Dogs of Belgium
Although only about a dozen dogs call Belgium home there is a wide variety of breeds that hail from this European country. From the Schipperke that is commonly known as a “barge dog” to companion breeds to the Belgian Shepherd Dogs, each breed had its own purpose and abilities in its early years in Belgium.
One of the more common working dogs from Belgium is the Bloodhound, or Chien de berger belge. The Bloodhound is thought to be at least a thousand years old and has the strongest sense of smell of any breed in the world. This breed is ancestor to many other modern (and not so modern) breeds worldwide, including the American Coonhounds, Swiss Jura Hound, Bavarian Mountain Hound, and many other scent hounds we know today. It is a common misconception that the Bloodhound is a dog from England instead of Belgium.
Belgium is also the home of the Belgian Shepherd Dogs, the Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois, and Tervueren. Although these dogs look very different, they differ mainly in color and coat type, body structure remains the same for each of them. In some countries these dogs are seen as individual breeds, and others as one breed with simply four varieties. The Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is a Kennel Club that is used internationally and located in Belgium; they see them simply as a single breed. Meanwhile the American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes the Groenendael is recognized as the Belgian Sheepdog, the Tervueren as the Tervuren, and the Malinois. Currently the Laekenois can currently only be listed in their foundation stock service, but eventually all four Belgian Shepherd Dogs should be recognized individually in the United States.
One of the more common working dogs from Belgium is the Bloodhound, or Chien de berger belge. The Bloodhound is thought to be at least a thousand years old and has the strongest sense of smell of any breed in the world. This breed is ancestor to many other modern (and not so modern) breeds worldwide, including the American Coonhounds, Swiss Jura Hound, Bavarian Mountain Hound, and many other scent hounds we know today. It is a common misconception that the Bloodhound is a dog from England instead of Belgium.
Belgium is also the home of the Belgian Shepherd Dogs, the Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois, and Tervueren. Although these dogs look very different, they differ mainly in color and coat type, body structure remains the same for each of them. In some countries these dogs are seen as individual breeds, and others as one breed with simply four varieties. The Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) is a Kennel Club that is used internationally and located in Belgium; they see them simply as a single breed. Meanwhile the American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes the Groenendael is recognized as the Belgian Sheepdog, the Tervueren as the Tervuren, and the Malinois. Currently the Laekenois can currently only be listed in their foundation stock service, but eventually all four Belgian Shepherd Dogs should be recognized individually in the United States.
