Belgian Tervuren: Lifespan, Temperament and Trainability of Belgian Tervurens

The Belgian Tervuren or ” Chien de Berger Belge,” is one of four types of sheepdogs that originated in Belgium around the 19th Century. The Tervuren, or “Terv,” is a medium-sized dog well-known for its intelligence, loyalty, and athleticism. It shares many traits with its fellow four Belgian herding dog breeds, the Malinois, Laekenois, and the Groenendael.

The Tervuren is characterized by a fawn-colored long hair coat, while a similar breeds the Malinois, is fawn-colored, but with a short coat. The Groenendael has a long, black coat, and is more commonly known as the Belgian Sheepdog, and the Laekenois has a wavy, fawn-colored hair coat.

The Belgian Tervuren may be the perfect canine companion for the person looking for an intelligent, energetic companion.

Interested in sharing your life with a Belgian Tervuren? If so, there are a few things you might want to know before adopting this wonderful dog that is affectionate, energetic, and full of life.

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Breed History

The Belgian Tervuren gets its name from the town of Tervuren in Belgium, and first originated in the late 19th century. M.F. Corbeel is credited with breeding the foundation stock for the Tervuren. The breed was derived from different types of Belgian Sheepdogs: medium-sized dogs with triangular, well-set ears, short to long hair coats, and coat colors ranging from black, brown, or a combination of both.

The ancestors of the modern Tervuren were selected more based on their intelligence, personality, and trainability and soon gained popularity in Europe. The first Tervuren in the U.S. arrived in 1953, and since the Tervuren was seen as another variety of the Belgian Sheepdog, it wasn’t recognized as a separate breed by the American Kennel Club until 1959.

Today, Belgian Tervurens serve as military, police, search, rescue, and service dogs, and have proven to be a versatile breed that is easy to train, loyal, and extremely versatile. One of the more famous Belgian Tervuren police dogs was Albert, a male from Holland, who went to work with the Amsterdam police force sometime in the 1920s, and Milsart became the breed’s first Belgian show champion in 1907.

Fun facts about the breed

• The Tervuren breed is only officially recognized in the United States. Although the American Kennel Club recognized the Tervuren as a distinct breed in the U.S., it is only considered one of the four Belgian Sheepdogs in other parts of the world. Outside the U.S., the Belgian Tervuren is considered a type of Belgian sheepdog, but unique because of the long, sleek fur coat.
• Bred to be guards and herding dogs. The Belgian Tervuren was originally bred as a versatile farm dog used for herding livestock and acting as a guard dog. Belgium farmers needed a general-purpose herding and guard dog, and the Tervuren proved to be an excellent dog given its athleticism, intelligence, loyalty, and protectiveness of both livestock and its owners.
• The Belgian Tervuren is named after a Village. The Tervuren gets its name from a village just outside of Brussels, Belgium. A man named M.F. Corbeel is credited with developing the breed with a fawn-colored foundation pair named Tom and Poes.
• The First Ever AKC Herding Champion Was a Belgian Tervuren. A Tervuren by the name of Milsart was the first recorded champion of the AKC herding championship in 1907.
• The foundation pair, Tom and Poes, lived at a beer brewery. The first Teruven breeder was M.F Corebeel, who was also a brewer in addition to being a farmer. He used his male dog, Tom, to pull a beer cart during the day and guard the brewery at night.
• Belgian Tervurens are used as police dogs in Belgium. Unlike in the U.S., where the Belgian Malinois is the more popular breed for military and police, and the Belgian Tervuren is the breed most used as a police dog in Belgium. Perhaps this is due to the more affectionate and outgoing nature of the Tervuren and its excellence at performing well at Schutzhund, a canine sport that originated in Germany in the early 1900s.

Belgian Tervuren Temperament and Personality

The Belgian Tervuren is an intelligent and self-confident medium-sized herding dog breed and has been known for its affectionate nature and protective temperament. Given that this breed was developed to be a guard dog, the Belgian Tervuren can be somewhat protective of its family members and will bark at strangers if given the opportunity.

Belgian Tervurens are very devoted and loving pets but are not as friendly with people they don’t know. They do like their own family members to keep together and will herd young children who stray too far from the pack. The breed is very intelligent and eager to learn, making the Terv easy to train. However, the Belgian Tervuren is sensitive, so positive reinforcement is always best when teaching new tasks or correcting behaviors.

As a herding and working dog, the Terv needs daily attention, exercise, and a “job,” so the breed is best suited for owners who are active and can spend a lot of time with them. Because of their active nature, intelligence, and desire to work, the Belgian Tervuren makes a perfect choice as a police, working, or assistance dog. As a family dog, Tervs are happiest when playing and spending time with their family daily.

Appearance

The Belian Teruven is a medium-sized dog, with males weighing up to 75 pounds and females a bit smaller and less muscular, weighing up to 55 pounds. Males tend to be taller, standing up to 26 inches, and females up to 24 inches.

The Belgian Tervuren is characterized by a black mask, almond-shaped dark brown eyes, and erect ears triangular in shape. And a fawn, mahogany to light beige colored hair coat with black accents. The chest, feet, and chin may have some white hair, and the coat will become darker as the dog ages.

The Terv has a square, deep-chested shaped body with a long, fluffy tail reaching all the way to the hock. Its double coat is handy in cold weather, and the length of the coat around the body is medium to long, with the hair on the head, legs, and ears a bit shorter. Like the other Belgian Shepherds, the Belgian Teruven has long, coarse hair and as a result, needs regular brushing.

Activity Levels and Exercise

True to its herding origins, the Belgian Tervuren is always on the move and needs a lot of daily exercises and a job to do. However, if you are looking for a couch potato, this breed may not be for you. Terv owners need to spend a lot of time with their pups and provide plenty of daily exercise and companionship. Due to its strong herding instincts and intelligence, the Teruven is perfect for activities such as agility, assistance, herding, obedience, herding competitions, and Schutzhund (protection) activities.

As active herding dogs, the Belgian Tervuren may become destructive or hard to handle if it lacks daily exercise and human companionship. The breed may also try to herd young children by nipping at them, and due to their high prey drive, they may be prone to chasing smaller animals such as cats. As a result, early and consistent training is necessary to encourage positive behaviors.

Trainability

As a herding dog, socialization and obedience training are critical for the Belgian Tervuren, and although this breed is smart and kind, it can be a bit shy too. Socialization with other dogs and children while the pup is still young, is crucial, and exposing the youngster to a variety of environments, people, and situations will help develop a well-adjusted, confident adult.

The Belgian Teruven is known for its high energy and its intelligence and is easy to train; however, the breed can also be somewhat independent, so using appropriate training techniques is key to channeling its boundless energy. Belgian Tervurens respond best to positive reinforcement as they are quite sensitive and do best when short, consistent, and fun training sessions. Tervs are known to be happiest when learning new tasks.

Children And Other Pets

The Belgian Tervuren is a herding dog and tends to have a strong prey drive. For these reasons, the Terv is prone to herding young children to keep the pack together and may chase smaller dogs and cats. If you have a young Belgian Teruven pup, be sure to curb such behaviors with redirection and positive reinforcement techniques.

Teruvens are intelligent and loving and can learn to be gentle yet protective of young children and other smaller pets. The key is exposing the dog to children and smaller pets and teaching them that they are to be treated with care.

Health Problems

The Belgian Tervuren is generally a healthy breed if coming from a responsible breeder. Reputable breeders will screen both breeding pairs for a variety of health conditions, such as elbow and hip dysplasia, retinal atrophy (which causes vision loss), hypothyroidism, and skin allergies.

Just as with any breed, regular exams with your veterinarian are critical, as are keeping up with vaccines, heartworm, and flea/tick prevention. Any health issues or concerns can be evaluated by a veterinarian, who can diagnose any potential health conditions.

In addition to regular vet visits, a well-balanced diet and healthy weight are also crucial to the health and welfare of the Belgian Teruven.

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Diet

As with all dogs, the Belgian Tervuren does best on high-quality dog food, either a commercial diet or one made at home with veterinary supervision. A proper diet should be followed according to the dog’s age, and note that the Belgian Teruven can become overweight with overfeeding and not enough exercise.

When training your Terruven, treats can be an important aid in training, but make sure you watch the calories. Ensure you know which human foods are unsafe for dogs (such as raisins, chocolate, and walnuts), and check with your vet if you have any concerns about your dog’s weight or diet. Also, fresh, clean water should be accessible at all times.

Coat Care and Grooming

The Belgian Tervuren has a rich double coat with two layers of hair comprised of a dense, protective, dense undercoat covered by a coarser outer coat. Most of the time, a regular brushing once or twice a week with a good quality slicker brush or a grooming brush should be all that’s needed to keep the coat clean of tangles and debris.

Like most dogs, the Teruven sheds at least twice a year, so brushing sessions may need longer to eliminate excessive loose hair. Shedding brushes and rakes are useful tools to help remove dead hair. Also, the nails should be trimmed regularly, and daily tooth brushing is recommended for good oral health.

Where to Adopt or Buy

It may be a bit difficult to find a Belgian Teruven in a shelter; however, there are rescue groups and breed clubs in the U.S. If you are interested in providing a loving home for a rescue, contact your local rescue group or a Belgian Shepherd dog club.

If you are looking for a puppy, make sure that you research breeders thoroughly and that they are registered with the AKC and can provide information about the health of the parents. Good breeders with screen breeding pairs for genetic conditions such as hip and elbow dysplasia, ophthalmic conditions, and other genetic diseases.

Check out organizations like the American Belgian Tervuren Club.

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