An intelligent and alert and attentive dog, the Belgian Shepherd originally was bred for his herding ability and was fairly common throughout most of Europe. Originally a mixture of types, colours and coat lengths, the breed gradually developed into four main types which are named after the districts to which they were native.
The Groenendael is perhaps the most commonly known of the four varieties. His colour is always black, with a small patch or strip of white allowed on the chest and the tips of the toes. His coat is of medium harshness, long, straight and abundant on the body, with shorter hair on the head, outside of ears and lower part of the legs. The hair is especially long and abundant on the neck forming a ruff, particularly in the males.
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