Belgian Shepherd - Groenendael
FCI:
Belgian Shepherd Groenendael Group I. - Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs, Section 1 - Sheepdogs with working trial. Recognized in 1891.
Belgian Shepherd only uniform black, long hair
General Appearance:
Belgian Shepherd Groenendael is clever, perseverant, diligent, docile, agile and alert dog. It is calm, proud and courageous dog without any signs of aggression or fear.
Temperament & Behaviour:
Its training as other varieties of Belgian Shepherds, it cannot be without proper early socialization, but with not strict approach to this breed, during training there are usually not bigger problems.
It demands continuous training or training opportunities and free range on its private property and it needs regular daily long walks, fetch, brightened up, jumping over obstacles and, if possible, various mental activities, such as. Searching tracks, etc.
The dogs are coming back after calling back it can also be naturally released freely, they do not tend to move away from the owner. Thanks to their docility and smarts are suitable for almost all dog sports, but also have good use as working dogs, either as an avalanche, rescue or police dogs.
In the family they behave carefully and sensitively. But they are also a very good guards, so that if it is necessary, they are very tough, strong and uncompromising.
Body:
Belgian Shepherds are medium-sized dogs, shortly rectangular body frame. Males are about 62 cm and females 58 cm (for both sexes, the tolerance of - 2 / + 4 cm). Weight of body for male is different f25-30 kg for females from 20 to 25 kg.
Head high, proudly carried, moderate length, straight outlines, dry. Skull should be appropriately broad width corresponding to the length of the head, almost as long as the muzzle. The forehead should be rather flat. Longitudinal front cutting machine is only slightly pronounced. The occipital protuberance is only slightly noticeable. The frontal slope is distinct, reasonably steep. Muzzle should be formed under the eyes, has not fallen and the overall shape of an elongated wedge. Cheeks are dry, really flat, but well-muscled.
The mouth is relatively large and broad. Lips may be narrow, tightly fitting to the jaws and teeth on the edges of fully pigmented. The teeth are large, pure white, regularly spaced and deeply fixed in strong jaws. It requires a scissor bite, but tolerates also pincer bite. Full dentition is requested, but may be missing two of the first premolars (P1) and molars 3 (M3) is not mentioned.
The eyes should be of medium size, slightly almond-shaped, slanted, brown colour. Dark-coloured iris is preferred. The rims are black. The look is open, lively, bold, determined.
Pricked ears to be rather small, set high, distinctly triangular shape, with solid tips. In action must be carried vertically, rather than spread out to the sides or tops leaning toward each other.
The neck is clearly indented from the head rather longer adequately muscled. The receptacle shall be without dewlap, nape slightly arched. Hull to be strong topline of the body is in the back and loins straight tap must be distinctive, back firm, short and tightly muscled. The loin should be short, moderately broad and muscular. Croup is a little steep, fairly broad and well-muscled.
The tail should be mounted at a suitable rate, strong at the root, medium length. Reaching at least to hock joints. In repose hanging down, and its end is level with the hock slightly curved upwards. When moving carried clearly higher, but never above the topline of the body. The tip must not be called. Crochet.
The chest should not be too broad, but deep. The ribs are in their upper part more strongly curved than near the sternum. The abdomen is adequately rolled up. Forelegs boned, without coarse and should be properly muscled perpendicular to the substrate. Shoulders should be long, oblique, close to the chest. Elbows should be strong forearms are long, flat, firm wrist, dry. Pasterns should be strong and short. Feet are round, "cat", toes arched and tight, padded rigid, but flexible claws solid, dark colour.
The hindquarters should be strong, perpendicular to the substrate. Thighs should be moderately long, broad and well-muscled. All knees should be bent. Tibia must have adequate length, broad and muscular. Hocks to be low over the base, broad, moderately angulated. The hocks are strong, short. Persistent dewclaws are not acceptable. All kinds of movements are lively, open, parallel and uniform.
The hair is long, fitting, it is the longest on the neck, where it forms the mane, and on the chest. Topcoat together with undercoat excellent protection against the weather. GROENENDAEL colouring is always uniformly deep black. Coat requires regular care. Coat must not be woolly, wavy, curly or too short not to have a rusty shade of black or grey "pants".
Faults from the standard requirements must be considered as defects and precisely evaluated by the degree of seriousness with regard to health and well-being. Negative faults include aggression or fearfulness, atypical overall appearance, overshot or undershot jaw, wry mouth, lack of one canine or P3, P4, M1, M2 or 3 or more teeth, extensive depigmentation of nose, eye rims and lips, earlobes suspended or by surgery operation pricked, tail missing or shortened, carried too high, curled into a circle or twisted, any other colour of the coat than specified in the standard, large white shirt, white markings on the legs extending higher than the mid forelegs or white markings anywhere else on the body, absence of mask on the muzzle, as well as height at withers different from standard limits.
