Belgian
Tervuren
General Appearance
The first impression of the Belgian Tervuren is that of a well-balanced,
medium-size dog, elegant in appearance, standing squarely on all fours,
with proud carriage of head and neck. He is strong, agile, well-muscled,
alert and full of life. He gives the impression of depth and solidity without
bulkiness. The male should appear unquestionably masculine; the female should
have a distinctly feminine look and be judged equally with the male. The
Belgian Tervuren is a natural dog and there is no need for excessive posing
in the show ring.
The Belgian Tervuren reflects the qualities of intelligence, courage,
alertness and devotion to master. In addition to his inherent ability as
a herding dog, he protects his master's person and property without being
overtly aggressive. He is watchful, attentive, and usually in motion when
not under command.
The Belgian Tervuren is a herding dog and versatile worker. The
highest value is to be placed on qualities that maintain these abilities,
specifically, correct temperament, gait, bite and coat.
Size, Proportion, Substance
The ideal male is 24 to 26 inches in height and female 22 to 24 inches
in height measured at the withers. Dogs are to be penalized in accordance
to the degree they deviate from the ideal. Males under 23 inches or over
26½ inches or females under 21 inches or over 24½ inches are
to be disqualified. The body is square; the length measured from the point
of shoulder to the point of the rump approximates the height. Females may
be somewhat longer in body. Bone structure is medium in proportion to height,
so that he is well-balanced throughout and neither spindly or leggy nor
cumbersome and bulky.
Head
Well-chiseled, skin taut, long without exaggeration. Expression intelligent
and questioning, indicating alertness, attention and readiness for action.
Eyes dark brown, medium-size, slightly almond shape, not protruding. Light,
yellow or round eyes are a fault. Ears triangular in shape, well-cupped,
stiff, erect; height equal to width at base. Set high, the base of the ear
does not come below the center of the eye. Hanging ears, as on a hound,
are a disqualification. Skull and muzzle measuring from the stop are of
equal length. Overall size is in proportion to the body, top of skull flattened
rather than rounded, the width approximately the same as, but not wider
than the length. Stop moderate. The topline of the muzzle is parallel to
the topline of the skull when viewed from the side. Muzzle moderately pointed,
avoiding any tendency toward snipiness or cheekiness. Jaws strong and powerful.
Nose black without spots or discolored areas. Nostrils well defined. Lips
tight and black, no pink showing on the outside when mouth is closed. Teeth
Full complement of strong white teeth, evenly set, meeting in a scissors
or a level bite. Overshot and undershot teeth are a fault. An undershot
bite such that there is a complete loss of contact by all the incisors is
a disqualification. Broken or discolored teeth should not be penalized.
Missing teeth are a fault. Four or more missing teeth are a serious fault.
Neck, Topline, Body
Neck round, muscular, rather long and elegant, slightly arched and tapered
from head to body. Skin well-fitting with no loose folds. Withers accentuated.
Topline level, straight and firm from withers to croup. Croup medium long,
sloping gradually to the base of the tail. Chest not broad without being
narrow, but deep; the lowest point of the brisket reaching the elbow, forming
a smooth ascendant curve to the abdomen. Abdomen moderately developed, neither
tucked up nor paunchy. Ribs well-sprung but flat on the sides. Loin section
viewed from above is relatively short, broad and strong, but blending smoothly
into the back. Tail strong at the base, the last vertebra to reach at least
to the hock. At rest the dog holds it low, the tip bent back level with
the hock. When in action, he may raise it to a point level with the topline
giving it a slight curve, but not a hook. Tail is not carried above the
backline nor turned to one side. A cropped or stump tail is a disqualification.
Forequarters
Shoulders long, laid back 45 degrees, flat against the body, forming a
right angle with the upper arm. Top of the shoulder blades roughly two thumbs
width apart. Upper arms should move in a direction exactly parallel to the
longitudinal axis of the body. Forearms long and well-muscled. Legs straight
and parallel, perpendicular to the ground. Bone oval rather than round.
Pasterns short and strong, slightly sloped. Dewclaws may be removed. Feet
rounded, cat footed, turning neither in nor out, toes curved close together,
well-padded, strong nails.
Hindquarters
Legs powerful without heaviness, moving in the same pattern as the limbs
of the forequarters. Bone oval rather than round. Thighs broad and heavily
muscled. Stifles clearly defined, with upper shank at right angles to hip
bones. Hocks moderately bent. Metatarsi short, perpendicular to the ground,
parallel to each other when viewed from the rear. Dewclaws are removed.
Feet slightly elongated, toes curved close together, heavily padded, strong
nails.
Coat
The Belgian Tervuren is particularly adaptable to extremes of temperature
or climate. The guard hairs of the coat must be long, close-fitting, straight
and abundant. The texture is of medium harshness, not silky or wiry. Wavy
or curly hair is a fault. The undercoat is very dense, commensurate, however,
with climatic conditions. The hair is short on the head, outside the ears,
and on the front part of the legs. The opening of the ear is protected by
tufts of hair. Ornamentation consists of especially long and abundant hair,
like a collarette around the neck, particularly on males; fringe of long
hair down the back of the forearm; especially long and abundant hair trimming
the breeches; long, heavy and abundant hair on the tail. The female rarely
has as long or as ornamented a coat as the male. This disparity must not
be a consideration when the female is judged against the male.
Color
Body rich fawn to russet mahogany with black overlay is ideal and preferred.
Predominate color that is pale, washed out, cream or gray is a fault. The
coat is characteristically double pigmented whereby the tips of fawn hairs
are blackened. Belgian Tervuren characteristically become darker with age.
On mature males, this blackening is especially pronounced on the shoulders,
back and rib section. Blackening in patches is a fault. Although allowance
should be made for females and young males, absence of blackening in mature
dogs is a serious fault.
Chest is normally black, but may be a mixture of black and gray.
White is permitted on the chest/sternum only, not to extend more than 3
inches above the prosternum, and not to reach either point of shoulder.
Face has a black mask and the ears are mostly black. A face with a complete
absence of black is a serious fault. Frost or white on chin or muzzle is
normal. The underparts of the body, tail, and breeches are cream, gray,
or light beige. The tail typically has a darker or black tip. Feet - The
tips of the toes may be white. Nail color may vary from black to transparent.
Solid black, solid liver or any area of white except as specified on the
chest, tips of the toes, chin and muzzle are disqualifications.
Gait
Lively and graceful, covering the maximum ground with minimum effort. Always
in motion, seemingly never tiring, he shows ease of movement rather than
hard driving action. He single tracks at a fast gait, the legs both front
and rear converging toward the centerline of gravity of the dog. Viewed
from the side he exhibits full extension of both fore and hindquarters.
The backline should remain firm and level, parallel to the line of motion.
His natural tendency is to move in a circle, rather than a straight line.
Padding, hackneying, weaving, crabbing and similar movement faults are to
be penalized according to the degree with which they interfere with the
ability of the dog to work.
Temperament
In his relationship with humans he is observant and vigilant with strangers,
but not apprehensive. He does not show fear or shyness. He does not show
viciousness by unwarranted or unprovoked attack. He must be approachable,
standing his ground and showing confidence to meet overtures without himself
making them. With those he knows well, he is most affectionate and friendly,
zealous for their attention and very possessive.
Faults:
Any deviation from these specifications is a fault. In determining
whether a fault is minor, serious, or major, these two factors should be
used as a guide:
1. The extent to which it deviates from the standard.
2. The extent to which such deviation would actually affect the
working ability of the dog.
Disqualifications
Males under 23 inches or over 26½ inches or females under 21 inches
or over 24½ inches.
Hanging ears, as on a hound.
An undershot bite such that there is a complete loss of contact
by all the incisors.
A cropped or stump tail.
Solid black, solid liver or any area of white except as specified
on the chest, tips of the toes, chin, and muzzle.
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