The Terv, or Belgian Tervuren, a striking and intelligent dog breed, takes its name from the town of Tervuren, near Brussels. One of four varieties of the Belgian shepherd, the Tervuren was developed in the late 19th century for herding and guarding livestock.
The breed gained formal recognition in 1901 from Belgium’s Royal Society of Saint-Hubert. Local breeder M.F. Corbeel is credited with establishing the breed’s foundation through the pairing of dogs named Tom and Poes. Their descendant, Miss, produced Milsart, the Tervuren’s first recorded champion in 1907.
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Renowned for its agility, loyalty, and sharp intelligence, the Tervuren mirrors the cosmopolitan spirit of its namesake town. Tervuren, home to 23,000 residents from more than 116 nationalities, is a diverse community where 44 percent of inhabitants are of non-Belgian origin.
Tervs, like 10-year-old Oisín of Vossem, embody the breed’s noble character and diversity.
Named after an Irish mythological figure, Oisín thrives on daily walks through Tervuren’s sprawling park and forest, a green space also frequented by notable figures such as Belgium’s Prince Laurent and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Tervuren’s versatility has seen it excel beyond herding, with roles in search and rescue and as a wartime messenger and ambulance dog during World War I. Its bravery and reliability earned it international admiration, particularly in the United States and Canada, where it became a valued family companion and working dog.
Despite a dip in popularity due to changing trends, the Terv is experiencing a revival, thanks to dedicated breeders and enthusiasts. Today, it stands as a symbol of Tervuren’s values: loyalty, resilience and cultural pride.
In 2018, artists Fons Broess and Barbara Recourt won a €40,000 competition to create two 3.9-meter steel sculptures of Tervuren dogs, installed outside Tervuren’s town hall. Coated in a gold finish, the sculptures reflect light and shadow, symbolizing the breed’s role as the town’s guardian.
Author: Dafydd ab Iago. © Article and photos licensed © 2024 for Tervuren+ under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International license.
