Belgian Shepherd Laekenois

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Belgian Shepherd Laekenois

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Size: Large
Other Names: Laekenois, Belgian Shepherd, Belgian Laekenois, Belgian (Shepherd) Laeken
Country of Origin: Belgium
Accreditation:
American Kennel Club (AKC): Herding
Canadian Kennel Club (CKC): Herding
United Kennel Club (UKC): Herding Dog
Australian National Kennel Council (ANKC): Working Dogs
The Kennel Club (KC): Pastoral
Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA): Herding
National Kennel Club (NKC): Recognized
New Zealand Kennel Club (NZKC): Working Dogs

The Belgian Shepherd Laekenois is in the sheepdog family, and is one of four varieties of Belgian Shepherd. The other three varieties are Groenendael, Malinois, and Tervuren. All varieties are anatomically identical, large-sized, square-proportioned, with sharply triangular ears, and differ in their hair texture, hair length, and colors. The Laekenois is recognized by his woolly brown and white coat, intermixed so as to give a tweedy appearance. All Belgian Shepherds give the appearance of being athletic, strong, imposing, and balanced. He is a hardy dog, accustomed to living in the open air and built to resist inclement weather and the atmospheric changes so frequent in the Belgian climate.

A rough-coated Belgian herder who wants a job and space; wiry coat work, a guardian bark, and little interest in being only a sofa dog.

Belgian Shepherds are hard-working, intelligent dogs, and make superb assistance dogs, thriving on this work. The Groenendael is the most popular variety. The Laekenois is considered both the oldest and the most rare of the Belgian Shepherd Dogs, and originated as a sheep herding dog at the Royal Castle of Laeken. The Malinois, a favorite of the United States Secret Service, is bred primarily as a working dog for personal protection, detection, police work Search and Rescue and sport work.
Special Note: In some countries, the four varieties of Belgian Shepherd Dog are considered to be one breed. The American Kennel Club (AKC), in the United States, recognizes the Groenendael, under the name "Belgian Sheepdog", and also recognizes the Tervuren as the "Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervuren)", and the Malinois as the "Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)". The "Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)" is currently part of the AKC’s Foundation Stock Service, and should eventually be recognized as a full breed by the AKC. The United Kennel Club (UKC) and the Canadian Kennel Club (AKC) recognize all four varieties as the same breed.

Height: Male: 23-26½ inches; Female: 21-24½ inches
Weight: Male 55-75 pounds; Female: 50-65 pounds
Color: Fawn and sable (beige to gray); the under parts of his body, tail, and culottes are cream, gray, or light beige; with or without a small to moderate white patch on his chest and the tips of his toes, and white or gray frosting on his muzzle
Coat: Rough and harsh; single length on all body (about 2-1/2 inches); abundant, dense, of good texture; double; rich and dense outer coat, giving good protection against wet and cold; very dense undercoat
Lifespan: 12–14 years
Litter size: 6–10 puppies

Temperament

All four varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog are hard-working, active, loyal, affectionate, and intelligent dogs, who have been bred to be alert and sensitive to everything going on around them, and to develop extremely strong relationship bonds. The Belgian Shepherd wants to be with his human all the time, preferably doing some activity, and can find it very difficult to be left alone. He tends to be a "one-person dog". He is loyal and fun, and well-suited to family life. He cannot live outdoors or in a kennel. He needs to spend time with his family every day, and may experience separation anxiety if left alone for long periods of time. He is wary of strangers, and protective, and makes a good watch dog, as he is very observant and attentive to the slightest change in his environment. He will get along well with children, when introduced to children at an early age. Play, work, and exercise are important to keep a well-balanced Belgian Shepherd, and he is best-suited for an owner with plenty of time, energy, confidence, and love. Due to his high level of maintenance, the Belgian Shepherd is not generally recommended for first-time dog owners.

Training

The Belgian Shepherd is dominant by nature, and for training to be successful, his owner must established himself as the authority, the "pack leader". Once the Belgian's role in the pack is established, he is very loyal and obedient. He is a sensitive breed, and cannot be trained using harsh training methods. The Belgian Shepherd is an intelligent breed, that can quickly become bored with simple and undemanding repetition. He thrives on stimulation, work, and partnership with his owner. He does best with reward-based training, and does not do well with punishment or deterrence-based training. Because Belgian Shepherds require as much mental as physical stimulation, professional training is recommended by trainers for this type of dog, as well as continued development beyond the basics, such as obedience, agility, herding and other sports. The Belgian Shepherd requires significant socialization as a puppy, due to his size, strength, and because he is very people oriented.

Care and grooming

The Belgian Shepherd requires a lot of exercise, ongoing stimulation, and purposeful activity outlets, and prefers these to be with people. Like most herding breeds, he does best when he has a job to do, such as herding, learning tricks, or dog agility training. Expect to spend about two hours a day with your Belgian. Exercise should include not only a walk, but also a training session to keep the dog mentally stimulated. He requires thorough grooming once a week, however when shedding, they lose massive amounts of coat, and need grooming every day.

Shedding

Moderate; the rough coat sheds less than the long-coated Belgian Shepherds.

Health

The Laekenois shares the Belgian Shepherd risks of hip and elbow dysplasia, epilepsy, and eye disease. Choose breeders who health-test and do not overbreed for extreme coats.

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