As their name suggests, Belgian Shepherd Dogs were developed in Belgium as sheep herding dogs. They were introduced to North America after World War I. They were known in their own country for their intelligence, and were used during the war as messengers and rescue dogs. 

Recently this dog underwent a name change. His old name, Belgian Sheepdog, may be more familiar.

The Belgian Shepherd Dog stands about 25 inches tall at the shoulder. There are four different varieties of Belgian Shepherd corresponding to four different coat types. The Groenendael has a long-haired, solid black coat.  The Tervuren is also long-haired and is fawn or gray with black overlay. The Malinois has a fawn and black short coat. The Laeken is rough-haired and comes in red brown, fawn, or gray. The dogs are named for the Belgian towns where they were most popular.  Regular grooming is important, particularly for the long-haired varieties.

The Belgian Shepherd is very protective of his family and makes an excellent guard dog and watch dog. He needs early socialization to gain confidence in his owners and accept other pets or children in other families. Responsive and loyal, this dog does very well in obedience training. Agility, tracking, and flyball are other activities at which the Belgian Shepherd excels. 

Teseko Kennels
(Tervuren)