About the Breed

Malinois Short haired fawn color   Laekenois Wire haired fawn color   Tervuren Long haired fawn color Groenendael Long haired and black

Belgian Shepherd Dog FCI Standard No 15 Dated 16/10/89 Adopted in Australia 1/1/94 Amended May 2004 Translated by Mrs. Jeans-Brown Revised by Dr R Pollet Country of Origin: Belgium

UTILISATION: Originally a sheep dog, today a working dog (guarding, defence, tracking etc) and an all-purpose service dog, as well as family dog. BRIEF HISTORICAL SUMMARY: In Belgium, at the end of the 1800’s there were a great many herding dogs, whose type was varied and whose coats were extremely dissimilar. In order to rationalize this state of affairs, some enthusiastic dog fanciers formed a group and sought guidance from Prof A Reul of the Cureghen Veterinary Medial School, whom one must consider to have been the real pioneer and founder of the breed. The breed was officially born between 1891 and 1897. On September 29th 1891 the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club (Club du Chien de Berger Belge) was founded in Brussels and in the same year on November 15th in Cureghem, Professor A Reul organized a gathering on 117 dogs, which allowed him to carry out a return and choose the best specimens. In the following years they began a real program of selection, carrying out some very close interbreeding involving a few stud dogs. By April 3rd 1892, a first detailed breed standard had been drawn up by the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club. One single breed was allowed, with 3 coat varieties. However, as was said at the time, the Belgian Shepherd only belonged to ordinary people and therefore the breed still lacked status. As a result, it wasn’t until 1901 the first Belgians Shepherds were resisted with the Royal Saint-Hubert society Stud Book (L.O.S.H.). During the following years, the prime movers among the Belgian Shepherd enthusiasts set to work with great determination to unify the type and correct the faults. It can be said that by 1910 the type and temperament of the Belgian Shepherd had been established. During the History of the Belgian Shepherd, the questions of differing but acceptable varieties and colors had led to many heated discussions. On the other hand, anything involving morphology, temperament and suitability for work has never caused any disagreement. GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Belgian Shepherd is a mediolineal dog, harmoniously proportioned, combining elegance and power, of medium size, with dry, strong muscle, fitting into a square, rustic, used to the open air life and built to resist the frequent atmospheric variations of the Belgian Climate. Through the harmony of its shape and its high head carriage, the Belgian Shepherd should give the impression of that elegant strength which has become the heritage of the selected representatives of a working breed. The Belgian Shepherd is to be judged in its natural stance, without physical contact with the handler. Important proportions: The Belgian Shepherd dog can be fitted into a square. The chest is let down to the level of the elbows. The length of muzzle is equal to of slightly longer than the half the length of the head. TEMPERAMENT The Belgian Shepherd is a watchful and active dog, bursting with energy, and always ready to leap into action. As well as its innate skill at guarding flocks, it also possesses the highly prized qualities of the best guard dog of property. Without any hesitation is the stubborn and keen protector of its owner. It brings together all those qualities necessary for a shepherd defence and service dog. Its lively, alert temperament and its confident nature, showing no fear or aggressiveness, should be obvious in its body stance and the proud attentive expression in its sparkling eyes. When judging the breed, one should take into consideration its calm fearless temperament. HEAD AND SKULL Carried high, long without exaggeration, rectilinear, well chiselled and dry. Skull and muzzle are roughly equal in length, with at the most a very slight bias in favour of the muzzle which puts the finishing touch to the whole head. Skull: The skull is of medium width, in proportion with the length of head, with a forehead flat rather than round, frontal groove not very pronounced, in profile parallel to an imaginary line extending the muzzle line. The occipital crest little developed. The brow ridges and zygomatic arches not prominent. Stop: Moderate Nose: Black Muzzle: Medium length and well chiselled under the eyes, narrowing gradually towards the nose like and elongated wedge. The bridge of the nose is straight and parallel to the continuation of the top line of the forehead. The mouth is well split which means that when the mouth is open the commissures of the lips are pulled right back, the jaws being well apart. Lips: Thin, tight and strongly pigmented Cheeks: Dry and quite flat, although well muscled. EYES: Medium size, neither protruding nor sunken, slightly almond shaped, obliquely set, brownish colour, preferably black, black rimmed eyelids, with a direct, lively, intelligent and enquiring look. EARS: Rather small, set high, distinctly triangular appearance, well rounded outer ear, pointed tips, stiff, carried upright and vertical when the dog is alert. MOUTH: Strong, white teeth, regularly and strongly set in well developed jaws. Scissor bite, a pincer bite that is preferred by sheep and livestock herder’s is tolerated. Complete dentition according to the dental formula. The absence of two premolars 1 (2 P1) is tolerated and the molars 3 (M3) are not taken into consideration. NECK: Well standing out, slightly elongated, rather upright, well muscled, broadening gradually towards the shoulders, without dewlap and the nape slightly arched. FOREQUARTERS: Bone solid but not heave, muscles dry and strong, front legs upright when viewed from all sides and perfectly parallel when seen from the front. Shoulder: the shoulder blade should be long and oblique, well attached, forming a sufficient angle with the humerus, ideally measuring 110-115 degrees. Upper arm: Long and sufficiently oblique Elbow: Firm, neither turning out nor tied in Forearm: Long and Straight Wrist (carpus): Very firm and clean Pastern: Strong and short, as perpendicular to the ground as possible or only very slightly sloping forward. BODY: Powerful without being heave. The length from the point of the shoulder to point of buttock equal to height at withers. Top line: Upper line of back and loins is straight Withers: Pronounced Back: Firm, short and well muscled Loins: Solid, short, sufficiently broad, well muscled Croup: Well muscled, only very slightly sloping, sufficiently broad but not excessively so. Chest: Slightly broad, but well let down. The upper part of the ribs are arched. Seen from the front the fore chest is slightly broad, but without being narrow. Underline: Belgians below the chest and rises gently in harmonious curve towards the belly, which is neither drooping nor tucked up, but slightly raised and moderately developed. HINDQUARTERS: Powerful but not heavy. In profile the hind legs are upright and when seen from behind perfectly parallel. Upper Thigh: Medium length, broad and strongly muscled. Stifle: Approximately on the plumb line from the hip. Normal stifle angulation. Lower Thigh: Medium length, broad and muscled. Hock: Close to the ground, broad and muscled with moderate angulation Rear Pastern: Solid and short, dewclaws not desirable. FEET: The front feet are round and cat like whilst the rear feet may be slightly oval. The toes are arched and well closed, the pads thick and springy and the nails dark and strong. TAIL: Well set on and strong at the base. Of medium length, reaching at least to the hock, but preferably further. At rest carried down with the tip curved backwards at the level of the hock, raised more when moving, although without passing the horizontal. The curve towards the tip becomes more accentuated, without ever at any time forming a gook or deviation. GAIT/MOVEMENT: Lively and free movement at all gaits, the Belgian Shepherd is a good galloper but its normal gaits are the walk and especially the trot. The limbs move parallel to the median plane of the body. At high speed the feet come nearer to the median plane. At the trot the reach is medium, the movement even and easy, with good rear drive and the top line remains tight while the front legs are not lifted too high. Always on the move the Belgian Shepherd seems tireless, its gait is fast, springy and lively. It is capable of suddenly changing direction at full speed. Due to its exuberant character and its desire to guard and protect, it has a definite tendency to move in circles. SKIN: elastic but taut over all the body. The edges of the lips and eyelids are strongly pigmented. COATS AND VARIETIES: since the coat varies in length, direction, appearance and colour among Belgian Shepherds, this particular point has been adopted as the criterion for distinguishing between the four varieties of the breed, the Groenendael, the Tervureren, the Malinois and the Laekenois. These four varieties are judged separately. Coat: In all varieties the coast must be dense, close fitting and of good texture, with the woolly undercoat forming and excellent protective covering. Long Hair: The hair is short on the head, the outer side of the ears and the lower part of the legs, except for the rear side of the forearm which is covered from elbow to wrist by long hair called fringes. The hair is long and smooth on the rest of the body and longer and more abundant around the neck and on the fore chest, where it forms a collarette or ruff and a jabot or apron. The opening of the ear is protected by thick tufts of hair. From the base of the ear the hair is upright and frames the head. The back of the thighs is covered with very long abundant hair forming a plume. The Groenendael and the Tervureren are the longhaired varieties. Short Hair: The hair is very short on the head, the outer sides of the ears and the lower part of the legs. It is short over the rests of the body and fuller at the tail and around the neck where it forms a collarette or ruff which begins at the base of the ear, stretching as far as the throat. As well, the back of the thighs are fringed with longer hair. The tail is like an ear of corn but does not form a plume. The Malinois is the short haired variety. Rough Hair: What especially characterizes the rough hair variety is the roughness and dryness of the hair, which is rasping and tousled. About 6cm long over the whole body, the hair is shorter on top of the muzzle, and the forehead and the legs. The hair around the eyes and those furnishing the muzzle should not be so long as to disguise the shape of the head. However it is essential to have furnishings on the muzzle. The tails should not form a plume. The Laekenois is the rough haired variety. COLOUR Mask: For the Tervureren and Malinois the mask must be very pronounced and tend to encompass the top and bottom lip, the corners of the lips and the eyelids in one single black zone. A strict minimum of six points of skin pigmentation is called for, the two ears, the two upper eyelids and the two lips, upper and lower, which must be black. Black Overlay: In Tervureren and Malinois, the black overlay means that the hairs have a black tip which shades the base color. This blackening is in any case “flamed” and must not be present in great patches nor in real stripes (brindled). In the Laekenois the black shading is more discreetly expressed. Groenendael: Only Uniform Black Tervureren: Only fawn with black overlay or grey with black overlay, with black mask. However, the fawn with black overlay is still preferred. The fawn must be rich neither light nor washed out. Any dog whose coat color is anything but fawn with black overlay or dos not match the desired intensity of color can not be considered an elite specimen. Malinois: Only fawn with black overlay and with a black mask. Laekenois: Only fawn with traces of black overlay, mainly on the makes and the tail. For all varieties a small amount of white is tolerated on the fore chest and toes. SIZE, WEIGHT AND MEASUREMENTS: Height at withers: The ideal height at withers is on average 62 cm for males 58 cm for females Limits 2cm less, 4 cm more Weight: Males about 25 - 30kg Females about 20 - 25kg Measurements: Average normal measures for an adult male Belgians Shepherd of 62 cm at the withers: Length of body (from point of shoulder to point of buttock) 62 cm Length of head 25cm Length of muzzle 12½ - 13 cm FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in the exact proportion to its degree General appearance: Cloddy, lacking elegance, too light or too slender, longer than high, fitting in a rectangle. Head: Heavy, too strong, lacking parallelism, not sufficiently chiselled or dry, forehead too rounded, stop too accentuated or too flat, muzzle too short or pinched, Roman nose, brow ridges or zygomatic arches too prominent. Nose, lips and eyelids: Traces of de-pigmentation Dentition: Badly aligned incisors. Serious fault: lack of one incisor (1I), one premolar 2 (1 P2), one premolar 3 (1 P3) or three premolars 1 (3 P1). Eyes: Light, round Ears: large, long, too broad at the base, set low, carried outward or inward. Neck: Slender, short or deep set. Body: Too long, thoracic cage too broad (cylindrical). Withers: Flat, Low Top line: Back and /or loins long, weak, sagging or arched. Croup: Too sloping overbuilt. Underline: Too much or too little let down. Too much belly. Tail: Set too low, carried too high, forming a hook, deviated. Limbs: Bone too light or too heavy, bad upright stance in profile (e.g. front pasterns too sloping or weal wrists), from the front (feet turning in or out, out at elbow etc), or from behind (hind legs too close, too wide apart or barrel shaped, hocks close or open, etc) too little or exaggeratedly angulated. Feet: Spreading Gait: Moving too close, too short a stride, too little drive, poor back transmission, high stepping action. Coat: All four varieties, insufficient undercoat Groenendael and Tervureren: Woolly, wavy, curly hair, hair not long enough Malinois: Hair half–long where it should be short, smooth haired, harsh hairs scattered in the short coat, wavy coat. Laekenois: Hair too long, silky, wavy, crisp haired or short, filled with fine hairs scattered in tufts in the rough hair, hair too long around the eye or chin, bushy tail. Color: For all four varieties, white markings on the chest forming tie, white on the feet going beyond the toes. Groenendael: Reddish tinges in the coat, grey breeches Tervureren: Grey Tervureren & Malinois: Brindle, tints not warm enough, not enough or too much black overlay or set in patches over the body, not enough mask. Tervureren, Malinois & Laekenois: Too light a fawn, a base color which is very diluted, named wash-out is considered a serious fault. Temperament: Specimens lacking in self-confidence or overly nervous. DISQUALIFYING FAULTS: Temperament: Aggressive or timid specimens General appearance: Lack of breed type Dentition: Overshot, undershot, even if contact is not lost (reverse scissor bite), cross bite, absence of one canine (1C), one upper carnassial (P4) or lower carnassial (M1), one molar (M1) upper jaw (M2 M3 are not taken into account), or one premolar 3 (P3) plus one other tooth or a total of three teeth (excluding the premolars 1) or more. Nose, lips, eyelids: Strong de-pigmentation Ears: Drooping or artificially kept erect Tail: Missing or shortened at birth or by docking, carried too high and ringed or curled. Coat: Lack of undercoat Color: Any colors which do not correspond with those of the described varieties, too widespread whit markings on fore chest especially if they reach as far as the neck, white on feet going more than halfway up the front or the back pasterns and forming socks, white marking anywhere other than fore chest and toes, lack of mask, including muzzle of lighter color than the rest of the coat in Tervureren and Malinois. Size: Outside the limits laid down NB: Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum CROSSBREEDING - MATING BETWEEN VARIETIES Any matings between varieties are forbidden except in exceptional circumstances, when this ban can be lifted by the appropriate and official breed councils. (Text 1974 drawn up in Paris). NB – Inter-variety breeding of the Groenendael and Tervuren only is presently permitted in Australia.