Northern Inuit Dog vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) - Breed Comparison

Looking at the beautiful Northern Inuit Dog, you’ll think that this crossbred dog is a wolf.

As with many other dogs, there are sometimes different stories regarding their history. It was in the 1980's that founder of the breed, Eddie Harrison, bred a number of mixed-breed rescue dogs with Siberian Huskies, German Shepherds and Alaskan Malamutes to produce the early Northern Inuit dogs. This is a dog that closely resembled a wolf in looks but which has the more companionable characteristics of the domesticated dog.

The dog is only recognized by its own independent breed club, but by none of the other major kennel clubs.

Looking much like a pitch black German Shepherd dog, the Belgian Shepherd is a beautiful looking dog. Their roots go back to the 1800s to Groenendael, Belgium. This is where they were bred by a certain Nicolas Rose in 1910. The Groenendael is one of four different Belgian Sheepdog varieties but the Groenendael is sometimes treated as a distinct breed.

They have always been used for their intelligence, serving for instance in the police force and being message carriers in war situations. Originally, Belgian Shepherds were used to herd livestock. It was in 1911 that the Groenendael was registered in the United States, and not much later the first Belgian Sheepdog Club of America formed. The breed was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1912.

Friendly, calm and gentle, the Northern Inuit Dog is a crossbreed, described as a medium to large sized dog that stands at roughly 58– 81cm in height, male and female, and weighs in the region of 25–48kg.

He has a double coat in typical wolf shades of grey, white, black and cream. He is regarded as a moderate shedder. The ears are erect, the face bright, intelligent and alert and the tail long, bushy and straight.

Temperament:

The Northern Inuit dog is independent, strong-willed and stubborn, and if you want to own one of these dogs, your dog will respond well if you are firm, fair, strong, kind and consistent. This is because the dog is stubborn, sharp, independent and intelligent.

The owner of such a dog must be a firm leader. Training and socialization should start when the dog is still young. He is good with kids, being playful and affectionate with them.

Large, Strong and Well Proportioned

With his alert, bright brown eyes, the Groenendael, referred to often as the Belgian Sheepdog, has erect ears with a long, feathered tail. The straight, strong legs are also feathered. He is well proportioned, athletic and strong. He has a dense double coat, and this working dog’s coat is black, but you sometimes find some small white markings around his paws and muzzle. The size of the Groenendael is roughly 60-66cm at the withers with the females sometimes being slightly smaller. The weight of the dog is roughly 25–30 kilograms.

He’s a Social Dog who Craves Companionship

The Groenendael is an active, intelligent breed and training and socializing will be necessary to ensure he knows how to behave around his human family. He is a big, social dog and won’t do well when left alone day after day in the back yard. In fact he may even show signs of separation anxiety if you leave him indefinitely. He makes for an excellent family dog, just loving their companionship and he becomes very protective of them.

An Intelligent, Alert Breed

He is used to making use of his intelligence and therefore he will need mental stimulation as opposed to lying around all day. He gets on well with adults, children and other pets, but he needs to grow up with children and not be put among children when he is already an adult. He is loyal and loving to his human family, forming a deep bond, especially with just one member of the family.

It’s not surprising that people who love wolves would want a similar looking pet. However, they also want this wolf-like dog to be a friend and companion. This is precisely what they get with the beautiful Northern Inuit dog.

With his bright, alert face, the Inuit is actually a calm, gentle dog, bonding closely with his human family and not showing any aggression.

Intelligent and social, and somewhat stubborn, when you provide him with the home he deserves, you’ll see that this beautiful creature can be relied on to be a wonderful family pet.

Your Belgian Shepherd is an intelligent, active, loyal companion for you. He is highly intelligent too, and will need the right owner who can meet his energetic needs. He therefore wouldn’t do well with in a small place where the owners are couch potatoes. He is a working dog and will require being kept busy.

Provide him with good food, look after that thick, lustrous coat of his, provide him with a warm, dry place to sleep and plenty of exercise, love and attention and he will turn out to be the wonderful pet that makes him such a popular breed.

There are some genetic problems with this dog breed, although with good care, you are highly unlikely to see your dog with them.

Some of these are hip dysplasia and epilepsy.

Hip Dysplasia:

Hips are always a worrisome aspect with dogs as it can bring on lameness. There are some things that can be done to reduce the incidence of hip dysplasia.

Joint laxity in dogs occurs when the head of the femur doesn’t fit into the acetabulum properly. This could be the result of several things such as the dog being overweight, injury or something else.

Epilepsy:

Epilepsy in dogs is a chronic condition that results in seizures. This neurological disorder is actually a life-long disease, occurring when there is abnormal electrical activity in the brain and which changes a dog’s behavior.

Some breeds are more predisposed to epilepsy than others but you will need to get your dog to the vet when you see your pet jerking uncontrollably. Most of these epileptic fits happen without warning, they last a few seconds to a minute or so and stop on their own.

The Belgian Groenendael is a healthy, strong breed with no major health problems and with an average lifespan of 12-14 years.

As with every dog breed, there will be some health issues to be aware of. Skin allergies, epilepsy, eye problems and hip- and joint dysplasia are some areas to look out for

Dental disease for instance, is a common problem with pets, and your Belgian Shepherd can have serious problems with their teeth. Tartar build-up on the teeth ca take you down a trail of infections and gum disease. If you don’t want to make use of a special canine toothbrush and toothpaste, your vet will do it for you.

Your Groenendael will also be susceptible to ticks, fleas and bacterial and viral infections. As a puppy of 6 – 8 weeks, vaccinations for parvo, rabies, and distemper will be necessary. You’ll also need to be generally watching your pet’s health and to get him to the vet when he shows signs of being run-down and ill.

It’s no longer cheap caring for a dog – just like with a child, by bringing a dog into your home, you have a responsibility to care for it.

If you bring a puppy into your home, you will need to feed him 4x a day. If you feed him commercially manufactured food it will need to be specially formulated for puppies. You will have to read on the packaging to make sure you get the right food.

Later on your pet can start having one or two meals a day. Two smaller meals is best as then he doesn’t gobble up his food too fast which can lead to a life-threatening condition known as bloat. Home-made food is always a welcome treat for your pet, but keep it simple and consistent. Boiled chicken, brown rice or pasta and some cooked vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and spinach chopped up and added to his dry kibble can offer him some variety from time to time as well as also adding in some raw meat when you get the chance. He must always have access to fresh, cool water.

Your puppy will be due at the vet for his first vaccinations. Your puppy's first vaccination will usually be at about 8 weeks of age.

Your new pet will require a warm, dry, comfortable place to sleep and to retreat to.

You will need to provide him with chewy toys to stimulate him both mentally and physically.

You will need to exercise your pet – nice long walks, ball- and rope games etc.

Nearly every dog sheds, and the Northern Inuit will require you brushing him twice a week to remove all those loose hairs. During the brushing session, check him over for fleas and ticks and run your hands over him and make sure there are no unusual lumps on his body.

The Groenendael has a double coat and because it is also fairly long, his black coat may well be high maintenance and brushing every 2nd day will be necessary to keep the coat unmatted and to also get rid of those loose hairs. In fact, heavy shedding is part of this breed’s life and while heavy shedding happens twice a year, light shedding continues throughout the year. Sometimes is may be necessary to send him to a dog grooming parlour to snip his hair and to wash it.

Other care routines to watch for -

A healthy, quality diet it absolutely imperative. Speak to your vet about the best kind of wet- or dry food suited to an energetic breed like this and appropriate to his age. You need to include raw meat into your pets diet every day now and then to avoid skin problems. Always ensure a bowl of clean, cool water is available, The bowl will need to be washed out every other day.

make sure his ears are cleaned. Once again you have to be careful when prodding in a dog’s ear and your veterinarian will show you how.

keep him well exercised with long walks and ball games.