Jet black and incredibly intelligent, Groenendaels are Belgian Shepherd Dogs. All over the world they are valued not only for the incredible beauty of their wool, as one might think. Rescuers and police officers around the world note the dogs' courage, endurance and high intelligence, which allows them to make independent decisions in dangerous situations. Is this dog difficult to care for? Is it possible to raise your rescuer at home? All the answers are in that article.
Origin story
The Belgian Shepherd is an ancient breed of local herding dogs that differ in length and coat color into four types:
- Malinois - with short hair;
- Tervuren – longhaired;
- Laekenois - distinguished by coarse hair;
- The Groenendael is a long-haired black breed.
At the end of the 19th century, restaurant owner Nicholas Rose acquired two black shepherd dogs at Chateau Groenendaal, Picard and Petit. They became the ancestors of all modern Groenendaels. A puppy from the first litter named Duke became for the breeder the ideal of the future breed; subsequently all the puppies were selected in accordance with the qualities inherent in him.
Health
Belgian Shepherds are naturally strong, healthy dogs. With proper care, representatives of the breed can live up to 12-14 years. The owner of a Groenendael should be aware of the main diseases to which the pet is predisposed:
- Epilepsy – accompanied by convulsions and involuntary bowel movements.
- Joint dysplasia - at the initial stage it is accompanied by pain, with further development of the disease lameness appears, the pain becomes unbearable, and at the last stage immobility occurs.
- Obesity occurs due to an incorrectly formulated diet and overfeeding.
- Eye diseases - most often the Groenendael's eyes suffer from inflammatory processes, conjunctivitis.
- Allergies - can arise from incorrectly selected detergents, allergic reactions to foods also occur, so new ingredients must be introduced into the Belgian’s diet very carefully, gradually.
- Depression - a prolonged depressive state with subsequent disruption of the body's functioning can occur as a result of the Groenendael's isolation from people; this is a very sociable dog, loneliness is destructive for it.
To maintain health, it is important to keep your pet vaccinated on time. Routine examinations at a veterinary clinic, treatment for skin parasites, especially in the summer, and deworming are also necessary.
Description
The breed standard was approved already in 1907. A strong, short-haired black shepherd with well-developed muscles and a proportional, wide body. The height of males reaches 66-70 centimeters, females up to sixty.
Head
The skull is long, small in size, cheeks are flat. The erect triangular ears are set high on the head. Almond-shaped eyes are dark brown.
Body type
The body is powerful, but not heavy, the length of the body approximately coincides with the height at the withers. The chest is deep, the back is horizontally straight, the croup is sloping. Limbs Long and slender, with large paws and thick black pads. The fluffy tail is curled up at the end.
Wool
Depending on the variety, the standard color of the dog is:
Laekenois . Coarse wool, perhaps a red shade similar to sable;
Malinois - short hair, red sable shade;
Tervuren . Long hair, gray-fawn or red color. At one time it was bred as the same breed as the Groenendael;
Groenendael . The standard color is blue-black wool. In addition, everything on the dog should be black: lips, nose, eyelids and claws, paw pads. Despite the obvious difference in color and body shape, many confuse the Groenedael with the German Shepherd, mistakenly believing that this is an unusual color of the familiar breed. The hair is shorter in the head and neck area, but the distinguishing feature of the breed is the collar of longer hair. The standard allows the appearance of white marks on the coat. It should be noted that they like to cross the German Shepherd with the Belgian. It is believed that small mixed breeds of Groenendael and German Shepherd will have excellent guarding qualities and will grow up to be beautiful and brave dogs. However, any mestizo, if it is not the fruit of long-term selection by professionals, is a surprise. Such experiments must be approached with extreme caution.
Lifespan
Groenendaels are distinguished by longevity and health. With proper care and maintenance, dogs live an average of 12-13 years.
Cases have been recorded when Groenendaels reached a maximum lifespan of 15-18 years.
Character
Belgian shepherd dogs have always been distinguished by their high intelligence and ease of training, as well as enhanced guarding qualities. In Europe, this breed, along with Swiss and Australian shepherds, serves in rescue and police services. According to the breed standard, they must have the following temperament traits:
- independence;
- independence in dangerous situations;
- bravery;
- endurance;
- high psychological stability;
- mobility;
- devotion;
- calmness.
Puppies have most of the qualities from birth, however, if they deviate from the norm in the form of aggression or passivity, such defects are corrected by training and education.
Many note the love of Groenendaels for children, but there is a caveat - they are excellent nannies, but when playing with children they can accidentally harm them, so you should not leave very young children alone with the dog.
Breed traits
Breed traits (on a 5-point scale)
| Belgian Shepherd Groenendael | |||
| Activity | in the house | 3.2 | |
| on the street | 4.8 | ||
| Obedience | training | 4.8 | |
| strangers | 3.8 | ||
| Domination | in family | 2.2 | |
| over dogs | 3 | ||
| Defending your territory | from people | 3.6 | |
| from dogs | 4.2 | ||
| Sociability | in family | 5 | |
| with strangers | 2.6 | ||
| with dogs | 2.6 | ||
| Concentration | in family | 1 | |
| in front of strangers | 3.8 | ||
| with dogs | 3.6 | ||
| Aggressiveness | in family | 1.2 | |
| to strangers | 2.4 | ||
| to the dogs | 3 | ||
| to cats | 3 | ||
| Family behavior | calmness | 5 | |
| demand for affection | 5 | ||
| excitability | 4 | ||
| playfulness | 4.4 | ||
| excessive barking | 2.4 | ||
| behavioral breakdowns | 2.4 | ||
| Tolerance for children | up to 4 years | 3 | |
| over 4 years old | 3.8 | ||
| Institutional use | watchman | 5 | |
| bodyguard | 3.2 | ||
This breed is often compared to the following dog breeds: German Shepherd, Belgian Tervuren Shepherd, Hungarian Shorthair Vizsla, Belgian Malinois, Schipperke.
The photo shows what Groenendael looks like:
Education and training
Mobile and active, this dog needs constant movement, so it should spend at least two hours a day outside, and not constantly sit in the apartment. Preferred activities are running, playing with a ball, swimming in ponds. Any outdoor games with the owner are suitable, the main thing is a sufficient splash of energy on the street.
You should immediately accustom your pet to the command “Near!” and watch him carefully if he walks without a leash, as he is very curious and can go far. If you purchase it for an exhibition, you should immediately select a suitable show ring and accustom it to it from childhood.
From two to four months, the puppy should receive the necessary physical and mental stress, for example, at this time you can teach the baby the “Fetch” command. From the age of four months, he must walk at least one and a half kilometers every day and learn commands for at least forty minutes. At this age, the pet should be taught the commands “Sit”, “Place”, “Voice”. After a year, the dog must travel more than two kilometers every day.
Intelligent by nature, the Groenendael very quickly understands what its owner requires of it. In this case, it is important to show him that the owner is confident and is in charge. There is no need to intimidate or use physical force - the dog is sensitive and vulnerable, aggression leads to retaliatory anger.
Vaccinations
The good health of a pet and its life expectancy directly depend on vaccinations used to prevent various types of diseases.
There are several basic vaccines that are given initially when the puppy reaches a certain age and then repeated annually. For example:
- prevention of parvovirus - when the animal reaches 6 weeks of age;
- glanders vaccination – 8 weeks;
- hepatitis – 8 weeks;
- leptospirosis – 8 weeks;
- rabies – 6 months.
In addition to these vaccines, it is recommended to check the dog once a quarter for infection with all kinds of intestinal parasites, especially if the animal lives in street conditions.
Excellent health is one of the main features of Groenendael
Diseases and care
An excellent figure and athletic appearance are signs of a healthy pet. Groenendaels have excellent immunity and good health with proper activity. When choosing this breed, it should be taken into account that herding and paddock dogs, more than others, need constant and frequent physical activity, mental games and fresh air, for example, with a stick, ball, discus or shuttlecock. This breed excels in agility.
Therefore, if you make a choice in favor of this breed, decide whether you have the opportunity to provide the dog with long walks. After all, energy is her most distinctive feature. Such an opportunity should be not only temporary, but also physical. The owner will have to overcome all these distances along with the pet every day. In any weather.
The need for fresh air in no way means a leash. Keeping it outside is permissible, but without a chain and with a warm shelter. Optimal conditions for keeping are daytime outdoors with an overnight stay at home.
Since the dog must maintain its natural appearance, the animal should be bathed no more than once every six months. In summer, you need to comb the wool with a fumigator every day, as tangles may appear. In winter - no more than once a week. A stiff wooden brush with sparse teeth works well for this purpose. You can't cut your pet's hair - it will ruin the fur.
If tangles do form on the wool, you should immediately try to remove them yourself. If this does not work, it is better to contact the salon for professional help. This way, you will avoid the need to hurt the dog and there will be no need to use force.
Otherwise, as when caring for other pets, you should monitor the condition of the eyes and ears, wiping them as necessary. It should be vaccinated against diseases and treated against parasites, within the time frame and with medications recommended by the veterinarian.
Puberty occurs at the age of one and a half years. The best age for mating is twenty-four months. The female shows her readiness by moving her tail to the side while stroking her back. If both dogs are inexperienced, it is recommended that the procedure be carried out with the participation of a veterinarian or other specialist involved in breeding the breed. However, it should be chosen with caution. It's better to use the recommendations.
Despite good health, the Groenendael may have the following genetic diseases inherent in the breed:
- cataracts and susceptibility to eye infections;
- joint diseases, often dysplasia;
- food allergies;
- thyroid diseases;
- epilepsy.
In addition, improper care and low physical activity can cause obesity, dental disease and diabetes, mental illness: aggression and depression. A depressive state in herding breeds occurs quite quickly if they are kept in a locked room for a long time, without movement or walking. Normal life expectancy is twelve to fifteen years.
Characteristics of the Belgian Shepherd Groenendael breed
The Groenendael is a type of Belgian Shepherd with black fur. The name translates as “green valley”. These dogs are brave, hardworking, strong. They are unpretentious, easily adapt to any conditions, and are smart. They are a national treasure of Belgium.
Groenendaels are hardy and intelligent dogs that are capable of any job. They can protect the house, be used as official ones: in the police, customs. They can make decisions independently in difficult situations. This is an excellent guide, rescuer, bodyguard, companion. He easily learns tricks and shows good results in agility, canicross and other types of dog sports.
| Options | Characteristic |
| breed name | Belgian Shepherd Groenendael (Dutch Groenendael) |
| a country | Belgium |
| time | late 19th century |
| group of breeds according to the ICF classification | herding and cattle dogs, shepherd section |
| application | service dog, companion |
| life expectancy | 11-13 years old |
| height | males 60-66 cm, females 56-62 cm |
| weight | males 25-30 kg, females 20-25 kg |
| activity | high |
| aggression | No |
| intelligence | high |
| care | simple |
| health | good |
pros
The Groenendael is an intelligent, loyal and hard-working dog. It was bred for independent grazing and protection of livestock and home protection. Now this is the ideal companion for an active owner. Representatives of the breed have several advantages:
- attractive appearance;
- they are smart, easy to train, understand the rules of behavior;
- cheerful, active and playful;
- loyal, attached to all family members;
- love children and are patient with them;
- get along easily with any pets, do not enter into conflicts with other dogs;
- have pronounced watchdog and security qualities, are able to act independently in a critical situation;
- efficient, unpretentious.
Minuses
Belgian Shepherds are very active and energetic. They require regular physical activity. Therefore, the breed is not suitable for homebodies, elderly people and those who cannot pay enough attention to their pet. Inexperienced dog breeders should not get a Groenendael. An owner who cannot gain authority will not become a leader for this dog. Representatives of the breed have several more disadvantages:
- love of freedom, tendency to escape;
- the need for regular classes and training;
- without sufficient physical activity they can damage furniture and things;
- they are very emotional and can be touchy;
- The fur sheds a lot, and when wet it smells like a dog.
Feeding
A large dog that moves a lot needs a good protein diet, so the diet should always include sea fish, raw poultry, cereals and cereals, some cottage cheese and eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables. Dry food, even the best quality, should not exceed a third of the daily diet. Encouraging your pet with sweets, bread or smoked meats will certainly affect his health, causing caries, flatulence and other negative consequences.
A puppy should be fed four times a day for up to six months, then three times a day, and an adult dog - twice a day. When buying a puppy, ask the breeder what he feeds the baby, try to create the same diet for him at home. Do not suddenly switch to another type of food
Application
The Groenendael is a breed of dog that will always find use everywhere. Due to their endurance, easy training, love of work and desire to please the owner, there is no sports or work discipline that the pets cannot cope with.
Initially, the Belgian Groenendael was only a shepherd. But today it is a companion, guide, protector, security guard, policeman and rescuer. He is equally comfortable with agility and protective guard service, canicross and search and rescue service.
Protecting property and the owner is in the blood of Groenendaels. They do this even without special training.
Wherever the owner wants to use the dog, the Groenendael will happily support him and devote himself entirely to the work.
Price and choice of puppy
It is best to buy a puppy of any breed from a specialized nursery. These puppies have a full set of documents, are vaccinated and are well cared for and loved. In order to choose the best and healthiest puppy, you should pay attention to the following qualities:
- Courage - the baby is not afraid of loud sounds and shows interest in you already at the first meeting;
- Lack of aggressiveness - the puppy does not rush at strangers and his littermates without reason;
- Intelligence – when observing, you should try to choose the smartest puppy that shows leadership qualities, intelligence and ingenuity. For example, he may be the first to figure out how to get out of the carrier.
The optimal age for purchase is three to four months, since this is the puppy that will calmly endure separation from its mother and a change of environment, and will have all the necessary documents and vaccinations. In addition, by this time the breeder can conduct additional tests for breed diseases.
The price of the pet class starts from twenty thousand rubles, the breed class – from thirty-five. A show-class pet will cost no less than fifty thousand rubles.
Why choose Groenendael
In addition to its beautiful, unusual and bright appearance and color, this dog will become your affectionate and devoted friend. It will be an indispensable companion for active jogging and sports recreation.
Thanks to its intelligence and devotion, the dog will become an excellent guard for your family and home.
