When planning to get a dog, you need to focus not only on the size (and, in fact, the need for food) of your future pet, but also on the characteristics of the breed. After all, even among the shepherd races there are those who can not get along with a person. An example of this is the unsociable Pyrenees patu. Well, what about the Belgian Shepherd Dog Lakenua? Photos of dogs of this breed, features of their character and birth diseases will be described and demonstrated by us in this article.
We will also pay attention to the nuances of raising a Lakenua puppy so that a wonderful companion, defender, guard and family member comes out of it. What foods should be constantly present in the diet of a Belgian shepherd? How to care for her? What is the breed standard and are deviations possible?
Is lakenua a separate breed?
Belgian shepherd dogs appeared long before the founding of dog training clubs. Indeed, on the green plains of Flanders, people have long bred cattle. When herds or flocks are huge, shepherds need reliable and quick four-legged helpers. Since cattle breeding was not distant (sheep do not cross long distances, but graze within the same locality), dogs with mainly protective qualities were bred in Belgium. The wet climate of the country with rainy and relatively warm winters was also taken into account. The Flanders Bouvier, a born guard of farm farms, as well as motley dogs, which helped the shepherds in their work, took part in the formation of the Belgian shepherd breed.
Despite the fact that Belgium is a small country, its breeds were bred in each of its regions by the beginning of the 20th century. In the city of Groenendale, a shepherd with long and black hair was bred. This is the most common breed of "Belgians". Dogs with long hair, but of different colors, were bred in Tervuren. In the town of Malin (Flemish name Mechelen), the breeders emphasized the short cover of Malinois. And the heroine of our story, the Belgian Shepherd Lakenua got its name from the royal residence of Laken. Let's look at this breed in more detail. In some countries, all four species are considered one breed. Lakenua, the smallest subspecies of the Belgian Shepherd, is not recognized in the United States. There she is not considered a thoroughbred dog at all.
The history of the withdrawal of Lakenoin
Belgian shepherds were bred at different periods. We will miss interesting stories of the appearance of Groenendael, Malinois and Tervuren. We focus on the subspecies of the Belgian Shepherd that interests us. The Laken Royal Castle was built in 1782, but the breed named after him began to form a century later.
In 1888, the shepherd Adrian Jansen acquired a large male with an exterior of a reindeer shepherd dog named Vos I (the name means Fox). He tied it with a shepherd dog Liske. From the litter he selected the bitch Diana, who had a tough, disheveled, as if curly hair. He brought her with a shepherd dog with the exterior of a shepherd. As a result, Tommy was born, a male dog that had the parameters of a modern Belgian Shepherd Lakenua.
The case of Adrian Jansen was continued by his son Jean-Battist. So by 1907, when the standard of the Belgian Shepherd Dog was adopted, the lakenua was already formed as a subspecies. But again: the International Cynological Federation considers all four types to be representatives of the same breed.
General impression of the dog
Probably, it was not in vain that the lacquin subspecies arose near the Chateau de Laken, the beloved residence of Queen Henrietta of Belgium. Dogs of this breed look very elegant, aristocratic. The photo of the Belgian Shepherd Dog Lakenua shows that she has a proud posture, a graceful sculpting of the head. But most striking is the structure of her hairline. Unlike other Belgian shepherd dogs, Lakenua’s coat is tough, wire-like, not curly, but as if ruffled.
People who are not familiar with dog breeds take this dog for a giant poodle, although his body sculpting is quite powerful. Lakenois is also confused with the Flanders Bouvier. This breed took part in the formation of the Belgian Shepherd. Lakenua owes Bouvier his tough and disheveled hairline. But the native guard of the farmsteads, and not the shepherd, has fluffy undercoat. And in terms of body structure, Bouvier is more powerful and larger than the Belgian Shepherd.
Lakenua: breed description
The standard Belgian Shepherd Dog was developed in 1907. But lakenoin, because of its strange coat, seems completely unlike its brethren. However, behind these shreds lies the very best shepherd. Male growth is 62-66 centimeters, bitches - 58-60 cm. The standard allows a deviation from the standard two cm lower and four higher. Such dogs weigh 26-31 (males) and 20-26 kilograms (females). According to the standard, the body must be athletic, with a strong, powerful skeleton.
Unlike the German Shepherd, the back of the "Belgians" is flat. The shoulder blades are at a natural slope, the withers are not striking, but still pronounced. The paws of the shepherd lakenua (clearly visible in the photo) are smooth, muscular, with flexible and strong joints. The elbows are parallel to the body. As with many purebred dogs, the paws of the lakenua are collected, the fingers are located in a “bundle”, the nails are black and short. The tail is of normal length, while walking raised to the level of the back.
Head description
One has only to look closely at the face of this "Belgian", as there is no doubt that in front of you is a purebred shepherd. As you can see from the photo, Lakenua is the owner of the head with a clear contour. The nose should be flat, parallel to the forehead line, gradually tapering. The mouth with a scissor bite is deep, the extreme line of the lips is black. The nose is proportionally wide.
The standard allows only the black color of the lobe. The eyelids and lips are tight. The eyes are dark brown, almond-shaped. For the formation of the breed, shepherd dogs with only erect ears were selected. This is a distinctive feature of shepherd dogs with sensitive hearing. The ear cartilage in Lakenua is of medium thickness, but very elastic. Shells are set close and high. The shape of the ears should be triangular, without rounding.
Hairline
Lakenua is a short-haired subspecies of the Belgian Shepherd, especially when compared with Groenendael and Tervuren. Nevertheless, it is well adapted to exist in the humid and moderately cool climate of Flanders. Representatives of this breed have a dense undercoat. A distinctive feature of lakenoin is dry and hard outer hair.
The hair of the representatives of this breed is tousled, which makes it seem unkempt. The length of the hairline is not uniform. The tail should be moderately fluffy. On the body, the length of the coat varies between 5-6 centimeters. On the paws and face it is much shorter.
Color
There is still debate about which suit the Belgian Shepherd Lakenua should be. The first breeder, the shepherd Adrian Jansen, did not favor the color gray. And the founder of the breed, the dog Vos I in color resembled a fox. Therefore, only lakenua of warm red flowers are allowed to exhibitions. Although among the representatives of the breed there are many individuals of gray, smoky and coal color. This is due to the fact that, according to the breed standard, the color of the dogs in Lakenua must be uneven.
The body, tail and upper paws of calm reddish tones. These are: fawn, sable, mahogany and brown and tan. On the chest, belly, lower ends of the legs and muzzle, white or light yellow, sandy coat is allowed. Mandatory for lakenua are areas of black or coal color. They should be located on the muzzle, near the ears and (preferably) on the tip of the tail.
Character
If you are too busy a person and want to get a “sofa” dog to suit you, forget about the Lakenua breed. She was bred relatively recently, and her representatives still want to perform their main functions - to be in the fresh air and graze someone, anyway whom. In a city apartment, such a dog can exist, but if you want to make her life happy, then start a lakenua only when you have a mansion with a local area. Or you have enough time to walk with your pet for three to four hours daily.
This is an active dog that just needs to be moved. Like any shepherd, she has a complex character. If, from the very early months of a dog’s life, it is suggested to you that you are the leader in the “pack,” he will show miracles of obedience and give in to training well. But it is worth it to show weakness, and you will find a home tyrant. Both shepherd’s blood and protective blood flow in the veins of lakenua. Therefore, it is natural that dogs of this breed are incredulous, and sometimes aggressive towards strangers. But they have a good memory. As soon as a person comes to visit and be warmly received by the owners, he goes into the category of "his".
Family survivability
Belgian Shepherd Dog Lakenua - Monogamous. From a very young age, she chooses for herself the only owner who remains faithful. As a rule, this is the most balanced person in the family, with a strong character. But such a dog respects other household members, although their commands do not always happen. For children, Lakenua is treated like cattle, which she was entrusted with to graze. She will protect them, but the kids should not sit on the dog and in every possible way wash over her. The proud dog will not tolerate this.
Bitches are more accommodating and kind to children than males. As for sharing with other pets, it is difficult to give a definite answer. It is better not to familiarize yourself with small animals (hamsters, rabbits and guinea pigs), as well as with Lakenua birds - the hunting instinct of distant ancestors will work. The other dogs in the house will be treated without jealousy. If the cat already lives in the family, you can get a lakenua puppy. But not the other way around! The dog should understand that the cat is “its own” cattle, and not a newcomer dangerous element.
Parenting
Given the size, weight and difficult nature of the Belgian Shepherd, it is necessary to engage in training the sooner the better. Lakenua puppies often need to be "brought to light" in human society. Otherwise, the dog will be aggressive towards all strangers. It is also worth making acquaintances with other dog owners so that the Lakenua grows socialized.
Like all shepherd dogs, representatives of this breed are very smart and easily trained. But they are wayward. It is important for the owner to establish contact between himself and the dog, to give him the right motivation. You can’t beat a puppy. He will either grow intimidated, or later avenges you a hundredfold for all children's insults. Praise your pet more often. Shepherd dogs, due to their working qualities, sometimes have to make independent decisions. You must gently show that everything in the house is up to you.
Care
Representatives of the dog breed Lakenua are very unpretentious. After all, shepherds brought her so that the assistant would constantly live with them in the meadows. Therefore, the dog is not afraid of cold and damp. She needs minimal care, like the rest of the shepherd dogs. You should pay attention to the ears, because a tick can get into a standing sink. Blood vessels are poorly visible in black claws, therefore entrust the manicure of the dog to a specialist. Unlike other subspecies of the Belgian Shepherd, Lakenua hair requires more careful care. Once a week, it needs to be combed out, and more often during molting.
If you do not remove loose hair, it can cause dermatological diseases. In addition, she will look really untidy. Puppies of this breed tend to catch dog diseases, especially plague, so they should be quarantined for the first three months of life. The dog should have its own place where she can sleep peacefully. It is better to give her a corner in the warmth, although an aviary with a booth will also be a good option.
Cons of the breed
The Belgian lakenua several times found itself on the brink of extinction. To restore the breed after World War II, breeders were forced to resort to inbreeding (crossbreeding with relatives). A side effect of this practice was that some individuals became susceptible to particular diseases.
These include epilepsy, unmotivated aggression and early aging syndrome (the dog becomes decrepit and dies at the age of five). Based on this, you need to carefully select puppies, giving preference to calm, balanced individuals. You should not take a dog if it is excessively active, aggressive or, conversely, shy.
Thoroughbred diseases
Like all shepherd dogs, the Belgian Lakenua is at risk for dysplasia, stomach upset and cataracts. The owner should also pay special attention to the health of the ridge of his pet and its musculoskeletal system. In addition to the diseases characteristic of shepherd dogs, Lakenua also has a bouquet of hard-coated dog ailments. These include skin and eye diseases. Among the representatives of this breed infertile individuals often occur (both among females and males).
With improper education, it is much easier to grow from a lakenua-neurasthenic than from other shepherds. But it should be noted that dogs of this breed are extremely intelligent. They have a great memory. This can be both a virtue and a disadvantage. The dog remembers people and places. Therefore, she can find her way home if she accidentally gets lost. But she also remembers resentment and unjust punishment.
Nutrition
Given the weak immunity of Lakenua Shepherd puppies, you need to feed them only with licensed feeds. In the first year of life, wet and dry rations should be combined. Royal Canin has developed the Pappi Maxi line of feed specifically for shepherd puppies. They contain elements that enrich the body of a young dog with chondroitin and glucosamine, which strengthen the joints. When a puppy grows, he needs calcium to form a skeleton. A large body mass presses on the ligaments and joints, which must be strong.
Shepherds have a genetically weak stomach, so you need to feed them, especially in the first half year of life, with easily digestible products. Calculate the size of the diet follows from the calculation of the physical activity of the dog. Believe me, overeating will inevitably turn into an extra load on the pelvis and hind legs, which in shepherds are the “Achilles heel” in the body.
We knock down the results
As you can see, the dog Lakenua is an excellent guard, protector and companion. She is loyal to the owner, protects household members and is wary of strangers. The dog is very smart, well trained. But she is too active to serve, for example, as a guide, like a German shepherd. An ideal place for her would be a house with a large yard. Of all the “Belgians,” Lakenoin is the rarest subspecies. Puppies of this breed cost from 19 to 30 thousand rubles.
But be careful when choosing a pet. Due to the fact that breeders resort to related mating, this does not affect the offspring in the best way, causing infertility, unmotivated aggression, epilepsy and a whole bunch of other diseases. Lakenua puppy is cute, good-natured and affectionate. At the age of one and a half years, the dog begins to show its burrows. During this period, it is especially important to establish your leadership. Then the dog will listen to you implicitly. Not sure of your strength? Then get a bitch - they are more obedient, kind and complaisant.