Pastoral group · Belgium
Belgian Tervuren
Also called Tervuren, Terv, Chien de Berger Belge.
What makes them remarkable
This Belgian shepherd takes its name from the village of Tervuren, where its development took shape.
- Intelligent
- Courageous
- Alert
- Devoted
- Elegant
- Size
- Large
- Weight
- 20 to 34 kg45 to 75 lb
- Lives
- 12 to 14 years
- Energy
- High
- Trains
- Very High
- Barks
- High
Training
Training a Belgian Tervuren
Pastoral breeds. Give the brain a job or it will find one. Chasing, nipping and fixating are the breed doing its work.
Early Socialisation
Start here
Natural wariness of strangers requires extensive early positive experiences with people.
Channel the Energy
Excel in agility, herding, obedience, and tracking, give them a job.
Rewards and Variety
Sensitive and intelligent, responds best to reward-based training with variety.
The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.
Add your Belgian Tervuren and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.
Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.
At home
Living with one
Bred to herd and guard livestock. Watchful, responsive, and wired to control movement.
Gets on with
- ChildrenHigh
- Other dogsModerate
- StrangersLow
- CatsModerate
Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.
- Exercise
- 1.5-2 hours daily. Needs both physical activity and mental challenges.
- Grooming
- Heavy shedding. Daily brushing required, especially during seasonal coat blow.
- Drool
- Low
- Coat
- Long, Double coat, DenseFawn to Mahogany with Black Overlay, Black Mask
- In a flat
- Needs more space than a flat gives.
Health
Things to ask a breeder or vet about
Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Joint condition affecting large breeds
Epilepsy
Moderate
Inherited seizure disorder
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Moderate
Degenerative eye condition
Where they come from
History
Named after the village of Tervuren, Belgium. Developed by breeder M.F. Corbeel in the late 1800s. Known for the beautiful mahogany coat with black overlay.
Similar breeds
All breeds
Belgian Laekenois
One of its early guarding jobs was watching over linen left drying in Belgian fields.
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Belgian Sheepdog
The long black coat identifies the Groenendael, one of the four Belgian shepherd varieties.
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Rough Collie
Queen Victoria helped popularise the Rough Collie long before Lassie made its face famous on screen.
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Smooth Collie
The short coat can disguise a close connection: it shares its origins with the long-coated Rough Collie.
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