THE BELGIAN MALINOIS DOG
www.belgianshepherds.com

There are four types of Belgian Shepherds dogs.
There is the Laeken or Lakeland, (curly rough, darkish coat) theTervueren (tan, reddish brown and black, long coat), the Groenendal (long coated, black variety) and the Malinois (fawn or tan to reddish, short coat). Each name comes from the province that they originated from.
The Malinois is what we breed and train at Baden K-9.

After working with dogs for over 30 years the Belgian Malinois, in my opinion, is still one of the better able to do serious work and the only type I would use for any Tactical work.
They may be used for sport and this in itself is a statement of decline of ability.

They can be registered by both the American and Canadian Kennel Clubs, a reason for being careful when purchasing a dog, as these registries pay no attention to the quality of the dog. Many people purchasing a dog believe that because the dog is registered with either of these clubs it is a guarantee of their genetic soundness, temperament and health. It is not, simply a record of the dog's lineage. It is by no means an account of their workability and genetic soundness. These " registered" dogs are then put onto the breed clubs who are more interested in ribbons than ability.
These registries and their members have done more to ruin the working breeds than any other organization.
Vanity has ruled over common sense.
I have personally witnessed many dog shows, where these dogs where no more than mere shells of their original breed.

It is also my opinion the very worst of these dogs were imported from Belgium. The over breeding for sport in their native country, they are now usually driven to the point of being dangerous.
Amateur breeders have nearly ruined this breed.

The heads on many Belgian dogs are narrow and without much between the eyes and ears.
Weak nerves also plague the Belgian dogs as a rule. North American Law Enforcement hve been shunning the Malinois stating they are too vicious to work.
Much of this is also due to poor handling practices. Proper handling and qualified handlers are needed for the Malinois.
Good working lines of this breed still holds the magic of movement and desire as well as capabilities to carry out any given task.
Fast and able to distinguish friend from foe makes this dog high on the list of working dogs.
These dogs are also able to withstand temperature changes and are quick to adapt.
They are thinking dogs and they easily understand what is being asked of them.
All in all, as in all working breeds, they must be challenged and permitted to learn.