If you're thinking about adopting a Belgian Tervuren, the first thing to consider is going to be the environment you're taking the dog into. There are a lot of homes that are, quite frankly, just not well suited to this particular breed. Ideally, the dog needs a decent sized home with a big yard to run in and an energetic, healthy family that can give the dog the attention it needs...
Well truthfully, a Tervuren's ideal would probably be to live right smack in the middle of the great outdoors and have someone at their beck and call to play with at the drop of a hat, but we'll try to be realistic for now. Firstly, a tiny apartment with no park nearby is kind of an instant disqualification. The Tervuren loves a lot of room to run and play in and will feel claustrophobic if he or she is all cooped up in a smaller home. The dog also tends to be unusually demanding when it comes to exercise. A walk down the street now and then isn't nearly enough. Not a dog of choice for the workaholic bachelor who only gets a few hours a day to tend to the pet's needs.
Perhaps more than any other breed of shepherd, the Tervuren is truly a family dog. They love a large home packed with friendly, energetic people and animals to play with and won't really develop to their full potential in a quiet, small apartment that remains devoid of human life for 8 hours a day. They won't feel satisfied with someone who doesn't really have time for anything more than tossing a tennis ball across the living room once or twice. The right home is an absolute must. Before considering the dog's personal history or breeding pedigree or anything else, you should take the time to ask yourself if both your environment and your lifestyle would suit a breed with such unusually high demands for exercise, free space and attention.
In a smaller environment, deprived of the attention and exercise he or she needs, Belgian Tervurens have been known to get lazy and complacent, putting on extra weight and being depressed for long periods of time. This can be solved by simply putting in the time and effort to care for the dog properly and putting them on a healthier diet. Like most dog breeds, the majority of a Tervuren's personal problems can be solved with exercise and love. Other than their being fairly high maintenance when it comes to environment and lifestyle, Tervuren lovers should feel blessed.
The breed doesn't tend to be any more violent or prone to disease than most others. Tervurens have an average lifespan of 14 years and tend to be quite healthy and active for most of their lives. They tend to be aggressive and can even be hostile if neglected human love in their first few weeks of life, but if they've been raised properly, their aggression seems only to apply to games of tug-o-war or tracking down disaster victims when employed in Search And Rescue teams. Just make sure the dog is right for you before you bring him or her into a new environment.
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