Groenendael dog

History of origin

Until about the middle of the XNUMXth century, Belgian Shepherds did not have any classification of their own – there was simply, so to speak, a set of dogs with a shepherd specialization, which were called Belgian Shepherds.

However, as dog breeding developed in Europe, this became inconvenient, because the “Belgians” were so different that they were united only by the territory of residence and occupation. Different colors, different length and structure of wool, different temperament. And then in 1891 it was decided to divide all shepherd dogs into four separate breeds.

The Belgian breeder Nicholas Rose was a big fan of the black variety of these dogs, which is why he started breeding them, improving and improving the exterior and character. He named the new breed in honor of the restaurant he owned – Groenendael.

His dogs turned out to be so beautiful, and their temper turned out to be so pleasant that the breed quickly gained popularity not only at home in Belgium, but also far beyond its borders. Groenendaels began to be used both in the police, and on guard duty, and as guides, but many people started and still start these black beauties simply as friends and family members.

By the way, in the United States, to this day, only the Groenendael is considered a true Belgian Shepherd Dog.

In the last 15 years, the breed is rapidly gaining popularity in our country.

Breed description

Quite a large, harmoniously built dog. The muzzle is moderately long, wedge-shaped, the length of the nose is slightly longer than the cranial part of the head. The eyes are small with an attentive and intelligent look. Ears of medium size, erect, triangular in shape. The back is straight, without sloping towards the tail, like in German Shepherds. The tail is long, saber-shaped, carried lowered or raised flush with the back, but not carried over the back. The paws are strong, but not thick, the chest is powerful, deep.

The coat is very thick, rather long, looks like a luxurious fur coat, especially on the front of the body, where it forms a real mane, and on the tail. The color is always black, small white marks on the chest and on the toes of the hind legs are acceptable, sometimes on the muzzle.

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Character

Grunendael can be called a friend and guardian angel of the family. He does not have a soul in children and, having a huge reserve of patience, is able to be a real nanny with them. He is accommodating, benevolent and calm with all household members, but nevertheless, having chosen one owner from all, he puts him on a pedestal, giving most of his love and adoration. Therefore, once you let the Groenendael into your life, do not give it to someone else – for the dog it will be a real tragedy.

These black beauties are very smart and love to learn, so be sure to work with them: teach commands, play, take with you on hikes and trips to nature. After all, they are vital not only physical, but also mental stress.

Being a versatile dog, the Groenendael is equally good at home protection, police service, and guardianship of the disabled, children and the elderly.

Care and maintenance

Groenendael is an unpretentious dog bred to herd and drive flocks of sheep. They are strong, hardy and perfectly tolerate both severe frosts and heat. Therefore, there is no particular trouble with these shepherd dogs. But their luxurious fur coat still requires care. Dogs need to be brushed as often as possible so that the coat does not fall into tangles and always looks attractive and neat. And, of course, it is not pleasant to find black shreds all over the house.

All Belgian Shepherds are very active and require long walks. Ideally, if you take your four-legged friend for a run, he will also be happy to run after the bike. Even if the dog lives in the courtyard of a private house, and not in an apartment, you still need to walk with him, because any dog ​​needs communication and new experiences.

Some sources indicate that Groenendael is categorically not suitable for housing maintenance, but this is not so. Black beauties may well live in a high-rise building, the main thing is that they walk with him more.

Education and training

For this smart dog, teaching is, one might say, the meaning of life. He reverently listens to his beloved master and is ready to fulfill his every desire and even thought. Therefore, with training you will definitely not have problems with him.

Classes can be started from the first days of your acquaintance with the puppy. First teach him to respond to his name, then let him learn his place and, of course, the “fu” command – the baby should immediately understand that there are limits in the house that are not allowed to go beyond. Also pay special attention to the ability to walk alongside – in the case of a large dog, this skill should be taught in childhood.

Grunendali successfully pass the courses of OKP, OKD and others, they show themselves perfectly in various types of “dog” sports.

Early socialization is also important for Belgians, so in no case isolate the puppy at home, but let him communicate with other people and animals as much as possible.

Health and disease

Groenendael does not belong to excessively painful breeds and suffers from the same diseases as other dogs: joint dysplasia, eye diseases, hypothyroidism, oncology. However, if you do all the vaccinations on time, strictly observe the diet and constantly give the dog physical and mental stress, the dog has every chance to live a long and healthy life.

True, if you still had to go to the veterinarian, then ask the dog to check for sensitivity to anesthesia – grunendals, as a rule, are very susceptible to anesthesia, so individual doses are selected for them.

Word to the breeder

Angèl Gelauf, breeder from the Netherlands, owner of the Grunendael and Tyurveren kennel Of dark brightness:

– Belgian Shepherds are a real passion of my life. Dogs live with us as family members, they get along well with all other animals, as well as with children. At the same time, we do not pursue only external beauty, but we want the dogs to develop their working qualities, for which they were bred. And let others say that not all of our dogs are correct in terms of the “typical Belgian standard”, the main thing is that they do what they were created for.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the content of the grünendael with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina: