Belgium Malinois Shepherd Description:
The Belgium Malinois Shepherd has a square body and a noble, agile, intelligent and strong look to it. This dog is well proportionate and very elegant. The male's height is around sixty to sixty-six centimeters and females are around fifty-six to sixty centimeters. This dog has a strong looking head that is proportionate with the body. It has medium sized, almond shaped eyes that should not stick or bulge out. The ears should be triangular and straight, not fallen. The neck is rounded and should be long enough to give the dog a proud look when it walks. The wichers is slightly higher and descends towards the back; the superior line should be leveled and straight. The chest should look long but not wide. The abdomen should not retract nor should it look like it is hanging down. The hindquarters have a medium length and descend. The front legs are strong and should be parallel; the hind legs should also be parallel, have good substance, and the bones should have an oval shape rather than round. The feet normally have a rounded shape to them as well. The tail on this dog should look strong, not too short, and should not be docked. The coat should be short, straight, wiry and impermeable, and the undercoat should feel dense; the hair around its neck should be somewhat longer and form a collar around it as well as in the back part of its thighs. The color of this dog is carbon golden brown with a black mask. Ideal owner:
This dog is very versatile and attractive; it looks somewhat like a German shepherd and is often times confused for one. Its popularity has turned it into an alternative for people that are not willing to go after a superior quality German shepherd, or for those that are looking for an excellent guard dog. This dog does however have a lot of fantastic virtues to offer its owners: it is protective, strong, affectionate, and trustworthy with children, obedient and in general does not demand a lot. Growth:
As a puppy the Belgium Malinois Shepherd weighs around 500 grams on average. At eight weeks it should weigh around four and a half kilograms. Growth varies depending on each individual puppy. By eighteen months it usually reaches full physical maturity. If you are looking into getting one of these dogs make sure to avoid getting one that looks too big, it should have a normal medium look to its body. Look for one that has a square and solid body structure. The coat of this dog should be short. The color might vary from light to dark, but the typical black mask and the dark ears are a must and should be evident in this dog. Although there are puppies that have some white on them, an excess amount of white spots, normally on the chest and under the interior part of the legs is a very evident defect. There can be some white over the muzzle that looks like an icing, however this dog will not be able to be used as a show dog. The future owner will need to look after inferior or superior prognathism. The black shade it has on its coat will become more evident as it ages. A young dog will lose its soft puppy coat, which will be substituted for a thick protective coat. The males have a tendency to becoming rebellious and dominating, (not in the case of the females though), but this phase only lasts for a little while and then goes away. Make sure to socialize and train this dog as this will help to turn it into an obedient, loyal, and protective dog by nature.
General health:
Although the Belgium Malinois Shepherd belongs to one of the healthiest and resistant canine families, hip dysphasia has been seen in it. The incidence of this problem however is pretty controlled by reputable breeders. It should supposedly not occur to more than five percent of them. Epilepsy has also been seen in other in other varieties of Belgium shepherds. This breed also has a tendency to being sensitive to vaccines and anesthetics, which will need to be tested by the breeder or veterinarian. Dermatitis might show up during shedding season. The short coat of this dog requires of little brushing, but its demands for training and exercise are very high. Often times this breed will start growing white hair at a young age, starting from the age of two sometimes. The life span of this dog is over fourteen years. | 
