The Belgian Sheepdog is as smart as he is beautiful. While his oldest talent is herding, this versatile breed is capable of almost any type of work. Like all herding dogs, Belgians need a home in which they are provided with plenty of mental and physical exercise. They are serious-minded when it comes to their work, and need a specific job to be tasked with. Although they make excellent family pets, just being a family pet (and nothing else) isn’t enough – they must have a job to do as well. They are not recommended for novice dog owners.
Belgian Sheepdogs are smart, loyal, and quick learners- three traits that make them great obedience dogs. They can also tend to be sensitive and occasionally strong-willed. From the time they are young, they should be given plenty of socialization and training in order to enrich their minds and mold them into the best dogs that they can be. It is vital that they are given this structure while young so that they can mature into well-balanced animals, and to keep them from becoming excessively shy. When not given training, socialization or enough exercise, many Belgians end up with serious behavior problems.
Although friendly, the breed has a natural protective instinct. There is no training required to get this instinct, it is usually present from birth. As such, they tend to be reserved with strangers until they can make sure that the person is “ok”. Belgians are incredibly concerned with the welfare of their owners – so much so that they like to keep a close eye on them at all times. They will follow their owner from room to room if necessary. The same goes for children (they are great with kids as long as they are treated fairly). It is very important for this breed to be around “their people”, and Belgians that are isolated from their owners for long periods of time will develop neuroses, including separation anxiety. 
Belgian Sheepdogs are normally very healthy dogs that have long lifespans. While they do require regular coat care, it isn’t too excessive. Brushing once or twice a week is enough to keep most coats free from tangles. They will shed heavily twice a year but the shedding period doesn’t last much longer than a week. When not in the heavy shedding period, their black coat will shed minimally throughout the year. Coat care will also be dependent upon the dog’s surroundings. Dogs that are spend a lot of time outside in hot weather will shed more often, and will get dirty more frequently. Their coat is built more for cold weather rather than hot.
Belgians are an extremely active breed – many owners state that they are in perpetual motion. Interestingly, many tend to move in circles rather than straight lines. They do everything with intensity and vigor, even a game of fetch will be taken seriously by the dog. Daily exercise (at least an hour) is monumentally important to keep excess energy in check, but even with exercise they will never be a couch potato dog! As Belgians thrive on being both indoor and outdoor, they work out well for active people who enjoy being outside and playing games with their dog. They don’t do well in households that only want a dog to sit and look pretty.
The Belgian Sheepdog tends to get along very well with other dogs and cats that live in his household. He may or may not be friendly to dogs that he doesn’t know well, especially if they come onto his territory. While he usually is fine with other household pets, he may try to herd them. Indeed, the herding instinct is so strong that it may also include herding children, bicyclists, birds and/or cars! When the dog is in “his zone”, he will become very independent and choose herding over listening to his owner’s commands. It is for this reason that a fenced-in yard is highly recommended to keep the Belgian safe. Herding cars in particular is an obvious dangerous pastime.
