- What activities can I do my working tervuren?
Just about anything! Belgian shepherds were originally bred as all purpose farm dogs, but more recently have been specifically bred and selected for protection sports and police work both of which include protection, tracking, detection, obedience, and extreme athleticism. For example, the KNPV PH-1 test includes an exercise where the dog finds a box in the woods and guards it, swims across a canal to fetch an object, scales an 8 foot wall, and leaps across a 10 foot pit in a single bound. In short- these dogs are all around superb athletes and extremely intelligent and trainable.
Because of their strong genetic drives for clear-headedness when in a high drive state (aka very excited), deep, calm grips, and protective instincts, Belgian shepherds excel at the so-called “bite sports” including IGP (schutzhund), french and mondio ring, PSA, KNPV, and other similar disciplines. They are also often the breed of choice for police K9, and military K9 work. Tervuren, malinois, and working-line GSD are the only breeds in the world that routinely excel in these disciplines, and getting into these sports is a wonderful way to bond with your tervuren and fulfill his natural drives.
However, you do not “have” to participate in protection sports to enjoy and work with your tervuren. If your malinois comes from stable genetics with solid nerves, you can participate in just about any sport and activity. Tervuren excel in agility, dock diving, sled dog sports (eg. skijor and canicross), disc dog. They also make excellent scent detection dogs, tracking dogs (some lines), herding dogs, and Search and Rescue (SAR) dogs. Tervuren also excel in obedience competitions and nosework trials.
Be aware, that if you wish to excel in the non-“protection” sports, a different breed or line may be a better fit for you unless you are familiar with how to train and work with all the drives present in a working tervuren. Look at the top dogs in these sports- border collies in agility, border collies in herding, and sport-bred mixes (whippet mix or whippet) for dock diving. While malinois and tervuren can perform admirably in these sports, you need to want the whole package! And be prepared for changing your plans if the dog tells you he/she is better suited for a different working venue.
As long as you meet your tervuren’s’ need for training and mental activities, and give your dog an outlet for his natural drives to bite and tug in play, malinois are also quite happy as trail running and hiking companions, mountain biking partners, or stand-up paddleboarding dogs.
In short, if you are fully committed to training, managing, and exercising your tervuren, you can do just about anything you want with them, and do it well! These dogs are extraordinary K9 athletes and their intelligence and intuition will constantly surprise you. The sky is the limit!
Video Links of Belgian Shepherd Activities and Work:
Avisa’s Ariel “Abby” racing in the 2013 World Championships Skijor Races
Malinois KNPV PH-1 Certification Trial
2. What are Belgians like to live with- are tervuren hyper?
Pups out of my breeding vary in energy levels, from high to extreme- Sassy and Moriah are both high energy and need a lot of mental and physical activity to be peaceful house companions. If they don’t get enough- they will let you know- so be prepared to do something active with your dog daily (not just on weekends or when you feel like it). Belgian shepherds love to be close to their people, they crave training, and need daily exercise and mental stimulation. You must be committed to daily training and exercise, at least twice a day. This is lifestyle change few are eager to make, so make sure these dogs fit into your current lifestyle before seeking to acquire one. If you do not commit to exercising and training your tervuren, you will both very unhappy. Tervuren can easily destroy all your furniture if not managed and exercised properly- so make sure you do right by the high energy of the breed!
Video Link: Raising a Content Belgian Malinois
Belgian shepherds that obsessively pace, are hyper, and can not settle are often both bred and made through training and management. They also may be not getting enough exercise or stimulation. Pacing and circling in common in Belgians who are kenneled for days at a time with no outlet for their brains and bodies.
At du Chocorua Belgians, we do not breed or select for dogs that pace, are hyper, or exhibit OCD-type behaviors. Rather, we select for dogs that have the “on”, “off” switch so famous in the tervuren (some say you can find it between the ears… joke). This means the dog is ready to go all out when working, but easily settles and is calm in the house.
All that said, keep in mind these are some of the highest energy, most athletic dogs on the planet, easily clearing 10 foot blockades, reaching speeds in excess of 20 mph while running, and setting records in dock diving. They need a daily outlet for this energy, both physical and mental.
In short, living with a tervuren is what you make it. Most people have to work away from home for a minimum of 8 hours a day. If you are like a normal person and work a 40 hour a week job, you will need to devote time and effort to training and exercising your Belgian before and after work. This needs to include some form of off-leash exercise, perhaps a trail run, a game of fetch, or a swim (or all three). And in addition something that will fill the tervuren’s natural drives to chase and tug including a game of tug and fetch, teaching your dog to track or locate certain scents and objects, sport training (IPO (schutzhund), PSA, ring, etc.) or obedience training.
Like many athletic, high energy breeds, the tervuren is is not going to be happy to just sit on the couch after a day of being home alone, and you will need to be prepared to meet his needs. If you do not meet those needs, the tervuren may become hyper, and out of control, a situation which is unhappy for both you and the dog. Unless you are fully committed to meeting the tervuren’s needs, choose a different breed! This applies to many athletic, high energy breeds of dogs including some labradors, pointers, and huskies.
3. Should I get a Belgian Shepherd?
That depends both on you and the dog you choose. If you chose a well-bred tervuren and have an active interest in not just hanging out with your dog but also training your dog and participating in activities together, this may be the perfect breed for you.
However, remember that these dogs are naturally protective and may carry some degree of suspicion, or other quirks common to this type of breed, so you must be fully committed to socializing and showing your puppy what you want and what you don’t want from a very young age. Socialization means CONTROLLED exposure to the many things this puppy will experience as an adult dog including children, people on bikes, other dogs, livestock, etc. It is better to keep the pup home than let him have a bad experience- for example being attacked by another dog. So you need to do it right, and let the puppy tell you what he is comfortable with and respect it if he is not comfortable.
Pups out of my breeding are selected to be aloof-neutral with very solid nerves- that means they are safe in public- with a responsible and aware handler. But they are still powerful dogs with extreme drives, one of those drives is to use their mouths to communicate. It is up to you, the handler, to show the dog what behaviors are acceptable. It’s not unusual for an adult working tervuren to not be interested in interactions with strangers, and to have no interest in being pet by people he does not know or trust. Be aware of this tendency and do not get a puppy of this breed if you require a dog with golden-retriever like sociability.
This video shows what some excellent malinois owners did to raise their pup properly. Watch and see if you are willing and able to do the same. Remember, this is a life-long commitment, and if you are lucky, your tervuren will live for 13- 15 years. Impress, Grand-sire to my A- litter still looks young at 13. The time and effort you put into training and socializing your puppy will pay off ten-fold as the dog matures.
