Learn All the Major Belgian Dog Breeds

Dogs have played a very important role in Belgium’s history. Dogs were originally used by Belgians to hunt, herd, pull loads, and protect. As the breeds evolved and new breeds were developed, dogs assisted the military and police and became companions. As the needs of the people evolved, different breeds were bred in hopes of accomplishing those needs. Below is a list of dogs that originated in Belgium.

Griffon Bruxellois
A Griffon Bruxellois is a toy breed Belgian dog, weighing in at 6 to 12 pounds and measuring 7 to 8 inches tall. It is believed that this breed originated during the late 18^th century from the Brussels Griffon breed. They were first registered in 1883 and were typically kept around farms, homes and in taxis to keep rodents at bay. Their population size significantly decreased during World War 1 and took another hit after World War 2. Since then, their population has remained small, making the dog uncommon.

The Griffon Bruxellois is characterized by their large heads and old man appearance. Even as young dogs, they can have bushy mustaches and beards that often appear to be greyer in color than its tan, brown or black short-length fur. They are a sweet indoor dog; enjoy being babied, sitting or making cuddles with their owners and playing. They also get along well with other pets. However, they do have downsides. They bark quite a bit, cannot be kept outside, can be stubborn and difficult to train and are not good with children.

Schipperke
A schipperke is a small Belgian breed of dog, typically growing to be 10 to 13 inches in height and weighing 12 to 20 pounds. The shipperke first originated in the 16^th century. They became a popular breed in Belgium in the 1800s because of their many uses. They were used to guard canal barges, boats and homes, herd livestock and hunt game. The dog appeared in its first dog show in 1880, and from that point forward, was exported and bred throughout the world.

The schipperke has two nicknames, one for the way they look, “Little Black Fox” and one for the way they act, “Tasmanian Black Devil.” They are characterized by their foxlike appearance, with a black coat and pointed, triangular ears. They are double-coated, with a soft and fluffy undercoat and a rougher, wiry-feeling topcoat. Their coats are medium length throughout most of the body; however, they have a longer ruff around the neck and longer fur around their hind legs. They earned this behavior nickname because they are a very energetic dog, that does what suits them best, regardless of who or what is in their way. They are known to be barkers, stubborn, difficult to train and can be aggressive with other dogs. On the other hand, they are extremely smart, loyal, good with children and protective.

Belgian Shepard Dog
A Belgian Shepard dog is a medium- to large-sized sheep herding dog, typically growing to be 22 to 26 inches tall and weighing anywhere from 44 to 66 pounds. The dog was created in the late 1800s, though it was not officially recognized until 1901.

There are four varieties of Belgian Shepard dog. There is much debate about whether each variety is its own breed or whether they are all the same breed. The AKC recognizes each variety as being its own breed, whereas the UKC treats them all as one breed. The differences between the varieties have to do with their coats: The Belgian Groenendael is characterized by its long black hair, the Belgian Tervuren, by its long fawn-colored hair, the Belgian Malinois by his soft, short fawn-colored hair, and the Belgian Laekenois by its rough, fawn-colored, short hair.

The Belgian Shepard is a very energetic breed. They need a lot of exercise, attention, activity and to be challenged. They are a very dominant dog and require confident, active and energetic owners. When they are bored, either mentally or physically, they can become destructive. However, they are easy to train and enjoy participating in hiking, biking, dog sports, physical dog activities and competitions.

Bouvier Des Flandres
A Bouvier Des Flandres is a large Belgian breed of dog, typically growing 23 to 27 inches tall and tipping the scales at anywhere from 60 to 120 pounds. There is not much known about the origins of the dog. Some believe it was bred by Monks at the Ter Duinen monastery in the late 16th or early 17th century, whereas others believe the dog was bred by farm workers in the early 18th century, trying to create a breed that could do farm work, such as herding, cart pulling and guarding.

The Bouvier Des Flandres is characterized by its large size, and distinctive facial hair. It almost appears that a mustache is forming between their eyes, flowing downward, stopping right below the nose. In addition to the mustache, they also appear to have a trimmed beard growing along their jaw lines. They are a very gentle and sweet natured dog. They are good for new dog owners and for families. The only downside to the dog is they can be fearful. If they are not socialized while they are young, they can become fearful or aggressive in social situations with both other animals and new people.