Kuvasz vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison

Looking 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.

The Kuvasz is an ancient dog breed from Hungary. It is believed that the dog is the oldest of the ancient Hungarian dog breeds, and in fact a fossilized skeleton dating back to the 9th century, and almost identical to the modern Kuvasz, was found near Keszthely.

During the 15th century the Kuvasz became very sought after, being found in royal courts. Puppies were given as royal gifts. Later the popularity of the breed waned and then it was found in its traditional role of guarding livestock.

As Kuvasz numbers dwindled, breeding efforts were started but it is believed that other large dogs such as the Great Pyrenees were used with the Kuvasz to continue with the breeding programs.

In 1884, the first Hungarian standard for the breed was written. It was in 1966 that the Kuvasz Club of America was established.

Large, Strong and Well Proportioned

With 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.

The beautiful Kuvasz is a large, muscled dog standing at 65 – 76cm in height and weighing 35 – 52kg. He has a double coat of dense white hair which can be straight or wavy.

It is natural for the dog to lose most of the long coat during the Summer months. In other words this dog has a seasonal coat.

The nose is black, the eyes brown and alert, the ears are of medium length and floppy and the tail is carried long and low.

Temperament:

The Kuvasz is an intelligent dog who will benefit from training and socialization. It is always wise to have large dogs like this trained because just his size can cause problems if he isn’t obedient.

He is also described as a clownish type of dog which means he’ll entertain and amuse you. Certainly he is playful as a puppy but he calms down quite a bit as he grows into maturity. He is independent, and those who have owned such a dog report that he can be loving and loyal with his human family, wanting to guard and protect them. Others will say that he tended to be aloof, even with his human family.

Used as working dogs, the Kuvasz has learned to be independent and they will need a firm, strong owner who is also fair with them, otherwise they just do their own thing. They’re active dogs and because of their size they won’t suit city living where there is a tiny garden.

Your 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.

Kuvasz are guarding dogs, they’re intelligent and loyal, making them excellent family dogs with the right training and socialization.

They’re able to get on well with other pets in the home as well as children. He is a beautiful dog and another bonus is that he isn’t particularly high maintenance.

As is common with many other large-breed dogs, he will have a shorter lifespan than what you’d get with a smaller dog breed, but if you feed him high quality food, exercise him and involve him in your activities, this large dog can become a wonderful friend and protector for you.

The 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.

The large Kuvasz is a healthy dog breed that with good care can reach 12–14 years of age. Being the large dog that he is, he may well be prone to bone and joint problems. It is why good nutrition is so important for this dog - feeding him the best food with vitamins and minerals.

You know the saying ...you are what you eat... and this applies to dogs too. Good food can help to ward off serious illnesses. Big dogs like this often have to contend with hip dysplasia which can be both painful and debilitating as well as eye diseases.

Entropion:

This is where the eyelid of the dog rolls inwards, causing irritation and pain for the dog. There is also Ectropion, where the eyelid rolls outwards.If you see your pet has a red eye which is watery and which has pus, visit your vet. Entropion surgery will correct and repair and condition.

The 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.

Grooming:

The coat may be fairly long and thick but it doesn’t require any special kind of grooming. A good brush twice a week will be adequate and will help with getting rid of stubborn knots and matting.

He is a seasonal shedder and this frequent brushing will make sure the coat remains groomed and shiny.

General Care:

The Kuvasz is a hardy breed who just loves the outdoors. He is a dog that doesn’t do well in the heat. Make absolutely sure that he has a cool, sheltered spot where he can lie down. Ensure that there is always a bowl of fresh, cool water available to him.

Diet:

There is quite a bit of conflict and controversy regarding nutrition in dogs. The idea is to keep it simple. If you buy a commercially manufactured dog food, check the ingredients on the packaging.

You want to be sure your pet is getting vitamins and minerals in instead of preservatives, fillers and colorants. Try and give him some home made food too such as some chicken, brown rice or pasta and some vegetables. You can mix this into his dry kibble occasionally with a little bit of raw meat too when you have.

Avoid feeding your dog things such as chocolates, nuts, onions, sweets and chips.