I am a Belgian Malinois, a herding dog breed like the Australian Shepherd. And my work in not limited to day-to-day household work; I am also an essential part of the police force and military. On top of that, I work as a protection dog too. Moreover, I can become an exceptionally intense, intelligent, and athletic companion, if handled and appropriately trained.
The Belgian Malinois is a fiercely intelligent, working, and motivated dog breed. And it stays loyal to the family and owner. Plus, this breed mandatorily requires a job with enough mental and physical activities to drain its energy levels. Otherwise, it will become challenging to handle and destructive.
Moreover, the Belgian Malinois has a tendency to bite and hold, particularly if the dog has not learned bite inhibition at an early age. Hence, it is nicknamed “malinator,” which is why this breed is so useful to police. However, at the same time, this behavior can be a problem at home. What’s more, the Belgian Malinois should be adequately socialized at puppyhood in order to manage its protective instincts.
The Belgian Malinois is not meant for apartment living, though it doesn’t bark and howls a lot. However, it needs large spaces because of its highly energetic and playful nature. It loves the family members and is generally good with kids, but it doesn’t like being around other dogs. Further, it doesn’t shed a lot, which makes it quite easy to groom this breed.
Furthermore, the Belgian Malinois is an intelligent dog breed that can be easily trained. It has a strong prey drive.
The male Belgian Malinois can grow up to 24-26inches in height, while the female can be 22-24inches tall. Usually, the weight of male and female Malinois lies between 55-75 lbs and 40-60 lbs, respectively.
The Belgian Malinois is full of energy. This breed is very actively devoted to a job and requires a heavy dose of exercise every day. Hence, be ready to spend a lot of time doing exercises with this breed and just walks are not enough.
As mentioned earlier, the Belgian is full of energy. Hence, it requires daily mental and physical stimulation. This breed can become a great running, biking, and hiking partner.