8 Things to Know Before Getting a Belgian Shepherd Dog
In this video, we go through some of the things you should know before getting a Belgian Shepherd. As you may know, there are 4 variaties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – the Tervuren, the Groenendael, the Malinois and the Laekenois. We’re going to take a look at the difference between show lines and working lines, and we’re gonna talk about all the things that you should know before you bring a new puppy home.
Belgian Shepherds are awesome dogs but they are definitely not for everyone. If you are ready to play all day, go for long walks even when your feeling lazy, sick or tired, when it’s rainy outside, then maybe you might be ready to get one of these guys.
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Rancho the Dog is a 4 year old Belgian Shepherd Tervuren. There are 4 varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – the Malinois (short coated), the Groenendael (black long-coated), the Lakenois (wire-haired) and the Tervuren (basically a long-coated Malinois, as far as color is concerned)
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44 Comments
Nice video. Your "Bonus Tip" is really important, not only for this breed, but any puppy who is a sensitive or very attached dog to you, NEEDS to know how to be alone. It's heart breaking for the both of you otherwise. And if they sense you're sadness at their sadness, it's even worse. EXACTLY the same as dropping off your 14 month old baby to a babysitter, and they scream and cry and cling to you..if you let them cling, it is SO much worse for the child. Same with clingy dogs. Be kind by being gently firm with your dog and don't leave telling them how sorry you are with 'guilt' in your voice. They're too smart to not sense that. 🙂
How do I teach him to be alone? He's now 2 months old and I'm working (8 to 5) + single🥴. What should I provide him to spend his time alone at home???
I'm a first time owner, I don't know a thing.
I'm worried about mine not keeping up on cross country skiing.
We just got a puppy yesterday, 8 weeks old, he's a husky, belgian shepard, and lab mix, he's ALL white, most of the litter was, I didn't pick for color, he was the calmest and most shy one out of the litter. My heart melted the second I saw him.
Hi just need your advice before getting a groenendael. What are the key differences between male and female ? Is the size difference too much to matter?
What a beautiful doggy.
Thank you for this video! We recently lost our beloved Belgian Malinois female at 10.5 years of age, after a 2-month battle with a fast-growing tumor on her spine. She was the finest, most intelligent and affectionate dog I have ever had the pleasure to know. We did agility, K9 scent detection and lots of ocean swimming. I am in the process of purchasing a Tervuren puppy from a wonderful breeder in Hungary (the sire is from one of the breeders you have mentioned, Dog Arabat). However, because we live in Hawaii and there are very strict rules for the pre-importation protocol (there is no rabies in Hawaii and they want to keep it that way), the new puppy won't arrive until he is almost 7 months old. The breeder has shipped many dogs overseas and is familiar with these complications, and has been so gracious in her commitment to keep him and manage the vaccination protocols until it's time to ship him. She is keeping a female pup from this litter, and will be carting the two of them along to shows and agility trails as part of their socialization process. I agree with you that teaching a puppy to be OK with being alone for a bit is of utmost importance, but I don't see that happening in her busy home … any suggestions? I've subscribed to your channel and look forward to more helpful videos!
I can not stress the 3rd point enough.
My grandpa's groenendael had massive issues with strangers, because it wasn't socialized enough when it was young.
He was the most loyal dog I've ever met, but he was overly protective.
If however you were in his pack there was no limit to his patience and love with you. My younger cousins used to try and ride him and played with his ears, he loved it.
He has other issues as well like fear of wooden floors and fear of gates etc, which probably was a result of a bad experience with them when he was younger.
So take care of these dogs, they need mental stimulation at all times, which my grandpa couldn't really provide.
Best dogs there is though, I've known 3 of them
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If you want to lose weight if you love walking through the woods if you have over 50 acres if you have livestock experience from a shepherd when the mother has the puppy do not over pet but nprinting will be natural allow the puppies to be with their mother and changed after possum investigate foxholes learn the difference between horses or goats or sheep or cow do not put in a crate never never use shock collars crate collars never hit them raise your voice very intense it's just like having horses horses are not for everyone you have to have a certain type of personality to even really own a horse because the horse teaches you to balance your emotions which is the key with the Belgium 90% protein supplement with milk thistle is a must for the liver never feed port kale spinach carrots and no Winters real oatmeal summer good rice never bleach every 3 days coconut oil and sardines right before the sun touches the tree line feed them heavy and right before the sun touches the tree line feed them half because they'll be working and their digestive tract is wired this way this is from life experience with no training just living
Mi piacciono molto i pastori belga Groenendael.
Però ripeto la mia razza preferita sono i pastori tedeschi nerifocati pelo corto e lungo. Poi mi piacciono molto i Grigioni. Ma anche quelli neri.
Very informative 👌
My family has had a Groenendael for 13 years now and this video is spot on true. Thanks!
I would think Tervurens constantly watch their humans because they are bred to herd. Their humans are their herd. Growing up, the family dog was a collie shepherd mix. The family would take him with on long hikes through the Lake Michigan sand dunes. Some of the trail was single file and the family would end up spreading out at considerable distance. The dog would wear himself running back and forth from the head of our line to the tail end. He felt driven to keep us all within sight. Sometimes the dog would get so tuckered out that Dad carried him draped about his shoulders for a spell.
Zaszczepienie
Zaszczepienie
I hope Rancho is well since you posted this video two years ago!
Agree with most that you have said, and you have identified all of the most important characteristics of the Tervuren Belgian Shepherd. But just not convinced about the leaving alone! Since my idea of Heaven would be simply surrounded by this breed of dogs, I'm probably a tad biased. But, what I do know is because they are 'shepherd' their natural instinct is to be part of a pack.
Not only that, they are extraordinarily loyal, and want to be present with their owner ALL the time. Of course, that option may not be practical, however, my concern would be that the dog would be unhappy (separation anxiety) whenever the owner was absent. As for the energy levels, they are unreal, and the answer to that issue is for two people to take the job on.
Finally, our Tervuren is about 11.5 now, and she is as playful now as she ever has been, but lacks the mobility to carry it through – which reinforces your observation about the breed having a tendency to act first and think afterwards. Personally, I could not have any other breed now I have experienced what a Tervuren is like.
I tell people who ask me about getting a dog and I tell them if you don’t know anything about dogs,don’t get one unless you’re prepared to have the responsibility. High drive,intelligent dogs are easy to train but it never stops and you have to have lots of free time for them.
I have a belgian shepherd cross border collie.. unreal intelligence.. and requires 6 walks a day from me, he is ALWAYS climbing tree's with me.. and he watches me all day every day, when I sit at home, he is SOO relaxed, and the moment I get up he bounces into action.. I love my Humbug so much, you've highlighted so many reasons why we are perfect for each other.
Oh mint.. the last tip I did naturally.. I would leave him for 5 hours once a month, and 3 hours twice a week.. and his howl was so heartbreaking.. but his excitement when we came back together is something i'll never forget.
I have a giant baby 18 months old and 220 pounds and he is always nipping and playing
Verry well said and put together thank you!
Rancho is absolutely adorable!
My husband and I bred, showed and trained Groenendael Belgian sheepdogs over 20 years in 1960 & 70s. These were American lines. Over the years the breed has changed a lot. With all those dogs I will say they each have their own personalities. The fur was very soft. Some had white on chest and sometimes on toes. They were both shown and herding and police work. Their size was lighter. Very intelligent. Sensitive! Jealous for attention. Some train easily and others were very difficult. They were snobs. At training class and shows they ignore other breeds except Alaskan Malamutes which they were aggressive towards. If they saw a black GermanShepherd, their ears would perk up. One sniff and they were not interested. As I said each of them had different traits. One thing we did for puppy training was flushing toilet. Some were curious, some indifferent and others very skittish. Before heartworm preventative our kennel was wiped out by heartworm.
After over 40 years we decided to get another Groenendael. We did not like what we saw. Seizures was one of them. We also considered a Malinois. We finally decided to get a rescue dog. Black and cute that turned out to be a flatcoated retriever. They have health issues, too. He has been a delight. At times he resembles the Groendael but much larger.
Whatever breed of dog you get, always protect from heartworm and other diseases. Train them and be the alpha dog!
I love tervuren…
Max, a Belgian/German mix, was taught to hunt by my dad, we would wake up to rabbits, squirrels, ect almost on the daily
I used to dog watch a Belgium Sheppard and I used to attach my keys on the leash handle
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Very accurate and usefull info, TNKS!
Hi! your dog is beautiful!🐾💗
Question,
By about how many months old does it usually take for a male Terv. to grow in his long neck mane?
Lovely and precice video! Only things to add, smiling and the sense of humour! But lucky boy to live with you ❤️
My Belgium shep does that – flies along at full speed and looks back at me with a massive grin , tongue lolling out. ……….BANG ! head first into a traffic cone , arse over tit, manages to recover , looks totally pleased with himself ! I like this woman's advice, good knowledge and commen sense. ….. Just train them before they train YOU !
…….you talkin bout dogs or women ? 🙈🙉🙊
Thank you.
Hiii
I want this puppy
How much
Delivery in India punjab
Tell me plz
How are they with cats?
I’ve had 5 Tervs and about 10 Mals. I have always crate trained to give them a safe place. Your thoughts?
I absolutely love your videos. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I have been wistfully eyeing Groenendaels and watching videos about them. Your videos offer the most important details that I think can be overlooked and I appreciate how you offered examples of very specific behaviors and breed characteristics. Comparing the working and show lines also helped me understand why there seem to be very different characteristics within the Belgian Shepherd breed.
Our beautiful Belgian Sheepdog Ariel beat the odds and lived to over sixteen. She is my "dog of a lifetime". Her only fault was that she did not like most other dogs.
They never show there tired .
I have a Belgian Groendahl. I don't walk her as much as I should, but I do have a big backyard and play with her about 2 hrs. a day. She is like having another toddler
. 6 act first. Think later. 😂😂 This is so true. I just got my groenendael pup, given to me at 4weeks old now slowly adapting with our family for 2 weeks. I was so happy how he manage to figure out climbing on my bed on his own. Just today tho, i left him sleeping on the floor, I went to go get something downstairs and as I enter my room, i got surprised how he's already on top of my bed (probably looking for me) and the moment he saw me he just immediately jumped off out of excitement, only to land on his face, but he's fine and totally happy to see me.
What an adorable face. Awwwwww so cute ! I'm thinking of getting either a Belgian or German Shepherd. Tell me, does Rancho bark at the mailman when he delivers mail or when the doorbell goes ? What is he like with fireworks. We had a Welsh Border Collie who was terrified of fireworks. 4th of July was horrific for him. Poor thing.
I just adopted a Belgian Tervuren, and I wish I've seen this video before hand, ESPECIALLY the last tip. The first time she howled for being aline, she scare half of the house and some of the people who work in the house. It was loud and long.
Other than that everything said in this video are spot on. The looks and the smile of this dog are very adorable.
What do you think about getting these highly intelligent and stimulation demanding dogs in pairs though? Doesn't that help a lot with their energy and socialising demands? Not get rid of the requirements, but making them less likely to act up if you're not focusing on them all the time and chasing them to ground?