Belgian Sheepdog Dog Breed

Posted by Jeanne on November 25, 2008

Belgian Sheepdogs should reflect the qualities of intelligence, courage, alertness, and devotion to their masters. They are intended as guardians of flocks and property and are sometimes trained for police work.

• Size – The height of the Belgian sheepdog should be at least  23-1/2 inches for dogs and about 22-1/2 inches for bitches, measured at the shoulder. The length, measured from breastbone to tip of hindquarters, should equal the height. Their weight should be at least 53 pounds.
• Position – He should stand squarely on all fours, the legs perfectly straight, viewed from all sides.
• Qualities – The Belgian sheepdog should reflect the qualities of intelligence, courage, alertness, and devotion to his master. His native environment has fortified him with marvelous powers of endurance, enabling him to resist the inclemency of the seasons and the vicissitudes of the weather, so characteristic of the Belgian climate. To his inbred aptitude as a guardian of flocks he adds the valuable qualities of the best guardian of property. In emergencies he is, without any hesitation, the stubborn and spirited defender of his master. He is watchful, attentive and always in motion; he is seemingly tireless. He shows a marked tendency to move in a circle rather than in a straight line.
• Skull – Flattened rather than rounded; not so wide to appear clumsy nor narrow as a whippet’s.
• Head and Muzzle – The head should be in proportion to the body; long, with a moderately pointed muzzle (not shorter than the skull), avoiding any tendency to snipiness. Jaws strong and powerful. Lips tight.
• Eyes – Brown, preferably dark brown, of medium size, not set too obliquely and not protruding; the gaze questioning and denoting intelligence.
• Ears – Triangular in shape, stiff, erect, well placed and not too long. Dogs whose ears are not erect are not to be considered.
• Neck – Round and rather outstretched.
• Top Line – Back, loins, and hips horizontal, large and powerful, of medium length.
• Tail – Strong at the base, of medium length, differing somewhat according to the variety. At rest, the dog holds it low, the tip bent straight back level with the hock. When in action, he raises it and gives it a curl, which is strongest toward the tip, without forming a hook.
• Defects – Carrying the tail too high, turning it to the right or to the left instead of carrying it in line with the center of the body. A dog without a tail or with a stump, whether naturally or by docking, cannot take a prize at any show.
• Breast – Narrow rather than broad.
• Chest – Not broad, but deep and well let down, as in all animals with rapid gait.
• Abdomen – Of moderate development, not flagging and not like a greyhound.
• Shoulder – Long and oblique, forming a sharp angle with the upper arm.
• Arm – Governed exactly by the length of the body.
• Forearm – Long, strong and moderately heavy from elbow to pastern.
• Hindquarters and Thighs – Strong and well muscled.
• Legs – Long and strong.