Belgian Tervuren Puppies for Sale

Country of Origin:

Belgium

Available Puppies

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Breed Characteristics

Average Size: Medium

Average Lifespan: 12-14 years

Kid/Pet Friendly: Sometimes

Registry: aca,akc

Activity Level: high

Shedding Level: moderate

Grooming Level: moderate

Trainability: high

Good For Novice Owners: low

Adaptability: high

Prey Drive: moderate

Watchdog: very alert

Breed Information

Overview

The temperament of the Belgian Tervuren is multi-faceted. They are strong, yet sensitive; energetic, yet precise; and driven, yet obedient. Accordingly, their needs can seem relatively demanding. The Terv is a superb addition to the family that enjoys an engaging experience with their dogs and which can devote ample time to that relationship. They tend to be both approachable and protective, intuitively discriminating between who is threatening and who is not. Like all herding breeds, your Terv can make a great playmate for children so long as their herding instincts are properly tempered through good training and early socialization (to prevent nipping). The Belgian Tervuren is a good-natured dog, with a stimulating and charismatic personality. A great companion, who loves to accompany the family wherever they go, the Terv is also a clever dog with a great sense of humor.

The first notable characteristic of the Belgian Tervuren is its extraordinarily imposing presence. Its long coat, which is usually a stunning overlay of black and mahogany, makes this dog among the most elegant of breeds.

Although the “Terv” was bred to be used as a versatile farmhand, one would be hard-pressed to find a more noble service dog. These brave and loyal heroes are now used as agents of law enforcement, for bomb and narcotic detection; as guard dogs; and as assistants for people living with disabilities.

Belgian Tervurens were originally bred in the 1800s by M.F. Corbeel, who named the breed after his hometown village in Belgium. The Terv is one of four Belgian Shepherd breeds - including the Malinois, Laekenois, and Groenendael (known as the Belgian Sheepdog in the U.S.) - each with a distinctive coat appearance.

Some breed clubs around the world lump them together as a single Belgian Shepherd breed, but not the AKC. Although they were lumped in with Belgian Shepherds before, the AKC recognized the Belgian Tervuren as a separate breed in 1959 as a member of the Herding Group. A Belgian Tervuren won the Westminster dog show in 1983, which happened to be the year that the Working Group featured a separate Herding class. A classic herding dog, the Terv is as adept at rounding up sheep as any of the top shepherd breeds.

Temperament

Belgian Tervuren are known for their multi-faceted personalities. They are strong, yet sensitive; energetic, yet precise; and driven, yet obedient. Accordingly, their needs can seem relatively demanding. The Terv is a superb addition to the family that enjoys an engaging experience with their dogs and can devote ample time to that relationship. They tend to be both approachable and protective, intuitively discriminating between who is threatening and who is not. Like all herding breeds, your Terv can make a great playmate for children so long as their herding instincts are properly tempered through good training and early socialization (to prevent nipping). Well-socialized, they do well with other dogs. Their herding tendencies can be a challenge with smaller pets in the household, but training and socialization can usually help, especially when they are raised together. The Belgian Tervuren is a good-natured dog, with a stimulating and charismatic personality. A great companion, who loves to accompany the family wherever they go, the Terv is also a clever dog with a great sense of humor. They also have a caring disposition, which makes them the quintessential pet for service and therapy.

Did You Know?

During World War I, the Belgian Tervuren was part of the war effort in a number of important capacities, including as the service dog for the Red Cross. Tervs impressed American soldiers, who returned from home, telling of how the dogs were used as messengers in Europe during the war. Their versatility as working dogs continues into the present. One of the facts about Belgian Tervuren is that they often work as police dogs. They can still be found working as farm dogs and also serving as military dogs, service dogs, and more.