Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois)

(CC) Image: D. Williams
Belgian Shepherd (Malinois)

The Belgian Shepherd Dog, also known as the Belgian Malinois in the United States, is a shepherd breed that originates from Malines (Mechelen), Belgium.

Description

The Belgian Shepherd Dog is coated in a fur that is either tan, or fawn with black tips. Heavy black usually appears around most of the face, neck and shoulder areas of the dog, whereas the underbelly and quarters may have be a lighter color of fawn. Males normally weigh between 60 to 80 pounds and stand 24 to 26 inches at the shoulder; females, 40 to 60 pounds, and, 22 to 24 inches.

American Kennel Club standard

The Belgian Shepherd is listed in the Herding Group of the American Kennel Club (AKC). The following information is used to evaluate the Belgian Shepherd when shown:

General Appearance

Elegant, well balanced, square dog that stands squarely on all fours. The dog should give the appearance of depth and solidity without bulkiness. Males will look impressive and grand while females will have a more delicate feminine look.

Size, Proportion, Substance

Males range between 24 to 26 inches while females are 22 to 24 inches in height. The measurement is to be taken at the withers. Males under 23 inches or over 27 inches are disqualified. Females under 21 inces or over 25 inches are to be disqualified. A square dog is preferred. The dog should look balanced throughout.

Head

Clean-cut, strong with out looking heavy, proportional to the body. The dog should look alert, have a look of readiness, look intelligent and questioning. The eyes should be dark brown, medium size and slightly almond in shape. The eyes should not protrude. Eye rims are black. The ears should aim for an equilateral triangle in shape, erect and be proportional to the body. The top of the skull should be flattened with the width approximately the same as the length but no wider. The stop is moderate. The muzzle should be pointed but not snippy. The planes of the muzzle and top skull are parallel. The jaws should look powerful. The lips are black with no pink showing on the outside. The teeth should be even.

Neck, Topline, Body

The neck should permit the proud carriage of the head while tapering from the body to the head. The topline is normally level. The abdomen is moderately developed neither tucked up or paunchy. The tail is strong at the base and when in action it is raised with a curve. Forequarters Muscular without excessive bulkiness. The shoulder is long and oblique. The legs are straight and parallel to the body. The bone is oval rather than round. Again, the area should be proportional to the body. The feet are round (cat footed) and well padded. The nails are black except that they may be white to match white toe tips

Hindquarters

The Belgian Malinois should not have extreme angulation. The legs should be proportional to the dog. The hind feet may be slightly elongated.

Coat

Comparatively short hair that is straight and hard enough to be weather resistant with a dense undercoat. Short hair should be found on the head, ears and lower legs. The hair is somewhat longer around the neck where it forms a collarette, and on the tail; plus the backs of the thighs.

Color

Fawn to mahogany with black tips on the hairs giving an overlay appearance. The mask and ears are black. Color should be considered a finishing point and not take precedence over structure or temperament. The tips of the toes may be white and small white spot on the breastbone is permitted as long as it does not extend to the neck.

Gait

Smooth, free and easy. The Belgian Malinois has fast gait and has a marked tendency to move in a circle rather than a straight line.

Temperament

The dog should show confidence and neither be shy or overly aggressive in new situations. The dog should be naturally protective of its owner while being reserved around strangers. The dog should be affectionate with its own people. The dog should be willing to work and respond from commands by their owner. Temperament is strongly considered and will be penalized if the dog's characteristics do not meet breed standard.

Faults

Deviation in standard should be to the extent the dog deviates from standard, and to the extent it affects the working ability of the dog. Disqualifications Dos that do not meet size, ears that hang or semi-prick ears will disqualify a dog. Undershot bite, a crossed tail, or stumped tail will disqualify a dog from competition.

The AKC breed standard was approved July 10, 1990.

Note: The following information was adapted from the AKC Malinois breed standard found at the AKC website.

Military and police work

Malinois are favored for military and police work due to their size and intelligence. United States Navy SEAL team members use Malinois as part of their undercover military operations. In particular, Cairo, was used to alert navy SEALs during their nighttime raid at the Osama bin Laden compound.