United Pet Club

Berger belge breed standards compared

Each column is one club's published standard. An empty cell means the club says nothing on that point in our records.

Clubs compared: FCI, AKC, UKC, KC, CKC.

Size

Size
MeasureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Hauteur au garrot, male60–66 cm61–66 cmunder 57.2 cmÉliminatoireover 69.9 cmÉliminatoire58.4–67.3 cmunder 58.4 cmÉliminatoireover 67.3 cmÉliminatoire61–66 cm61–66 cmunder 58.5 cmÉliminatoireover 68.5 cmÉliminatoire
Hauteur au garrot, female56–62 cm55.9–61 cmunder 52.1 cmÉliminatoireover 64.8 cmÉliminatoire53.3–62.2 cmunder 53.3 cmÉliminatoireover 62.2 cmÉliminatoire56–61 cm56–61 cmunder 53.3 cmÉliminatoireover 63.5 cmÉliminatoire
Poids, male25–30 kgNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo ruling
Poids, female20–25 kgNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingNo ruling
Rapport hauteur/longueur11111
Rapport crâne/museau1111No ruling
Angle scapulo-huméral110–115°90°No rulingNo rulingNo ruling

Conformation

Conformation
FormFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
StopModéréStandard (“Stop: Moderate.”)Standard (“Stop moderate.”)Standard (“STOP Moderate.”)Standard (“Moderate stop”)No ruling
Articulé dentaireArticulé en ciseauxStandard (“Scissor bite; pincer bite ... is tolerated.”)Alternative (“Should have either an even bite or a scissors bite.”)Standard (“forty-two strong, white teeth that meet in scissors bite”)Standard (“Scissor bite, i.e. upper teeth closely overlapping lower teeth”)Alternative (“even or a scissors bite”)
Articulé dentaireArticulé en pinceAlternative (“pincer bite ... is tolerated”)Alternative (“Should have either an even bite or a scissors bite.”)Alternative (“A level meeting of the incisors is acceptable.”)Alternative (“Pincer [level] bite tolerated.”)Alternative (“even or a scissors bite”)
Articulé dentairePrognathisme inférieurNo rulingNo rulingÉliminatoire (“Undershot or overshot bite such that contact with two incisors is lost.”)No rulingDéfaut (“An overshot or undershot bite is a serious fault.”)
Articulé dentairePrognathisme supérieurNo rulingNo rulingÉliminatoire (“Undershot or overshot bite such that contact with two incisors is lost.”)No rulingDéfaut (“An overshot or undershot bite is a serious fault.”)
DentitionDentition complèteStandard (“Complete dentition according to the dental formula”)Standard (“A full complement of strong, white teeth”)Standard (“furnished with forty-two strong, white teeth”)No rulingNo ruling
DentitionDents manquantesNo rulingNo rulingDéfaut (“Fault: Absence of premolar(s) or molar(s)”)No rulingNo ruling
Port des oreillesDressées (droites)Standard (“stiff, carried upright and vertical when dog is alert”)Standard (“Ears triangular in shape, stiff, erect”)Standard (“triangular, carried well-pricked”)Standard (“stiff and erect, set high and carried upright and vertical”)No ruling
Port des oreillesTombantes (pendantes)No rulingÉliminatoire (“Ears hanging (as on a hound) shall disqualify.”)Éliminatoire (“Disqualifications: Drooping or hanging ears.”)No rulingNo ruling
Attache des oreillesHauteStandard (“Rather small, set high”)No rulingStandard (“High set, triangular”)Standard (“stiff and erect, set high”)No ruling
Forme des yeuxEn amandeStandard (“slightly almond-shaped, obliquely set”)Standard (“Medium size, slightly almond shaped, not protruding.”)Standard (“Almond in shape, obliquely set”)Standard (“slightly almond shaped and obliquely set”)No ruling
Forme des yeuxRondsNo rulingNo rulingDéfaut (“Fault: Very light or round eyes.”)No rulingNo ruling
Ligne du dessusHorizontaleStandard (“Topline: upper line of back and loins is straight.”)Standard (“the back, which must be level, straight, and firm from withers to hip joints”)Standard (“The back and lumbar/loin region are straight”)Standard (“upper line of body straight, firm and well-muscled”)Standard (“Back is level, straight and firm from withers to hip”)
Port de la queueBasse (pendante)Standard (“at rest carried down, with tip curved backwards at level of hock”)Standard (“At rest the dog holds it low, the tip bent back level with the hock”)No rulingStandard (“When at rest, hangs down, with tip slightly bent backwards”)No ruling
Longueur de la queueMoyenneStandard (“of medium length, reaching at least to hock”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“strong at base, of medium length”)No ruling
Remontée du ventreModéréeStandard (“neither drooping nor tucked up, but slightly raised and moderately developed”)Standard (“Moderate development. Neither tucked up nor paunchy.”)Standard (“Moderately developed, neither hanging (paunchy) nor tucked up.”)Standard (“moderately developed neither drooping nor unduly cut up”)No ruling
PiedsPied de chatStandard (“Forefeet: Round, cat feet”)Standard (“Feet round (cat footed)”)No rulingStandard (“Forefeet round and cat-like.”)No ruling
FanonAucun (gorge sèche)Standard (“without dewlap, nape slightly arched”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“well-muscled and without dewlap”)No ruling
Forme du museauEffiléStandard (“narrowing gradually toward the nose, like an elongated wedge”)No rulingStandard (“narrowing gradually toward the nose”)Standard (“Muzzle tapering gradually to the nose but not snipy”)No ruling
JarretsBien descendusStandard (“Hock: Close to the ground”)No rulingNo rulingStandard (“hocks well let down”)No ruling
Longueur du couMoyenNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“Neck of moderate length, slightly arched”)No ruling
PoitrineDescendueNo rulingStandard (“Chest not broad, but deep.”)Standard (“Not too broad, but in compensation, deep and inclined.”)Standard (“Chest deep and well let down to point of elbow”)No ruling

Markings

Markings
MarkingFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
MasqueNo rulingNo rulingNo rulingStandard (“Black mask on face not extending above the eye and brow area”)No ruling
Tache de poitrailAlternative (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)Alternative (“Small to moderate patch or strip on forechest.”)Alternative (“black with a small to moderate white patch on the chest”)Alternative (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)No ruling
BalzanesAlternative (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)No rulingAlternative (“the tips of the toes may be white”)Alternative (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)No ruling

Cropping, docking and other procedures

Cropping, docking and other procedures
ProcedureFCIAKCUKCKCCKC
Caudectomie (coupe de la queue)No rulingÉliminatoire (“Cropped or stump tail shall disqualify.”)Éliminatoire (“Disqualifications: Absence of or docked tail.”)No rulingÉliminatoire (“Tail docked or stump”)
Ablation des ergotsNo rulingStandard (“Dewclaws, if any, should be removed.”)Alternative (“Removal of rear dewclaws is preferred but not mandatory.”)No rulingAlternative (“Dewclaws, if any, may be removed”)

The law on these procedures differs by country. A listing here says nothing about whether one is legal where you live.

Berger belge colors and patterns

What each club's breed standard says about every Berger belge color and pattern. Point at a ruling to see the club's own wording.

Breed standards describe the Berger belge in Noir, Blanc et Rouge. Standard patterns: Uni et Bicolore.

Pelage: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
NoirStandard (“only uniform black”)Standard (“Black”)Standard (“the long-haired black”)Standard (“Groenendael - Black”)Standard (“only uniform black”)
BlancStandard (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)Standard (“Black & White”)Standard (“black with a small to moderate white patch on the chest”)Standard (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)Standard (“a small amount of white is tolerated on forechest and toes”)
RougeDéfaut (“reddish tinges in the coat”)Standard (“reddening due to climatic conditions ... should not be grounds for disqualification”)Défaut (“dominant red tinge”)Non reconnuDéfaut (“reddish tinges in the coat”)
GrisDéfaut (“grey breeches”)Éliminatoire (“Gray”)Non reconnuNon reconnuDéfaut (“grey breeches”)
AlbinosÉliminatoireÉliminatoireÉliminatoire (“albinism”)Non reconnuÉliminatoire
ArgentéÉliminatoireÉliminatoire (“Silver”)Non reconnuNon reconnuÉliminatoire
MarronÉliminatoireÉliminatoire (“Brown”)Non reconnuNon reconnuÉliminatoire
CrèmeÉliminatoireÉliminatoire (“Black & Cream”)Non reconnuNon reconnuÉliminatoire
FauveÉliminatoireÉliminatoire (“Fawn”)Non reconnuNon reconnuÉliminatoire
Patterns
UniStandard (“only uniform black”)Standard (“may be completely black”)Standard (“may be all black”)Standard (“Groenendael - Black”)Standard (“only uniform black”)
BicoloreNo rulingStandard (“Black & White”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
Fauve charbonnéNo rulingÉliminatoire (“Sable”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
AgoutiNo rulingÉliminatoire (“Wolfgray & Black”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
TachetéNo rulingÉliminatoire (“Spotted”)No rulingNo rulingNo ruling
Yeux: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
MarronStandard (“brownish colour”)Standard (“eyes brown”)Standard (“brown in color”)Standard (“brown in colour”)Standard (“brownish colour”)
Brun foncéStandard (“preferably dark”)Standard (“preferably dark brown”)Standard (“preferably dark”)Standard (“preferably dark brown”)Standard (“preferably dark”)
Brun clairNo rulingNo rulingDéfaut (“very light ... eyes”)No rulingNo ruling
Truffe: rulings by club
Color or patternFCIAKCUKCKCKUSA
NoirStandard (“black”)Standard (“nose black without spots or discolored areas”)Standard (“black”)Standard (“nose black”)Standard (“black”)
RoseÉliminatoire (“strong depigmentation”)No rulingDéfaut (“lack of external pigmentation”)No rulingÉliminatoire (“strong depigmentation”)
Patterns
Nez papillonDéfaut (“traces of depigmentation”)No rulingNo rulingNo rulingDéfaut (“traces of depigmentation”)

What the rulings mean

Standard
Described by the club's breed standard.
Défaut
Named by the club's breed standard as a fault: the animal can be shown but is penalized.
Éliminatoire
The club's breed standard disqualifies an animal of this color or pattern.
Non reconnu
The club does not accept this color or pattern for the breed.

Color changes

How a Berger belge's colors can change over its life.

  • Noirchanges toRouille

    Pelage · Avec l'état corporel · can change back

  • Noirchanges toGris

    Pelage · Progressif

  • Noirchanges toMarron

    Pelage · Au soleil · can change back

  • Blancchanges toRouan

    Pelage · Avec l'âge · from 2 weeks

  • Noirchanges toNez de neige

    Truffe · Avec la saison · can change back

  • Noirchanges toRose

    Truffe · Avec la saison · can change back

Published standards