Things You'll Need
- Dog
- Your Eyes
Instructions
Identifying A Belgian Laekenois
Look at the dog’s general shape and build. The dog should be about twenty five inches at the shoulder and weigh at least forty pounds. It should be of average length, but have shorter than average limbs and a truncated or non-existent neck. The dog’s shoulders should be thick and strong looking, though not muscular. Its chest should be neither wide nor narrow, but very deep, reaching all the way to its elbows. The limbs should be very straight and parallel to one another with wide cat-like paws. The tail should be of average length, hanging straight down with the bottom half arched out to be nearly horizontal with the ground.
Look at the dog’s fur. It should be thick and wiry, but very uneven. Many people mistake the Laekenois for having mange because of the patchy appearance of its coat. The possible colors of the dog run the gamut from light tan to a dark brown or mahogany. These colors may or may not include dark brown or black highlights.
Examine the dog’s head. It should be swallowed partly by the thick ruff of fur leading from the top of the shoulders to the bottom of the ears, obscuring much of its features. The skull should be flat and parallel to the plain of the muzzle. The nose should be black and the lips tight. The eyes should have dark rims and come close to matching the color of the dog’s fur. Its ears should be small, pointed, triangular, and set high on the dog’s head. If the dog matches this description then you’re looking at a Belgian Laekenois.