Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)

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Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)

Other names

Belgian Laekenois
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laeken)
Chien de Berger Belge

Country of origin

Traits

Classification & standards
FCI	Group 1 Section 1 #015	standard
AKC	Foundation Stock Service (FSS)	standard
	The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration.
ANKC	Group 5 (Working Dogs)	standard
CKC	Group 7 - Herding Dogs	standard
KC (UK)	Pastoral	standard
NZKC	Working	standard
UKC	Herding Dogs	standard

The Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) is a breed of dog, sometimes classified as a variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog rather than as a separate breed. The Laekenois is not fully recognized in the United States. However, they can be shown in Britain, along with all three of the closely related breeds which share a heritage with the Laekenois: the Tervuren, the Malinois, and the Groenendael, the last being shown in the U.S. as the Belgian Sheepdog.

1 Appearance
2 History
3 Health
4 External links
5 See also

[edit] Appearance

Like all Belgian Shepherds, the Laekenois is a medium-sized, hard-working, square-proportioned dog in the sheepdog family with sharply triangular ears. The Laekenois is recognized by its woolly brown and white coat, intermixed so as to give a tweedy appearance.

[edit] History

The Belgian Laekenois derives its name and origin from the lake district of Belgium. It is considered both the oldest and the most rare of the Belgian Shepherd Dogs. Until the advent of dog shows in the early 1900's, the four varieties were freely intermixed, in fact, there are only three genes (short/long coat, smooth/wire coat, fawn/black coat) that separate the varieties genetically. Purebred Laekenois occasionally give birth to smooth-coated puppies, which, depending on the pure-bred registry, can be registered as Malinois.^{[citation needed]}