AKC Standard
Head – Clean-cut and strong, overall size should be in proportion to the body.
Expression indicates alertness, attention, readiness for activity.
Gaze should be intelligent and questioning.
Eyes brown, preferably dark brown. Medium size, slightly almond shaped, not protruding.
Ears triangular in shape, stiff, erect, and in proportion to the head in size. Base of the ear should not come below the center of the eye. Ears hanging (as on a hound) shall disqualify.
Skull – top flattened rather than rounded. The width approximately the same, but not wider than the length. Stop moderate.
Muzzle moderately pointed, avoiding any tendency to snippiness, and approximately equal in length to that of the top skull. The jaws should be strong and powerful.
Nose black without sport or discolored areas. The lips should be tight and black, with no pink showing on the outside.
Teeth – A full complement of strong, white teeth, evenly set. Should not be overshot or undershot. Should have either an even bite or a scissors bite.
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Discussion
The head, comprising both the skull and muzzle, of the Belgian Sheepdog is one of the chief indicators of breed type and should be unique to the Belgian Sheepdog. Without proper proportions, this uniqueness is not possible, and the head becomes common and untypical. The standard requires that the skull never be wider than its length. The Standard also requires that the muzzle should be as long as the skull. The head should be in proportion to the rest of the body, with clean, well-defined lines and no looseness of skin anywhere on the face or lips. The stop is clearly defined but not deep or abrupt. The plane of the top of the muzzle should run on a line parallel to the plane of the forehead. There should be no cheekiness. Rather, there should be a slight chiseling under the eyes and flatness which permits the eyes to assume their proper placement and their proper part in expression.
