Belgian Shepherd Tervueren
The Belgian shepherd Tervueren takes its name from the Belgian village of Tervueren. This cute dog has not always been very popular. After two seasons in which this breed was on the brink of extinction, Tervueren managed to gain popularity in 1945.
- Although each variety of Belgian Shepherd has a special history.
- The history of Tervueren is part of the history of the whole race.
- The variety derived from the cross between the Belgian Shepherd Groenendael and the Long-haired Colley.
A altura na cernelha para os machos oscila entre os 60 e os 66 centímetros. Para as fêmeas, a altura na cernelha está entre os 56 e os 62 centímetros. O peso dos machos deve estar entre os 25 e os 30 quilos. O das fêmeas deve estar entre os 20 e os 25 quilos.
The triangular and pointed ears are small and tall inserted into a broad, straight and thin head. The dark almond-shaped eyes give the Belgian shepherd Tervueren an expression between arrogant and melancholy. The Tervueren’s powerful teeth are closed in scissors and are arranged in a wider snout at their base than at their end. The snout should never be pointed. The previous ends are straight and parallel to each other. The rear ends are powerful but without giving the impression of being heavy, they have a normal angle.
The hair of this Belgian shepherd is short on the head, the outside of the ears and the underside of the legs (except the back of the forearm that has fringes). The rest of the body is covered with long hairs, but not as much as in other shepherd breeds such as the Bobtail. Long, smooth hair is more abundant on the neck and chest, where they draw a beautiful necklace that gives Tervueren a royalty. The hairs are also very abundant in the tail. The colors accepted for the Belgian shepherd Tervueren are the anthracite tawny and the anthracite grey, always wearing a black mask. Charcoal is the resulting color of hair that has a black end, so the base color darkens a little. The tail is of medium length and with abundant hair, must reach at least to the hock.
Vigilant, active and of great vitality, the Tervueren is an excellent watchdog and protector of his human family. His instincts for protection and territoriality are highly developed, it is necessary to socialize him from an early age. Tervueren has as much energy as any other Belgian shepherd, so he needs a daily job to stay distracted and burn all the energy. Lack of physical and mental exercise can lead to behavioral problems.
Although the Belgian shepherd Tervueren can adapt to apartment living, it needs a lot of exercise. That’s why it’s best to have a garden or a terrace. Whether you live in an apartment or in a house, long daily walks are a must for this dog. In addition to exercising, this dog needs constant company, as it is not a dog to leave in the garden or on the terrace most of the day.
Belgian shepherd Tervueren regularly loses hair all year round. In addition, men lose more hair once a year. Females lose abundant hair twice a year. Regular brushing is necessary to keep Tervueren’s hair in good condition. If you can’t take care of your dog’s fur, it’s essential that you go to the vet or the canine hairdresser.
This dog is easy to train if the right methods are used. Difficult education methods can destroy Tervueren’s character or provoke confrontation. It is preferable to use canine training methods based on cooperation rather than domination.
Belgian shepherd Tervueren needs an experienced owner. If you have the right conditions, this dog can become an excellent guard dog, a great shepherd dog or an excellent pet. It all depends on proper education and training.
Like other varieties of Belgian shepherd, Tervueren is a resistant dog that only presents health problems a few times. However, veterinary care and proper administration of the vaccine is always required, so you should choose a veterinarian with strong knowledge and experience.
It is not very common for this breed to be affected by hip dysplasia, but it is always important to monitor it just to prevent it. What is known in this breed are cases of epilepsy, thyroid discharge and pancreatic problems.