Your Belgian will also you cost money throughout it's life, feeding, vaccinations, worming, pampering, as well as the occasional veterinary contingency. So, if have come this far, and still think that you are keen to have a Belgian Shepherd as a lifetime companion, then you must set about doing your homework on the breeders. A good indication if this breeder is an amateur or has had lots of experience in breeding. Responses to this question will indicate if the breeder is honest about the successes and failures within his kennel. Again, another question to test the honesty of the breeder.
Epilepsy is documented to be in ALL Belgian bloodlines.
This is not to frighten you off the breed, but merely to acknowledge that the disease does exist, and is known in all Belgian family lines. Studies are currently being done to determine the genetic DNA markers for carrier dogs and affected dogs, and we are praying that the researchers will be able to develop a testing method to take the guess work out of this aspect of choosing healthy breeding dogs. Responsible breeders will hip score all of their breeding stock, and the majority of their progeny, and are quite happy to have these results published - whether the results are good, bad or ugly. Hip dysplasia is not a bad problem in Belgians, but it can occur, and ethically all stock should be hip scored prior to breeding from it. Ensure you see the original hip score certificate too.