Belgian Malinois
Temperament
Confident, Smart, Hardworking
[4]A herding dog developed near Mechelen
The Belgian Malinois was developed around Mechelen in northwestern Belgium. The AKC says it arose from local shepherd dogs in the late 19th century, and the breed name reflects the region.
[1]One of the Belgian herding varieties
The Malinois belongs to the Belgian herding family. The AKC treats it separately from the Belgian Sheepdog, Tervuren and Laekenois, while many countries group the four as coat and color varieties of one Belgian Shepherd breed.
[2]A short coat and black mask
The AKC standard specifies a short, straight coat with dense undercoat, a fawn-to-mahogany ground colour, and black-tipped hairs creating an overlay. A pronounced black mask surrounds the muzzle and eyes, and the ears appear black. White toe tips and a small white spot on the breastbone are allowed, but chest white must not extend to the neck.
[3]Preferred height and disqualifying limits
AKC specifies 24–26 inches for males (about 61–66 cm) and 22–24 for females (about 56–61 cm), with body length equal to height and balanced muscle rather than bulk. Disqualifying heights are below 23 or above 27 inches in males, and below 21 or above 25 in females; these limits differ from the preferred ranges.
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