Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison

Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Siberian Husky - Breed ComparisonBelgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) is originated from Belgium but Siberian Husky is originated from Russia. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) may grow 6 cm / 3 inches higher than Siberian Husky. Both Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) and Siberian Husky are having almost same weight. Both Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) and Siberian Husky has same life span. Both Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) and Siberian Husky has almost same litter size. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) requires High maintenance. But Siberian Husky requires Moderate maintenance

History

belgian shepherd dog groenendael - historyLooking 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.

siberian husky - historySiberian Huskies are very close to Chukchi people.Chukchi is a tribe in Siberian nomads and huskies are beleived to be originated with them. DNA tests on huskies prove that they are the oldest among the dog breeds and they used them to travel fast. Also children used to sleep with them as they provide body heat to them. Siberian Huskies also like to be very close to the children. In 1908 at the gold rush, huskies were imported to Alaska and used as sled dogs. In Alaska they were used for dog sled race until today.

Siberian Huskies were exported from Siberia and they continued their journey in North America. American kennel club recognized them in 1930 and the Siberian club of america has been founded in 1938.

Basic Information

Group:
Working dog
Working dog
Origin:
Belgium
Russia
Height Male:
60 - 66 cm
23 - 26 inches
54 - 60 cm
21 - 24 inches
Height Female:
56 - 62 cm
22 - 25 inches
50 - 56 cm
19 - 23 inches
Weight Male:
25 - 30 kg
55 - 67 pounds
20 - 27 kg
44 - 60 pounds
Weight Female:
23 - 30 kg
50 - 67 pounds
16 - 23 kg
35 - 51 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 14 Years
12 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
6 - 10
4 - 8
Size:
Large dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Belgian Groenendael, Belgian Shepherd, AKC: Belgian Sheepdog
Chukcha, Chuksha
Colors Available:
Black
Black & White, White, Black, Agouti Piebald, Copper, Black & Tan Splash, Red, Silver, Sable Brown and Grey
Coat:
Dense double coat
Medium, Dense, Harsh and Rough, Soft, Double layer, Straight and Thick
Shedding:
Constant, Seasonal
Moderate
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Alert, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Outgoing, Social, Stubborn
Grooming:
High maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Moderate
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
No
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
No

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.

siberian husky puppy - descriptionSiberian Huskies are said to be one of the beautiful dog breeds in the world. They are well known for their thick coat and blue coloured eyes. Siberian Huskies are really challenging for new dog owners. It is preferred to give them a fenced yard and the fence should be sunk well to the ground to prevent them from escaping, as they always try to escape. They are medium sized working dogs having high energy level. Initially huskies were developed as sled dogs.

They are affectionate and intelligent breed. Also they are independent in nature. They are kid friendly dogs and also are friendly with everyone including strangers. Siberian Huskies will be a good companion when given proper training and care. They are low shedders but it depends on the climate it lives. Normally they dont shed in cold climate but in warmer climate they will do. They shed heavily twice in a year for a three week strech. Normally Siberian Huskies do not suit well for apartment living. They are not watchdogs as they will bark very rarely but it enjoys to howl.

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.

Children friendliness

siberian husky dog - characteristicsSiberian Huskies are very much affectionate with children. But it is necessary to train both parties to behave with each other. It is recommended to have an adult supervision for younger children.

Special talents

They are very good diggers and so they should be watched if they are in garden. They tolerate well in cold weather and mostly huskies can be seen in the area of snow falling. They are very good in pulling sledges.

Adaptability

They adapt well in cold weather. It is advised to give them a well fenced yard. They do not like apartment living. Also they do not like to be alone and if kept alone for long time they will disturb your house and make it dirty.

Learning ability

>Training huskies is not so easy but it is a challenging job. Hence they are not recommended for new dog owners. Only experienced dog owners can train them and also high patience is required.

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.

siberian husky puppies - health problemsSiberian husky suffers with minor health problems such as hypothyroidism, Progressive retinal atrophy and cataract. They are also prone to lose pigment in nose and muzzle. Some health problems occur due to bad breeding practices and some due to environmental problems where the puppy is brought up. They have also chances to get skin disease such as allergies.

Hair fall

When they are in the age of 2 to 5 years, they are having chances to hairloss due to Alopecia X. This condition mainly causes due to hair clipping in Siberians. They will be healthy but the hair will not grow in affected areas. Siberians are double coated and when the situation prevails the topcoat will fall off first and the undercoat follows it. The hair will fall off in both side of the dog in same area. Spaying or neutering will reduce such problems as it causes because of sex hormones.

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.

Feeding the puppy

siberian husky dogs - caringIn one method of feeding the Husky puppies, the food will be given always available, but this method is not recommended as it has some problems. This method is followed by large breeders because of lack of time to spend on individuals. Another method is to keep meal for 3 times a day. At about 12 to 16 weeks of age the meals can be reduced to two times a day. In this method the meal given should not be there after 15 minutes even if puppy did not ate. The important training for Husky puppies while eating is they should not growl when the food is taken by its master.

Feeding the adult

Many Siberian experts don't like commercial dog food as they are sure that because of such foods dog may get problems like itching, dandruff, loose stools and hot spots. According to experts the good food for them are home cooked food from turkey, real chicken, beef and fish. Fruits and fresh vegetables are also very good for them. It is advised by dog owners to add only low salt or even without salt in their food. Also sugar is not good for them as it will bring some problems like hairfall and itching.

Points for Good Health

Siberian huskies can be easily groomed. Their eyes should be checked in puppyhood as they get chances to get eye problems and hereditary eye diseases. It is advised to make siberians to bath once in a year and they must be brushed once in a week. While brushing, the ears should be inspected and its teeth should be brushed. It is good to trim the long hairs in their feet and also nails should be trimmed slightly and very carefully as they have blood vessels there.

Games and Exercises

To give training and exercises to Siberian Huskies, the home should be prepared for them and it is better to make a fenced yard to prevent escapes. They have very high chances to escape and so the fence should be minimum 6 feet high and base should be strong as it should not break it or dig under to escape. Since they are active from their puppyhood they must be given lots of exercise. They should be socialized in their early stages as to get good behaviour and manners.

Comparison with other breeds

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  6. Presa Canario vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
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  10. Goldador vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
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  21. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison
  22. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Antebellum Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  23. Dogo Cubano vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  24. Dogo Sardesco vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  25. Central Asian Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison
  26. Siberian Husky vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  27. Siberian Husky vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  28. Akita vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  29. Doberman Pinscher vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  30. Samoyed vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  31. Alaskan Malamute vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  32. Bullmastiff vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  33. Great Pyrenees vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  34. Boerboel vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  35. Presa Canario vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  36. Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  37. Labrador Husky vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  38. Argentine Dogo vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Giant Schnauzer vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  40. Africanis vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  41. Belgian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  42. Goldador vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  43. Bandog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  44. Dogo Cubano vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  45. Dogo Sardesco vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  46. Beauceron vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  47. Central Asian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
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