Breeding Philosophy
Every breeder has their own goals and direction regarding breeding and raising puppies. The priorities in breeding, including which dogs are used, greatly affect the traits the puppies will have. Small changes can lead to significant differences in the puppies.
As a puppy buyer, it can be difficult to understand, and it requires great trust to purchase a puppy that will become a new family member for many years to come. Therefore, it is very important for the breeder to gain a good understanding of the future dog owner’s wishes, as well as the family’s needs and general lifestyle.
The main goal of my breeding is to produce mentally well-balanced dogs with intact working abilities and great potential on the training field and in competition. The dogs’ mentality is always the highest priority. In breeding, the focus is always on confident dogs with high cooperation willingness and strong drives.
My dogs live with us and are an integrated part of the family. Therefore, it is also important that my dogs can relax and function well, even if we skip training for a few days. I use positive training with a clicker, because I believe it creates the most harmonious and happy dog, as well as the best training process and results.
The cooperation between me and my dog is very important, as the dog’s willingness to cooperate creates the best learning opportunities and results. Therefore, I prefer the type of dog that wants to collaborate and be a team player, rather than a dog that prefers to work independently. This means that the best training dog is not necessarily the mentally strongest dog for all situations.
To function optimally on both the training field and in competitions, it is essential that the dog has strong drives. The dog must be mentally robust and able to withstand various stresses, including environmental and decoy work. The result of many years of breeding work is that working Tervueren is based on a solid foundation for working dog tasks.
Working Tervuerens have an inherent willingness to work and cooperate, making training significantly easier. With good drives and tireless energy, the Belgian Shepherd is among the best sport dogs in the world. In contrast to the working Malinois variant, the working Tervueren has a beautiful long coat, giving it an elegant and charming appearance.
Training can involve many things, from competition training on the training field to training for everyday tasks, including learning to function well in general. There are many possibilities within working dog sports, depending on preferences. Working Tervuerens are suitable for many dog sports due to their high drive and willingness to cooperate, including PH, IGP, Mondioring, French Ring, rescue dogs, obedience, tracking, agility, nosework, dog dancing, and many other activities.
The males for the litters at Kennel Lundin Loyalty usually compete at a high level in working programs like French Ring, Mondioring, IPO, or similar. To withstand competition in the world’s toughest working programs, the dogs must have a strong and stable psyche and a healthy and strong physique. This is a very effective but also tough selection method to eliminate dogs that do not have the physical and mental capabilities. This approach is widely used in France, where a large part of the working Tervueren gene pool is bred.
Additionally, the goal is to breed athletic dogs with a strong and healthy build. Most working programs require both speed and strength, and extreme body types are not used in breeding, such as very small or large dogs. I aim for the Red Sable color with a black mask, which is also the preferred according to the breed standard. However, exterior appearance always yields to health and working abilities. Based on these criteria, the breeding dogs that are most typical of the breed are selected.
Families who are willing to train with the dog, including providing exercise and mental challenges, are prioritized as future puppy owners.
If you have ambitions to excel in working dog sports, it makes sense to choose a dog bred for this purpose.
Additional Information
Information about Belgian Shepherds in Denmark can be found on the specialty club’s website: Specialklubben for Belgiske Hyrdehunde (SBH).