The Belgian Malinois Dog Breed - Family

The Belgian Malinois closely resembles the German Shepherd breed, although they are usually a little smaller. They tend to be 60 to 65 pounds and 22 to 26 inches in height. You will find the Belgian Malinois is a shorthaired dog, which is typically fawn or mahogany in color. They also have black tipped ears and face. They have a long tail that is usually hanging down. Their body is sleek and muscular. You will find the Belgian Malinois has short hair that is often coarse to the touch with a denser undercoat that is slightly longer in length. They tend to be average shedders.

When you adopt a Belgian Malinois you want to make sure you know everything about them in order to make sure you provide the proper care. For grooming needs the Belgian Malinois needs to have daily brushings to remove the dead or loose hair. Since the hair is short they don't require clipping or an extreme brushing because it will not get matted or tangled. You should only give the Belgian Malinois' baths when it is absolutely necessary. They can suffer from skin irritations if bathed too often. You will find the shedding is usually seasonal so they may shed a little more at certain times of the year. On a daily basis you should check their feet, nails, teeth, ears, and eyes to make sure they have not injured themselves.

The Belgian Malinois is in the herding breeding group. This means they typically display dominant behavior and can be protective as well as very muscular. You will find they are defensive of their property. This also makes them great as guard dogs for any home. Typically behavioral characteristics you will find in the Belgian Malinois include alertness, agility, and a lot of energy. You will find their high intelligence makes training rather easy. They do need to have socialization and obedience training as puppies to provide the best behavior. You need to assert who is master and help them get along with children and other animals. They are best around larger animals that are not as passive. You also need to have respectful children as the dogs demand respect and gentle care. The Belgian Malinois is a pleasing dog for any owner and loves to have jobs.

For training you will find they are easily trained because of the intelligence and their working ability. They love to have tasks that work them both physically and mentally during the training. Remember that you need to be consistent and yet firm during the training to get the best results. You may want to seek a professional trainer to help you with some ideas regarding training. You will find also that they need a lot of space. They are medium sized dogs so they need to have daily exercise for at least an hour. It is best to have a home with a medium or large backyard; however if you do live in an apartment they will be okay, as long as you provide more exercise during the day. They are very active and being cooped up while you are at work can be stressful. It is best to have a job where you can go home for lunch and offer them some exercise and play.

The Belgian Malinois does best with a lot of exercise, room, and loving owners. They are eager to please anyone and do require some training. It is important that they are feed on a routine as well as exercised with routine to provide healthy living conditions.