Tervuren Dog Breed description: Character & Co

About

Like all Belgian shepherd dog breeds, the Tervuren combines the characteristics of guard and herding dogs. If you are active and already have experience with dogs, the particularly lively and hard-working Tervuren dog is well suited for you and will enrich your lifestyle. Tervuren dogs have a strong sense of alertness, a strong personality and want to constantly be on the move. The dogs are assigned to FCI group 1 (herding dogs) in section 1 (shepherds).

What is the origin of the Tervuren dog?

The breeding of the Tervuren goes back to the foundation of the "Belgian Shepherd Dog Club". In the 1890s, a professor from the veterinary school of Cureghem in Belgium arranged a meeting with 117 owners of Belgian shepherd dogs. The dogs with the most suitable breed characteristics were selected and targeted breeding began. The first standard appeared in 1892 - one year after the club was founded by A. Reul - and contained a breed with three variations of coat. However, the first stud book entries were not made until 1901. Around 1910, the desired type, personality and the associated options for the use of these dogs had been established for the breeders.

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Alternate Name	Belgian Shepherd Dog, Belgian Tervuren
Origin	Belgium
Life expectancy	12 - 14 years
Care requirements	high-maintenance

Activity level	high
FCI group	Sheepdogs
AKC group	Herding Group
KC group	Pastoral Group

Characteristics

The typical character traits of the Tervuren Dog

Tervuren dogs are intelligent and eager to learn, yet need an experienced hand in training. A consistent, but gentle upbringing is necessary to bring out the best qualities in your Tervuren and avoid undesirable behaviour. Tervurens that are not optimally trained in accordance with their nature often suffer from behavioural problems later on. As a working dog, the Tervuren dog enjoys challenging tasks, which is why it is often found as a

Service dog, e.g. for the police, in rescue operations or at customs.
Many dogs are also good for sports.

Aggressiveness and fear are not characteristics of the breed and usually occur only when not challenged enough.

Character

attentive
protective
energetic
intelligent
concentrated
loyal

Usage

Family Dog
Police Dog
Searchdog

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Breeding

What are typical diseases of Tervuren dogs?

Belgian shepherd dogs are known to be predisposed to musculoskeletal disorders. This includes

hip joint and elbow dysplasia (HD and ED) as well as
spondyloses.

HD leads to lameness and pain due to incongruities in the hip joint, which can be unilateral or bilateral. Different degrees of severity occur. ED is manifested by lameness of the forehand, often immediately after getting up. There are different forms of ED, which can be differentiated by an X-ray. A late consequence of these diseases is arthrosis. Spondyloses are formations on the vertebral bodies that can lead to stiffening of the spine, restrictions in movement and pain. Whether the diseases develop in your Tervuren depends on the one hand on their genetic disposition and on the other hand on certain environmental factors. For example, too much stress in young animals or a feed with an inappropriate energy content promotes the development of the disease.

Belgian shepherd dog breeding

In order to avoid the above mentioned diseases, you should make sure to find a good breeding when you buy your Tervuren. It is best to choose a VDH breeder, who must comply with the regulations and breeding standards of the association. Have the papers of the parent animals shown to you and their categorisation regarding HD and ED disease. At a certain age you can also have your dog x-rayed for HD and ED predisposition. If you would like to breed with your dog, this is usually even required by the breeding association. A Tervuren costs about 1000 Euros.

Tervueren Belgian Shepherd Dog with long hair Breed description

The Tervuren is a medium-sized dog with harmonious proportions and strongly trained muscles. The resistant dogs are well adapted to different climate conditions and suited for a life outdoors. The Tervuren dog radiates robustness, strength and at the same time elegance. The chest of the Tervuren reaches to the height of the elbows; the muzzle is wedge-shaped and should not be longer than the skull. The forehead is flattened without a pronounced frontal furrow. The eyes are deep, almond shaped and dark brown in colour. An open, attentive and lively gaze distinguishes the Tervuren. A tail of medium length should at least reach the hock. All limbs have a strong bone structure and good muscles and support the Tervuren's extraordinarily high urge to move.

Coat of the Tervuren

The coat of the Tervuren is long, smooth, closely lying to the body, of good texture and with a distinct undercoat. Only on the head and on the outside of the ears the hair is short. Around the neck, on the chest and on the thighs the hair is considerably longer than on the other parts of the body and forms a mane, apron or the typical trousers. Also characteristic are the fringes on the back of the front limbs and the flag on the tail. The preferred colour is fawn-black cloudy, the cloudiness being caused by the black tips of the hair and giving the base colour a dark shade. If you want to buy a Tervuren, you should be aware that their maintenance is slightly higher than with other dog breeds. Hair loss is to be expected, especially during the coat change, and the undercoat must be brushed out well and regularly. You should only bathe your Tervuren when it is very dirty.

How big does a Tervuren dog get?

The Tervuren is considered a medium-sized dog. The size is indicated by the height at the withers and is about 62 cm for adult males and about 58 cm for adult females. The breed standard allows deviations of 2 cm downwards and 4 cm upwards. You should consider, however, that your Tervure will look a little bigger because of the voluminous coat.

How much does a long-haired Belgian shepherd dog weigh?

The weight also differs depending on whether you have chosen a male or female dog. Bitches are a bit narrower and of a lighter build, but no less imposing. The typical weight of a Tervuren male is between 25 and 30 kg, while bitches should weigh between 20 and 25 kg.

What is the average lifespan of a Tervuren?

Kept in the ideal conditions and in good health, Tervuren have a life expectancy of 12-16 years. In general, the breed is considered to be very robust and not particularly prone to developing diseases, yet accidents or diseases caused by harmful environmental influences can shorten the life expectancy.