The Belgian Malinois
- Annelise Dominello
- Apr 15, 2025
- 7 min read
Belgian Malinois, or 'Mali' for short, is an extremely impressive breed. Malinois have a huge reputation of being strong-willed, highly intelligent and having a passion for speed and agility. Recently, they have been trained for police and military use because of their strong personality and behavioural signs. Malinois are not a breed for everyone, as they require an immense amount of work to fulfill their needs to the highest levels, so let's learn all about them!
If you are a lover of dogs and are quite busy on the internet, I'm sure you may have come across a Malinois video or two. As I work in a boarding kennel, my life revolves around dogs, so I have come across many helpful facts about this particular breed. I wanted to make a blog post about Mails because these are not dogs that you can just bring home and expect to lay around all day with little to no exercise, walks or play. Dogs are a huge passion to me, and everyone must find a breed that works for them. Unfortunately, many people see Malis for their beauty and buy them thinking they can handle such a powerful dog.
The history of any dog breed is very important, as what humans have bred them for is a big giveaway of their personality. Belgian Malinois have originated from Belgium (as the name states, of course). Belgian calls four breeds their own, Malis being one of them, and they were bred in the 1800's for herding sheep. Their popularity grew immensely fast all over the world. With their impressive background, they are now working dogs for police or military work with their strong athleticism and loyalty.
Fun fact:
In WWI, the military used Malis for guard dogs, courier dogs and Red Cross dogs. After the war, America bought Malis back to the US because they were so impressed by the breed.
Malis themselves are joyful, playful and naturally enthusiastic. They get along well with humans, and if socialised correctly, they can get along with other dogs. When trained properly, Malis can make a great pet in a household with older children, as their play style is a little rough. They are loyal to their owners and want to be around them as much as possible, doing activities to suit their high energy levels. Activities such as fetch, play, walking, swimming or training sessions; some owners will even have their Malis in bite work or higher level training such as flyball, agility and more!
They come with an instinct to guard and protect their owner, and pairing that with their high intelligence, they will assess situations to protect or guard you from unfamiliar people or situations. This can be controlled by regular training as they need to be obedient to you, so they listen to your commands when in an uncontrolled environment.
In any potentially dangerous situation, a dog will show signs of alert for the situation. If a Malinois feels that you or they are threatened, they will show signs of discomfort, then proceed to bark and growl to ward off any dangers, and if the threat persists, your Mali may go for a physical approach in hopes of protection. Before any of this happens, at the stage of noticing the threat, you can have your dog come to heel, which helps guide your dog in the right direction for future actions. All dogs must have some basic training so you are the 'leader' or 'guidance' for your dogs health and safety.
Since I've been mentioning training a lot, let's get further into that. Malinois are highly intelligent and have high energy levels, so they make themselves one of their easier breeds to train. Malis love to be put to work and have their mind and nose moving at a million miles a minute. Training helps build a bond, create obedience and keep them from becoming bored and destructive. When finding a training facility, it will be different for everyone, so it's a must that you call and have conversations with many different trainers or even dog behaviourists to find the right person for you and your Mali.
Malis love to perform and impress you, so they will give their absolute most in all areas of training and will perform at an unbelieve rate. Because they are one of the most popular dogs for police and military work, it shows how quickly they can be trained and how easily they love to be worked. It also shows how powerful they really are and that their reputation is no joke.
Fun Fact:
Belgian Malinos have succeeded so well in the special forces that they have arguably beaten the reputation of the infamous German Shepard, that they are smarter then the German Shepard in the workforce.
Their easiness to train makes them fun to have as a pet. They love to learn, be trained and with their high prey drive, fetch, tug-of-war are some of their favourites. Not every dog is the same, so whatever activity can mentally stimulate them and make them happy, keep on with that for a mentally stable dog.
Its important to know a little about the health of the dog. It's also important to always get professional advice from a vet about any dog breed you are thinking of purchasing/adopting because without this precious knowledge can lead to some severe health concerns and some hefty vet bills.
Like most active dogs, Malionis can suffer from hip or elbow issues, even though they are a pretty strong breed. Something I didn't know is about a degenerative eye disorder called progressive retinol atrophy.
As a large and very active breed, they are prone to a problem called bloat. You may have heard of it since it is very common, but bloat is something to be extremely cautious of as it can kill. To help against bloat in your Mali (or if you want to be safe rather than sorry, with any breed), use a slow feeder for their meals, which helps them slow the rate of their feeding down, which in turn helps with how much air they take into their stomach. After playtime, wait a minimum of 20 minutes for your dog to settle before eating and consider feeding smaller portions of food multiple times a day. Also, wait another 20 minutes for playtime again.
A balanced and nutritional raw food diet is best for a dog this active. Raw food can be quite expensive, though, so make sure to find what is best around your area. A vet will also help guide you in terms of food.
What is bloat?
Bloat is when the stomach of the dog is filled with gas and can literally wrap around itself, causing restrictions of the blood flow to the spleen, pancreas and heart. It's extremely painful for your dog and very dangerous. If your dog is restless, pacing around, or you notice that their abdomen is swollen or distended, take them to the vet immediately as these are the first signs of bloat.
Malinois are considered an elite breed, so they need an immense amount of exercise every single day. When lacking in mental stimulation or exercise, it can result in excessive barking and, as I mentioned before, distructive behaviour when bored. Destructive behaviour consists of chewing furniture or belongings and digging holes outside when they are left alone.
Letting them have a really good, long run once a day helps with their energy. Fetch, Frisbee, and a Kong are all helpful, too. Rough toys and thick ropes are also a great idea for tug-a-war or for them to chew on. If you cycle, bring your Mali along; they will thoroughly get a kick out of joining you. If you have a pool or can access a body of water, they will also enjoy fetching things for you from the water, as long as they have been made comfortable to tread in water first! Some of these games can be tough on your dog, so always look out for the wellbeing of their teeth, gums, mouth and jaw!
Look into some sports, like previously mentioned, flyball is one of them, competitions that focus on obedience, agility runs and even dock jumping is a cool one! You work with your Mali as a teammate in these sorts of sports, and it builds a great community for you as well.
Every dog sheds their coat, so don't forget to brush your Mali daily! You can also book grooming appointments if that suits you best, but it's simple taking care of a short coated dog with simple bathing and brushing. Always remember to cut those nails and clean those ears and teeth!
Helpful Fact:
Always communicate and ask groomers if they work with larger dogs such as the Malinois. I know some groomers in my area that only work on smaller breeds, so before booking, make a quick call!
If you live a lifestyle that can live up to the mental and physical needs of the Belgian Malinois in the ways of exercise, training and well-being, I don't see why you can't consider them as a pet. I would always recommend to have your days planned, so they can get the stimulation and exercise they need, always train, train and train and if you can, book them into some sort of fun sport with yourself. They are beautiful and powerful breeds who will love and attach to you with extreme care and protectiveness, but they are not for first-time dog owners.
Always do thorough and advanced research for any dog breed so you can help them live life to their fullest! Call vets, ask communities, communicate with trainers or behavioralists and gather as much information as you can before adopting or purchasing any breed of dog, especially the awesome Belgian Malinois.
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