Hawk - BSD
here's my Groenendael 'Hawk' - he's just 6 months old and has his first Open show this Saturday ( AVNSC Pastoral ) then is at LKA in December
General Appearance: Medium sized, well proportioned, intelligent, attentive, hardy, alert
Characteristics: Fine proportions, Proud carriage of head, conveying an impression of graceful strength.
Not only a sheepdog, but a guard dog
Temperament: Wary, neither timid, nervous nor aggressive
Head and Skull: Finely chiselled, long but not excessively so, skull and muzzle roughly equal length, at most slight bias to muzzle. Balanced whole, skull of medium width in proportion to length of head. Forehead flat, centre line not very pronounced. In profile forehead parallel with imaginary line extending muzzle line. Muzzle of medium length tapering gradually to nose. Nose black with well flared nostrils. Moderate stop. Arches above eyes not prominent. Muzzle finely chiselled under eyes. Cheeks spare, quite flat but well muscled
Eyes: Medium size, neither protruding nor sunken, slightly almond shaped, preferably dark brown, black rimmed eyelids. Direct lively enquiring look
Ears: Distinctly triangular in appearance, stiff and erect, set high, moderate length. External ear well rounded at base.
Mouth: Wide, lips thin textured, very firm, strongly pigmented. Strong white teeth firmly set in well developed jaws, Scissor bite ie upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Pincer bite tolerated
Neck: Very supple, slightly elongated, well muscled, without dewlap. Broadens slightly towards shoulders. Nape very slightly arched
Forequarters: Withers distinct. Strongly boned throughout, wiry powerful muscle structure. Shoulder blades long and oblique, firmly attached, flat, forming such angle with humerus to enable elbows to work easily. Forelegs long, well muscled, parallel. Pasterns strong and short. Carpus clearly defined. Dewclaws permissible
Body: Powerful but elegant. In males, length from point of shoulder to point of buttocks approximately equal to height at withers. In females slightly longer permissible. Chest deep and well let down, ribs moderately well sprung, Upper line of body straight, broad and powerfully muscled. Belly moderately developed, neither drooping nor unduly cut up, continuing lower line of chest in a graceful curve. Rump very slightly sloping, broad but not excessively so. Skin springy but quite taut over whole body. All external mucous membranes highly pigmented.
Hindquarters: Well muscled and powerful. Good, but not excessive angulation. Hocks well let down. Viewed from behind, legs parallel. Dewclaws to be removed.
Feet: Toes arched, very close together. Soles thick and springy with large dark claws. Forefeet rounded, hindfeet slightly oval
Tail: Firmly set, strong at base, of medium length. When at rest hangs down with tip slightly bent backwards at level of hock. When moving it should lift accentuating the curve towards tip, never curled nor bent to one side. Tip may be carried slightly higher than topline
Gait/movement: Brisk, free and even
Coat - There are three distinct coat types, No variation in these types is acceptable
Groenendael/Tervueren - coat type
Outer coat long, straight and abundant, texture medium harshness, not silky or wiry, undercoat extremely dense. Hair shorter on head, outside of ears and lower part of legs. Opening of ear protected by hair. Hair especially long and abundant, ruff-like around neck, particularly in males. Fringe of long hair down back of forelegs, long and abundant hair evident on hind quarters and tail. Males longer coated than females
Coat Colour
Groenendael
Black or black with limited white as follows: small to moderate patch or strip on chest, between pads of feet and on tips of hind toes
Frosting (white or grey) on muzzle