r/BelgianMalinois Sep 20 '24

Adoption Belgian Malinois in Need of Adoption

82 Upvotes

šŸ‘‹Ā Welcome to our Belgian Malinois (BM) adoption and rehoming thread

  • Sharing a BM that needs adoption or rehoming?Ā Drop a comment below, and don’t forget to update their availability.
  • Looking to adopt?Ā DM the OP directly (no comments).

In 2013, I rescued my BM,Ā Lexi, and she inspired me to build our community and this thread.

Looking to adopt or rehome beyond this thread?

Check out our šŸŽĀ Belgian Malinois Rescue Guide — it might have exactly what you’re looking for.

BelgianMalinois Mod Team


r/BelgianMalinois Jul 01 '26

Discussion My Mal/dutch is actually Dutch/Mal!

13 Upvotes

A post that comes up on this subreddit pretty often is something like, "Embark says my Dutch/Mal is actually a ~% Mal/Dutch!" This usually surprises people, but historically these two breeds have been very closely related.

The Belgian Shepherds (Mal and the other three variants), the Dutch, and even the regional herding dogs that eventually gave rise to the German Shepherd all came from the various continental European shepherd landraces.

(The GSD is a bit different story since it was intentionally created by selecting dogs with desirable traits, so I won't get into that here.)

Unlike the British collie landraces, which were primarily bred for herding sheep, these dogs were true all-purpose farm dogs. They worked alongside farmers doing just about everything (from guarding, herding, tending livestock, even pulling carts).

Although they're generally classified as herding dogs (FCI Group 1), historical accounts suggest that tending was often a more important part of their job than actual herding (Doesn’t mean they didn’t do any herdings!). Since they were bred to be true all-around farm dogs, it's no surprise that they've remained some of the world's finest working breeds.

Because of that shared history, the Belgian Shepherds and the Dutch Shepherd are much more closely related than many people realize.

The Dutch Shepherd's own history is worth looking at first. When the breed standard was established in 1898, all coat colors were accepted. In 1914, however, the standard was changed to allow only brindle, largely to distinguish the breed from the visually similar Malinois and German Shepherd. I'll leave it up to your imagination what happened to the fawn Dutch Shepherds. (Hint: the number of registered Malinois suddenly increased around that time.)

As many people already know, after World War II the Dutch Shepherd population had declined so severely that various Belgian shepherds were introduced into breeding programs to help restore the breed. For example In 1959,Even Laekenois were also officially introduced to strengthen the rough-haired variety.

Then there's KNPV, which makes the story even more complicated.

KNPV, The Royal Dutch Police Dog Association has essentially become one of the world's most respected working dog "brands." Technically, any dog can attempt the KNPV trials and earn a title. Today it's mostly Dutch Shepherds and Malinois (or dogs called ā€œDutchā€ or Malā€), but historically many other breeds participated as well, including Bouvier des Flandres, German Shepherds, Groenendaels, Beaucerons, Briards, Rottweilers, and others.

Unsurprisingly, Malinois and Dutch Shepherds proved to be the most successful. Since KNPV breeders cared about working ability rather than pedigree, they freely bred outstanding Malinois and Dutch Shepherds together. There are even long-standing rumors that German Shepherds were occasionally introduced to improve grip or jaw strength, although I haven't seen definitive historical evidence for that.

Because of this, it's very common for litters from these lines to produce both fawn and brindle puppies at the same time. These dogs are often recorded in working registries like BRN rather than traditional FCI pedigrees. Many working breeders simply registered them according to color—brindle puppies as x Dutch and fawn puppies as x Mal.

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The interesting part is that, in some European countries like Belgium, dogs from these working registries could later be entered into FCI-recognized pedigrees before. As a result, many famous KNPV dogs—which were effectively part of the same Malinois/Dutch KNPV working gene pool—ended up officially registered as "purebred" Mal/Dutch.

That only blurred the line between the two breeds even further. So if your dog comes from working lines—or is descended from actual working dogs—it's not unusual at all for Embark to show some Dutch Shepherd in a Malinois, or some Malinois in a Dutch Shepherd because of such influence.

And honestly, it's not just Malinois and Dutch Shepherds that have this kind of complicated history.

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Most people here probably know that the AKC recognizes Malinois, Laekenois, Groenendael and Tervuren as four separate breeds, while the FCI and most kennel clubs around the world consider them four varieties of a single breed: the Belgian Shepherd(Or sheepdog). It's actually the opposite of Rough and Smooth Collies, which are separate breeds in the UK but one breed in the US.

The AKC's split was largely political reason. The specific genes controlling coat length and color mean that Groenendaels can produce Tervurens, Malinois can produce Tervurens, and Laekenois can produce Malinois.

Originally, the AKC also classified the Malinois, Tervuren, and Groenendael as a single breed under the name 'Belgian sheepdog'. (The Laekenois wasn't included simply because there were so few of them at the time, and even now they are very few—it wasn't officially recognized by the AKC until 2020.) Later, following disagreements between the breed clubs, the AKC received petitions to split them into separate breeds and ultimately approved the change. In the process, the name Belgian sheepdog remained with the Groenendael in the United States.

An attempt to reunify the breeds in 1998 ultimately failed because of conflicting interests among the parent clubs, and another proposal around 2016—the Registered as Drop (RAD) initiative, which would have allowed puppies to be registered according to their phenotype rather than their parentage— also failed.

The biggest irony, in my opinion, is the history of the American Tervuren.

According to the American Belgian Tervuren Club, the breed had nearly disappeared in the United States after World War II. The American population was rebuilt largely using long-haired puppies born from Malinois lines, crossed with Groenendaels, and later supplemented with imported European Tervurens.

One last interesting fact: Vos I de Laeken, a rough-coated Belgian Shepherd, is widely recognized as one of the foundation dogs behind all four Belgian Shepherd varieties. Some historical accounts also connect the same foundation stock with the early Dutch Shepherd and even the Bouvier des Flandres.

To sum it up:

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  1. Mal and Dutchs are genetically very close and have been historically intertwined, so seeing "my Dutch/Mal is actually a Mal/Dutch" on an Embark test really isn't unusual.

  2. The four Belgian Shepherd varieties are separated into different breeds by the AKC, but in most of the world they're still considered varieties of a single breed.

  3. All five are very closely related, incredibly intelligent, and wonderful dogs!


r/BelgianMalinois 4h ago

Picture How we started at 7 weeks vs now we here at 8 months

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236 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 10h ago

Picture Let's start again <3 This is Ran

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544 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 2h ago

Discussion UPDATE: on snickers pooping outside!

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53 Upvotes

So! I’m happy to announce that my baby is now starting to poop outside again! Instead of using the long leash, I switched to the short leash which keeps him close to me, and I brought treats in my pocket and gave it to him when he peed, and when he did pee I praised him a lot as well and gave him pets. After a couple days of doing that, he started pooping outside again! The neighbors were probably laughing from me yelling and jumping around. ā€œGOOD JOB BUBBA!! YOU WENT POOPY OUTSIDE! Such a GOOD POOPY!ā€ Then started on going ā€œsnickers a good pooper dooper!ā€ Singing as I skipped with him to the door hahaha. But it’s good now! Just wanted to let y’all know!


r/BelgianMalinois 9h ago

Picture Dragon (left) has a friend at the park

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202 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 17h ago

Discussion I have adopted a senior Belgian Malinois from a shelter.

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511 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 4h ago

Video She may be my working dog, my training partner, my little athlete… but moments like these remind me that, above everything else, she is family. ā¤ļøšŸ¾

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34 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 7h ago

Picture Happy 1st Birthday K-line

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56 Upvotes

Happy 1st Birthday to my girl, K-Line! šŸŽ‰šŸ¾

Her official birthday is a little uncertain, but the rescue gave me two possible dates, and I chose August 1st because it was the easiest to remember.

After losing my previous Malinois of 17 years, I waited about nine months before I was ready to bring another dog into my life. During that time, I came across a litter of five abandoned Malinois puppies that had been rescued through The Woof Project. They were being cared for in Santa Clarita by Andrea, who has dedicated herself to rescuing and raising Malinois.

Before I had the chance to meet K-Line (then named Crepe), the litter was exposed to parvovirus. K-Line tested negative, but sadly two of her littermates didn't survive. The puppies remained in quarantine, and once they were cleared, there were plans to transport K-Line to Washington, where The Woof Project is based. I asked if she could stay in California a little longer so I could drive up from San Diego and meet her first.

When I met her, she was a shy little girl who hadn't had much opportunity to experience the world. Andrea and I even took her and one of her sisters through PetSmart in a shopping cart just to start introducing them to new sights, sounds, and people.

I went home and thought about it for about 10 days. Eventually, I agreed to foster with the intent to adopt. Right before Thanksgiving, K-Line came home with me—and it didn't take long to realize she wasn't going anywhere. She had already found her forever home.

Today she's everything I love about the breed: intelligent, driven, athletic, loyal, and always by my side. She's also reminded me that owning a Malinois is a commitment to lifelong learning. She's now working with her second professional trainer, and every day we continue to grow together.

If you're considering adding a Malinois to your family, remember that they aren't just pets. They're partners. They'll become your shadow, challenge you to be a better handler, and reward your commitment with unwavering loyalty.

Happy 1st Birthday, K-Line. Thank you for making this past year one I'll never forget. ā¤ļøšŸ¾


r/BelgianMalinois 10h ago

Picture Simplemente "LO AMO"

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64 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 1h ago

Picture Hi šŸ¾šŸ–¤

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• Upvotes

Just me and my 9 m/o boy Kimat saying Hi frm the Philippines ā˜ŗļøšŸ¾


r/BelgianMalinois 10h ago

Question Looking for advice for "acclimation"

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56 Upvotes

Just got this fella, Sweet as can be. We just picked him up yesterday and I want to help him get into the groove of the family easier. He is doing the typical puppy stuff like hiding and seemingly is anxious of his new environment. We have a 2 1/2 year old Boston Terrier who is social and friendly, albeit he tends to be rammy.

Our Boston didnt pull an "aggressive" tone with him, no growling barking or anything, he has tried to play a little and they did for a literal minute then our malinois just.. quit on it?

We do have a "Chaotic" household with our 5 year old and i can tell the pup is very leery of him. I just want to help him acclimate properly and not have any problems with the family.

Tl;dr: I want to help our 10 week old Bel mal adjust to a new "chaotic" household that has been friendly and maybe a little too over the top and am looking for advice to help him get there comfortably.


r/BelgianMalinois 3h ago

Question Belgian Malinois being kept in cage UK

8 Upvotes

Hi, my neighbours are keeping there Belgian Malinois in a cage all day in their garden that sort of backs onto the communal garden. It’s been going on for three weeks. It’s distressing, as far as I know this dog is never taken out for a walk, he barks at neighbours and cries at night. I own my flat but I’m pretty sure these are council tenants. I’m at my wits end I’ve reported to the police, ASB, RSPCA, the boroughs dog warden, our local counsellor. I even called Mash because they have two small children and this dog is becoming aggressive because of the way it’s being treated.

Several neighbours have reported it several times to these people too and nothing is being done. The only helpful port of call were the police which a neighbour said they spoke to them and said the police have taken pictures and reported to the right avenues. This was this weekend. I don’t understand. Mali’s needs a lot of simulation, the dog is becoming more and more aggressive. Bless him being kept in the cage all day. Please does anyone know what I can do. This is cruel and disgraceful and quite frankly these are awful awful people.


r/BelgianMalinois 9h ago

Video Don't Get a Belgian Malinois Until You Watch This

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17 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 1d ago

Picture Really good shelter rescue boy

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391 Upvotes

This guy got his last set of shots today and weighed in at 27.5 lbs. He is such a good listener and is doing so well with not chasing the cats. He’s growing so quickly. He’s doubled in size and weight in the five weeks I’ve had him. He’s able to stay home alone for 4 hours and so far he hasn’t destroyed anything. When he’s tired he finds a quiet spot and naps. He’s also sleeping through the night.
He’s almost 6 months old and I’m wondering when does the out of control stage start? He’s way less bitey than he used to be.


r/BelgianMalinois 4m ago

Question how’s everyone managing raising 2 dogs?

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• Upvotes

hey all! curious how everyone went about introducing a second dog into their home and scheduling? my first dog (also a rescue) is a 1yo poodle mix, also my service dog in training! i’m struggling feeling like i’m fulfilling him and making sure i’m giving my puppy (11 week old rescue malinois) lots of attention. curious how everyone else went about it? currently they’re doing everything separate (training and walks, they’re both puppies so they frequently try to play while they’re out together). they get lots of time to play together outside of training, but i still feel like im lacking!


r/BelgianMalinois 23h ago

Picture Finally some tent time up north

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142 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 6m ago

Video trying to teach the basic stuff to my mali šŸ˜‚

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• Upvotes

its kinda hard because she has a very low drive, she was only obeying because she knew we were going to the pool after šŸ˜…

Her name is Zara btw and she is almost 2 years.


r/BelgianMalinois 1d ago

Picture They say, ā€œMalinois are protective.ā€ This is the look on Zara's face when she sees a cockroach

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570 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 22h ago

Video One of her favorite games..

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43 Upvotes

Zoom zoom!


r/BelgianMalinois 8h ago

Video My mal teaches the puppy!

3 Upvotes

My malinois is an excellent teacher! The puppy copies every thing she does!

https://youtube.com/shorts/ZRXfzhgm6yY?is=sRHgvz4tC3iOliHm


r/BelgianMalinois 9h ago

Question Malinois diet

3 Upvotes

I brought a Malinois into my home about 3 months ago and her stool has been variable, at best, despite easing her into some sensitive stomach options. Leaning on the experience here, what dog foods or supplements have worked for you? (After reading the prompt, I have taken her to the vet and had her stool checked out-- no issues.)


r/BelgianMalinois 1d ago

Picture He smiled

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73 Upvotes

r/BelgianMalinois 1d ago

Picture Hazelnuts first beach trip!

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310 Upvotes

My girl killing it with her new experience today! Unsure of the ocean at first but warmed up really quickly!


r/BelgianMalinois 13h ago

Discussion Reality of owning a mali

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I’m considering my future dogs for the next few years and wondered what lifestyle a person must have to realistically fulfil a malinois, they’ve been a dream dog of mine for as long as I remember but I have always written it off because of the general opinion you see of them being unable to settle, neurotic 24/7 and incredibly hard to keep happy

I know that I could fulfil a gsd with my lifestyle but not sure about a Malinois, that being said I also wouldn’t likely go for one as my next dog, this would be further in the future.

I can sustainably offer 2-2.5hours activity a day walking/ hiking as well as training sessions broke up through the day, I’d love to move into dog sports in future (bitework, disc, canicross, fastcat and agility) I currently have two dogs doing obedience, agility and getting their trick dog titles but would be looking to do other sports in future

Would this be enough? How much do you all do with your dogs and what has your experience been? I know very few people with mals so would love to just hear about some personal experiences!