Belgian Malinois

Coat & Grooming: The coat of the Belgian Malinois is smooth and short. It’s pretty easy to maintain a healthy coat with this breed. Minimal bathing (as necessary) and a weekly brushing session is plenty of coat care to keep your dog looking good. Use a firm brush or a grooming glove for best results. It’s also important to care for their teeth, ears, nails, and eyes. Always keep an eye out for signs of infection or inflammation – use the weekly grooming session to remind yourself to do a quick inspection. The breed tends to develop oral health issues, so you may want to consider brushing their teeth every few days to keep their pearly whites healthy.

Shedding: Belgian Malinois are outdoor working dogs, which typically translates to heavy shedding with seasonal changes. While they tend to shed a substantial amount year round, they are prolific shedders in the spring and fall every year. If you have your heart set on a Belgian Malinois, it’s worth investing in the right grooming tools to help contain the flying fur.

Training: The Belgian Malinois is a headstrong and resilient breed, as are all good herders. They need a lot of training and socialization to adapt their habits to human companionship. If you lead an active lifestyle, your Belgian Malinois is a great companion for hiking, jogging, or outdoor adventures. Long walks or running alongside your companion is a great way to get the blood pumping. Failure to deliver enough exercise opportunities comes with the risk that they will misbehave. It’s not a good idea to keep them cooped up all day. Starting positive reinforcement training at an early age will set your Malinois up for success.

Barking: While the Belgian Malinois isn’t a particularly loud breed around the house, this is a herding breed. In the fields, they are expected to use their bark to help with the task at hand. With proper socialization and training, your Belgian Malinois shouldn’t howl or bark unless something is wrong. They have a powerful prey drive, so it’s worth keeping them on a leash at all times in public. The key to understanding your Belgian Malinois is an understanding of the history and characteristics of the breed. If you aren’t accustomed to herding dogs, it’s time to hit the books and learn the proper training techniques.

Personality: While the Belgian Malinois is very loyal and loving with their family, they can be a bit standoffish when it comes to strangers. Give them a chance to warm up, and they’ll be pushing for cuddle time before you know it.

Behavior with Kids: If your Belgian Malinois grows up around children, they will be best friends with your kids. It’s worth casting a watchful eye whenever new children are around, and it’s always a good idea to supervise any rambunctious playtime with small children. Don’t be afraid to show new friends how to properly handle your dog.

Protection: Although these dogs aren’t overly protective, they aren’t fond of strangers at first meeting. If you want a fierce protector, this isn’t the best breed for you. Belgian Malinois fall somewhere between guard dog and lap dog.

Life span: On average, Malinois live to be about 10-12 years old.

Inherited Health Issues: The Belgian Malinois is a relatively healthy breed, but a few conditions have been identified as occurring either at an increased frequency within the breed or through genetic inheritance. These include, but are not limited to, the following: cataracts, chronic superficial keratitis and generalized progressive retinal atrophy.

Preventive Care: Relatively few conditions have been identified as occurring more frequently in the Belgian Malinois. Responsible breeders work to maintain the breed’s good health through screening tests of breeding animals. These tests generally involve eye, hip, and elbow certifications. Even though hip and elbow dysplasia are not proven to occur frequently in the Malinois, continuing to screen breeding animals will continue to keep this incidence relatively low.

Keeping a Belgian Malinois at a lean, healthy body weight through controlled feeding of a good quality commercial dog food and a regular exercise regimen is the best way to keep a Malinois in good condition. It is important to maintain regular routine veterinary care, even when a dog seems to be healthy. Veterinarians have been extensively trained to pick up on subtle changes before these subtle issues become larger problems.

Feeding Belgian Malinois portion-controlled meals of a high quality balanced diet, coupled with a regular exercise regimen, is crucial to maintaining a healthy body weight. If a Malinois is over-fed or under-exercised, they are likely to become overweight.

Daily Consumption: Average daily consumption for an adult Belgian Malinois is 2-4 cups.

Habits and Exercise: As a herding breed, the Belgian Malinois needs a lot of daily exercise to maintain their sunny disposition on life. It’s important to provide the right opportunities for daily exercise. If you can’t be there for your dog during the workday, it’s a good idea to employ the services of a local dog walker. Business travelers and people with long hours aren’t a good match for this breed, but anything is possible with the right plan and sufficient help to care for your companion.

Energy Level: Frisky, energetic breed that is always ready for action

Climate: As a working dog, they tend to thrive in any climate. If it’s very hot or very cold, it’s worth keeping an eye on your companion for signs of distress. In very cold or wet weather, it doesn’t hurt to invest in a raincoat or winter wear for your dog.