This Dog Is The Definition Of Puppy Dog Eyes 🥺 | Adorable Belgian Tervuren Puppy

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[Airyllish]

Hello, 32 year old woman here who's lived with Belgian Shepherds since she was 9, shown them across Europe, spoken with many wonderful breeders, and until the last few years also managed and spoke at the Crufts "Discover Dogs" stand for the Belgian Shepherd Tervueren, of which I've lived with, trained and loved well over a dozen (and met / helped handle so many more!) Some fun breed facts for you!

1. The Belgian Shepherd Tervueren, Groenendael (or 'Sheepdog' if you're American), Malinois and Laekenois are considered four separate breeds, but are essentially the same dog in four different coats in terms of their physical structure. Typically speaking, breeding two different varieties together won't result in a "mixed" dog, it'll result in a litter of puppies that individually are one or the other. (Though with the rare Laekenois, their wiry coat does tend to seem a bit diluted at times when bred with Tervs. Not always, just sometimes.) As for Riddle, I'm willing to bet that one of her grandparents was probably a Tervueren, if both her parents are Malis. This is actually the first time I've ever heard of two Malinois breeding a Tervueren to be frank, but normally purebred Malinois can't produce Tervs because they don't have the genetics for it. Maybe a great-grandparent, but I'd still expect a close relative in the pedigree. Very curious! Honestly I'm not entirely convinced Riddle is a "true" Terv who'll grow the full coat that you'd expect, but she's way too young to tell at this age. I'll have to do some research on this! Seems there's more even for me to learn.

2. Fun fact for you: Tervuerens in North America are more likely to have that totally jet black head than Tervs in Europe. This is due to differences in AKC breed standard to the KC standard in Europe - over here, Tervs with a totally jet black head (also called their 'mask') would be marked down. I'm personally not sure where this divergence in Terv breed standard first happened, or why, but it's a fun fact all the same I think. (Personally I'm bias and prefer European Tervs with their distinguished masks, because sometimes it gives them these adorable spectacles!)

3. It's worth noting that Malinois are the most "high energy" of the four varieties. You're not wrong that most people SHOULD NOT get a Belgian Shepherd of any variety unless they can be dedicated pet owners who are prepared to work together with their dog to train it, socialise it and exercise it. That said, generally speaking, Tervueren and Groenendael are considered to be slightly more fitting for pet homes than Malinois are, as they *typically* have slightly less working drive. PLEASE NOTE: again I want to stress that this doesn't mean a Terv or Gron won't be a lot of work! They will! There is also a chance that you DO get one that DOES inherit the more "Maligator" working drive! In fact you should prepare for the reality you DO get that rather than hope you don't! I am not saying that Tervs/Grons/Laeks will be easier than a Mal and therefore you should get one so you don't have to work as hard. But I do want to note that the difference in breeding between Malinois and the long coated three has resulted in a slight difference in temperament overall and that the long coated three are considered slightly better for people genuinely interested in the breed but with no prior experience of the breed. (Maligators didn't get that nickname for no reason.) DO YOUR RESEARCH, TALK WITH BREEDERS, THIS ISN'T ME SAYING THIS SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST EVER DOG. IT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE. THANKS, LOVE YOU, KEEP BEIN' YOUR RESPONSIBLE SELF.

4. This breed's origins involved being left alone with the sheep while the shepherd went off and did other stuff. They're not livestock guardian dogs, but it is hugely important to socialise them as they are genetically predisposed to be wary of strangers. Socialisation is always important, but it is especially important in these breeds! (All four!) It's also important to socialise them in public places to help ensure your puppy doesn't develop sensitivity to loud sounds, which is something that can happen in this breed more often than not if they aren't properly exposed to the noisy world we live in. Also, please be aware that your dog may very well have natural herding instincts that you don't know about. When visiting a friend of the family, my Groenendael decided that he actually really wanted to herd her chickens. They were fenced in, so no harm no foul if we ignore how offended the rooster was, but prior to that he'd never shown any interest in herding before so I was quite surprised. Be responsible and keep both your dog and livestock safe by keeping your dog on leads around livestock.

5. Did you know Tervuerens can come in grey? They can. It's cool. For a very long time it's been considered a fault by the breed standard. Frankly, I think that specific aspect is a very silly rule. Grey Tervs are gorgeous. They are also not common, as the gene is recessive, and most breeders won't go out of their way to breed for them. We've had two in our family over the years.

6. During WW2, Tervs found their population decimated. They were used as messenger dogs and were very good at their jobs, which made them targets. It was due to efforts breeding Tervs with Grons that the numbers recovered. Point Number 1 coming back in handy with the whole "If you breed a Terv and a Gron, the puppies will each be either one or the other, not a muddy mix of both."

7. I am running out of fun facts about these breeds so I'll end on the note that don't be deceived by the fact that these dogs are small compared to German Shepherds. Belgian Shepherds of any variety can, and will if they feel motivated, run absolute rings around you. They can scale walls, jump 6ft fences, sometimes you'll get an individual who loves to dig, and they're also sharp as a whip. In general, they're a breed that thrives with people who want to work with them and you can teach them everything from agility to obedience to tracking to everything in between. You will get out your Belgian what you put into it. They WANT to be your best friend that you do cool stuff with.

On a sad and final note: the growing popularity of Malinois in movies and TV has unfortunately brought a lot of people to Belgian breeders who think that they want one of these dogs... only to realise that, in fact, they do not. In the United Kingdom, our Belgian dedicated rescues are drowning, and there's not enough knowledgable people out there to help all these dogs who deserved to have better homes and more responsible owners. A heartfelt plea from me to anybody who read all of this comment: if you have doubts that you'd be a good fit for a Belgian, just don't get one. These dogs don't do well with owners who aren't confident in their ability to manage, train and socialise them. They're a wonderful breed and I love them dearly with all my heart, and they're smart and funny and gorgeous dogs, but they do not make good pets if you have no experience with herding or working dogs. They can easily suffer from separation anxiety if not socialised appropriately, they can easily become frightened of strangers and potential bite risks, they can - and will - destroy your home if you don't exercise them enough because they get bored, they'll be a nightmare to walk if not trained early on to learn appropriate walking manners. They aren't just going to be your pet, they're going to be your companion and you're going to need to spend a lot of time with them, and if you can't do that? Don't get one. Don't be the reason that a shelter has to post desperately to Facebook for somebody to help take in a dog that was turned in because it turned out to be "too much work".

[lindabloom]

I adopted a "German Shepherd" from the pound. He was about 4. As time went on, he seemed to be supercharged. I finally took him for training (he stayed for two weeks, then I had weekly at home sessions, and finally group sessions). $$$$ That was when I found out what I really had!! He was very protective of me and my two Golden Retrievers. He got up at night and patrolled the house at least twice during the night and went back to bed. I had a large fenced property with woods and he liked that - the other two would come in but he wouldn't come in until he knew the property was secure. I had to be very careful about introducing him to new people. (Lots of cheese), but he never forgot a person once he was introduced to them. No children - I didn't even want to try. Large sign for delivery men to leave packages Outside the Fence. He was almost smarter than I was, and a lot of work to stay ahead of his brain. He lived a long life and I loved him dearly, but OMG I wouldn't have another one.

[Emmylou]

Years ago, my uncle found a Malinois in the woods while out for a walk. He had been shot and was severely underweight. My uncle took care of him, kept him, learned about the breed and how to care for them. “Baker” was a loyal companion for many years.

[henrygvidonas]

In two years, this little cutie will be able to jump over a parked SUV, with no run-up. It's insane how powerful and energetic Belgian Shepherds are. They're like working-line German Shepherds with a turbo charger.

[dalairem]

Maligator owner here: THANK YOU for cautioning viewers as well as educating them! Malinois need a job and copious exercise and mental direction--and even then, they are *never* off duty... Or at least ours is not, and she is going on twelve. ❤

One of her siblings went back into foster care (yes, they were a rescued litter) twice before eighteen months; he was at last adopted by a veteran and sent through security training, at which he excelled. Her sister, adopted by a friend and professional trainer, is even more intense than ours.

I adore this breed, but they are not for the novice or undedicated owner.

[tanon]

My brother had a Malinois. A lovely dog that needed a 5 mile run twice a day to stay balanced. She was from European police dog lines and was like a heat seeking missile. She could easily go over 6 foot back fence if she wanted. Needless to say this is not a breed you just ignore in the backyard. She was extremely protective of his kids and although she was never overtly aggressive, she could let you know they were her kids to protect. As amazing as these dogs are, they are definitely not for average pet owners. These dogs are bred for purpose - policing or military use. That needs to be seriously respected.

[kathybrandt]

I can’t wait to see Riddle as an adult. She is going to be one incredibly beautiful dog. She’s such well tempered puppy.

[cavumine]

You're not just being cautious when stating how much Belgians need in terms of training, exercise, and mental stimulation! I have a friend who had to surrender her 1 year old back to the breeder because she couldn't keep up with her puppy's needs. Like any puppy, it's a serious commitment, but this breed is UP there.

[evilpompom]

The ears! ❤ Also the way she looks at you like "I'm very scared but I trust you hooman" 😭

[laras]

This dog seems to stare right into your soul! What a beautiful girl.

[kparinisi]

I would like a daily calendar of just dogs wearing the happy hoodie!

[TheQuickSilver]

She may or may not be the right breed for me but she's exactly the right amount of cute!

[sarathorsten]

We MAY have had a Belgian Tervuren when I was growing up. Someone somewhere in our neighborhood dumped a tiny puppy and she wandered up on to our lawn. My parents took her to the pound, she was held for seven days to see if she was claimed, and then she came home to us. When I look up photos of this breed, they are nearly identical, and a groomer at one point even said that she could have been one, but this was back in the early 90s and DNA testing wasn't even a concept. To me, she didn't seem high energy, but she could play fetch for hours. She was one of those dogs that didn't have a mean bone in her bone in her body and could be trusted around anyone and anything. We had her for seventeen and half years and I still miss her every day. Love you Hiedi.

[White_Bim]

At that point, she can just make a 🥺 face and anything she desires will be given to her!

[DianeSchmidt-jnxm]

Oh my goodness, the way she keeps looking at you with those beautiful eyes ❤

[MelaniePoparad]

Oh my goodness. Those eyes are killing me. She is absolutely precious.

[treasuretrovel]

We currently have a plethora of Belgian Malinois orphans at CA shelters. Because they can be used as guard dogs they are being backyard bred. And, given that this is a very intelligent breed that needs a lot of training and exercise and an engaging life, this is a particularly sad situation for this breed in CA.

[talithacumi]

I like her name, Riddle. She is inquisitive. Little mumblings.She's adorable.

[denisejames]

A very well behaved pup and given the breed, she will remember this groom and expect nothing less in the future.

[stacypalermo]

2:41 I’m glad you touched on this. As a dog trainer I have seen so many ppl say they liked how the breed looked but had no idea on how high their energy/drive/exercise needs were before they got their dog. Do your research on ALL breeds BEFORE you adopt/buy any dog. It will make for a happier life for both the dog and their new family. ❤❤