Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Austrian Pinscher - 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 Australian pinscher exists from the early nineteenth century in Australia. They were originally breed and raised to be great family pet and the guard of the property. They don’t have the gene for a hunting and that’s why they were kept close to the family. Since they were thought to live in areas where they can roam and run free, they have a high daily need for the activity.

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 Australian pinscher, medium sized dog breed, with strong and solid body muscularity, is a happy dog with generally very positive personality. They don’t weight much, and they have usually athletic bodies because they are very active dog kind. Their head is built as a roundish triangle with wrinkled wide forehead and strong cheekbones. They have strong scissor bite and usually darker lips. They have brown or golden brown lively eyes, medium to small ears that fit perfectly to the head size. Their tails are most of the time happy and up in the air, usually fluffy because of the longer hairs on the tails.

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.

Children friendliness

If you decide to have an Austrian pinscher as a pet in a family with small children, you will make a great choice. Their playful nature and energetic behaviour have been accepted by the children very well. They have an affectionate attitude towards their family, and they will be the great watchdog for your children.

Special talents

Guarding a farm, large yard, animals on the farm or in a yard. Guarding and playing with children, long runs or long bike rides. They will follow you anywhere.

Adaptability

Since they are great with the family and children as well, they can’t be rated with a five-star grade for stranger friendliness and other dog’s friendliness. Sure, they can be trained to be very socialized if you have the time and the patience, but if you don’t you shouldn’t be surprised if they are generally not stranger friendly. It’s their nature. They are devoted only to the family and they usually have a hard time when their family leaves them. This breed is not advisable to be kept indoors or with the seniors that don’t move much.

Learning ability

The Austrian pincher's ability to learn fast and be trained quickly is not super good. They do well – they will listen to their owners always but they are not so great when it comes to learning trick for fun. They will be more than happy to run to catch the ball, but they won’t give it back because they can play alone. They can be learnt to do the basic things, but their lovable and playful nature will overall and they will end up asking for an ear scratch or a belly rub.

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.

They usually have no health issues like skin irritations, problems with eyes or ears, but they need to be groomed regularly because they shed a lot. They don’t need the regular baths, but when you do bathe them, take a good care of washing and rinsing their thick undercoat. Keep their ears clean and their claws tidy, and you will be happy together. There is a normal percentage of the joint injuries and heart malfunctions due to the increased activity. But, if you take a good care of your Austrian Pinscher, you wouldn’t have to worry about this at all.

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.

How to feed the Austrian pinscher

Just like any other active dog, the Austrian Pinscher loves to eat. But they usually know their limit and they are almost never obese. While they are pups, it is best for them to have meals in the morning, afternoon and in the evening. Meals should be rich in nutrients and in small portions. When they grow up, they will need two meals during the day. Take a good care while feeding them – read about the portion needed for their weight and don’t give him extra portions or human junk food. They generally don’t like raw meat, but you can chance on of the daily portions with some meat cooked in the water without any spices.

Good Health tips

Organize your day to have an hour or two for this lovely pet. Austrian pinscher likes to be cuddled, petted and being played with. Be affectionate towards this dog breed because they will be happier and more protective towards you. They like to show love but they also have a need to be appreciated and loved. Keep them off the leach as much as possible and don’t leave them alone for a long period.

Games and Exercises

This lively and energetic dog breed will do well while they have enough place to run. If you have a small yard, take them for a run with you or drive a bike and let them follow. They like to bark, and they will do that if they want your attention.