Andy, is it something in the Belgian water ?

Andy, here in America we have a saying it's something in the water which is said to explain the unexplainable. The area of the country where I come from is sometimes called The Delaware Valley which is roughly half the size of your country, with about half the population of your country. So I just can't understand this ?

OK... the question...how the hell did the folks of Belgium come up with so many awesome K-9s ??? Is it something in the water ???

There are four closely related breeds of Belgian Shepherd collectively referred to as ‘Chien de Berger Belge’, which were classified as independent breeds in 1891. All are herding and guard dogs, and are primarily distinguished by their appearances: the Malinois has short hair, the Laekenois (not currently recognized by the American Kennel Club) has wiry hair, the Groenendael (also known simply as the ‘Belgian Shepherd’) has long, black hair, and the Tervuren has long hair of any other color. The Malinois derives its name from the Belgian city of Mechelen, where it was developed. It is the most popular variety in Belgium, and has become the world’s most popular police dog. It is increasing in popularity as a pet in America, but is most commonly used for sports and service.

I know you know what they all look like...BUT for those who might be looking at this and don't:



ETC, ETC !

Andy as soon as I get my next welfare check, well not my next one (got to use that one to catch on my bills) but the one after that, I might get a Malinois or pay to have my German Shepherd mated with one. I'd like to have her artificial inseminated but understand it's a bit tricky.

Malinois' are quite beautiful indeed.
I don't know if it's anything in our water. Maybe the breeders of old just gave them beer!

Belgium was very rural up until only 50 years ago or so and breeding animals seems to have been a national sport back in the days.
I know that our pigeons are very popular among Japanese collectors - to the point where it's not uncommon for a top breeder to wake up one morning and find out all his animals have been stolen. There's a numbers of relatively prestigeous cow-breeds that have been bred over here.

We also invented a breed of politicians that make all politics in the rest of the world look like child's play.

Stealing pigeons...and I thought I heard it all !

Anyhow about your politicians...you need to hear about Philly where I come from. At least one a year goes to jail, every year for like the last 50 years !

I hear Chicago is even worse !

Their spirit and energy mark them as some of the Europe's finest all-purpose working dogs.

Mack, I just stumble upon a short article in a Belgian magazine which says the work of a Belgian archeologist, Mietje Germonpré, has been nominated among the 10 most important findings of 2011.

The specific work that was nominated concerned an investigation of skulls of domesticated dogs from 30,000 years ago in the Czech Republic. But apparently she already studied an even older skull, dating back to 36,000 years ago from Goyet, Belgium.

So maybe there is a historical basis for your question!

My 'German Shepherd' is from Czech Republic working lines.

Man...I read about that guy in Liege the other day...think he was watchin to much American TV or what ?

It's a sad thing...I wonder what really makes people do thinks like that.

Nobody really knows.
He was an arms freak, apparantly it's pretty easy to get by kalasjnikovs and such at the Liège black market and according to some people "close" to him he was very frustated about the fact that he was jailed for 42 months because of his canabis-plants while a guy in his street only got 2 years for killing someone.

Meanwhile police has also found out he had murdered a cleaning lady prior to his assualt.

And his wife was daughter of a well-off notary, so they didn't really have any financial worries.

It's just sick. A 17 month old kid died because of him. That's more or less the average age of both of my nephews.
He also killed a teenager with a morrocan background - just like himself.