Belgian Shepherd Groenendael
History
Groenendael belongs to the breed of dogs Belgian Shepherd,
being one of four types. Belgian Shepherds also include Tervuren, raspberry, and Lakota.
At the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries, this breed was actively
developed and had great success at home. Actually, the first standard of the
breed was drawn up in 1892, and a year earlier the club of Belgian Shepherds
(Club du Chien de Berger Belge) was created in Brussels.
Now it is not known exactly when the work on the creation of
this national breed began, the point of count is considered to be the end of
the 1800s. Under the guidance of Professor A. Ryul, a group of dog breeders
studied local shepherds in Brussels and other regions of Belgium, coming to the conclusion that they all have a very similar appearance, differing only in the
color of wool.
The Belgian Shepherd of black color, or, Groenendael, was
developed mainly in the nursery of Nicholas Rose, and its name got from the
name of the estate of this breeder - "Chateau Groenendael", in the
suburbs of Brussels. The first dogs from which all other members of this breed
originated are Petit and Picard.
Literally, after the first dog shows, they gained great fame
in Europe and America, they were used by border guards and police. Versatility,
strength, endurance, courage, and intelligence have made these dogs excellent
helpers to man not only in the service of law enforcement, and at the border,
but also during the First World War.
Groenendael dogs carried messages between trenches and
headquarters, making their way under a hail of bullets and shrapnel from
explosions, and even helped carry carts with machine guns and first aid. In
1919, a club of Belgian sheepdogs of America was even created. Due to their
huge popularity, they also took part in the Second World War.
Characteristics of the breed
popularity 06/10
training 10/10
size 07/10
mind 09/10
protection 10/10
Relationships with
children 10/10
Dexterity 08/10
Breed information
country |
Belgium |
lifetime |
12-14 years old |
height |
Males: 61-66 |
weight |
Males: 30-37 |
Longwool |
Long |
Color |
black |
price |
1000 - 3000 $ |
Description
These are dogs of large size, muscular, strong, triangular
ears, straight-faced, dark brown eyes. The outlines of the body are square, the
tail is fluffy, the hair is long, black.
Personality
The Belgian Shepherd dog feels great devotion to his family
and the owner has an obedient, gentle disposition, and treats his loved ones with
great care and attention. These are very smart dogs that need intellectual
development, love different games, puzzles, are great at the learning process, and are interested in it.
Belgian Shepherds and their ancestors for centuries served
people as shepherds and guards, so they developed valuable qualities. The Groenendael
breed has a huge reserve of energy and vitality, loves walks, an active
lifestyle, will gladly make a morning jog with you.
They are not prone to destruction if they do not find a way
out of their energy, but the risk is still not worth it because the nature of
the dog largely depends on heredity and other factors. Belgian Shepherds are
great for children, being not just a nanny, but also the best friend of every
child. It is important to teach the child the correct treatment of the animal,
as this breed is very patient and your baby can inadvertently harm the pet, in
the absence of a response.
The Belgian Shepherd is still used today as a service in the
police, customs, and other law enforcement agencies in the United States and in
many European countries. These dogs have excellent protective instincts, are very
territorial, observant, and treat strangers with great care. As a watchdog for a
private home, it's a wonderful choice. They are also used as companions for
people with disabilities, as Groenendael is very smart and intelligent.
They are very adaptive and can get along in the city
apartment without much trouble if you provide them with the proper level of
activity and regular walks. Do not forget about early socialization - despite
the good character and natural inclinations, expanding horizons with the help
of new people, situations, smells, and sounds, the dog is necessary.
Teaching
The Belgian Groenendael Shepherd breed is ideal for training
both simple and complex teams. That is why these dogs are so widely used in
various power structures, as well as companions for people with
disabilities. They understand the person well, and the learning process can
begin at the age of 6 months.
First, you need to train the animal with simple commands, then
add distractions to the process, gradually increasing their number and adding
other people as one of these factors. That is, you can just ask your child or,
even better - your friend, just to stand next to each other. Then - to stand
next to eating, for example, a hot dog. So the dog will learn to concentrate
and perform the command even under the noise of the street and an abundance of
smells. And don't forget about encouragement - this is an important aspect of
learning.
In order to train a companion dog for people with
disabilities, for example - a guide dog, usually attract a professional trainer
with the appropriate specialization.
Care
These dogs need regular combing, once or twice a week. Also
be sure to clean the dog's ears from sediment and dirt, and bathe the pet at
least once a week. Eyes need to be cleaned as needed, do not forget to prune the
claws.
Common diseases
Despite the fact that the breed Groenendael has good health
and good immunity, hardy and strong, the propensity for certain diseases is
still there.
- hip dysplasia;
- elbow dysplasia;
- epilepsy;
- progressive retinal atrophy (PRA);
- Cancers;
- sensitivity to anesthesia - some Belgian Groenendael Shepherds are very sensitive to anesthesia, so their treatment often uses doses the same as in the case of Greyhound;
- Hypothyroidism.
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