The Malinoi breed
of dog, sometimes classified as a variety of the Belgian Shepherd dog
rather than as a separate breed. The name "Malinois" is derived from
Malines, the French name for the breed's Flemish city of origin, Mechelen.
The
breed is used as a working dog for tasks including detection of odors such as
explosives, accelerants , and narcotics; tracking humans for suspect
apprehension in police work; and search and rescue missions. The U.S. Secret
Service uses Belgian Malinois to guard the grounds of the White House.
Appearance
The
Malinois is a medium-to-large and square-proportioned dog in the sheepdog
family. The Malinois has a short mahogany coat with black markings. It has
black erect ears and a black muzzle. It has a square build in comparison to the
German Shepherd.
Coat and color
Due
to its history as a working dog , the Malinois can vary greatly in appearance.
The acceptable colors of pure-bred Malinois are a base color fawn to mahogany
and tan with a black mask and black ears with some degree of black tipping on
the hairs, giving an overlay appearance. The color tends to be lighter with
less black agouti or overlay on the dog's underside, breeching, and inner leg.
White markings are also allowed on the tips of the toes and the chest, as long
as the white on the chest does not extend up to the neck. A Belgian malinois
may have a longer and darker hair coat than the typical malinois, but may still
be referred to as a Belgian malinois.
The
other varieties of Belgian Shepherd are distinguished by their coats and
colors: the Tervuren is the same color as the Malinois but has long hair, the
wire-coated Laekenois is fawn and lacks the black mask and ears, and the
Groenendael (registered as Belgian Sheepdog by the American Kennel Club) has
long hair and is solid black.
Size
Males
are about 61–66 cm (24–26 in), while females are about 56–61 cm (22–24 in) at
the withers. Female Malinois average 20–25 kg (44–55 lb); males are heavier at
25–30 kg (55–66 lb).
Temperament
Well-raised
and trained Malinois are usually active, intelligent, friendly, protective,
alert and hard-working. Belgian Malinois exhibit energy levels that are among
the highest of all dog breeds. A typical Malinois will have puppy-like energy
until the age of three, though it is not uncommon for them to exhibit this
energy level until the age of five. Many have excessively high prey drive. Some
may be excessively exuberant or playful, especially when young.
They
can be destructive or develop neurotic behaviors if not provided enough
stimulation and exercise. This often causes problems for owners who are
unfamiliar with the breed and are not prepared to provide the exercise they
require or a job for them to do. They are medium-sized, strong dogs that
require consistent obedience training, and enjoy being challenged with new
tasks. They are known to be very easy to train, due to their high drive for
rewards.
Activities
Malinois
can compete in dog agility trials and in flyball, herding, obedience,
showmanship, and tracking events, and are one of the most popular breeds used
in protection sports such as the Schutzhund. In America, herding is a popular
activity.
Herding
instincts can be measured at noncompetitive herding tests. In 2011 alone, the
AKC awarded 39 new herding titles to Belgian Malinois.
Health
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