Blog Detail

Group: Herding Group

Size: Medium to Large

Weight: 45 to 75 pounds (20 to 34 kg)

Hypoallergenic: No

Lifespan: 12 to 14 years

Behavior

The Belgian Sheepdog is an intelligent, active, and protective dog bred for herding. As their name points out they were initially raised for herding sheep within Belgium. Today they are great guard dogs and pets for families while they still think of themselves as herders. Belgian Sheepdogs are close to their owners and require tons of attention and excitement to be okay. They are devoted and friendly but timid with strangers; therefore good watchdogs that will also guard your property by barking at strangers. Conversely, Belgian Sheepdogs should not be aggressive dogs unless provoked or for other reasons - make sure to book mid day pets walking services in Virginia for their happy regular walks!

They are very intelligent, lively furballs. Your Belgian Sheepdog can become destructive, meaning it will bark, dig, or chew when left ungroomed or not exercised enough. They do well when exposed to daily vigorous exercise such as those needed to balance while running alongside a bicycle. Besides, they like to have an assignment and are very sensitive to command training and other dog exercises. They are also an intelligent nuisance in tricks and commands when induced by positive reinforcement. Overall, the Belgian Sheepdog is a wonderful and loyal companion and working dog breed if they get the proper socialization, Mid Day Walks, care, and attention they need. Their friendly, protective nature, positive qualities, and work ethic make them a preferred breed.

History

Belgian Sheepdogs are medium-sized herding dogs from Belgium who love Pet Walks Services. It is a variety of the Belgian Tervueren, Belgian Malinois, and Belgian Laekense differ chiefly in coat color and texture. These four probably descended from Belgian herding/sheepdogs in the late 1800’s. At that time it is best attributed to Belgian native Adrien Janssen as the originator of the foundation stock of these Belgian shepherd breeds by breeding several working herding dogs in south Belgium. The breeds split via coat type, with the Belgian Sheepdog being for its long, black hair with moderate feathering. But they were all employed as multi-purpose farm dogs for herding, and guarding livestock and property on small farms in Belgium and other parts of Europe.

The first Belgian Sheepdogs were listed in the 1890s and 1900s in Belgium, but, of course, there is some similarity that needs to be reached by shepherds among the dogs they used to breed. The Belgian Sheepdog Club was formed in 1895 in Belgium, and the large kennel associations classified the breed in the early part of the 20th century. They later became Police and military working dogs and pet and show dogs worldwide apart from Belgium. Today, they are watchful working and family dogs selected for their intelligence, trainability, and guarding instinct.

Exercise

Belgian Sheepdog is naturally energetic and needs a certain amount of exercise daily. Their activity should be 30-60 minute brisk Mid Day Walks or jog to satisfy their needs. Belgian Sheepdogs need a large yard to play in and prefer it if this yard is fenced. These intelligent dogs require something to do so toys that enable interaction physically as well as mentally and training also.

Since Belgian Sheepdogs were developed as herding dogs, they require considerable physical exertion to keep both healthy and obedient. This breed requires significant space for running and work like agility, obedience training, or hiking. The Belgian Sheepdog has a lot of energy and requires energetic work to stay happy and healthy. This will help to meet their high exercise demands and lead to a fantastic, loyal, and keen companion for a handler.

Training

The Belgian Sheepdog is a smart working breed and they are active dogs that must remain constant and busy. Both breeds perform best when they have a task, any work, to perform and must be exercised mentally and physically daily. Belgian Sheepdog young puppies should start an obedience training program from wherever they can stick to it with favorable reinforcements. It is also important to socialize so no one is suspicious, and they will tend to do everything cautiously with new people or other animals. The Belgian Sheepdog is more confident with them if you engage them with several people who have visited different places, heard different sounds, and had different conditions. Contact our mid day pets walking services in Virginia for their happy walks!

Looks and Health

Originally a Belgian herding breed, the Belgian Sheepdog is a sporty, medium-sized breed with muscular bodily features enjoy it Dog Walking Services. It has an extended black hair coat with little white marks allowed in the tips of toes and chest. It has a black head with a slight disarticulation above and a black muzzle. The ears are triangular and rigid from the base with pointed margins and upward direction. Planed colorants of the eyes are dark brown, and their slant is almond-like. The tail is bushy, set high on the croup, and starts from the hock when carried out straight. The natural trot of the Belgian Sheepdog is a powerful, smooth, ground-spanning movement that is quite helpful to this business-like breed in herding activities. Its general form gives the first notion of strength, mind agility, and endurance.

The Belgian Sheepdog is free from major health problems and is robust. They have an average of about 10-14 years of duration. Disorders reported from this breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, eye disease, cataracts, progressive retinal atrophy, epilepsy, and allergies. Responsible breeders will ensure that their breeding dogs are health checked for such conditions to reduce incidences of such cases. When properly fed, groomed, and given outstanding veterinary attention, exercise, playtime, and mental activity, the Belgian Sheepdog can stay healthy. They are high-energy breeds and are often working dogs, so owners should pay attention to skeletal disorders and overweight issues through diet and exercise.

Food and Nutrition

For the most part, the Belgian Sheepdog is a herding type with the ability to have very high energy needs, even for Dog Walking Services, which is managed through proper nutrition. These dogs should be fed premium commercial dog food for the active breeds. The food should contain 25-30% protein from good animal sources and complex carbohydrates, such as brown rice and barley. Owners need to ensure that they do not overfeed this breed because they easily become obese. In hot weather or after any exercise, this breed will also require much water to drink. Proper nutrition means that the Belgian Sheepdog should be able to exercise and work all through a healthy life without being tired easily. A parent or guardian should pay attention to what food to eat and ask how much.

Conclusion

The Belgian Sheepdog is a bright, vigilant, and energetic working dog used for herding. Although inexperienced, it makes good working, sporting, or family dogs once given the right training and socialization. The Belgian Sheepdog can be considered the perfect breed: protected, obedient, intelligent, trainable, and loyal, a great companion for Mid Day Walks - it would suit any pet parent perfectly. For more information or Pet Walks Services, visit PawNanny.com!