Originally the dogs were utilized on farms as herders and guardians; today’s Tervs are employed as military and police K-9s, as search-and-rescue, and as service dogs for the disabled as well as working companion that excel competing in a variety of dog sports.
NOTE: The Federation Cynologique Internationale (FCI) describes the Malinois, together with the Groenendael, the Laekenois, and the Tervueren, as varieties of the Belgian Shepherd dog breed. The American Kennel Club, however, officially recognizes the Belgian Malinois, the Belgian Sheepdog (FCI: Groenendael), the Belgian Laekenois (FCI: Laekenois), and the Belgian Tervuren (FCI: Tervueren) as four distinct breeds.
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7140874/
Links to Breed Descriptions
ABTC Illustrated Standard: https://www.abtc.org/files/389/JEC-Resources/85
AKC Judges Education Web Seminar Comparison of Belgian Breeds 05/15/2020 - 4 noted AKC Belgian judges discuss the Belgian Sheepdog, Tervuren, and Malinois. View by requesting access here https://register.gotowebinar.com/recording/6160929095217179149
Other Names for Breed
Chien de Berger Belge/Tervueren
Perro de pastor belga/Tervueren
Belgischer Schäferhund/tervueren
Belgian Tervuren
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Tervueren)
Country of Origin and Parent Breed Club
Belgium
Breed-Specific Articles
Get a GRIHP! on Belgian Shepherds
This article on Belgian Shepherds is part of a series to highlight the Big Picture of health, welfare and breeding and to help develop Globally Relevant Integrated Health Profiles (GRIHPs) for many breeds. See IPFD's Get a GRIHP! on Breed Health Initiative
This article is an overview of the Belgian Shepherd Dog varieties. A variety-specific analysis for the Tervueren is available as a PDF.
Breed Standards
There are numerous breed standards. The basis of breed/conformation shows is the judging of pedigree dogs against the 'Breed Standard', which is a picture in words that describes the range of features that are deemed appropriate for the breed. Three of the major international standards are:
Breed-Specific Statistics
1. Swedish Insurance Data Breed-specific information on rates of disease and death from Agria Pet Insurance (Agria Djurförsäkring) is available for many breeds. This breed has information on Veterinary Care and Life Insurance.
Tervueren: | 2006-2011 | 2011-2016 |
Breeding/Health Strategy Documents
Health/Breeding Strategy Documents and Links:
The Kennel Club, UK: Breed Watch (Category 1)
Sweden: Breed-specific Breeding Strategies: (in Swedish) and/ or English summary
Finland:Jalostuksen tavoiteohjelma Belgianpaimenkoira tervueren 1.1.2022 – 31.12.2026
Breed-Specific DNA Tests:
Breed Clubs
We are listing sites for breed clubs with health or other information that might be helpful. Follow links below.
International: Fédération Mondiale du Berger Belge: https://www.fmbb.be/
Belgium: Royal Union of Belgian Sheepdogs Clubs vzw: https://kucbh.be/
Netherlands: Belgische Herder Club Nederland: http://www.belgischeherder.nl/
Nederlandse Vereniging voor Belgische Herdershonden: http://www.nvbh.eu/
Finland: Belgianpaimenkoirayhdistys: http://www.finbelge.fi/
Sweden: Rasklubben För Belgiska Vallhundar: http://www.afbv.se/
US: American Belgian Tervuren Club: https://www.abtc.org/
UK: Belgian Shepherd Dog Association of Great Britain: https://www.bsdaofgb.co.uk/
The Working Belgian Shepherd Dog Society: https://www.wbsds.org.uk/
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