Central Asian Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison

Central Asian Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed ComparisonBelgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) is originated from Belgium but Central Asian Shepherd is originated from Russia. Both Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) and Central Asian Shepherd are having almost same height. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) may weigh 20 kg / 44 pounds lesser than Central Asian Shepherd. Both Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) and Central Asian Shepherd has almost same life span. Both Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) and Central Asian Shepherd has same litter size. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) requires High Maintenance. But Central Asian Shepherd requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
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Belgium
Russia
Height Male:
60 - 66 cm
23 - 26 inches
62 - 70 cm
24 - 28 inches
Height Female:
56 - 62 cm
22 - 25 inches
62 - 70 cm
24 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 30 kg
55 - 67 pounds
40 - 50 kg
88 - 111 pounds
Weight Female:
23 - 30 kg
50 - 67 pounds
40 - 50 kg
88 - 111 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
12 - 15 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 10
4 - 10
Size:
Large
Large
Other Names:
Belgian Groenendael, Belgian Shepherd, AKC: Belgian Sheepdog
Central Asian Ovtcharka
Colors Available:
Black
brindle, flecked and bi-colored, grey, black, White, tan
Coat:
Dense double coat
Short hair and long haired
Shedding:
Constant, Seasonal
Moderate, Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Territorial
Grooming:
High Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

History

belgian shepherd dog groenendaelLooking much like a pitch black German Shepherd dog, the Belgian Shepherd is a beautiful looking dog. Their roots go back to the 1800s to Groenendael, Belgium. This is where they were bred by a certain Nicolas Rose in 1910. The Groenendael is one of four different Belgian Sheepdog varieties but the Groenendael is sometimes treated as a distinct breed.

They have always been used for their intelligence, serving for instance in the police force and being message carriers in war situations. Originally, Belgian Shepherds were used to herd livestock. It was in 1911 that the Groenendael was registered in the United States, and not much later the first Belgian Sheepdog Club of America formed. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1912.

central asian shepherdThis large dog breed is a native to the wilds of Central Asia, where it has been guarding and protecting livestock for thousands of years. In fact the Central Asian Shepherd is one of the oldest dog breeds of the world.

Early records as to the precise origin of the breed aren’t available. There are suggestions that the breed descended from ancient Middle Eastern livestock guarding breeds, while the other suggests the dog is descended from the Tibetan Mastiff. It is almost certain that the dog was domesticated from the Wolf.

Description

Large, Strong and Well Proportioned

belgian shepherd dog groenendael puppy - descriptionWith his alert, bright brown eyes, the Groenendael, referred to often as the Belgian Sheepdog, has erect ears with a long, feathered tail. The straight, strong legs are also feathered. He is well proportioned, athletic and strong. He has a dense double coat, and this working dog’s coat is black, but you sometimes find some small white markings around his paws and muzzle. The size of the Groenendael is roughly 60-66cm at the withers with the females sometimes being slightly smaller. The weight of the dog is roughly 25–30 kilograms.

He’s a Social Dog who Craves Companionship

The Groenendael is an active, intelligent breed and training and socializing will be necessary to ensure he knows how to behave around his human family. He is a big, social dog and won’t do well when left alone day after day in the back yard. In fact he may even show signs of separation anxiety if you leave him indefinitely. He makes for an excellent family dog, just loving their companionship and he becomes very protective of them.

An Intelligent, Alert Breed

He is used to making use of his intelligence and therefore he will need mental stimulation as opposed to lying around all day. He gets on well with adults, children and other pets, but he needs to grow up with children and not be put among children when he is already an adult. He is loyal and loving to his human family, forming a deep bond, especially with just one member of the family.

central asian shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Central Asian Shepherd is a large dog, standing at up to 70cm in height and weighing in the region of 50kg. The dog is powerfully built and muscular, with the tail being traditionally docked to a short bob. Undocked, the tail is naturally long, thick at the base and tapering down. When relaxed, the tail is carried low, but when he becomes alert and excited, the tail is up and curved.

The ears of this dog are also traditionally cropped close to the head so that the dog almost appears to have no visible ears. This practice is also falling away and the natural ears of this breed are small and set at- or below eye level.

The brown eyes are small to medium size and are deep set. The Central Asian Shepherd Dog is double-coated with short to medium length hair and can be found in quite a few different colors such as tan, white, black, grey, brindle, ticked or a blend of these colors.

Temperament:

You have to be careful about where you buy your Asian Shepherd from as these dogs can be prone to aggression. With good breeding however, the dog is evenly tempered. As a first time dog owner, this shouldn’t be your first choice as it is a dominant, wilful, territorial, independent dog who will require a tough, firm, strong owner. Training and socialization are imperative to ensure he becomes obedient. He is then capable of forming close and strong bonds with his master, becoming a loyal and devoted pet. He also makes an excellent guard dog.

He is a protective dog breed, and once trained can get on well with children and other pets. He is the kind of dog that you will want to supervise around small children.

Characteristics

belgian shepherd dog groenendael dog - characteristicsYour Belgian Shepherd is an intelligent, active, loyal companion for you. He is highly intelligent too, and will need the right owner who can meet his energetic needs. He therefore wouldn’t do well with in a small place where the owners are couch potatoes. He is a working dog and will require being kept busy.

Provide him with good food, look after that thick, lustrous coat of his, provide him with a warm, dry place to sleep and plenty of exercise, love and attention and he will turn out to be the wonderful pet that makes him such a popular breed.

central asian shepherd dog - characteristicsIt is important for those interested in the Central Asian Shepherd Dog as a pet to do some research on the breed. For instance this is a large dog that has been used for fighting.

While he can’t be described as being overly aggressive, you do need to be aware of his history, especially when you have small children in the home.

This dog is intelligent and confident too while also being exceptionally protective, and therefore he makes a good watchdog.

It is essential to have your Central Asian trained and socialized, and then he becomes far more relaxed and obedient, making him a loyal, loving guardian and friend.

Health Problems

belgian shepherd dog groenendael puppies - health problemsThe Belgian Groenendael is a healthy, strong breed with no major health problems and with an average lifespan of 12-14 years.

As with every dog breed, there will be some health issues to be aware of. Skin allergies, epilepsy, eye problems and hip- and joint dysplasia are some areas to look out for

Dental disease for instance, is a common problem with pets, and your Belgian Shepherd can have serious problems with their teeth. Tartar build-up on the teeth ca take you down a trail of infections and gum disease. If you don’t want to make use of a special canine toothbrush and toothpaste, your vet will do it for you.

Your Groenendael will also be susceptible to ticks, fleas and bacterial and viral infections. As a puppy of 6 – 8 weeks, vaccinations for parvo, rabies, and distemper will be necessary. You’ll also need to be generally watching your pet’s health and to get him to the vet when he shows signs of being run-down and ill.

central asian shepherd puppies - health problemsThe Central Asian Shepherd doesn't have any hereditary ailments and he is generally a healthy, robust breed.

Large breeds are always prone to hip- and elbow dysplasia, an abnormal development of hip and elbow, brought about by a number of factors such as genetics, the wrong diet and rapid growth with some large puppies.

A dysplastic hip or elbow doesn’t move smoothly as it should, and this results in joint inflammation and pain. Symptoms can include loss of muscle mass, pain when moving around and difficulty with standing up again once your pet lies down.

Caring The Pet

belgian shepherd dog groenendael dogs - caringThe Groenendael has a double coat and because it is also fairly long, his black coat may well be high maintenance and brushing every 2nd day will be necessary to keep the coat unmatted and to also get rid of those loose hairs. In fact, heavy shedding is part of this breed’s life and while heavy shedding happens twice a year, light shedding continues throughout the year. Sometimes is may be necessary to send him to a dog grooming parlour to snip his hair and to wash it.

Other care routines to watch for -

A healthy, quality diet it absolutely imperative. Speak to your vet about the best kind of wet- or dry food suited to an energetic breed like this and appropriate to his age. You need to include raw meat into your pets diet every day now and then to avoid skin problems. Always ensure a bowl of clean, cool water is available, The bowl will need to be washed out every other day.

make sure his ears are cleaned. Once again you have to be careful when prodding in a dog’s ear and your veterinarian will show you how.

keep him well exercised with long walks and ball games.

central asian shepherd dogs - caringCentral Asians are large dogs and when he is looked after well he can reach up to 15 years of age.

Diet:

It is important to see that he receives top quality, size-specific food, of which he eats a lot, and that it has all the vitamins and minerals he needs for his size.

A puppy will need high energy foods because of their energy. As he grows bigger, protein will become imperative. It is always a treat for your pet to add in some brown rice, vegetables and cooked chicken into his kibble from time to time.

Raw meat can be expensive, but if you can, it is important to ensure that your large pet gets some raw meat into his diet too, to keep his skin and coat healthy and to ward off disease. Make sure he has non-stop access to a bowl of fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

As previously mentioned, the coat of the Central Asian Shepherd can be fairly short but it can also be medium length. He isn't going to require any exceptional grooming but you will certainly need to give him a good brush twice a week, more so in his shedding periods. This will rid him of loose hair and keep his coat free of tangles and matting.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
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  3. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
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  5. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
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  17. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
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  25. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Central Asian Shepherd vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Central Asian Shepherd vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Central Asian Shepherd vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Central Asian Shepherd vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Central Asian Shepherd vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Central Asian Shepherd vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Central Asian Shepherd vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Central Asian Shepherd vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Central Asian Shepherd vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Central Asian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Central Asian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Central Asian Shepherd vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Central Asian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Central Asian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Central Asian Shepherd vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Central Asian Shepherd vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Central Asian Shepherd vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Central Asian Shepherd vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Central Asian Shepherd vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Central Asian Shepherd vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Central Asian Shepherd vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Central Asian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Central Asian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Central Asian Shepherd vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Central Asian Shepherd vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison