History

Named after the Belgian village of Tervuren, the Belgian Tervuren is one of the four varieties of Belgian Sheepdogs. Brewer M. Corbeel, who is believed to be the founder of the Tervuren variety, crossed his fawn dog to a black longhaired dog, owned by M. Donhieux and the result was the prototype for the Tervuren standard. It physically resembles the German Shepherd Dog and today the Tervurens are most often used as companion dogs

Appearance

The Belgian Tervurens usually come in shades of fawn-mahogany and a long coat with black mask and overlay. Tervuren is a strong, muscular dog with slender, squarely proportioned structure. It has equilateral-triangular ears and small, dark, almond-shaped eyes with an alert expression. The tapering muzzle and the flat skull add to its serious look. The deep chest reaches up to the elbow and the long, feathered tail reaches at least to the hock.

Color

The colors of the Belgian Tervuren vary slightly with the norm being a rich shade of red (often described as mahogany) with black highlights and a black mask. Occasionally, you will see a small spot of white on the chest or the tip of the toes.

Personality

An intelligent and versatile breed, the Belgian Tervuren is an obedient dog that is serious and watchful, with strong protective and territorial instincts. They call for firm, yet gentle training from an experienced master. There can be wide differences in temperament and aggressiveness displayed by this breed. They are alert and loyal and make good watchdogs. Though gentle with kids, they can turn aggressive to other canines. Tervurens bond strongly with their owner and instinctively display herding behavior.

Health Concerns

Though normally healthy, some minor concerns like epilepsy, skin allergies, eye problems, excessive shyness, excessive aggressiveness are commonly noted in this breed. Occasionally, disorders like hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia can occur. It can turn obese and lazy when overfed.

Recognized By

CKC, FCI, AKC, UKC, ANKC, NKC, NZKC, APRI, ACR