Find similarities and differences between German Shepherd vs Belgian Malinois. The Dutch shepherd/ Herder is also woth mentioning, although a different breed, it very often gets mistaken for the malinois. There are a lot of reasons that Belgian Malinois make a good fit for police work and why they are replacing German Shepherds. The police dog is a highly versatile working dog with the stamina to go all day. The best asset for police duties is a dog’s sense of smell. But one thing that many Belgian Malinois owners don’t realize when they first bring their adorable fluffy puppy home is that their dog is going to grow up fast. Labradors love people and never meet a stranger. A malinois shepherd and German shepherd dog do have a lot in common. © 2021 TrendingBreeds. Why do police use Belgian Malinois? That very same sniffer can also come in handy in a search and rescue role to find trapped people who wouldn’t otherwise be found. With proper training, their innate intelligence gives them excellent self-control. Which is better: Belgian Malinois or Doberman Pinscher ... German Shepherd vs Belgian Malinois vs Dutch Shepherd Dog; ... Dobermans were used for fighting a while back. Malinois also has an unusually long life expectancy for a large dog breed – 14 to 16 years. The only other dog breed that comes close to matching the Malinois is the German Shepherd, and both are very popular for these types of working dog jobs, as Scott’s Police K-9 training program discusses. There are a few characteristics that are essential for any police dog who will practice both bite work and scent work. And like the GSD, the Malinois had to find new work when using dogs to herd and guard livestock became less common. In the case of a Malinois working or training to work in a K-9 role, this would mean they are driven to please one person – their handler. The Belgian Malinois is easily distinguished by its lovely fawn to mahogany coat, which is short and sleek, with black tips and a softer undercoat. The German shepherd lives about 13 years, which is a long life for a large dog and has a litter of between 6 and 10 puppies. Mixing the breeds allows some of the best aspects of each to come out, although these traits are also less predictable. The dog breed has more triangular eyes with tan colored fur and a black saddle. View our privacy policy here. The Belgian Malinois breed has a long history as a livestock herding and guarding dog. Find similarities and differences between Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher. View our privacy policy. When you add in the greater health of the Belgian Malinois over the German Shepherd, it is not at all surprising that Malinois are overtaking the Shepherd in popularity throughout the U.S. Belgian Malinois are smaller and more athletic then German Shepherds. Here are some comparison points between them. He is retired now and lives with his handler, reports the New York Post. Police dogs should also have perfect recall when being called back from an attack or chase. The Malinois breed is known to be capable of independent thought in these cases that lead to taking the appropriate action. ... best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work. Belgian Shepherd malinois. Male dogsweigh between 55 and 75 pounds and measure 2… A German Shepherd will be between 75 and 95 pounds, while a Malinois is about 40-80 pounds. Although the Intelligence of Dogs rates Belgian Malinois at number 26. It’s just not in their nature to show the kind of aggression that is required for a dog to do well in bite work. Like the German Shepherd, the Belgian Malinois was bred to herd stock and is the only Belgian shepherd with a short coat. The Belgian Malinois is a “precision instrument.” They are the full K-9 package, combining brains and athleticism, loyalty and bravery, which is why they are so popular as police dogs today, according to Police & Military K9 Sales & Training. Female vs male Belgian Malinois neuter/spay differences. Your email address will not be published. They are so athletic that they are even able to do things like walk across a tightrope and climb a tree! Belgian Malinois are willing to work all day long and they are always happy and enthusiastic about doing their work. Wait till you see them in action in this video. Belgian Malinois are becoming increasingly more popular for police work, replacing the German Shepherd in many police departments. Some people even confuse the Malinois for being just a shorter-haired version of the German Shepherd. Surprised? Particularly so, as you stated, in the founding home of the breed. They are masterful escape artists who find chasing people, animals, cyclists, vehicles, and pretty much anything else irresistible. Belgian Malinois vs German Shepherd: What’s the Verdict? In fact, there are even special breeders that supply Malinois to the military, police force, and private sector organizations! Have you noticed that police dogs seem to be a little bit smaller and sleeker looking than they used to be? There was a time when many police dogs were trained to be aggressive and could be difficult to handle. Belgian Malinois have fewer health problems than German Shepherds, on average. Both have high working drives and are easily trainable as dual purpose or single purpose dogs. Therefore strength and agility are essential in a good police dog. ARMOR K-9 predominately chooses Belgian Malinois and Dutch Shepherds due to their desire to work, intelligence, and ability to be great companions with the right raising and handler. As Chien Policier European Belgian Malinois breeder points out, there are some potential known health risks to the timing of your dog’s spay or neuter procedure.. And there are some known health risks if you decide to leave your male or female Belgian malinois intact. And when their Malinois puppy grows up, that dog is going to need and crave constant exercise and activity and both mental and physical enrichment. In fact, they’re so clever that Belgian Malinois will often find loopholes in commands from their owners. Even though I knew about the decline in use of GSDs in police work, I nevertheless found the statistics in that article quite jaw dropping. However, there are many differences. These dogs look larger than they are, simply because they are so lean and tall. Belgian Malinois vs german shepherd... 05-28-2010, 05:49 PM I am a looking to get in to K9 and trying to put together a grant for my department, as well as start to look at dogs. Belgian Malinois VS German Shepherd: Children And Other Pets The relationship between the children and pets can be challenging if your child doesn’t know the way around the dogs, or if you are introducing an adult a rescued dog. This is largely because Belgian Malinois have fewer innate health problems, and therefore it is easier to get a healthy one. As the American Belgian Malinois Club explains, the New York police force is widely regarded as the first police organization to incorporate the Belgian Malinois into their ranks. Working Dog Magazine calls this trait “calculated aggression.”. But her first and very most important job is as a dog auntie and cockatiel, tortoise, and box turtle mama. Belgian Malinois vs German Shepherd Because of the extensive diversity among dog breeds, dog lovers can go for their particular requirements that they would expect from the pet. With their European backgrounds and striking similar physical appearance, lots of people confuse the dogs with German Shepherds. Ideally, a mixed breed dog will have the tenacity and superior health of a Belgian Malinois along with the size and calm temperament of the German Shepherd. Police dogs today are trained to have extraordinary self-control so that they can be released in a crowd and safely take down a target without harming bystanders. In many disciplines that are extremely important, such as seeing-eye dogs and police dogs, dogs may be purposely bred across breeds in order to arrive at an ideal work dog. This makes the Malinois a great choice for a dog that needs to master difficult job duties with multiple variables. The Belgian Malinois is a bit more energetic than the Shepherd, and therefore will need more exercise. Once upon a time The German Shepherd was the favorite dog of police and military forces around the world. German Shepherds have long and straight hair that lies close to the body. There are many, many more Belgian Malinois dogs working in K-9 operations around the world right now who are just as brave, loyal, and selfless. The muzzle is black, as are the alert, naturally erect ears. Compared to Belgian Malinois, German shepherds are better for a family. Many people are starting to become more familiar with the Malinois dog breed after the famous Navy SEALS operation and Cairo the Malinois’ role in that. However, the Belgian Malinois’s nose may be on par with the Bloodhound – a breed with such a keen nose their evidence is admissible in some courts of law! Some police departments, such as the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, have no intention of switching from German Shepherds to Malinois. Compare Belgian Malinois and Doberman Pinscher and {name3}. German Shepherds used to be the standard for police dogs, but recently Belgian Malinois are replacing them in many police departments. We are compensated for referring traffic and business to Amazon and other companies linked to on this site. Belgian Malinois are becoming increasingly popular for police work, replacing the German Shepherd in lots of police departments. German Shepherd – Facts, Characteristics, and Behavior German Shepherds are the most popular breed worldwide and one of the best military and police dogs due to their high level of intelligence and physical capabilities. From left to right: Belgian Shepherd malinois, laekenois, tervueren and groenendael. Don’t even consider getting a Malinois. They are so brave and loyal and are amazing canine athletes to boot. They have extremely high work drive and never-ending energy that allows them to work all day long and keep going well into the night. Does the Belgian Malinois Make a Good Companion Canine? Like most herding breeds, German Shepherds are well known for having very high work drive, but Belgian Malinois have even more intensity for work. The Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd Dog (GSD) may both be from the same Shepherd lineage. These are the traits that made Malinois such a great herding dog and now helps the breed distinguish themselves in police dog roles. Belgian malinois and German shepherd are two such types of dogs with great variability between each other; hence, they make two very different kinds of dogs. Both the Malinois and German Shepherd are hard-working dogs that are used in a variety of important roles, including police work. The two dogs actually do look quite a bit alike. Access special offers, exclusive content, and receive tips on caring for & training your pup. Here is what you need to know about why the police use, Belgian Malinois have all of the characteristics that make a good police dog, and t. For instance, in the Los Angeles Police Department and the US Military. As their names imply, the Belgian Malinois was developed in Belgium and the German Shepherd in Germany. Police dogs must be strong enough to take down an assailant and agile enough to effectively chase after suspects even if they climb over something, are trying to escape in a car, etc. They must also be willing to run blindly into dangerous situations without taking time to scope out their surroundings. They think that their Shepherds have a steadier and calmer temperament than the Malinois, able to do a good day’s work as police dogs and also mingle with children at school events. As well, since the German Shepherd is the second most popular purebred companion canine in the United States, it is easy to see how any other dog that looks similar might be mistaken for the iconic GSD. The Belgian Malinois is now arguably the number one pick for working K-9s in the military and police as well as in government and private security roles. Intelligent and trainable, the Belgian Malinois possesses a strong desire to work and is happiest with regular activity and a job to do. Labrador retrievers are well known as America’s favorite dog and are a good fit for some kinds of police work as well, but they do not do well with any kind of bite work. This dog breed has been developed specifically to spend long hours doing very intense, athletically demanding work. Conan, a male Belgian Malinois who accompanied the Army’s Delta Force elite unit to take down ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was injured in the line of duty and later honored by President Trump for bravery, as Stripes reports. Sometimes, the hair may be wavy and wiry. However, because Belgian Malinois have a stronger work drive in general, they also tend to have a higher work drive when it comes to sniffing out scents. The Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd are often compared to one another thanks to their similar European background, body shape, and spectacular working abilities in the military and on the police force. Even in civilian life, the Malinois is a superstar canine athlete. One example of this would be to determine when a true threat is present and what to do about it. Why Are Belgian Malinois Used As Police Dogs, Watch Trained Belgian Malinois K-9s Hard At Work, Meet Two of the Most Famous Belgian Malinois K-9 Dogs. Like all dogs, the Belgian Malinois has a very keen sense of smell. Described as approachable – quietly standing their ground and showing confidence and readiness to demonstrate their effectiveness and intelligence, the German shepherd is a perfect breed as a guardian and hunter when the occasion demands.. The Malinois was one of four varieties of Belgian Shepherd … However, what makes a dog breed a fantastic pick for military, police, and working K-9 protection roles is not necessarily the same as what makes for a great companion canine – a pet dog. Both the Belgian Malinois and the German Shepherd are dogs that are commonly used by police, and they even look similar! Like the German Shepherd, the Belgian Malinois dog breed has been bred for certain working-dog qualities and traits that make the Malinois an ideal choice for police dog work. In this second amazing video from We Are the Mighty, you can watch Lachi, a K-9 Belgian Malinois who works as a border guard along the Moldovan border, balancing on two tightropes to retrieve a tennis ball. Belgian Malinois vs German Shepherd Size. Choosing a Belgian Malinois as a family guarding and protection dog can look really good on paper. The Belgian Malinois has the perfect traits to work as a police dog. Malinois are shades of red, Dutch are Brindle. As Dogs for Law Enforcement’s Police Canines in History page explains, the Malinois noise is also very useful to track down suspects – most famously Osama Bin Laden. A dog trainer friend of mine Chivon Winter from C3K9 training has this breed and she wrote the below information to get the word out to anyone thinking of getting the Belgian Malinois. 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