Learn More About Tervueren

Summary

The Tervueren is one of the four variants of the Belgian Shepherd Dog and is mainly distinguished from the others by its long, dense coat. He is elegantly and harmoniously built with pronounced muscles without appearing heavy or clumsy. His appearance is characterized by endurance and robustness, which makes him an excellent herding dog. The Tervueren belongs to FCI Group 1, herding and driving dogs. There is no distinction between show and performance lines, but there are slight differences in temperament and willingness to work within the breed, depending on how strongly the working dog character is emphasized in the respective breeding lines.

Character

The Tervueren is a very active and intelligent dog with a strong herding and protective instinct. This herding dog is always alert and ready to defend its territory and family. This is why he is also very popular as a guard and protection dog. His strong workhorse heritage means he needs to be kept mentally and physically busy. The Tervueren needs a lot of exercise and mental stimulation to be happy. He is a good runner and is therefore suitable for active people who like to be outside, for example jogging or cycling. He can also demonstrate his skills and release his energy in dog sports such as agility, obedience or flyball. The Tervueren is very people-oriented and builds a strong bond with his caregiver. He always wants to be there and on Participate in family life. Although he can definitely stay alone for a few hours, he should not be left alone all the time, otherwise he will become unhappy and develop problematic behavior. Although he generally gets along well with other dogs, he can exhibit strong hunting behavior, especially when small animals such as rabbits or cats run away. Therefore, you should always keep a close eye on him and keep him on a leash in areas with a lot of game or small animals running freely. The Tervueren is very alert and reliably reports when someone approaches its territory. However, this can also lead to him becoming a yapper if this behavior is not well managed from an early age. It is important to teach him early on when it is appropriate to bark and when it is not.

What to Expect

Tevuren are very active and easily excitable working dogs. They can be used in many ways. These dogs can be prone to aggression. They are not beginner or family dogs.

Care

The Tervueren is an active and intelligent dog that requires a lot of physical and mental exercise. Therefore, it is only partially suitable as a city dog. If he is kept sufficiently busy and gets enough exercise, he can also be kept in the city. Due to his friendly and tolerable nature, he gets along well with children and can therefore be kept well in families with children. He also generally gets along well with other pets, although his hunting instinct can come through with small animals such as cats or rabbits.

Training & Education

Raising and training the Tervueren can be quite demanding, as he is not only very intelligent, but also independent and sometimes a little stubborn. Therefore, he needs consistent but loving leadership and should be well socialized as a puppy. Despite his independence, the Tervueren loves to work with his people. Therefore, he can be trained well in various dog sports such as agility, obedience or flyball. Since the Tervueren is an active and hard-working dog, he needs a lot of activity. However, be careful not to overwhelm him, as this can lead to stress and anxiety. The Tervueren should also learn to develop frustration tolerance and impulse control in order to cope well with everyday life.

Nutrition & Grooming

As with all dogs, the Tervueren's diet should be balanced and healthy. A mixture of high-quality dry or wet food, combined with fresh meat and vegetables, can provide a good basis. Note that the Tervueren may have higher energy requirements than other breeds due to its active temperament. It is therefore important to ensure that you consume sufficient calories. Grooming the Tervueren's coat is relatively time-consuming. It has a long, dense coat with an undercoat that should be brushed regularly to avoid matting. During the shedding phases, especially in spring and autumn, he loses a lot of hair and therefore requires more intensive fur care. However, the fur is well insulated, so the Tervueren can easily cope with the climate in Germany.