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The story

The Tervueren is a sheepdog that was originally used to guard and defend flocks, especially against wolves. However, it has evolved by multiplying its functions depending on the country where it is found.

Indeed, in European countries, the Tervueren is still used as a sheepdog and also as a tracker dog, guide dog, police dog and anti-drug dog.In America it is mainly found in obedience, protection, agility, rally-o and as a companion dog. His athletic qualities and his great enthusiasm make him a sporting dog par excellence. In addition, he has a gentle and jovial temperament, which makes him an animal that adapts well to different personalities.

The origin

According to several specialists in canine breeding, the Belgian Shepherd appeared towards the end of the 19th century in the great territory of Belgium. There are four types of Belgian Shepherd: the Malinois, the Gronendael, the Laekenois and the Tervueren. In this writing, we only focus on Tervueren.

Until now, it is very difficult to determine the origin of tervueren. Several experts agree that he would probably descend from a few different breeds, including the German Shepherd, the Collie, the Beauceron, the Dutch Shepherd or any other sheepdog from Belgium.

If you ask a great fancier to describe this breed, he will surely answer you that it is not easy for an individual who has never caressed a tervuren to understand the love and loyalty he has for his master. ; what makes him particularly endearing is surely his sensitivity and his intelligence.

Professional shepherds used this breed to guard the flocks. It is therefore not uncommon to see the Tervueren, having retained this instinctive trait, making circles during games or free activities because its innate sense of gathering sheep in a very tight circle was an essential asset for the execution of this task.

It was also in the 1890s that the city of Tervueren, in Belgium, lent its name to the fawn-coated Belgian Shepherd that we know today. This is one of the expanding sheepdog varieties in the world due to its intelligence and ease of learning.

However, in 1908, the Club du Berger Belge excluded the Tervueren from the breed and then decided to definitively adopt the following terms: the short-haired malinois of fawn color, the long-haired Gronendæl of black color and the wire-haired Laekenois of Charcoal fawn color. In 1910, we then created the Royal Club of Gronendæl which dealt with all species of Belgian Shepherd, but it was already too late; the breeders of tervueren had thus allowed the breed to die out. To find this category of Belgian shepherd, we then authorized the inter-variety coupling of the Gronendæl and the Malinois in the hope of recreating the breed.

The post-war period was not easy either. The passionate breeders who lost the most beautiful specimens, due to the dramatic circumstances of the war, have again resumed breeding du tervueren. The recovery was slow but of excellent quality, thus providing a solid base for future generations.