| Tervuren Color |
| Correct color range in the Tervuren is an oft debated topic. And can it get heated at times! For the sake of simplicity, what will be presented here is a compilation of opinions in regards to the standard as it exists today. I've included pictures of dogs with various color shades and blackening patterns in order to illustrate the written standard. |
| We'll start by taking the written standard and examining it in depth.To make this easier, we'll take the color portions section by section. |
| "COLOR-BODY- Rich fawn to russett mahogany with black overlay. The coat is characteristically double pigmented, wherein the tip of each fawn hair is blackened." |
| The key here are the descriptive words. RICH fawn to RUSSETT mahogany. Fawn- dogs should be a rich reddish color with black tipping. A beautiful, vibrant color, and so striking when combined with the black masking and overlay. Russett mahogany- Think of a fine mahogany wood. A rich,rich brown with overtones of reddish hue. Again, so striking when combined with the proper blackening. Quite often a mahogany dog will carry a bit more blackening than will a fawn. But when the wind ruffles the coat, that beautiful mahogany color is quite obvious. Blackening/trimmings-"On mature males this blackening is especially pronounced on the shoulders, back and rib section, but blackening in patches is undesireable. The underparts of the body, Tail, and britches are cream, grey, or light beige. Belgian Tervuren characteristically become darker with age. Although allowance should be made for females and young males, absence of blackening in mature dogs is a serious fault." All Tervuren should have black tipping to a greater or lesser degree. Some dogs look as though they have been lightly brushed with soot, where only the very slightest tip of the hair is blackened. Others carry a coat where half the hair shaft or more is blackened giving a much darker appearance. Brush the coat back however and correct coat should have a reddish shaft turning to black at some point on the hair shaft. The tail is a mixture of color, grey, cream, beige usually with a black tip. The underbelly and britches are usually colored in the same manner as the tail. An adult Tervuren should have some tipping. Absence of any tipping at all on a mature animal indicates that the dog lacks the gene for the correct color pattern and should be penalized in the showring accordingly. Chest color- "The chest is normally black, but may be a mixture of black and grey. A single white patch is permitted on the chest, not to extend to the neck or breast." What this means- the chest is black, or mixed hairs of black and grey. This black/grey area extends from the base of the jaw, all the way down to between the forelegs. Below this point, the coat starts to blend into the creamy grey of the belly area. The standard allows for a single white patch on the chest. This may be a small, almost invisible spot, or a large splash, but it must not be multiple spots. The white does not extend to the breast, the breast starts at the midpoint between the front legs, so if your dog has white heading towards his belly, this is not acceptable for the showring. Nor is white extending into the neck. The anatomical neck starts at the point of chest. Any white above the point of chest (including the throat area) is a disqualification. Any white going up the side toward the shoulder is disqualifying. This covers some of the most frequently questioned portions of the color standard. Click to the next page for some pictures illustrating various colors and patterns, both acceptable and faulty under the Standard for the Tervuren. |