{"id":10441,"date":"2022-02-23T21:30:46","date_gmt":"2022-02-23T14:30:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/allaboutsheepdogs.com\/?p=6922"},"modified":"2022-02-23T21:30:46","modified_gmt":"2022-02-23T14:30:46","slug":"groenendael-vs-german-shepherd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/puplore.com\/groenendael-vs-german-shepherd\/","title":{"rendered":"Groenendael (Belgian Sheepdog) vs German Shepherd – What’s The Difference?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For centuries, Central and Western Europe have been a breeding ground for some of the finest shepherd breeds in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herding dogs coming from Germany, Belgium, and Holland are famous worldwide and part of the households in every corner of the globe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is hardly surprising as they have the personality traits and physical abilities any owner would want. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these dogs are hard-working, smart, highly trainable, athletic, and endlessly devoted to their family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, these breeds also have some distinctive features separating one from another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those differences are what you should look at when deciding which dog is right for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below, I’ll compare two characteristic representatives of European herding breeds, Groenendael vs German Shepherd, to see what separates them and what each of them brings to the table for the potential owners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, let’s dive in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Attributes<\/span><\/strong><\/td>Groenendael<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>German Shepherd<\/strong><\/strong><\/span><\/td><\/tr>
Good For First Time Owners<\/strong><\/td>With Restrictions<\/td> Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Good Guard Dog<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Apartment Friendly<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>With Enough Exercise<\/td>Yes<\/td><\/tr>
Good Family Dog<\/strong><\/td>Yes<\/td>With Training<\/td><\/tr>
Shedding<\/strong><\/td>Moderate<\/td>High<\/td><\/tr>
Barking And Howling<\/strong><\/td>Moderate To High<\/td>Moderate To High<\/td><\/tr>
Height<\/strong><\/strong><\/td>22-26 inches (55-65 cm)<\/td>22-26 inches (55-65 cm)<\/td><\/tr>
Average Life Expectancy<\/strong><\/td>12-14 Years<\/td>9-13 Years<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n

[wpsm_toplist]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenendael (Belgian Sheepdog) – Dog Breed Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Groenendael or Belgian Sheepdog, as they’re mostly known in the US, belongs to the group of Belgian Shepherd breeds, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group also includes Laekenois, Malinois, and Tervuren. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Depending on the national kennel standards these are sometimes considered separate breeds or different varieties of the same breed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenendael’s roots date back to 19th century Belgium and the breeder Nicolas Rose. In fact, the breed was named after Rose’s estate, Chateau Groenendael.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appearance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Groenendael features a typical working-dog frame. Their body is squarely-proportioned, well-muscled, and rather lean. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenendaels are very athletic and move with elegance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This breed has a double coat, making them adaptable to extreme temperatures. The topcoat is long, medium-harsh, and straight. The hairs of the topcoat are never silky or wiry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The undercoat is softer, extremely dense, and varies in thickness depending on the climate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenenedaels have shorter hair on the head, legs, and behind the ears. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coat color is either completely black or black with small patches of white. The head is proportional to the body, with a skull that is more flat than round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The eyes are medium-sized, almond-shaped, and dark brown, while the ears are erect and triangular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Males are 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) high and weigh 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Females grow around 22-24 inches (56-61 cm) and weigh 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Like most herding breeds, Groenendael is very active, alert, smart, and devoted to the family. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They see the humans as their flock and are very affectionate towards them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They do well with kids, but due to their herding instinct sometimes have a tendency to nip or nudge them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenendaels are rather distrustful with strangers which, combined with their confidence and alertness, makes them great watchdogs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, without proper and early socialization, their distrust towards strange may turn into aggressive behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenendaels have endless energy and are the happiest when they have a job to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, due to their intelligence and high activity level, they can sometimes be a bit mischievous and a bit difficult to handle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, their smarts and eagerness to please make them highly trainable and capable of learning new things rather quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

German Shepherd – Dog Breed Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Probably one of the most popular family and working dogs in the world, German Shepherds were originally developed as livestock guardians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nowadays, besides being beloved family members, this breed is often used for military and police work<\/a> and all-around dog capable of answering a variety of tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Appearance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

German Shepherd is a medium-sized breed with a sturdy and muscular body, a bit longer than tall. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bit wolf-like in appearance, they are rather graceful and extremely athletic. Their body is covered with a protective medium-long double coat. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The topcoat is extremely dense, with straight and harsh hair lying close to the body. It’s slightly wavy and can often feature a wiry texture. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The undercoat is thick and soft. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Color varies, but the most common combination is black and tan with a black mask and black patch across the back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The head is cleanly chiseled with almond-shaped dark eyes and an intelligent expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ears are upright, pointed, and wide at the base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Adult males are 24- 26 inches (60-65 cm) high and weigh between 66 and 88 pounds (30-40 kg).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Females are 22-24 inches (55-60 cm) in height and 49-71 pounds (22-32 kg) in weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperament<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

German Shepherds are very loyal, highly intelligent, fun to be around, and fearsome when it comes to protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When they’re not working, they are fairly calm and even-tempered, although never lethargic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they excel when given a job to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a very smart and energetic breed, they enjoy a challenge and require a lot of mental and physical stimulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are devoted to their humans and form a particularly strong bond with their primary owner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They love to play with kids and are rather mindful of them. Still, early socialization is must for little ones to be safe around them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

German Shepherds are fantastic guardians, both thanks to their bravery and protective instincts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Always eager to learn, they’re fairly easy to train, even for the less experienced owners. GSDs are very obedient and lack the stubbornness of some other herding breeds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Groenendael (Belgian Sheepdog) vs German Shepherd – What’s the Difference?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Groenendael<\/mark><\/strong><\/td>German Shepherd<\/mark><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
\"\"<\/td>\"\"<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As they share a similar background, Groenendael and German Shepherd have plenty in common. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have a similar build and body type, but they have different coats. Besides color difference, Groenendaels feature slightly longer, fuzzier, and harsher hair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, they shed less and require less grooming effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes them more suitable for living in an apartment, although they bark a lot more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both breeds are a solid choice for first-time owners as they’re very obedient, smart, and easy to train. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, the advantage here is on the German’s side as they’re one of the most trainable breeds in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each of these two breeds gets along great with kids, but Groenendaels are a bit more friendly and playful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Groenendael breed has a slightly longer life expectancy, but the Germans are a healthier breed in general and will require fewer trips to the vet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you’re an active owner looking for a smart, loyal, and hard-working dog, you can hardly go wrong with either of these two breeds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The choice between Groenendael and German Shepherd mainly comes down to personal preference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be aware that neither of them is a good option for couch potato-type of owners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They both require a lot of exercise and need a committed owner willing to dedicate a fair share of their time to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They will repay by the unlimited affection and gladly provide companionship in any activity you may think of. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter which one you choose, it’s important to train and socialize them early to keep them from becoming potentially aggressive.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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