AKC Standard
The guard hairs of the coat must be long, well fitting, straight and abundant. They should not be silky or wiry. The texture should be a medium harshness. The undercoat should be extremely dense, commensurate however, with climatic conditions. The Belgian Sheepdog is particularly adaptable to extremes of temperature and climate. The hair is shorter on the head, outside of the ears, and lower part of the legs. The opening of the ears is protected by tufts of hair.
Ornamentation – Especially long and abundant hair, like a collarette around the neck; fringe of long hair down the back of the forearms; especially long and abundant hair trimming the hindquarters, the breeches; long, heavy and abundant hair on the tail.
Discussion
The Belgian Sheepdog should have a medium harsh, straight, outer coat with a thick dense undercoat as necessary for extremes in weather. The dog should never be trimmed or groomed in such a way that the coat gives the appearance of an open coat. It should fall naturally so that it will repel moisture and protect the undercoat. The long outer hair lies flat, emphasizing the outline of the body. Coat should be plentiful without matting or interfering with the dog’s usefulness. Adult males characteristically carry a more profuse coat than females, but an excessive amount of coat is a fault if it impairs working ability. The collarette adorning the neck is particularly attractive when it frames the face and ears. Females are not to be faulted for the short collarette, as this is a sex-linked characteristic.
Additional Photos and Descriptions
