Belgium Laekenois Shepherd
Description:
This dog has a square body, is very proud looking, agile, and very smart, as well as well proportioned and elegant. The males are usually around sixty-one to sixty six centimeters in height and the females around fifty-six to sixty one centimeters. The weight of this dog should be in proportion with the size. This dog has a strong looking head that is proportionate with the body. It has medium sized, almond shaped eyes that should not stick or bulge out. The ears should be triangular and straight, not fallen. The neck is rounded and should be long enough to give the dog a proud look when it walks. The wichers is slightly higher and descends towards the back; the superior line should be 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 feet normally have a rounded shape to them as well. The tail on this dog should look strong, not too short, and should not be docked. Its coat should be hard, rough, and should not have any areas of curly hair on it. The length of this dog's hair should be around six centimeters; the eyes should not be covered with hair; and the hair on the muzzle should not give the head a square look to it; the tail shouldn't have any strands of hair on it either. The color of this dog is usually tawny red with black shades, especially around the tail and muzzle.
Ideal owner:
The Belgium Laekenois Shepherd is not the most known of dog. It is a very strong dog, and its character matches its physical strength. This dog can almost be considered the black sheep of all shepherd dogs. The rough coat it has is pretty exceptional for a sheep dog, and it is the only Belgium sheep dog that is not confused with a German shepherd. Just like other Belgium shepherds it is a good vigilante of children, and its deep stare can get even the naughtiest of kids to go to bed on time. This breed has a tendency to "stare" when it is trying to get the sheep into their corrals.
Growth:
A newborn Belgium Laekenois Shepherd weighs around 500 grams and they grow very rapidly weighing around four and a half to six kilograms at eight weeks of age. When it is a puppy it has a soft fur on its body that will gradually become substituted by its rough coat that will develop slowly and will not be fully evident until the dog is around eighteen months of age. This process might take longer in some lineages though, taking up to three years. The color of this dog's coat becomes clearer with age. The ears should stand up at three months of age. At adolescence it might try to impose its authority, therefore it will be necessary to be firm and consistent in its training.
General health:
The four varieties of the Belgium shepherds are very closely related and they share a very similar morphology (with the exception of their coats and the color of these). Make sure to keep a check for hip dysphasia as well as epilepsy. This breed also has a tendency to being sensitive to vaccines and anesthetics, which will need to be tested by the breeder or veterinarian. The wiry coat of this dog despite its aspect requires of very little care. As all Belgium shepherds do, this dog needs a lot of exercise.
