Whippet vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

There are different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – but these all differ only in color, length and texture of coat. The interesting aspect of the names of the different Belgian Shepherds, is that the names of the different varieties are taken from the individual towns in Belguim from which each variety comes from.

This breed dates back to the middle ages, but it was only in 1891 that Professor A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School established standards for the types and actually separated- and distinguishing them. In the UK they are shown as one breed.

You can just see that Whippets are designed for speed with those super lean, slender bodies. They were developed by crossing Greyhounds with smaller terriers.

In open areas, they can pick up a high speed. In the 19th century in certain parts of England, they were used in races. They actually originated in England.

The Whippet is an ancient dog breed if you can go according to artwork which dates back to ancient Egyptian times.

They were also known as Snap dogs or small Greyhounds. You can say that the modern Whippet emerged in 1891. This was when the Kennel Club gave the breed official recognition. It was in 1888 that the dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club.

Different Varieties

The Belgian Shepherd is a well proportioned, muscular medium-to-large dog breed. There are the different varieties but they generally stands at 56 – 66cm in height and weighs anything from 25 to 30kg. You get the short haired Malinois and then you also get the Belgian Tervuren and the Groenendal which are fairly long-haired varieties. Their colour shades vary so you can find black with white markings on the chest and feet, you can find light to dark brown and some are even inclined to be brown.

Not Aggressive but a Great Guardian

All the varieties have long tails, pointed, fully erect ears and black noses. While the Belgian Shepherd isn’t an aggressive dog, he makes an excellent guard dog, being alert, highly energetic and intelligent and easy to train. As with most other dogs, you’ll want to see to it that he is trained and socialized because then he makes a super pet suited to life with a family where there are children and other pets. He has an independent nature and is loyal and protective with his human family.

The Whippet is a medium-sized sighthound breed standing at between 45–56cm in height and weighing anything between 6 and 13kg.

They descended from Greyhounds, resembling them in looks, just smaller. They are part of the Hound group, It’s a deep-chested dog with a long, lean head with fairy large eyes, a long neck, floppy ears and slim legs. The tail is long and slender. The coat is short and smooth and comes in many colors – tan, silver, black white, brindle and bi- or tri-colored.

Temperament:

The Whippet loves to run but when they’re not prancing around, they love spending time with their human family and that includes other pets as well as children.

They’re demonstrative and love showing their love for their family. They’re able to adapt to life in the city or the countryside but they will need exercising.

This is also a dog that rarely barks. They’re willful dogs so will do well with training and socialization. In fact, without proper socialization, they can become timid in unknown environments. They're intelligent so wont have problems with learning.

If you’re looking for a good watchdog and protector, you won’t find these characteristics in the Whippet.

Energy is a big factor with this beautiful dog, so before you consider one as a pet, be sure that you can take care of his exercise needs. He belongs to the working group of dogs so he won’t enjoy just lazing around day after day. He is wired to be herding livestock and that natural instinct doesn’t disappear once he becomes a pet in your home. With so much energy, he wants a nice sized garden and wouldn’t do well cooped up indoors at all.

He is a strong, loving dog, and in exchange for your care of him, he will be a loyal, loving, protective friend who will love you to the end.

When you bring a sweet-natured Whippet into your life and home you’ll discover that apart from reveling in having a good run, their next favorite thing is to be resting quietly wherever their human companions are.

They’re docile dogs, loving to snuggle up to you, and not enjoying the cold. These quiet, gentle dogs are totally non- aggressive, just wanting to be with you, making you a splendid companion and pet.

The Belgian Shepherd is a hardy dog so if you do your part to provide him with good quality nutrition from the food he eats and you exercise him, he’ll reach the 10-14 years allotted to him. Just like with any dog, there will be some minor concerns that you need to watch out for -

epilepsy, eye problems, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.

remember to check his teeth and for ticks and parasites as both, if just left, can jeopardise his health seriously.

see that he get his first puppy vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

The lean Whippet doesn’t have any particular health problems but it is always a good idea to be clued up on some of the more common dog diseases there are.

Buying a Whippet puppy from a responsible breeder will help with ensuring a healthier dog as dogs like these have had a good start and will have been vaccinated and dewormed.

One of the diseases that you may want to be aware of is arrhythmia.

Arrhythmia:

This is when the heart of the dog beats too fast or too slow or it may even skip a beat. It is fairly common in dogs and it could indicate a more serious underlying condition.

An irregular heartbeat can bring about physical weakness and even loss of consciousness. Your veterinarian will want to examine your dog and listen to the history of symptoms and events that could have led to the condition. Your vet will then discuss treatment.

Exercise

Your Belgian Shepherd is an energetic dog breed who is social and who wants to be included in your family activities. You can’t just keep him cooped up in your back yard and expect him to do well. He’ll need daily exercise – walks, swims if there is water close by, chasing the ball as well as your companionship.

Grooming and shedding

These dogs are shedders so you’ll certainly be needing to watch your clothes for hairs. You will need to give them a good brush at least twice a week to get rid of all that loose hair and to keep his coat shiny and in tip top condition. Also, he likes the closeness the brushing provides between him and his human caretaker.

Feeding your Belgian Shepherd

The Belgian Shepherd is a robust, healthy breed of dog, but many ill dogs are brought to veterinary clinics because they are suffering with itchy skin problems, they have digestive problems and they’re generally run down. This is because they aren’t provided with a varied and balanced diet plan. Apart from eating a quality dry- or wet dog food as recommended by your vet, he’ll most certainly need some raw meat in his diet too.

Exercise:

Whippets love running so if you’re lucky to live on a farm or at the beach, he will love those short bursts of speed in open places, chasing a ball. You can take him for a walk every day too.

Grooming:

Whippets are looked upon as low maintenance dogs that don't shed much. A good brush twice a week will be adequate for this slender dog. The skin is vulnerable to cuts so check him over when you’re brushing him and make sure he hasn’t any sores or scrapes on the skin.

Trim the nails and check inside his ears and mouth for signs of infection.

Diet:

How much your adult dog eats depends on his size and his activity levels. Dogs are individuals and not all Whippets will eat the same amount of food. Puppies require 4 bowls of food a day while the adult Whippet will want 2 bowls of food.

There are excellent dry kibble dog foods on the market but your Whippet will also like some home-made food like chicken and vegetables. The quality of dog food you provide for your Whippet will make a huge difference to his health.