The answer to this question is yes. These dogs make wonderful family pets because they love to please and spending time with their humans. This dog also gets just great with children. Belgian Sheepdogs also make great guard dogs and will protect their family including other pets in the home. Belgians are best suited for families that are active because this dog needs a lot of physical activity.
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Belgian Sheepdogs as Watch Dogs?
Having been bred to herd and protect livestock and lands, the Belgian Sheepdog is a natural guard dog. They are vigilant and attentive, without being apprehensive towards strangers. Fearless and full of courage, this breed will make an excellent protector while still being loving and gentle with those he is close to. Always moving and observing, these dogs never miss a thing and are very possessive of their family and property. You cannot go wrong with this strong, devoted, and attentive dog.
Are Belgian Sheepdogs Aggressive?
The key to training a Belgian Sheepdog is to earn their trust. They are highly intelligent dogs that can be trained to an exceptionally high standard. Yet, because they are independent thinkers, they won’t fully commit to their training if you are abusive or aggressive toward them.
Belgian Sheepdogs Background
BackgroundIn the 1800s, some European countries wanted to develop their own animals that could represent a sense of pride and nationalism. Belgium’s source of pride was the Belgian Sheepdog. He is also known as the Groenendael or Chien de Berger Beige. In 1908, the dogs were imported to New York where they were used as police dogs. Belgian Sheepdogs were also used during World War I as message carriers, ambulance dogs, and for pulling machine guns. The Belgian Sheepdog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1912.
Family and Bonding
Belgian Sheepdogs are great with children and babies more so if they are raised with them. They do love their families and therefore will protect them. Remember that this dog is a herding dog, so it may try to herd small children. You will have to train the dog not to do this.
Friendly
This amicable dog is a gentle and friendly creature who does wonderfully with small children. Despite their kind hearts, these curious pups do have a bit of hound dog inside of their genetic makeup. So, if you are wanting to bring small animals into a home that already has a Belgian Sheepdog it would be a good idea to introduce them while the dog is still young. These dogs do best when they can grow up with something they might otherwise see as a toy. If you already have an older dog of the breed, don’t worry! They are extremely smart and with guidance, they can learn how to be gentle with any creature you introduce into the family. Just be sure to monitor any interaction carefully at first to ensure that your dog knows who can and cannot be played with roughly.
Belgian Sheepdog Nature
With their herding nature, they are prone to chase bike, cars, kids or even other animals. Their temperament can be affected by various reasons such as genetics, raising, and most importantly training. A Belgian Sheepdog should be trained at an early age to avoid behaviors like aggression and alpha personality. A well trained Belgian Sheepdog is calm and won’t bark without a cause.
Intelligence
In 1893, the breed was named after the original breeder, Nicholas Rose’s, estate. Located outside of Brussels, the Chateau Groenendael was just as beautiful as the dog itself. Because the name Groenendael is a bit difficult for some to remember, the Belgian Sheepdog came to exist. This name is fitting as the dogs were originally used as sheep herders in the Belgian countryside. As one of four sheep dog varieties, the Malinois, the Tervuren, the Laekenois, and the Groenendael, the Belgian Sheepdog was one of the shepherd dogs molded by the Belgian Shepherd Dog club. In September of 1891, this esteemed club came together in order to decide the national criteria for the perfect shepherd dog. They determined that the perfect traits of a shepherd dog were to be medium sized, square with wide-set triangular ears and very brown eyes. The dogs were only to be different in the texture and color of their fur. It is easy to see that the Belgian Sheepdog matches these criteria extremely well and is a stunning dog. The two breeds that blended into this attractive canine are the? Picard d’Uccle, which is from the Belgian Malinois family, and the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, which is part of the Hound family. The combination of these dogs created an extremely intelligent and highly athletic dog perfect for herding and show. This dog’s alert and playful personality is certainly one that takes a lot of energy to handle, but is worth it in the long run.
Love
Belgian Sheepdogs as a Pack Animal
Belgian sheepdogs are bright, obedient and protective dogs who need extensive socialization when young to prevent shyness or sensitivity.
Physical Traits
The Belgian sheepdog teeters on being a medium-to-large sized dog and can weigh between 45–75 pounds. His long coat and long snoot make him a head-turning beauty, but because he's a relatively rare breed in the U. S. , you might not see him running around at the local dog park.