Groenendael (Belgian Shepherd)
Groenendael is a breed of dog which is mostly included in the ‘Belgian Shepherd breed’, but occasionally it is considered as a distinct breed. Groenendael is generally considered a breed or a type of larger breed by all major kennel clubs including Kennel Club of the United Kingdom. In the American Kennel Club (AKC), it is known as ‘Belgian Sheepdog’ or broadly called ‘Belgian Shepherd Dog’.
Weight and Height
Groenendael is generally weighing about 25 to 30 kg (55 to 66 lb) for males, and 20 to 25 kg (44 to 55 lb) for females; and height should be 60 to 66 cm (24 to 26 inches) at the withers for males, and 56 to 62 cm (22 to 24 inches) for females.
Groenendael Appearance
Groenendael is a medium-sized, hardworking, and well-balanced dog breed like other Belgian Shepherd Dogs in the sheepdog family. The Groenendael is renowned by its unique black-coat. Groenendael should be athletic, robust, rustic, and composed in appearance. Its look is natural and it is very difficult to say that it has been prepared just for the show ring. Floppy ears have deliberated a fault when showing. When being shown, the handler should never have to force it into position; preferably the handler should not have to touch the dog at all.
Coat and Colors
Groenendael has a solid, double-coat. The texture should be hard and thick, never woolly, silky, or curly. The undercoat should be dense and profuse. The Groenendael dogs, without undercoat, are greatly penalized in conformation shows. The color is always black, with occasional small white markings being permissible on the chest, chin, and feet.
Groenendael Temperament
Groenendael is an intelligent, energetic, loyal and affectionate dog breed; but not a breed for the faint of heart. However, for those who have sufficient time, energy, confidence and love, they are greatest friends. Proper training and socializing are quite essential for the breed. They are cautious with the strangers and remain protective. They love children if socialized properly at an early age. The dog bonds deeply to its owners or family, and can’t live outdoors or in kennel clubs. Usually, Groenendael likes to spend more time with its family every day and may experience separation anxiety if unaccompanied for a long duration.
Grooming and Training
Groenendael usually wants a large amount of exercise daily for at least two hours. This exercise must contain a training session along with walk outside to keep the dog mentally smart and inspired. Groenendael dogs have great ‘work ethics’ and they need a job to do in order to be happy. These jobs may include obedience, fly-ball, Schutzhund training, dog-agility, and cattle herding. Groenendael is a sensitive breed and cannot be trained with tough training methods. The dog needs slight grooming, except when shedding (once or twice a year). While shedding, they lose an excessive amount of coat and thus they need grooming almost on daily basis.
Activities and Uses
Groenendael (Belgian Shepherd) can participate in dog events such as agility, fly-ball, obedience, tracking, and herding. Groenendael showing basic herding instincts can be trained to contest in herding trials. One of the basic activities of ‘Belgian Shepherd’ was protecting the herd. This means that ‘Belgian Shepherd’ is very suitable for safeguarding purpose. The Malinois is famed for its IPO or Police-dog performance, but Groenendael can also be utilized for this purpose.
History
There are four associated breeds of ‘Belgian Shepherd’ jointly denoted to as ‘Chien de Berger Belge’, which were categorized as independent breeds in 1891. All these breeds include herding and guard-dogs which are largely famed for their appearance; for example, Belgian Malinois for short hair, Belgian Laekenois for wiry hair, Groenendael (Belgian Shepherd) for long, black hair, and Tervuren for long hair. The Groenendael, also known as ‘Belgian Shepherd’ is very popular. The dog was named in 1910 by the Kennel club to get it registered. Groenendael became a popular messenger and guard dog in World War-I. The dog is now popular as a home pet because of its attractive coat.
