Malinois Shepherd Dog

History, origin & features

The Belgian Malinois Sheepdog is one of 4 varieties of Belgian sheepdog, along with the Groenendaels, Tervuerens and Laekenois, distinguished by their short coat and fawn-charcoal color. They are descended from the “country shepherd dogs” of the 19th century in the Mechelen region of Belgium.
The Belgian Shepherd Dog Club was founded in September 1891, with the launch of the first selections. The Belgian Malinois Shepherd variety was officially recognized as such in 1909. The current breed standard was established in 2001. The Berger Belge Malinois is an extraordinary protection, guard and defense dog. They are endearing, intelligent, lively and fabulously loyal to their master. They are playful and have a maintenance advantage over their Belgian cousins. What's more, their solid health means no unnecessary expense. The Belgian Malinois Sheepdog can be recognized by its mask, which extends from the lips to the eyelids. Physical characteristics
Hair: short on the whole body, more on the head, the back of the ears and the lower parts of the legs. Neck, back of thighs and tail are thicker.
Color: Charcoal fawn (fawn-colored coat with black tip), shading the base color. The mask is pronounced. Slight white patches on chest and toes are tolerated.
Head: straight, dry. The muzzle is only slightly longer than the skull. The forehead is rather flattened, the stop moderate and the cheeks dry, muscular and flat.
Ears: triangular and relatively small. Set high and erect when the dog is alert.
Eyes: Almond-shaped, medium-sized, oblique, brownish to dark. Their expression is alert and intelligent.
Body: powerful, harmonious, with straight back and loins. Accentuated withers, solid, broad, muscular loins. The muscular croup slopes only moderately. The chest is deep and the belly slightly tucked up.
Tail: thick at the base, of medium length (longer than the hock), hanging at rest and moderately raised in action, without exceeding the horizontal.