![Belgian Shepherd Dog Laekenois Dog Breed](/sites/default/files/styles/square_medium_440x440/public/2022-07/Belgian-Shepherd-Dog-Laekenois.jpg?itok=7MdHNn8b)
Family-friendly: | 4/5 |
Exercise needs: | 4/5 |
Easy to train: | 3/5 |
Tolerates being alone: | 2/5 |
Likes other pets: | 4/5 |
Energy level: | 4/5 |
Grooming needs: | 3/5 |
Shedding: | 3/5 |
All varieties of the Belgian can suffer from:
- Hip dysplasia
- Hereditary cataracts which is a condition where the lens in the eye becomes cloudy and this can result in blindness.
- Progressive retinal atrophy which is an inherited disorder where part of the eye degenerates and wastes away which can result in blindness.
Priority Kennel Club health schemes and testing:
- Hip dysplasia screening scheme
- Eye screening scheme
Intelligent and attentive, although wary of strangers or suspicious behaviour, the Laekenois is everything a herding and guarding dog should be. Willing to take direction from a handler but also able to make decisions for themselves, the Laekenois requires a dedicated owner with whom to form a solid partnership. Affectionate and loyal to close family, the Laekenois takes time to warm to strangers and is not particularly tolerant or forgiving of heavy or rough handling. They frequently seem to be the ‘softest’or the least intense of the four Belgian Shepherd breeds - but then everything is relative!
The Laekenois is named after the Belgian Chateau de Laeken, which was often visited by Queen Henrietta of Belgium who was a devotee of the breed. The Laekenois is the rarest of the four Belgian Shepherd breeds.