The Tervueren is a medium-sized, long-haired 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 with a more refined head. The Terveuren dog breed is fawn, red or grey in colour with black shading on the hair tips. Adult dogs should measure between 61-66cm and females 56-61cm. They weigh between 27.5-28.5kg.
The Tervueren is an affectionate, devoted companion who will protect his home and family. As with all breeds with a guarding tendency, it is not advisable to encourage the guarding instincts when young, as they could start trying to guard you in inappropriate situations. Their natural guarding instincts will kick in if and when necessary. However, he has a great sense of humour and learns very quickly.
The Belgian Shepherd Dog comes in four varieties: the Laekenois, Tervueren, Groenendael and Malinois, named after the areas in Belgium from which they came. The Tervueren is closer to the Groenendael than the other two. It is believed that two 'black-tipped fawn long-haired' sheepdogs were crossed and one of the resulting litters was crossed to the foundation stock of the Groenendael. This litter became the precedent of the Tervueren. In the 1940s, the Tervueren dog breed nearly disappeared altogether; however, in the 1950s interest was rekindled in the breed.
Today interbreeding is not permitted and the Belgian Tervuren is recognised as a separate member of the four Belgian Shepherd breeds in most countries.
As with many breeds, all varieties of the Belgian can suffer from hereditary eye disorders and hip dysplasia (a condition that can lead to mobility problems). Eye testing and hip scoring of dogs prior to breeding is therefore important. This particular type of Belgian Shepherd is also predisposed to epilepsy.
Bred to work, moving, herding and to some extent protecting livestock, the Tervuren likes to keep moving and will require two hours exercise per day, with training and games on top of this. Although they won’t appreciate hot weather and should be exercised early and late to avoid this. Rain and wind will not put them off their daily walks.
Large breed dogs, as well as having large appetites, benefit from a different balance of nutrients including minerals and vitamins compared to smaller-breed dogs.
The Tervueren is a long-haired 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.
While many dogs are traditionally thought of as being good with children , all dogs and children need to be taught to get on with and respect each other, and be safe together. Even so, dogs and young children should never be left alone together and adults should supervise all interactions between them.
