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GENERAL APPEARANCE
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A balanced dog of medium proportions, harmoniously proportioned,
intelligent, rustic, accustomed to open-air life, built to resist the
bad weather of the seasons and the atmospheric variations so frequent
to the Belgian climate. By the harmony of his shape and the proud carriage
of his head, the Belgian Shepherd Dog must give the impression of that
robust elegance which has become the heritage of the selected representatives
of a working breed. In addition to his inborn aptitude for guarding
flocks, he has the precious qualities to be the best guard dog for the
property. When necessary he is, without hesitation, a tenacious and
ardent defender of his master. He is vigilant and attentive, his look
is alert and enquiring, denoting his intelligence.
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BODY:
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The body is powerful without heaviness. Length from
point of shoulders to point of buttocks approximately equal to the height
at withers in the dog. May be slightly longer in the bitch. Forechest
: Seen from the front not much broad, without being narrow. Chest
: Not much broad, but deep and well let down, as in all animals
of great endurance. The rib cage is constructed of ribs arched in their
upper parts. Withers : Pronounced. Topline : (Back and
loin) : straight, broad and powerfully muscled. Belly : Moderately
developed, neither drooping nor tucked up, continuing the underline
of the chest in a harmonious curve. Croup : Very slightly sloping,
broad without excess
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HEAD:
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The head is well chiselled, long without exaggeration, dry. The skull and the muzzle are of sensible equal length, with at most a very slight advantage for the muzzle, which gives an impression of perfect finish to the whole. Nose : Black, well open nostrils. Muzzle : Of medium length, tapering gradually towards the nose. The bridge of the nose is straight, in profile parallel to the imaginary line extending from the skull. Mouth well split. Lips : Of thin tissue, closing tightly, strongly pigmented, not showing the red of the mucous membranes. Cheeks : Dry, quite flat, although muscled. Dentition : Strong, white, regular teeth firmly set in well-developed jaws. "Scissors bite", i.e. the incisors of the upper jaw fitting closely over those of the lower jaw, extending slightly beyond them without loosing contact with them. Super-position of the incisors is tolerated : in fact it is this bite, named "pincer bite", which is preferred by drivers of sheep and cattle. Stop : Moderate, but marked. Superciliary ridges : Not prominent, muzzle well chiselled below the eyes. Skull : Of medium width, in proportion to the length of the head, with forehead rather flat than rounded, with median line little pronounced. Seen in profile its extension is parallel to the bridge of the nose. Eyes : Of medium size, not prominent nor sunken, slightly almond shaped, of brownish colour- preferably dark; black rimmed eyelids. Direct look, lively, intelligent and inquisitive expression. Ears : Of definite triangular appearance, stiff and erect; set high, proportioned in length, the lobe edges well rounded at the base. NECK : Reachy, slightly elongated, well muscled, without dewlap, broadening gradually towards the shoulders. NAPE : Very slightly arched. |
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FOREQUARTERS
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| Solid bone structure all over, muscles dry and strong. Shoulders : The shoulder-blades are long, sloping and flat, sufficiently angulated with the humerus to give the elbows easy play. Upper arms : Should move in a direction strictly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. Forearms : Long and well muscled. Front pasterns : Strong and short. Pastern joints clean without traces of rickets. Feet : Rather round. The toes arched and well closed. The pads thick and elastic. Nails dark and strong. |
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HINDQUARTERS
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| Powerful, without heaviness, moving in the same planes as the forequarters. In stance perpendicular to the ground. Upper thighs : Broad and strongly muscled. The stifle nearly perpendicular to the pelvis. Lower thighs : Long, broad, muscled and sufficiently bent at the hocks without excess. Hocks well let down, broad and muscled. Seen from behind they should be perfectly parallel. Rear pasterns : Solid and short. Dew-claws not desirable. Feet : Slightly oval. Toes arched and well closed. Pads thick and elastic. Nails dark and strong. |
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TAIL :
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The tail is well set on, strong at the base and of medium length. At rest the dog carries it hanging down, the tip bent slightly backwards at the level of the hock. On the move he lifts it, accentuating the curve towards the tip, but at no time forming a hook or deviation. |
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COAT :
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| Mask : The mask must tend to include the upper and lower lips, the corner of the mouth and the eyelids in a single black area. Only solid black.A little white is tolerated on the forechest and on the toes. Coat : The fact that in the Belgian Shepherd Dogs the coat differs in length, direction and varies in appearance, these aspects have been adopted as the criterion to distinguish the different varieties. In all varieties the coat must always be abundant, close and of good texture, forming with the woolly undercoat an excellent protective covering. Skin : Elastic but well tight over the whole body. External mucous membranes strongly pigmented. |
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SIZE :
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| The desired height at the withers is on average : 62 centimetres for dogs, 58 centimetres for bitches. Tolerance : minus 2 centimetres, plus 4 centimetres. |
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