Description

The Belgian Malinois is a medium-sized, hard-working dog in the sheepdog family. Although it is known in the United States as Belgian Malinois, it is often classified as a variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog. Many dog experts use the word \'square\' to describe this dog because its body is almost as long as it is tall. The Belgian Malinois is strong, muscular dog with a level back and a slope at the withers and deep chest that goes down to the elbow. It has a long tail that reaches to the hock. The legs are long and straight with the dewclaws usually removed. The hair is short coated, eyes are dark and almond shaped, and ears are erect and alert. In many ways, the Malinois is similar to the German shepherd. He has a very elegant appearance of being strong and solid but not bulky.

The Belgian Malinois is a very sensitive dog that makes a great family dog, but not for a beginner dog owner. They are loaded with energy and usually want to use this energy up with their master. It is important that you find activities for them to do so they don\'t find stuff to do on their own, stuff that may be negative. Because of their sensitive nature, many owners have stated that when they have a bad day, the dog just knows and responds accordingly.

This dog is exceptionally intelligent and easily trained. They thrive on pleasing their master and doing things with them, never tiring of doing things together. They do not respond well to loud verbal discipline but rather to positive praise. Because of their intelligence and high energy level, they excel in many dog sports such as agility, flyball, herding, search and rescue and competitive obedience. It is important to give the Malinois plenty of exercise and opportunity to run off all its energy.

The Belgian Malinois make a great family dog getting along well with all family members including children, especially if they grew up together. It is a good idea to socialize your Malinois with the public to avoid shyness and being unsocialized with strangers. They are very protective dogs and will protect their master and their home, but they are not aggressive.

The Malinois will not be happy living in a kennel as some dogs do, although they do tolerate the cold weather well. He is double coated so he\'ll shed in the house, but is still happiest in the house. Because of their high intelligence and desire to please, they are easy to housebreak with consistent training. It is fine to leave them alone in the house while you work, but they will need to have instant exercise outdoors when you arrive home.

Coat Description

The coat of the Belgian Malinois is short and straight with a dense undercoat. The hair is slightly longer around the neck giving the appearance of a collar. The dog sheds his coat twice a year. Because of the weather resistant features of the coat, this dog is very tolerant of cold weather.

If they are darker dogs, they don\'t always have the white spots. The mask and ears are black. Some have the coloring of grey to fawn with the black tipping of the hair giving it an overlay appearance. The ears, cheeks and muzzle are black. Their coloring is one of the resemblances they have to some German Shepherd dogs.

History

The Belgian Malinois dog, originally a part of the variety of Belgium Shepherd dog, was developed in "Belgium in the 1900s. This dog was bred to be an intelligent and loyal dog in the city of Malines and was the favorite there and in Belgium. The first Malinois was recognized and registered in 1901 by Club Societe Royale de St. Hubert. In 1911, the first Belgian Malinois was imported in the United States and recognized by the AKC (American Kennel Club). They were registered, at that time, as part of the miscellaneous group and not a breed of herding dog. After that, they became Belgian Sheepdogs, followed by the working group in 1965. Finally, years later the AKC recognized them as part of the herding class of dogs.

Temperament

The Belgian Malinois is such a versatile dog that so many words can be used to describe their temperament. They are serious and watchful, but yet loving and playful. They are a great watchdog, very protective and territorial with their owner and home. These are some of the traits that make them excellent police dogs. This is one similarity they have with the German shepherd. They have a tendency to become loyal to one or two people and will bond very strongly with these people. Some Malinois may be shy, but this is usually a result of too little socialization from a young age. From a very young age, the Belgian Malinois needs to be social with people and needs firm but loving training.

They are very alert and playful and love doing things with the family such as running, jogging, or just playing catch in the back yard. You will get tired of playing long before they will. If they have been raised around other animals like cats, there will probably not be a problem provided they were socialized together from a young age. The Malinois tends to be dominant toward other dogs, however.

It is not unusual for a Malinois to occasionally act out during the first year of its life, acting silly, out of control or even silly. This is perfectly normal and acceptable puppy behavior but needs to be nipped in the bud so the pattern does not continue into adulthood. They will go through a few different behavior phases the first year. It is at this time, that the Malinois needs to learn what is acceptable or unacceptable behavior. Avoid being too stern or harsh, as Malinois can pick up on the smallest of moods and will react accordingly.

Some Malinois have been known to be too aggressive or too shy. Keeping in mind that some of it can be hereditary, watch these traits, and if the dog doesn\'t outgrow them, seek advice from a professional trainer. A well-trained and well-adjusted Malinois will be loving, playful and loyal all of his or her life with proper attention, exercise and care.

Thyroid Disease - Medium Risk

The Belgian Malinois ranks #45 among all breeds for autoimmune thyroiditis prevalence. While this is not a high risk breed, there is still a good chance of disease transmission through breeding. Therefore, all dogs intended for breeding should be tested first. 

You can download the full report (on all breeds) by the Michigan State University Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health. Here

Other Health Problems

The Belgian Malinois is basically a pretty healthy dog. They are occasionally prone to hip Dysplasia, which is a crippling genetic problem. When purchasing a Belgian Malinois puppy, make sure that both the parents have had their hip x-rayed and are OFA certified as good or excellent. Elbow Dysplasia is also a problem with the Malinois, though not as much as with the hips.

Other health concerns that sometimes occur are skin allergies, eye problems Progressive Retinal Atrophy and occasional epilepsy. Most of these problems are rare and luckily, the dog is a healthy dog that will live a long life if properly cared for. Gastric Torsion bloat is also a life-threatening condition that affects some Belgian Malinois. Some Belgian Malinois are prone to certain types of cancer.