Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
The Laekenois is the wire-haired variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog, taking its name from the Chateau de Laeken, and tradition has it guarding linen spread out to dry in the…
About the Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
The Laekenois is the wire-haired variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog, taking its name from the Chateau de Laeken, and tradition has it guarding linen spread out to dry in the fields as well as tending sheep. It is by a distance the scarcest of the four varieties, in Belgium and in Britain alike.
Dogs stand about 61 to 66 cm with a harsh, dry, tousled coat in fawn shades carrying traces of black, particularly on the muzzle and tail. The coat should look weathered rather than sculpted and is never trimmed into shape for the ring. Laekenois are hardy, busy and protective of their own, and a stud should be sociable enough to work in public, because the variety's small numbers mean each breeding decision carries weight.
Small populations bring their own problem, so ask what the coefficient of inbreeding would be for the mating you are considering, and whether the stud owner has looked beyond Britain for an outcross. On the scheme side, ask for hip and elbow scores and a current eye certificate. Epilepsy is present across the Belgian varieties and deserves a direct question about close relatives; ask too which DNA tests the club is recommending this year.
Health & breeding
We check every hip, elbow, eye and DNA result you give us against the Royal Kennel Club’s public records by hand, and we record who checked it and when. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Breed Right’s summary — under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard
Health tests for the Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois)
This panel is Breed Right’s summary of the testing that matters for the breed under The Royal Kennel Club Health Standard. The Health Standard is the Royal Kennel Club’s guidance for breeders, not a registration rule. It describes tests to ask about — it is not a report on any individual dog. The Royal Kennel Club’s public records may not include all the screening a dog has had, so a dog with no Royal Kennel Club record showing is not necessarily untested.
Best Practice — further tests it recommends
Completing these as well as the Good Practice tests is what the Royal Kennel Club calls Best Practice.
| Test | Type | Scheme | What’s involved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hip score (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Total of both hips, 0–106. Lower is better. |
| Elbow grading (BVA/KC) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC | Grade 0–3. The dog is graded on the worse of the two elbows. |
| Eye testing (BVA/KC/ISDS) | Screening scheme | BVA/KC/ISDS | Result printed on the eye certificate. |
Breed hip median
Too few dogs of this breed have been scored (BVA Hip Dysplasia Scheme breed statistics 2025 — 5 years: 3 dogs) to give a meaningful breed median. Source · How hip scores work
At stud now
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) stud dogs
No Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) studs are listed right now
When a Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) on the Royal Kennel Club Breed Register is listed at stud, it will appear here.
Also available
Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) litters
No Belgian Shepherd Dog (Laekenois) litters are listed right now
Litters appear here as breeders list them. Check back soon, or browse other breeds.
