Belgian Sheepdog,Groenendael Type
My dog Junior. A Belgian Sheepdog as considered by the American Kennel Club. Known as a Belgian Shepherd in Europe. The black variety are Groenendaels, a short hair version are Malinois (a favorite of the US military and also used by the US Secret Service to guard the White House), and a brownish, longhair version called is called Tervuren.
Junior is a purebred dog. His sisters are competition champions. Had his ears remained erect, he may have been too and eventually led the life of a gigolo. We’re glad he had faulty ears and was able to come live with us.
The weather has made dramatic changes. The night before this photograph was made Junior and I were walking in the rain at a balmy 57F. Donned by old waxed cotton drover’s coat and headed out in a torrential downpour completely unprepared. With only a ball cap for protection the water poured down my neck, followed my spine past my ass and down my legs to quickly fill my boots. On the outside the rain soaked my leather gloves and the exposed bottoms of my jeans. A wide brim hat would have saved much aggravation.
Still, it was a magnificent night to be alive and walking in the rain. I let Junior off the leash and he pranced around as we walked through the neighborhood and into the park. Lessons learned about how to dress. And one about the iPhone 6S — when it’s pouring rain and your hands are wet — you can’t answer the phone. The touchscreen is worthless.
When I arrived home about midnight the temperature had already been falling. In four hours it had dropped from 57F to 11F. The rain turned to snow and we woke to an icy, white world. Junior prefers the snow to the rain I think.
Frigid Mornings
The past two mornings have been frigid by central Pennsylvania standards. Single digit temperatures with snow and ice. I’ve fully acclimated to the winter weather now and march through the garden as the dogs race about. Some new merino wool long underwear arrived from LL Bean that’s helped make the cold a pleasure. The winter doldrums have given way to something new. A little excitement to be out in the world.
Once the ice clears from the roads it will be time to ride again.
Lily the Hammer
Lily, Junior’s niece, loves the snow. She pretty much loves being outside in any weather. Lily, or The Hammer as we affectionately call her, is a rough and tumble brute of a dog. Don’t let her lithe physique or smiling face full you. While she’s gentle with people, poor Junior takes punishing body blows from her even though he outweighs her by 20 pounds. When they play ball, if Junior manages to get the ball (usually only with my help since she’s lightning fast) she pursues him relentlessly until he gives it up. And if he doesn’t quickly surrender the ball she’ll begin the body blows. Junior puts up with her antics. But as she’s found out a few times, other dogs take that behavior differently.
As I write this post at 3:30am the temperature hovers at 5F. The dogs are asleep and I’m drifting away.
Thinking of Belgian Sheepdogs.
How funny, I have two Schipperkies which were bred down from the Belgium Sheep Dog for work on barges. They are tough little dogs and love the snow. As the vet says, “ You get a lot of dog for your money.”
I always wondered if the Schipperkies were related. The breeder in Illinois who we got Junior and Lily from would show Schipperkies as well as Belgians. They were a lifelong Belgian family.
A lot of dog for the money — that says a lot!
Stay warm and safe in Big Valley!
Steve,
Gorgeous animals! I have a Dutch Shepherd that has knocked me down with his playful body blows, 60 pounds of muscle and energy. Love the photos of Junior and Lilly enjoying the cold and happy to read you have adapted as well. Best wishes to you and your wife.
Richard in Blue Ridge
Big, active dogs bring the risk of being knocked down. Lily has leveled me a few times now. That’s no fun. Junior is pretty careful and much more gentle in comparison — except in taking a biscuit. He has a very hard mouth.
I’ve adapted to the cold and on most days now ok with it. But today I was just tired and cold all day. Don’t even try to push. Could have taken the scooter out but it would have required a lot of ice dodging. Can’t embark on those trips when I’m cold to start.
Hope things are well with you and your family in Blue Ridge!
Great dogs, I didn’t realize the breed was related to the Malinois which I thought at one time I wanted one of. The specimen shown on the tv show “Person of Interest” was the cause of the want….thought perhaps being short-haired, they’d not shed as much.
The Malinois (and the Belgians in general) are a handful to train and socialize. Bear on Person of Interest is kind of a mythic beast. But it would take much work with that breed. Definitely not a dog you get if you aren’t ready to do a lot of training.
While some breeds “don’t shed” it’s kind of worthless info on the individual dog basis. Any dog can shed. I know someone who got a poodle because they don’t shed only to find their dog shed relentlessly. Shedding was only eased by the even worse drooling.
Are you still thinking of getting a dog? If you’re lucky, you may find a sidecar partner.
Interesting history for your dogs. Especially Lily who has had her ears docked and Junior whose ears were not up to a proper standard. Don’t understand modifying both tails and ears on some breeds.
Have late friends who bred Schanuzers (sp?) for over thirty years from Tinker to at least two hundred off spring). Plus these people did the show routine, as well as standard and giants of the breed.
Later they also raised and showed Airedales.
Dogs born with floppy ears and tails soon had those items changed or removed. Be glad
you have both versions; doesn’t seem to have harmed Lily or Junior for that matter. Wet
fur on a dog cab a bit of a noxious odour as I recall; i prefer cats as I age, they don’t have to be walked three times a day, or do the stoop and stop bit.
That noted, dogs do keep one active as per your example; they’ll happily walk in the rain unlike most cats who hate moisture, although all of my cats enjoyed water; they’d even climb into my tub at bath time.
Walking and playing with your dogs takes off your personal. pressures as well.
Bite your tongue. Docked ears. No way. Lily’s ears are naturally erect like that. It’s the breed standard. No surgery allowed. And they only look as if their tails are docked because they sort of curl them underneath. But their tails are long and bushy!
Junior’s ears were erect until about nine months. One ear dropped and then eventually the other. When we got him at 13 months of age they were down all the time with one occasionally popping up.
I love dogs. On dark days I feel these will be my last. Sad thought. I used to have cats but have ended up again with dogs. They do demand a lot more than a cat and push and push for stuff. Smart dogs like this herding breed are always figuring out ways to try and manipulate you into the kitchen, the car, the garden, walks and more. Never felt pressured much by my cats.
Some times I think Lillyhammer looks like a Schipperke on ‘roids. You sure have gotten good at taking photos with dogs. Mostly other people’s photos of their dogs are, well, …yawn, I’ve seen that before. But your dogs in their environment, I’ve never see that before.
The dogs are fun to photograph. These two are pretty expressive. And generally cooperative subjects. Any success photographically is purely a result of practice. Keep photographing them and something will happen. You know that.
They are beautiful dogs. Funny how so many dogs love playing in the snow and cold.
What a change in temperatures from morning until night. Brrr. Glad you have some new thermals to keep you warm while out.
Today was a bad day for me cold wise. Just when I thought I was ok with it I had a cold day. Tired and couldn’t get warm. So I stayed inside and did nothing. Well, I did take a nap…
Loved your photos of your dogs. They have such expressive faces. Enjoy them while you can.
I once spent several years with two Siberian Huskies that loved pulling a sled in the winter. They preferred to sleep outdoors at night, curled in a circle, their tails over their noses, unless the temperature dropped to below minus 15, at which point they’d reluctantly retire to their shared doghouse buried two feet into the ground. Take them indoors even in the warmer weather and they’d be asleep in five minutes, regardless of what time of day it was. I have recordings of their howling at a full moon on a winter’s night that still sends chills up my spine.
These two dogs wear their feelings on their faces.
If there’s anything I feel negatively about a dog, it’s how fast their lives burn and the inevitable sadness that comes with it. I try and enjoy Junior and Lily as much as I can. Wish I could do more for them.
I’ve heard stories of Huskies like the one you shared. Like you, they send chills up my spine as well. Even in my strongest and most youthful part of my life — a howling dog on a cold night would ignite some ancient programming in my DNA…