The Malinois - what can you expect?

The Malinois is the short-haired variety of the Belgium Shepherd Dog.The dogs were originally bred to be sheep and cattle dogs, but soon made their way into sports and canine services. Especially in the countries of origin, Belgium and France, the selection followed "inner" qualities rather than looks. The Malinois is smaller then the German Shepherd Dog and therefore faster, more agile with fantastic reactions. These values made the breed so popular. The dogs are keen to  learn and work. At the same time they are tough and of great sensibility - not the ideal mix of characteristics for a total beginner in the world of dogs. The Malinois has an intense drive to work and to be active. If he cannot act out his drives, it is quite likely that the furniture of his owner may suffer.  The character is wide scaled from "extremely anxious and shy", "well socialized and friendly" to "aggressive and to be handled with care".

The genes of the sheepdog bestow a good portion of protective instinct on most of the Malinois. They are ready to protect their pack and territory with all they can give.

More infos: Standard

Are you the right person for a Malinois?

The future Malinois handler should have experience with a similar type of dog - that would be ideal. If that is not the case,  you should at least join a club or look for a trainer to obtain help and support -  ideally with people who have experience in training Malinois. Even dog handlers who have a lot of experience with other breeds are more often not prepared  as to what to expect of a Malinois.  Everything he does, he will do whole-hearted and with full commitment - no less.

If you are interested in dog sports or sport with your dog, no matter what kind, the Malinois may be the right dog for you. He loves to have a job and to learn new things. One hour of training in obedience, protection and tracking will do him more good than 3 hours of walking, although he would probably not object to that, either.

If you should have a time-filling job with little time for the dog and no interest in sport, then, please, don't adopt a Malinois. You will not enjoy the dog and he will not enjoy his life in your pack. You'd both be unhappy with each other.

What to consider at purchase

To be added later. 

What can I expect and what should I be prepared for?

At home:

As described above, you can expect an exceptionally active and eager-to-learn dog. On top of that, especially in the first few years, you can expect a young dog who will try to get to the bottom of things and may test the ranking order in your family.   He should be educated with consequence and fair, but harsh corrections and weak training methods can get the handler into problems. As quick as the Malinois is in learning everything you want, he will also learn unwanted things just as fast.

The Malinois wants to be a member of the family/pack at all times. Usually he is the shadow of his handler.

Outside:

A lot of Malinois have an intense prey and hunting drive, usually develloping from 9 months onward. The handler should observe this with care and cut off any attempts in that direction straight away.

The extreme protective drive may cause some unwanted reactions when meeting strangers or other dogs. Even s.o. lifting an arm to greet you may lead the dog to take that as an aggression to the handler and can cause threatening behaviour.

Therefore it is important to socialize the young dog as early as possible and to get him used to as many things of everyday life as possible. That will help to  minimize unwanted behaviour.

Which requirements are necessary in your home?

Because of the protective instinct of the Malinois, it is wise to have an effective fence around your property. Unexpected visitors could otherwise be welcomed by your dog in an unwanted way. If you have a job that will keep you from home for a certain amount of time and you don't have a family member at home looking after the dog, you should have a kennel or a special room for the dog, where he can be kept in the meantime. If you let him loose in your house, he might damage your interior, if he is bored.

All these infos are based on the experience of long-term handlers of Malinois and a large majority of specimens of the breed will fit the description. Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but these exceptions should not be taken as a criterion for the breed.