Belgium is a small country in Western Europe that  shares borders with France, Germany, Luxemburg, and the Netherlands. There are quite a few Belgian dog breeds, several of which are often used as guard dogs and police dogs.

The Belgian Shepherd Dogs are amongst famous breeds from the area. This group is divided into the Groenendael, the Laekenois, Malinois, and the Tervuren. The breeds have similarities in looks and temperament, but they are distinct breeds.

The Belgian Sheep Herding Dogs

Groenendael

The Groenendael is an elegant, strong, and intelligent breed. They were originally used as herders, watchdogs, and companions, but their smarts and versatility quickly made them popular outside of Belgium. Groenendaels soon served as police dogs in Paris and New York City, and were famous for catching smugglers.

Many work in search and rescue, as guide dogs, and as therapy dogs. They also do very well in dog sports such as obedience, tracking, and agility.

Malinois

The Malinois is an alert breed often mistaken for German Shepherds, and the confusion becomes bigger from the Malinois being popular for police and military work. While there are physical similarities, this is a completely different breed than the German Shepherd.

An average Malinois is intelligent, confident, and loves to work. They are also popular in obedience trials, herding, sledding, and tracking. 

Laekenois

The Laekenois is clever and alert, and can be quite protective of family and property. This breed was originally developed to tend to flocks and guard, and these properties remain in the breed. 

Tervuren

The Tervuren is an elegant and devoted dog that often excels in obedience and agility competitions. Many who see these dogs believe they’re German Shepherds with long hair, but the Tervuren is a different breed. They’re outstanding herders that also do great jobs as therapy dogs and guide dogs.

The American Kennel Club – AKC – sent out a press release just before New Years telling that it recognizes four breeds new to the club. This brings the number of breeds able to participate in AKC events up to 184.

The new breeds are the Bergamasco, Boerboel, Cirneco dell’Etna, and the Spanish Water Dog. AKC adds new breeds when they fill the club’s standards, which include a breed club and a minimum number of individuals in the country.

The Bergamasco is a sheep dog from Italy with a history that goes back around 7,000 years. As most sheep dogs, these are highly intelligent and love to work.

The Boerboel is a hardy farm dog from South Africa. This breed is known for being intelligent, protective, and willing to please their family. Through history these dogs have been used for everything from babysitting to protecting against predators.

The Cirneco dell’Etna is an Italian hunting dog known for its resistance to heat and tough conditions. In the past, it was often used for hunting together with a ferret.

The Spanish Water Dog is another lively and hard working herding dog. This versatile breed herds, hunts, and helps fishermen.

Many people believe that dog breeds mostly have an impact on the outside of the dog, but picking a dog just depending on looks can be a mistake. Different breeds are created through selection of certain properties, and it is important to pick a breed that fits with the family’s lifestyle.

The breed’s size and grooming needs play a role, of course, but the breed’s temper can be even more important.

The American Eskimo is a great example. This cute bundle of fur looks pretty much like a Samoyed or Japanese Spitz, but is bred to be a guard dog. The average Eskie has a completely different personality than the average Samoyed, even though they look a lot alike.

Naturally, personalities between individuals vary as well. If you have children, make sure you find a dog that loves them. If the dog just tolerates them you might run into trouble if the kids get rambunctious or do something to the dog it doesn’t like. Dogs and children can be the best combination ever, or the worst.

This problem is often emphasized when a breed becomes popular in media. The Border Collie is a great example – this breed is extremely smart and often used in TV shows, movies, and commercials. The dogs are cute and do tricks on TV, and they are fantastic companions for the right family. Unfortunately, many people get a Border Collie unprepared for dealing with an explosion of energy that wants to herd everything that moves and is smart enough to open doors and cupboards just to see what’s on the other side. A Border Collie needs a job to do. It doesn’t have to be herding, but if these dogs don’t get a task they’re likely to invent one.

Dalmatians are another great example. They’re beautiful, and countless families have fallen for their children’s pleas after watching Pongo on TV, unaware that the average Dalmatian has an abundance of energy and needs something to do.

If you want a certain breed but doesn’t think the personality is right for your family, consider a mixed breed. They’re often much more laid back than their purebred relatives.

Also consider if you want to get a puppy or an adult dog. Puppies are adorable. They’re cute, small, are ready to spend their life with you. They also need a lot of attention, time, and training. Many are surrendered once they get out of the puppy stage and into adolescence, because they require more time and training than the family is prepared for, or able to give.

The breeds mentioned here are just examples. In order to research dog breeds, you can find some information on our site. Also take a look on the AKC website – they have a lot of breed information including average life span, known health issues, and grooming requirements.

With recent dips in the economy, more Americans than ever live in multi-family units. While it’s possible to make almost any dog happy in an apartment, choosing a breed well-adapted to the lifestyle when getting a new family member can make things easier. Here are some examples of breeds particularly well suited to apartment life. 

Scottish Terrier

This is a family friendly breed that quickly grows devoted to the family. The dogs often come across as serious and can be aloof when meeting strangers, but they’re very loyal and loving towards “their” humans. Daily walks and fun toys generally satisfy their need for activity.

Bulldog

The average Bulldog loves a good nap on the couch. These dogs are good-natured and loving, and not interested in excessive exercise. They love to snuggle, watch TV, and keep an eye on what might be happening in the kitchen. Be aware that Bulldogs are sensitive to heat, and that they can’t swim.

Lhasa Apso

These dogs have a convenient apartment-friendly size, are affectionate towards the family, suspicious towards strangers, and independent enough to not be needy. A Lhasa Apso tends to adapt their level of activity to that of the family. A daily walk and some play time keeps the dogs happy. Downside? The elegant coat requires a lot of grooming.

Pug

The Pug is a charming, playful, and affectionate bundle of love. These dogs can adapt to most environments and lifestyles – as long a they get to be a part of the family. As long as your Pug gets to be with you, he or she will likely be happy to chill in the sofa, go for a walk, visit family, or dress up in a costume.

Greyhound

The Greyhound is often called the 45-mph couch potato, and that describes them very well. An average Greyhound likes to mosey around the block with you, or run all he can for five minutes. When that’s done, they like to snuggle up somewhere soft and comfortable. As a bonus, they rarely bark and are easy to groom.

Many like small dog breeds, because they are convenient. A small dog doesn’t require as much space as a big dog, smaller dogs eat less than big ones, and so on. But, there is something special about the gigantic dogs, like Newfoundlands, Irish Wolfhounds, and Mastiffs. Here is a list with five of the world’s largest dog breeds.

The Irish Wolfhound

This is a friendly giant. The breed is not currently record holder for world’s tallest dog, but if one were to take an average of individuals in a breed they would be the tallest. They are excessively friendly towards people and don’t do good jobs as guard dogs. If a burglar were to enter the house and carry off some things the Irish Wolfhound would probably consider the intruder a new best friend. However, if the family is physically attacked, an Irish Wolfhound will defend its people.

They are patient and generally good with children. While they take to urban living pretty well, they require a lot of exercise.

The Great Dane

A Great Dane currently holds the position of world’s tallest dog. They are generally very friendly and get along with people, other dogs, and other types of pets. Great Danes are strong, elegant, friendly, and energetic. The earliest drawings resembling the breed stem back to around 3,000 BC, and the oldest written description of them can be found in literature of 1121 BC.

The English Mastiff

The Great Dane and Irish Wolfhound might compete about being the tallest dogs on the planet, but the English Mastiff is definitely the heaviest. A male can weigh up to 250 lbs, and the breed is considered the oldest in the UK.

English Mastiffs make wonderful and devoted pets. They are generally very good with children and other dogs, but they tend to be lazy and needs to be activated in order to get enough exercise.

The Leonberger

The Leonberger is extremely popular in Europe, maybe a bit less so in the USA. They are even-tempered, unfazed by most things, and become deeply attached to their humans. They are also very agile for their size, and require lots of exercise.

Leonbergers can be very energetic when they grow up, but generally settle down around the age of three and becomes gentle giants.

The Scottish Deerhound

This is the least commonly known breed on the list, and looks somewhat like a long-haired greyhound. The history of the breed has been traced back to pre-Roman times, and they are very popular in their home country.

A Scottish Deerhound is about the friendliest animal on the planet. They are eager to please, gentle, and loving. However, they get bored easily and require plenty of exercise and something to do. They are happiest in pairs, and keeping two together can alleviate many of the boredom problems.

Can a giant dog have a dog door?

Absolutely. There is a PlexiDor dog door for even very big dogs.

The extra large PlexiDor is constructed to stand up to these large and powerful dogs, even if they go through the door at a full run. The dog door handles dogs approximately up to 220 lbs. If you’re in doubt, contact customer service and they will be happy to help you pick the right solution for your needs