The Belgian Tervuren is a medium-large, active, intelligent, and loyal dog who was developed in Belgium in the late 1800s as a working dog on farms. They are one of 4 varieties of Belgian shepherds, all of which vary by color and coat type/length. In the US, they have excelled in virtually every endeavor in which their handlers have chosen to participate – for many years, Tervuren held the top spot in AKC in the ratio of titles to registered dogs. The reason is that Tervs need a job to be happy AND to keep their owners sane. Easily trainable and willing to learn, they can be taught to do any number of sport activities, as well as stock work on farms and ranches, service dog assistance, and K9 search and rescue.

Tervs are very playful, and usually love to play with balls, frisbees, tug toys, and just about any other toy known to man. They need a lot of exercise and mental stimulation. If it isn’t supplied to them, they will find their own means of entertainment – which are usually not very desirable to their owners! Bored Tervs can wreak havoc in a household without much effort. Chewing remotes, woodwork, sofas, or personal items are easy activities, as are emptying the garbage can or rearranging the rugs. On the other hand, Tervuren who have training and exercise to keep them busy and tired will be very happy housemates. Thus the many titles in performance events – something fun to do that also tires them out!