The belgian malinois is a working breed with needs only an experienced owner can meet a strong rugged dog the belgian malinois exhibits a wide range of temperament and aggressiveness for instance this breed is not suitable for households with small erratic children .It’s kind are bred primarily as a working doc for personal protection detection police work search and rescue however. They can make fantastic pets with the right owner the belgian malinois is one of the most loyal hard-working breeds there is malinois also has its own unique work ethic and it excels at a wide variety of tasks. Here are the top 10 interesting facts about these strong and fearless dogs but before we begin make sure to check out some of the best pet products for your .
- Their History and Origin
- Belgian malinois is often misunderstood as german shepherd
- Their appearance and size
- They’re excellent search and rescue dogs
- These dogs were bred for hurting
- Their personality
- They have great health
- A Belgian malinois has caught bin laden
- Belgian malinois can skydive
- Belgian malinois work with navy seals
Their History and Origin
The belgian malinois is one of the varieties of belgian shepherd its history goes back to the 1880s when these dogs with german shepherds french shepherds and dutch shepherds were called continental shepherd dogs .The belgian malinois along with the groin and dale was the first variety to appear in the united states in the early part of the 1900s. The belgian sheepdog club of america was formed and the breed began to show in the american kennel club in the early 1950s. They were named after a belgian city the belgian malinois was developed in the belgian city of malin and was thus named for its birthplace
Belgian malinois is often misunderstood as german shepherd
Many people mistake a belgian shepherd as a german shepherd german shepherds are much more different from belgian malinois german shepherds are larger and more powerful than belgian malinois and they have long haired coat whereas belgian malinois has a short-haired coat and belgian melon was are much more agile and active than german shepherds.
Their appearance and size
Belgian malinois gives the impression of elegant robustness it is an enthusiastic and a quick dog with a natural tendency to be in motion males are 24 to 26 inches tall and weigh 55 to 75 pounds females however are 22 to 24 inches tall and weigh 40 to 60 pounds. In appearance the coach should be comparatively short and straight hard enough to be weather resistant with a dense undercoat the basic coloring is a ritz font to mahogany with black tips on the hairs giving an overlay appearance. The belgian malinois is a double coated breed and will generally shed twice a year bathing when dirty brushing once or twice a week and clipping the nails will keep your malinois in great condition .
They’re excellent search and rescue dogs
Belgian malinois are very good search and rescue dogs they’re excellent in tracking and searching and can be trained very well for it many belgian malinois are currently working as search dogs all over the world they have a super sense of smell which is used for works like detecting narcotics and tracking .
These dogs were bred for hurting
As the breed’s alternate name of the belgian shepherd dog implies the belgian malinois was originally used for herding and livestock guarding in their home country of belgium during the late 1800s and they are in fact one of four different belgian breeds that were bred for hurting work at that time they were considered as an excellent herding dog breed .
Their personality
The belgian malinois excels not only in herding but also in protection in law enforcement drug bomb and gas detection tracking obedience sledding agility and therapy assistance to disabled or elderly people you name it belgian malinois can do it all their elegance and express and denote great strength of character making them a proud representative of the herding breeds this dog is demanding and needs an experienced owner a wide range is seen in temperament and aggressiveness. They want nothing more than to be with their family which makes them unsuitable as a kennel dog the dog can actually assess situations and take the necessary actions to protect its owner .
They have great health
Because the breed is primarily a working dog it has some of the most extensive health testing of any breed while veterinary tests and diagnostics can rule out genetic disorders being able to working demanding jobs like police and military work requires that a dog be both physically and mentally sound for many many years because unfit dogs cannot be used for work they do not get bred making the malinois one of the healthiest dog breeds in existence .
A Belgian malinois has caught bin laden
Belgian malinois has been one of the most widely used working dogs for hundreds of years but it came to spotlight when seal team 6 used a melon one named cairo to hunt and capture osama bin laden .This spotlight is both beneficial and detrimental in one sense it shows the true ability of the breed to be an outstanding and reliable working duck however because they are such working ducks they are not always suitable for pet homes.
Belgian malinois can skydive
One of the reasons belgian malinois are favored over german shepherd dogs for many military operations is the malinois are better skydivers malinwoods are lighter than german shepherds so it’s easier for a military parachutist to do phantom jumps with their dogs strapped to them .they can even be trained to jump on their own which is safer for the dogs when they land in water .
Belgian malinois work with navy seals
Today they are incredibly important members of the us military most of the dogs that work with the elite navy seals are belgian malinois including cairo the brave canine that helped seal team six take down osama bin laden in 2011. Seal dogs like cairo are given their own special body armor and they even get their own night vision goggles moreover belgian malin was also served in the first world war as messengers and assistants to the red cross .According to some accounts they also pulled ambulance carts and carts carrying firearms .