The Belgian Sheepdog, or Groenendael, is a herding dog from Belgium. They are highly intelligent, active, and truly gorgeous. This is not a dog for novice owners. The Belgian Sheepdog needs someone with lots of experience owning a smart and high energetic dog breed. If you’re not careful, you can easily go wrong with such a smart and energetic dog. So, tread lightly before you decide to get yourself a Groenendael.
Size
The Belgian Sheepdog is a large dog. Males are slightly larger than females. The AKC breed standard measures are:
- Male height: 24 to 26 inches (60 to 66 cm)
- Male weight: 55 to 75 pounds (25 to 35 kg)
- Female height: 22 to 24 inches (55 to 60 cm)
- Female weight: 45 to 60 pounds (20 to 27 kg)
It’s a well-balanced dog with an elegant appearance. The Belgian Sheepdog is a strong, muscular dog full of life. They are not shy, slow, or fragile-looking. The Groenendael is a herding dog capable of doing work all day long.
Color
There is only one coat color, and it is black. That is the standard breed color and the only one accepted by the Kennel Clubs. However, the pure black coat can have some white markings on the chest, on the toes or under the chin.
However, apart from the pure black coat color, the American Kennel Club offers the possibility for Belgian Sheepdog owners of other coat colors to register their dogs. But these are not standard colors. These colors include sable, fawn, gray, gray and black, fawn and black, silver, and wolfgray and black.
Social traits
These are loyal and hardworking dogs that love to be around their owners. But, it doesn’t mean they are suitable for everyone. As I already said, the Belgian Sheepdog is just like its cousin, the Belgian Malinois, for experienced dog owners.
Even in the official AKC breed standard text, they say, “…with an exceedingly proud carriage of the head and neck”. Now, that refers to their conformation and overall appearance, but it also carries some behavioral traits with it.
A dog with a “proud” appearance is often not overly open to other dogs, people, and especially not suitable for very young children. They are not the most patient, IF and I repeat, IF they haven’t been properly socialized.
Every dog needs proper socialization, but some are friendlier by nature than others. There is no wonder that a Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular family pets in the world. They are naturally mellow, friendly family dogs.
Important: Belgian Sheepdogs are not inherently aggressive; no dog is, but there is a big difference between a show line dog and a working dog. Those who are bred for shows have a more “mellow” nature and fit in with other dogs, family homes, and are easier to socialize.
Trainability
They are highly trainable. The Belgian Sheepdog is a herding dog that loves to please the owner. They are eager to work and follow commands. However, it’s not all so easy. You have to be very careful and balance being confident and calm.
Just as they can learn good things and commands we want them to learn, they can also go the other way and become mischievous if we let them. Once an intelligent dog realizes it can trick us and we let them do it, the satisfaction of that action is much bigger than doing something we want.
The Belgian Sheepdog is a sensitive dog that doesn’t respond well to strict and harsh treatment. Yelling or getting angry won’t get you anywhere. A dog follows a confident and calm owner.
Important: just like other dogs, the Belgian Sheepdog also has its puppy phase. That means there will be a period when you’ll have a dog on rocket fuel with wits to figure out how to test your patience.
Activity Needs
The best thing you can do for your Belgian Sheepdog is to do some dog sports available at your place. Unless you actually plan to have them as herding dogs, they need something to do.
An adult Belgian Sheepdog needs at least 2 hours of daily activity. That means you cannot just take them for a walk in the morning and evening. They need to run, sniff, explore, and play. This is important for their mental wellbeing as well.
If you cannot give a Belgian Sheepdog enough daily mental and physical stimulation, think about another dog breed. They will not be happy with potty walks. They will not be happy with just one hour of daily activity.
Tip: combine walks with dog sports, playtime, hikes, bike rides, or very long walks on the weekends. A bored, high-energy dog will quickly turn boredom into misbehavior, destructive behavior, or aggression.
Feeding
Generally speaking, an adult Belgian Sheepdog needs from 2 to 3 cups of kibble food a day. We should divide the amount into two meals. For example, if we want to feed them 2 cups a day, we should give them 1 cup in the morning and 1 cup in the evening.
An adult Belgian Sheepdog needs around 2 to 3 cups of kibble a day.
The amount of food a dog needs depends on several factors, such as health and activity levels. Also, there is a difference in how much food an adult and a puppy dog need. The best option is to consult a vet.
Grooming
The Belgian Sheepdog has a double and medium-long coat. They shed normally, until the shedding season comes. That’s when they shed profusely and require daily brushing. But, apart from that one time in the year, they require weekly brushing.
It is not difficult to brush them or keep their fur healthy and pretty. You need a pin brush and a slicker brush. As I said, it is not difficult to brush them, but you will need to spend about 30 minutes thoroughly brushing your dog once a week.
They don’t need lots of baths, just an occasional if they get really dirty. And just like any other dogs, they need regular nail trimming.
Tip: unless it’s too hot outside, you shouldn’t cut your dog’s coat short. They have naturally long coats that shouldn’t be cut or trimmed too short.
Possible Problems
The Belgian Sheepdog is a healthy dog breed. They can have some health issues related to their size, such as:
There is, however, a health issue related to Belgian Sheepdogs, and it’s their sensitivity to anesthesia. This is related to all herding dogs coming from Belgium. The Belgian Sheepdog Club of America states some are highly sensitive to Acepromazine (a sedative given to dogs and cats as a pre-anesthetic).
They also state veterinarians reported several deaths after the use of Rompun (another pre-anesthetic). You can see the other notes made by Libbye Miller, DVM, in the picture below.
Life expectancy: from 12 to 14 years
Summary
The bottom line is that these wonderful smart dogs need lots of daily mental and physical stimulation. The Belgian Sheepdog is not a very popular dog breed. Their cousin, the Belgian Malinois, is the one everybody has heard of. However, if you have the desire to have a smart and high-energy dog as a Groenendael, then you need to put in some work. They need a lot of training and sensitive handling to help them grow into confident, calm, and obedient dogs. But when you hit all the right buttons, you’ll have a wonderful, loyal, and smart best friend for years to come.
Read next: Belgian Laekenois Traits – Breeds 101
Cover photo by Alexandre Boucey
