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Description

The body is sturdy and well proportioned, with a squarely shaped appearance when viewed from the side. The erect ears are triangle in shape with the height equal to the width, set high on the head. The moderately pointed muzzle is parallel to the topline of the skull and tapers, but is not excessively pointy. The muzzle and head are fringed, giving the dog a shaggy, woolly look. The medium sized, almond-shaped eyes are dark with rims that contrast with lighter color hair. The hindquarters are muscular, without looking heavy. Dense hair is bushy on the tail, but there is no distinct feathering. The chest is deep, reaching to the elbow. The front legs are very straight and parallel and vertical to the ground. The round feet are cat-like in appearance. Dewclaws are usually removed. The long tail is thick at the base and reaches at least to the hock. The nose is black and the lips should be tight. The teeth should meet in a scissors or level bite. The Laekenois's medium length rough, wire coat covers the body in hair that can reach over two inches. Colors include a range from fawn to mahogany with a black overlay.

Temperament

The rarest of the four Belgian Sheepdog breeds, the Belgian Laekenois is a very bright and obedient dog. They are determined and observant with strong protective and territorial instincts. Socialize well to prevent them from becoming shy or sensitive. Belgian Sheepdogs need an experienced master who is firm, but not heavy handed. If you are harsh or overbearing they will become uncooperative. Owners need to display a confident, natural authority over the dog. Consistent rules must be set and made clear. This breed is instinctively protective so it should be trained and socialized very well from an early age. Puppies should be socialize right from birth. Good for working and competition obedience. These dogs make excellent police and guard dogs. This type of work is currently their main occupation. They do however, make excellent pets if they have owners who can challenge their minds with an air of leadership. They are ever watchful, alert and loyal. Belgian Laekenois are good with children if socialized well with them. This breed needs to be part of the family and not locked up in a kennel. They need leadership, daily exercise along with training and companionship, for without it they may become destructive and hard to handle. The Belgian Laekenois is high energy, with a high mental capacity, and are quick to comprehend. They need a job to do, especially if you are dealing with working lines. Take care when introducing this dog with small non-canine pets. They can be rather dominant toward other dogs and need an owner who can communicate to the dog that dominance is an unwanted behavior. Provided they are correctly socialized with cats and other pets, they should not present any problems. Belgian Laekenois may instinctively display herding behavior such as chasing and circling, moving effortlessly for hours and nipping at people's heels. They must be taught not to do this to people. This is a very demanding dog. It needs an experienced owner for it can easily be difficult to control unless the owner knows how to handle him. The way the owner handles the dog can produce wide differences in temperament and aggressiveness. Talk to someone experienced with the breed before you buy your dog. These dogs are often impressive; don't base your purchase solely on achievement records and appearances. Only adopt this type of dog if you fully understand what it means to be alpha.

Height, Weight

Health Problems

Living Conditions

Exercise

Litter Size

The Belgian Laekenois is the rarest of the four varieties of the Belgian Sheepdogs. The dogs are the Belgian Laekenois, Belgian Groenendael, Belgian Malinois, and the Belgian Tervuren. All of the dogs share a common foundation. In most countries and breed clubs all four dogs are considered the same breed with different varieties in coat types. All four dogs share a breed standard in all countries accept for the AKC who since 1959 recognizes them as separate breeds and does not recognize the rare Laekenois at all. Whereas the UKC, who is also a U.S. registry does recognize all four varieties as one breed. Versatile and highly intelligent, all four varieties of the Belgian Sheepdog excel at a variety of talents, including but not limited to police work such as, narcotics and bomb detection, protection and schutzhund, search and rescue, also obedience, agility, tracking, herding, sled and cart pulling and as a guide for the blind and assistant to the disabled. These high energy, extremely intelligent dogs need leadership, to be challenged, and well exercised daily and therefore are not for everyone, but can make an excellent family companion with the right owners. The Belgian Malinois was the first of the four sheepdogs to establish type. Until the other four were established in type they were called "Berger Belge a poil court autre que Malinois", which meant "Belgian short-coated Sheepdog who is not the Malinois." Today all four sheepdogs are popular in Belgian. Today the Laekenois and Malinois more often used as working type dogs, than the Belgian Groenendael and Tervuren but all types still make excellent workers.

Group

Recognition

CKC = Continental Kennel Club
FCI = Fédération Cynologique Internationale
UKC = United Kennel Club
KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
CKC = Canadian Kennel Club
NKC = National Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand Kennel Club
ABLA = American Belgian Laekenois Association
ANKC = Australian National Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry
DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.

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