Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

The Belgian Shepherd is a dog breed that is on the rise, and that many people get for their abilities as working dogs, as well as sporting dogs. The breed is, according to FCI, and the breed club in Belgium, supposed to be one breed with four varieties where the only difference between the varieties should be their looks. All four varieties, Groenendael, Laekenois, Malinois, and Tervuren, should have the same mentality and characteristics. This study is investigating the mentality of the Belgian Shepherds in Sweden, to find out if the dogs match the personality that is described in the breed standard, and in the breed specific breeding strategies that the Swedish breed club has made. The study also investigate potential differences in the mentality of the varieties, and if, and when, the dogs have been socialized to be able to manage situations that can be anxiety ridden for some dogs. To collect the data, a questionnaire was distributed in several Swedish Facebook groups for the breed. 166 Belgian Shepherd owners answered the questionnaires. The results indicated that there is a possibility that the mentality of the varieties has changed in different directions. Laekenois, and Tervuren are the varieties that were the most different from each other in this study, with Laeknois being less anxious and Tervuren being more anxious than Malinois, and Groenedael.