Pyredoodle vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison

These dogs only originated in the 1980s, and as a designer dog they are a cross between a Standard Poodle and the Great Pyrenees, both ancient dog breeds.

The breeders were looking for a non-shedding variation of both these popular breeds. This dog isn’t part of the American Kennel Club’s (AKC) list of dogs.

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 Pyredoodle is a large dog standing at between 60 and 86cm in height and weighing about 38 to 46kg.

The coat varies quite a bit, depending on which breed the dog leans towards. Colors can be white, cream, apricot, silver or black. Essentially the coat is a thick double-coat of medium length hair which is fairly straight or wavy.

The dog is a low shedder, thought to have a hypoallergenic coat. Floppy ears mean you will need to check inside the ears for redness and infection brought on by an excess wax build-up, dirt and moisture. If you allow your Pyredoodle to become a parent, the can produce between 2 to 4 puppies.

Temperament:

Coming from dogs with good temperaments, the Pyredoodle comes as being good natured. He plays well with children and gets on well with other animals in the house.

He is protective and takes his role as watchdog seriously. You can be sure he is going to be a loyal family dog. His high intelligence means he can be trained and socialized with ease and then he becomes obedient and well mannered.

He is good with children, and even though he is looked upon as being sweet natured, he still makes a great watchdog and protector of his human family.

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.

Attractive to look at, independent in nature, the Pyredoodle also has watchdog characteristics, being a protector of his human family.

Like any dog, and particularly big dogs, it is important to train the Pyredoodle otherwise he could be too active and unruly when he comes indoors.

The Pyredoodle will absolutely thrive in a loving home where the people enjoy an active lifestyle.

The Pyredoodle comes from too excellent dog breeds. Both breeds make excellent watch dogs, they’re intelligent dogs who can be easily be trained. You can expect your crossbreed dog to be a loving, loyal, devoted pet who will add a wonderful dimension to your household.

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.

Designer dogs are often bred with the idea to eliminate some of the typical, common health issues that plague most dogs. These are among others, bloat, cancer, hip dysplasia, skin issues, ear infections, obesity, dental disease and others.

It is highly unlikely that your lively Pyredoodle will succumb to any of the major dog illnesses, but you need to watch him and get him to the vet when you see him displaying unnatural symptoms.

It is beneficial for your pet's health to have it neutered or spayed if you aren't interested in the dog having puppies.

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.

Exercise:

The Pyredoodle is a large dog who will need regular exercise. Apart from walks every day, he’ll need ball- and rope games, throwing the frisbee, hide and seek games as well as games and toys that keep him mentally active as well.

Diet:

With the Pyredoodle, never try to skimp on his food and buy the cheapest there is. He’ll get sick often because of the unwholesome ingredients such as colorants, preservatives, fillers and very few vitamins and minerals.

If you choose one of the commercially manufactured dog foods, make sure it is the high quality ones. Give him a treat now and again by providing him with tasty home-cooked food. It doesn’t have to be every day, just once or twice a week.

An excellent choice of food is boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots and spinach, all chopped up and added to the dry kibble. When you can, try and include a little bit of raw meat too. Make sure he has constant access to fresh, cool water.

Grooming:

The Pyredoodle can have a coat which can be either short and thick or it can be longer, wavy or quite curly. Grooming will be aimed at removing any loose hairs the dog has by brushing twice a week. The dog is a low shedder.

His floppy ears may mean you needing to check the insides to ensure they are free from infection. Other grooming for this dog includes trimming the nails, checking his eyes and looking inside his mouth for rotting teeth. A bad tooth can be terribly painful for your pet but it can also cause problems with other body parts such as the heart and kidneys.

Get your pet immediately to the vet if you suspect anything that can be detrimental to your dog’s health.

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.