cases of epilepsy have also been seen and this can be seen through and EEG at a young age, however this problem is not frequent. This breed also has a tendency to being sensitive to vaccines and anesthetics, which will need to be tested by the breeder or veterinarian. During shedding season it is normal for this dog to lose a lot of hair, and it has a tendency to get dermatitis during this time. Training and a lot of exercise are vital. The life span of this dog is over ten years.
