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The LeBlanc Family of eight, all share the affection and in some ways the training of Aspen, a two year old Belgian Shepherd (Tervuren). For a Belgian, a breed of dog which needs to be with its family and almost demands constant love, it is heaven for him to be in a household of this size where the six kids and mom are home during the day. From the moment our family begins the day Aspen is waiting with kisses and tail wagging while he receives hugs from everyone. All the family members have learned from the time he was a puppy what is expected in owning a dog, such as letting Aspen out into his kennel when he rings his bell hanging near the door, giving him water when he scoots his bowl toward the kitchen, or the many different training commands and rules which must be consistent with everyone in order to be effective.
This breed is very smart (which at times can be a problem!) as you must always be one step ahead of them. Mom, who enjoys dog training shares what she learns from classes and books, and gets the kids involved in Aspen s training. The laughter and pleasure the kids get from showing their friends some of Aspen s tricks will always be remembered. Some of these tricks are: twirl, roll-over, genuflect (bowing) or their favorite - 1. put- em up ( Aspen sits up) 2. Bang (he quickly lays on his side). What the children have learned about dog training, along with the responsibilities of owning a dog is knowledge they will be able to draw on for any future dogs they may own.
Since Aspen was a puppy, though even now at 2 years old one would think he still is a puppy, he has had to learn that when it is school time it is not time for play. He has developed his own ways of getting attention from his kids (otherwise referred to as his sheep - being that he is a herding breed) as he will pick up pencils or toys that are within his reach and bring them to whoever is near, or wait for someone to notice him lying down with the forbidden object in order to get attention. Aspen does not even enjoy being let out into the back yard without his kids. Once he is outside he only runs onto the deck and sits looking through the low glass picture window at his sheep doing their school work.
Lastly, because of his strong herding instincts he often circles around the younger kids as they sit on the floor or run about the house, trying to gather them up like livestock. Needless to say, owning a Belgian Shepherd (actually our third one, but the first one that was raised with six kids all at once) is a very educational experience and far from being a boring one. They are a dog who truly believes they are human and demands to be included in everything the family does.
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