GAIT:
 Plate #98 |
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Judges should recognize correct Tervuren gait as
distinguished from some other breeds. The gait is light and graceful with full
extension but not extreme reach. The movement seems effortless. As with everything else in
the breed, the ideal is perfect balance. The backline should remain firm and level with no
excess rolling or choppy motion. The dog should give the impression that it can continue
at its natural speed all day, having not only great endurance but also agility. It should
appear to be capable of making the quick turns needed for its herding tasks. Coming and
going, the Tervuren should single-track when moved at a trot, neither interfering with
itself nor travelling on a wide base. |
| In motion the head and neck should be carried forward, smoothly extending
into the topline. Ideal movement is a light easy movement, both physically and
temperamentally. The dog should be easy on the leash rather than being strongly restrained
by it. The head should not be strung up by the handler, rather it should be allowed to
position itself naturally.We are frequently asked
to explain reach and drive. The standard says "covering the maximum ground with the
minimum effort", and "Viewed from the side he exhibits full extension of
both fore and hind quarters", and at the same time says "lively and
graceful", "always in motion", "seemingly never tiring", and
showing "ease of movement". These statements are not in conflict.
Full extension of this square dog's medium angulations and balanced construction is
efficient, smooth, ground covering, and beautiful to see.
The "ease of movement" described in the standard simply
means the dog should travel smoothly and easily along, all the while he is "lively
and graceful" in a manner that it is apparent he can change directions abruptly. The
dog is often seen both in and out of the ring switching directions abruptly and with great
ease.
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| Plate #99 below (all 3 views) |
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#100 A very nice gait, showing an example of
maximum extension and drive. |
(The tail is carried slightly higher here
than what is considered ideal.) |
COAT:
| The Tervuren should have a harsh straight outercoat with thick dense
undercoat as necessary for extremes in weather and conditions. The dog should never be
trimmed, except for feet, pasterns and, optionally, whiskers. The dog should not be
groomed in such a way that the coat gives the appearance of an open coat. It should fall
naturally so that it will repel moisture and protect the skin. The long outer hair should
lie flat, emphasizing the outline of the body, rather than appearing teased or backcombed
in the manner fashionable with some breeds for the show ring. It should be plentiful
without matting, masking the dog's elegance, nor interfering with the dogs practicality as
a herding dog. Adult males characteristically will carry a more profuse coat. The
collarette adorning the neck is particularly attractive when it frames the face and ears
and gives an added arch to the neckline. Females generally go through a shedding cycle
between each heat, and do not carry the coat length of the male, particularly the long
collarette. They should never be penalized for not having the grand coat of a male,
rather, it should be expected. The bitch's coat should be judged for its own unique
vitality, beauty, and coat texture and be given equal consideration as the male. |
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COLOR:
| We are often asked about color and markings in the Tervuren. New
judges particularly are uncertain as to both what is desired as well as what emphasis to
place on the dogs coloring. The key is in understanding the ranges of acceptable coloring,
which are fairly broad. |
DESIRED COLOR:
The desired coloring on the adult Tervuren is a blending of warm fawn to
russet
mahogany with a black overlay and a black mask. The underpinnings and britches are
typically light cream, light beige, light gray or a mix. The mask (muzzle) is black, and
the tip of the tail is normally black. The chest and underside of the neck is often a mix
of black and gray. Because of these blendings, you need to know that Tervuren
"color" cannot be described as one shade, but is a warm and pleasing harmony of
shades, with considerable variation from dog to dog. The desired shadings should be
pleasantly blended and not mottled or patchy.
A Tervuren with rich coloring and black overlay is a delight to the eye and
appreciated by all admirers of the breed. |
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Blackening:
The body coat is tipped with black, as if the dog has been caressed with a black
soot. Some such blackening is essential, and an adult dog should be considered most
untypical if it is totally lacking in black overlay at least on the chest and shoulders.
Males typically carry more blackening, since this is a quality of the outer coat,
and males carry a more profuse outer coat. The chest color is usually a mixture of black
and gray, this is normal and contributes to the dog's striking appearance.
There may be a white patch on the chest. The tip of the
tail is characteristically black. How much blackening should be on the body is for
the most part a matter of preference. |
| The blackening is as "caressed with soot".
Others do not object to
more extensive blackening. Blackening should be considered faulty only if it appears blotchy or
mottled, giving the dog a patchy appearance, or if it is so dark that the dog resembles a
Belgian Sheepdog. Tervuren darken with age, and while it is normal that puppies sometimes
have very little body blackening, there should be some signs of it at least in the
shoulder area. |
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It is important to understand that Belgian Tervuren
characteristically become darker with age, and puppies are often much lighter in both body
coloring as well as black overlay than what is considered acceptable in an adult. The mask
is an exception, and if anything the masking will reach the highest on the muzzle when the
dog is a puppy. Therefore a very light mask can be faulted the same in a puppy as in an
adult.
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The Mask:
The mask refers to the muzzle and the Tervuren should have a black mask. A black
mask is a part of breed type. Refer to the color pictures to see examples and
explanations. |
Undercoat:
The undercoat ranges from a light cream coloring to rich fawn, and is sometimes mixed
with gray. The color of the undercoat is not important so long as it does not show through
as part of the body coat, which would indicate an open, unprotective outer coat. The
undercoat should be dense, commensurate with the season and general condition of the dog. |
Gray on chest, cream underneath:
It is normal and acceptable to see a blend of gray and/or black coloring on the chest
and under the neck, as well as for cream coloring to show through on the undersides,
breeches and under the tail. This is not to be confused with black patches or, in the case
of cream, with white coloring unless it is clearly a patch. |
White patches and streaks on the body or neck:
It is perfectly acceptable for the Tervuren to have solid white on the
chest, but this patch or streak should be confined to the chest/prosternum
area only. If a white patch or streak exists or extends more than three
inches above the prosternum, or reaches either point of shoulder, that is
considered much too excessive and according to the standard, must be
disqualified.
The breeches, underbody and under the tail are sometimes a very light cream color, and
this is not to be considered as the faulty "white" that we speak of in the
standard, so long as underbody color is not actually a pure identifiable white patch or
large extension of a pure white chest patch. |
White on Chin
| White frosting on the chin is a trademark of the breed and the judge
should consider white around the tip of the muzzle to be normal and expected. A veteran
Tervuren typically carries gray/white age shadings on the face as well, and this should
not be faulted. As a matter of fact, if you see a Tervuren in the ring with the tip of the
muzzle being solid black from under the nose through the chin, check to see if the muzzle
has been colored in. Artificial coloring is in clear violation of AKC show regulations. |
White on the feet:
It is acceptable for a Tervuren to have white on the tips of the toes. White
covering the entire foot, extending onto the pastern, or a white "sock," must be
disqualified.
Color Faults:
With a picture of desired Tervuren color ranges in mind, it should not be difficult
for a judge to recognize other coloration, which is not desired:
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A face with a complete absence of black is a serious fault. |
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Predominate color that is pale, washed out, cream or gray is
a fault. |
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Blackening in patches is a fault.. |
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Absence of blackening in mature dogs is a serious fault. |
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.You should make allowances for young dogs (who might not yet have much
black overlay) and females (who, because they do not carry the heavy top coat of the males
sometimes have less overlay). Some blackening should be found minimally on the shoulder area
on Tervuren of all ages. |
Color Disqualifications:
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Solid black, solid liver or any area of white except as specified on the
chest, tips of toes, chin and muzzle are disqualifications. |
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(By solid black and liver we mean the dog is uniformly liver-colored
or black, lacking black overlay as well as the lighter shadings of the belly, britches and
tail that are characteristic of the breed.) |
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Plate #101 below
NEXT: A Review and AKC Belgian Breed Standard
Comparisons
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