Traits and History of Ardennes Shepherd Breed
For the Ardennes Shepherd dog breed, there are two currents of thought with regard to its origins; the first and the one most supported by scholars is that this Shepherd comes from the mating of a Belgian shepherd with a Picardy shepherd. The other thinks that this breed is indigenous to Belgium, a hypothesis supported mainly by the societies of its country of origin. In any case, the origin of the Ardennes Shepherd is in Belgium.
It owes its name to the practice of guarding and herding cattle. Mostly dairy cows and sheep, but in the 19th century also pigs and horses. In addition to guarding herds, it was also used for deer and wild boar hunting and even during the two world wars, it became the poacher's dog.
The harsh climate, the particular and very heavy work, the rugged terrain and the poverty of the region made it a rustic, strong, robust and biting animal. Accustomed to being in the open air, in contact with animals and to hard work, with the gradual disappearance of farms in the Ardennes, it has unfortunately declined in numbers.
But thanks to the efforts of a few breeders who have worked hard to bring these dogs back to their original bloodlines, the Ardennes Shepherd has been able to make it through to modern times. To this day, the Ardennes Shepherd can be trained as a powerful and excellent working and utility dog.
In its country of origin, the Ardennes, it is well known and widespread, elsewhere almost unknown.
Character of the Ardennes Shepherd dog breed
Being primarily a working dog, rustic and used to the outdoors, it is certainly not a living room dog, although it can adapt to life at home and in the family. It is a very affectionate breed with the people in its family and is always faithful and devoted to its owner. It is, however, very wary of strangers and is not very helpful towards people it does not know. For this reason it is an excellent guard dog.
But it is a dog that must never lack commitment and work, long daily outings and an active role in the family. He is, however, a curious, cheerful and playful dog that children can play with, even if this is not his highest aspiration. Very intelligent, once he has understood who the pack leader is he trains quite easily, but he needs consistency and also some discipline.
He is loyal and faithful, he is never aggressive out of turn and even if he is used to guarding, he is never violent. There may be problems with other pets, so early socialisation is essential.
Appearance of the Ardennes Shepherd dog breed
The Ardennes Shepherd is a medium-sized dog, its average height at withers is around 60 centimetres and its weight around 30 kilograms; the female usually a little less.
It is a rustic and robust dog, not very elegant; it is short and stocky, very muscular. The hind part is much more developed, the paws are well planted on the ground, slightly apart as if to give more stability. The tail is often absent, sometimes if there is one it is amputated at the height of the first vertebra.
The skull is wide and flat, the head is massive with the hair falling on the muzzle but leaving the eyes well uncovered. The truffle is always black and wide, it has strong teeth. The neck is short but very strong. The eyes are always dark, the ears are erect, sometimes bent forward.
The coat is rough, rustic and shaggy and consists of hair about 5 cm long, on the skull and limbs it is shorter. The undercoat is winter, very dense which makes the dog insensitive to the cold, in summer it thins out a lot. The hair is longer on the beard, on the whiskers and inside the ears.
The coat is also very durable because it is a dog that was born to drive cattle even in unfavourable weather and harsh conditions. The Ardennes Shepherd does not have a particular colour that distinguishes it. Its coat can take on any shade.
Health and care of the Ardennes Shepherd dog breed
The Ardennes Shepherd is a robust dog that does not often fall ill. It is not at all afraid of the cold, but when the heat is excessive, it is a good idea to move outdoor activities to cooler times of day.
It has a life expectancy of around 12 years, and while its health is usually impeccable, it may be born with some minor conformation defects, such as those related to the mouth and teeth, such as prognathism or enognathism.
As for the care of its coat, being a dog used to living outdoors, it must always have a fairly short coat, so that it can move and run freely without any problems. It does not lose much hair, except during the moulting period, so it is sufficient to brush it once a week.
As for the diet, this must be healthy and balanced and must have all the nutritional foods necessary to keep the dog healthy. As far as dosage is concerned, the Ardennes Shepherd is perfectly capable of managing itself and if it gets enough exercise every day it has no weight problems.
