Belgian Malinois

AKC Group: Herding

Club: American Belgian Malinois Club

Corresponding Secretary : Nancy Lasky
Address: 1568 BLUE CAMAS CT, IDAHO FALLS, ID , 83402-3851
Website: www.breedclub.org/ABMC.htm
Email: malinois@hockeytails.myrf.net
Club Type: Specialty

General Apperance:

The Belgian Malinois is a well balanced, square dog, elegant in appearance with an exceedingly proud carriage of the head and neck. The dog is strong, agile, well muscled, alert, and full of life. He stands squarely on all fours and viewed from the side, the topline, forelegs, and hind legs closely approximate a square. The whole conformation gives the impression of depth and solidity without bulkiness. The male is usually somewhat more impressive and grand than his female counterpart, which has a distinctly feminine look.

Size:

Males are 24 to 26 inches in height; females are 22 to 24 inches; measurement to be taken at the withers. Males under 23 inches or over 27 inches and females under 21 inches or over 25 inches are to be disqualified. The length, measured from the point of the breastbone to the point of the rump, should equal the height, but bitches may be slightly longer. A square dog is preferred. Bone structure is moderately heavy in proportion to height so that the dog is well balanced throughout and neither spindly or leggy nor cumbersome and bulky.

Coat:

The coat should be comparatively short, straight, hard enough to be weather resistant, with dense undercoat. It should be very short on the head, ears, and lower legs. The hair is somewhat longer around the neck where it forms a collarette, and on the tail and backs of the thighs. The coat should conform to the body without standing out or hanging down.

Temperament:

Correct temperament is essential to the working character of the Belgian Malinois. The breed is confident, exhibiting neither shyness nor aggressiveness in new situations. The dog may be reserved with strangers but is affectionate with his own people. He is naturally protective of his owner's person and property without being overly aggressive. The Belgian Malinois possesses a strong desire to work and is quick and responsive to commands from his owner. Faulty temperament is strongly penalized.

History:

The Belgian Malinois is one of four types of Belgian Sheepherding dogs registered in Belgium and France as the Chien de Berger Beige . It shares a common foundation with the Belgian Sheepdog and Belgian Tervuren whose historical sections in this book provide additional information on the beginnings of the breed. One of the first short-coated Belgian shepherds registered by the Societe Royale Saint-Hubert was "Charlot," born in 1891, which was later used as a model of the Belgian Malinois by the Belgian artist, A. Clarys.

While the shorthaired, fawn dogs with black mask, which we know today as the Belgian Malinois shared the beginnings with many coat colors and lengths, it quickly established itself as an identifiable type. Bred basically around the city of Malines from whence the name is derived, the Belgian Malinois was bred by a dedicated group of trainers and working competitors. They prized the abilities of this breed and concerned themselves with the breeding of excellent working character. Because of this, the Belgian Malinois has historically been the favorite type of Belgian Shepherd in its native Belgium. Professor Adolphe Reul, one of the dedicated leaders in the breed formation, owned and bred many fine subjects, including the famous "Mastock."

There have been two periods of Belgian Malinois activity in the United States. Starting in 1911 when the first shorthaired Belgian Shepherds ("Belgian Blackie" and "Belgian Mouche") were registered with the AKC until World War II, the Belgian Malinois enjoyed American popularity Many subjects from the best Belgian bloodlines were imported and bred. There was some renewed interest after the war, but the breed did not flourish. Before 1959, the Belgian Malinois was relegated to the Miscellaneous Class (even though it enjoyed individual AKC Stud Book registration) because there were not enough subjects to provide competition for championships.

The second period of importation and popular support began in 1963. Progressing slowly, the first ten years saw only 107 individual Belgian Malinois registrations. By June of 1965, however, sufficient numbers had been registered by the AKC so the Belgian Malinois was moved into the Working Group and was eligible to compete for championships. Importations from Belgium, France, and Switzerland, as well as increased breeding activity since 1973, have given rise to a new era of relative popularity While still numerically one of the AKC's smallest breeds, the Belgian Malinois is beginning to make its presence felt in the Herding Group, formed effective January 1983.

The adopted standards recognized by the AKC differ somewhat for the three Belgian Shepherd breeds, but the basic dog is the same for each. In Europe and elsewhere in the world, they share a common standard.

The main qualities which make the Belgian Malinois such a desirable breed are the easy-care coat, the medium size, and the keen intelligence. The breed has always been known for its trainability and many owners today are finding pleasure in training their Belgian Malinois for conformation, obedience, schutzhund, herding, sledding, and tracking, as well as to be family companions.