Dutch/Belgian Shepherd

[Fucksandflowers]

Anyone have one?

Had a Belgian - why?

Just curious as to how challenging people found them.

Mine was pretty full on - it was a failed security dog. I did a lot of mondioring with him and he did need to be busy and doing things. He was not a dog to relax after a dog walk

He was more energetic and needed more stimulation than my collies - I also found that the stimulation had to be specific - He was a great agility dog getting to grade 7 in one season but he preferred mondioring or mantrailing.

He was not as resilient as some dogs and did need his environment managed so he felt comfortable.

Great dogs if you have a lot of time, energy and like having a dog more intelligent than you!

Belgian malinois/Shepard crossed with a whippet. As pp said , very full on. Doesn't walk, she runs everywhere. Very intelligent and get bored easy. When bored , destructive , doesn't sleep much , very bouncy and barky. Very protective of myself.lovely long walks/runs. Very loving, loves snuggling. Oh and watch out for cats/squirrels/sheep/cows/horses.

We had a Belgian Tuerveren. Nothing like pp describe. She was a dream to train, besotted with the children (she used to count them into the house). Never barked. Used to steal food and once went for DH when he was trying to remove a neighbours toddler from our house.

Sadly she developed epilepsy and at the time they couldn't treat it.

Unlikely to get another dog but I think that if I ever did, a belgian or Dutch shepherd would appeal.

I’m not sure I want to do bitework though.
Can I substitute agility/obedience or something or do they need to be biting.
I am aware that nearly all Dutch and Belgians (Mali variant) are working line.

From what I have heard, the Groenendael and Tuerveron are much milder in temperament than the Malinois and Laekenois.
Your dog sounds like she was really lovely weasels

@drinkswineoutofamug you’ll likely not see this but do you happen to have a picture of your DDog? I think my rescue boy is a Malinois X Whippet!

@CaptainCabinets - I used to have a Belgian Mali x whippet I will attach some photos for you x

We have a tuveuren who is an absolute dream, and a 6 month old Malinowski/German Shepherd cross who is very hard work at the moment. She loves to bark (apparently it gives GSD’s pleasure) and is very intelligent and very affectionate. She is huge but still wants to sit on your knee,

That was meant to say Mallinois/German Shephers

@nugget36 thank you! I’m so unsure what my boy is, might do an Embark DNA test on him! He’s cute whatever he is

@CaptainCabinets - he's absolutely beautiful! I'm curious to know what he is now

Malis and Dutch herders are very, very 'drivey' dogs and really not to be taken on unless you know what to do with that drive and/or are prepared to put in all the work and training. A recent film has resulted in my trainer (who is a professional dog handler and works an IGP3 Mali in competition) gain a lot of new customers' dogs for residential training when they realise what they've got on their hands. I've been privileged enough to watch and sometimes assist him work with some of these dogs; they come in dangerously chaotic and need fine tuning to be manageable, 'nice' dogs. Pure agility or obedience is boring for them and my trainer tells me they are not popular among the KC working trials set as they are viewed as too driven, too 'hard' for that, where they like border collies, labs and less physical GSDs. In short, working line Malis and Dutch herders live to work and they don't do well as 'part timers'. I love my trainer's Mali and he (luckily) loves me too; he's very sociable and gives excellent hugs, is amazing to watch in action and I really wish he was mine. And then I really don't! I know how much work my trainer still has to put in with him every single day, several times a day and then I look at my sleeping beast who has run about for an hour today, done a bit of training and been comatose ever since.

@CaptainCabinets here's my girl. I did a dna test with wisdom panel. 50% Belgian Mali , 25% whippet with a bit of greyhound and staffie!
She was a rescue and very badly treated with impacted on her behaviour. Lots of hard work and I've got there