Dog Breeds <Back to Breed Profiles

		Select the dog breed you are interested in from the list below. Alphabetical Search: A - E F - J K - O P - T U - Z or Select A Breed

Belgian Shepherd Dog Tervueren

You can find the contact details for specific breed societies local to you by going to the Your Territory area.

You may want to post any specific questions that you have about this breed in our Pet Talk area to ask people with first hand experience.

General
OtherNames		Chien de Berger Belge, Belgian Shepherd, Belgian Sheepdog
Dog Group Kennel Club		Pastoral
Breed Classification		The Tervueren is a member of the pastoral group. They were originally used for herding livestock; today they are used in the protection services, as assistance dogs and as companions.
Cost of Ownership Visit our dog food department
Average Food Cost		£4-7.50
Feeding Requirements		The adolescent Tervuerens are sometimes found to be poor eaters so adequate diets should be fed. As adults there appears to be no real problems with eating.
Other Expenses		The average price of a puppy is £500 - £650.
Average Puppy Price		£500-800
Lifespan		9 - 15 years
Average Litter Size		6-8
General Physical Description		The Tervueren is a medium sized, longhaired dog that appears square in its outline. Although they are often confused with the ‘long-haired German Shepherd Dog’ by the general public, they are squarer in profile; lighter in bone and more refined in head, with a light, brisk movement.
Height Min Max Bitch 56cm 61cm Dog 61cm 66cm Weight Min Max Bitch 20kg 23kg Dog 27.5kg 28.5kg
Size Category		Medium
Weight Height Range		Dogs should measure between 61-66cms at the withers and bitches should ideally measure between 56-61cms at the withers. Dogs should weigh between 27.5-28.5kgs, bitches between 20-23kgs.
Ailments		Anyone looking for a puppy should make sure that both parents are hip-scored and eyes are tested. Hip status in the breed is generally excellent but that’s not to say that there haven’t been the odd high scores. Some Tervuerens have been diagnosed with juvenile cataracts. Epilepsy has occurred (and still does occur) in the breed but breeders have worked hard to reduce the incidence to a minimum. A few breeders have noted thyroid and pancreatic problems and a low fat diet may be advised to avoid the pancreatic problems.
Common Ailments
Susceptibility To Illness Pet insurance for dogs resource Pet health and vet advice		Low
Other
History		The Belgian Shepherd dog the only breed in the world that comes in 4 varieties: the short-coated red, fawn or grey ‘Malinois’, the long-haired fawn, red or grey ‘Tervueren’, the long-haired black ‘Groenendael’, and the rarer rough-coated reddish fawn ‘Laekenois’. Originating from Belgium, they are named after the areas in Belgium from which they came: Malines, Tervuren, Groenendael and Laeken. Hard working sheepdogs from Belgium have been recognised since the Middle Ages. At this time the type varied greatly and breeding was based on working ability. As they were bred from locally certain common characteristics began to appear. In the 1890’s a Professor of the Belgian School of Veterinary Sciences recorded standards for the various types of Belgian sheepdogs. It was noted that they were all similar in type with the main difference being the coat. The Professor then divided them into varieties and advised breeding them as separate breeds. Once there were as many as eight varieties now there are only four. The Malinois was the first of the Belgian sheepdogs to develop a type and to breed true to this. It was also the first to become popular.
Intelligence		The Tervueren has a great sense of humour and learns very quickly. At around 9 months of age they often enter a ‘juvenile delinquent’ stage and all the training will appear as though it has gone ‘out of the window.’ Just go back to the beginning with basic training and by 18 months your little angel will reappear!
Show Characteristics		The head should be long and finely chiselled, with the skull being roughly equal to the length of the tapering muzzle. The nose should be black. The jaw should have a complete scissor bite. The eyes should be dark brown, of medium size and almondish shaped. Their ears should be of small to medium size, triangular and set high. The neck should be well muscled and slightly arched. The body should consist of a deep chest, graceful curved underline with a slightly sloping rump. The front legs should be long and well muscled with accentuated withers, and the back legs should be powerful and well muscled. The front feet should be round and tight with well-arched toes and the back feet slightly oval in shape. Their movement should be light and brisk. The tail should be of medium length with the tip carried slightly above the level of the topline. They should have a long, straight and profuse outercoat with an extremely dense undercoat. The hair should be shorter on the head, ears and lower legs. It is longer and more abundant around the neck (forming a ruff), on the back end and the tail. The back of the legs should have a fringe of longer hair on them. The males are usually longer coated than the females. The preferred colours for the show r
Country Of Origin		Belgium
Famous Examples		Wellard from Eastenders
Records Held
Characteristics Visit our dog training aids department
Energy		High
Overall Exercise		60 - 80 minutes
Distress Caused if Left Alone		Medium
Personal Protection		Medium
Suitability As Guard Dog		Medium
Risk of Sheep Worrying		Low
Tendency to Bark		Medium
Ease of Transportation		Medium
Level of Aggression		Medium
Compatibility With Other Animals		Medium
Suitable For Children		High
General Character And Temperament		As pets they are devoted companions and do not make ideal kennel dogs, as they become bored and destructive. The Tervueren is very affectionate and totally devoted to their families. Not a breed for those wanting ‘just a dog’. The Belgian wants to join in with everything including doing the washing up, digging the garden etc. They will protect their home and family but it is not advisable to encourage their guarding instincts when young, as they can get confused and start guarding you in inappropriate situations. Their natural guarding instincts will kick in, if and when necessary
Grooming Visit our dog grooming department
Coat Length		Medium/Long
Grooming Requirement		> Once a week
Trimming		None
Requires Professional Groomer
Grooming		The Tervueren is a longhaired dog that needs a fair amount of grooming. They have a long, straight and profuse outercoat with an extremely dense undercoat. This undercoat is shed twice a year in the case of bitches and in males, generally once a year.
Colour		The Terveuren is fawn, red or grey in colour with black shading on the hair tips. Their tails are usually darker or have a black tip, the face is a black mask and the ears are mostly black. They may have limited white on the chest and toes.
Shedding		Moderate
Suffers From Allergies
Tendency to Cause Allergies