BELGIAN TERVUREN Breed Standards
The Belgian Tervuren was developed during the 19th century as a herder and protector, and the dog still fills these roles today. In its native land the Tervuren--along with the Belgian Sheepdog, Malinois and Laekenois--is known as the Chien de Berger Belge, or Belgian Shepherd. The name Tervuren comes from a village of the same name in Belgium where M.F. Corbeel, one of the earliest Tervuren breeders, resided. Corbeel owned a pair of fawn shepherds who produced the dog that was then bred with a black Groenendael to produce the Tervuren as we know it today.
In 1892, the first Belgian Shepherd show was held, and the Tervuren bred by Corbeel was deemed the champion. In 1918, the first Belgian Tervuren was registered in the United States. However, the breed did not catch on with American dog owners and died out before the Great Depression. The Tervuren reappeared in 1953 thanks to a small group of dedicated breeders. The Belgian Tervuren was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1959.
SKILLS: The elegant Tervuren is slender, squarely proportioned and solidly muscled, but not bulky, with proud carriage. Serious and watchful with strong protective and territorial instincts. Some are very shy or sensitive.
SIZE: Height: Dogs 24-26 inches (61-66 cm.) Bitches 22-24 inches (56-61 cm.) Weight: Dogs 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg.) Bitches 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg.)
COAT: The harsh coat is medium to long, consisting of a dense under coat and a straight, black-tipped, outer coat which produces the characteristic black overlay. There is extra feathering on the rump and back of the legs as well as a ruff around the neck, extending down the chest (this is more pronounced in males). Base color may be fawn to mahogany with many registries accepting shades of gray. Some white is acceptable on the chest, toes and chin. The hair on the head, legs, and outer surface of the ears is short. The Belgian Tervuren generally darkens as it gets older. It has a light, graceful, almost floating gait.
CARE REQUIRED: The Belgian Tervuren has a long, straight, medium-length, heavy outer coat and a dense under coat that requires daily combing and brushing. Clip out mats that form, particularly in the ruff and on the legs, and clip hair from between the toes and on the outer ears. This breed is a constant light shedder, with males shedding heavily once a year and females twice a year. The coat needs a good thorough brushing once or twice a week.
CHARACTER: Serious and watchful with strong protective and territorial instincts. Some are very shy or sensitive. This breed needs extensive socialization from an early age, and firm, but not harsh, training from an experienced master. If you are harsh or overbearing they will become uncooperative. Tervurens are instinctively protective so they should be trained and socialized very well from an early age. Breeders should socialize puppies right from birth.
TRAINING: This is a working dog that is accustomed to an active outdoor life. As such it needs a lot of exercise, preferably off the leash as much as possible in a safe area.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR: Provided they are correctly socialized with cats and other pets, they should not present any problems. Belgian Sheepdogs may instinctively display herding behavior such as chasing and circling, moving effortlessly for hours and nipping at people's heels. Good for working and competitive obedience. This is a very demanding dog. It needs an experienced owner. It can easily be difficult to control unless the owner knows how to handle him. There can be wide differences in temperament and aggressiveness. Talk to someone experienced with the breed before you buy your dog.
EXERCISE: The Belgian Tervuren will do okay in an apartment if it is sufficiently exercised. It is moderately active indoors and will do best with at least an average-sized yard. This breed prefers cool climates, but adapts well to others. It can live outdoors but would much rather be with his people
