Belgian Tervuren in a Nutshell
The first thing to learn is how to say “Tervuren”. It’s not so hard. Just say, “Martin van Buren, Belgian Ter-ver-en. Three syllables, sounds like the name of the 8th President of the United States.
The Belgian Tervuren is one of a variety of sheep herding dogs from Belgium. They were first imported to America in 1953. The four varieties of Belgians all originated from the same foundation stock. They differ in coat color, length or texture. There is the black, long haired Groenendael (Belgian Sheepdog) ; the fawn, short haired Malinois (Belgian Malinois); the fawn, wire haired Laekenois (Belgian Laekenois, not fully recognized by the AKC); and the fawn or mahogany long haired Tervuren (Belgian Tervuren).
The Tervuren is a medium sized, long coated dog. Their color ranges from warm fawn to a rich mahogany with black tipped hairs. The face has a black mask, crowned by high set triangular ears, framed by a lion’s mane of hair around the neck. This gives them a distinctive, elegant appearance.
Belgian Tervuren stand squarely on all four feet, with height at the shoulders and body length being approximately equal. Their tails are long and bushy. In movement they are agile and light on their feet, moving effortlessly at a trot.
Males range in height from 23 – 26 inches with a weight of 45 – 70 lbs. Females are slightly smaller, standing 21 – 24 inches and weighing 40 – 55 pounds. Females also lack the abundant mane of the males. In temperament Tervuren are devoted and loyal. They are a one family dog. They may appear aloof with strangers, but are very affectionate and demonstrative with their family and friends. They are naturally protective of their home and property.
Quite a few Belgian Tervuren retain some of their natural herding ability. They have been known to round up family members as a substitute for sheep!
Most herding breeds, including the Tervuren, are fast learners and extremely trainable. Quick, learning, trainable dogs require very consistent training. Example: You teach the dog a “Sit” command while accidentally scratching your left arm. The dog learns what you want almost instantly. The next day you go to practice the newly learned “Sit” command and you start accidentally scratching your right arm. Whoa!! The dog knows that when you scratch your left arm it means sit, but he can’t figure out what you want when are scratching your right arm.