The
Belgian Sheepdog is a square dog with an impressively proud
carriage, agile, strong, and very alert. Well proportioned and
elegant, the male stands 24 to 26 inches, the female 22 to 24
inches. The head is strong and well proportioned to
body. The eyes are medium in size and almond shaped, never
protruding. The ears are triangular and erect, never
semi-prick or hanging. The neck is round and long enough to
allow for proud carriage of the head. The withers are slightly
higher and slope into the back; the top line is level and straight;
the chest is deep but not broad. The abdomen is neither tucked
up nor paunchy. The croup is medium long and sloping.
The forelegs are strong and parallel; hind legs are also parallel
and of good substance, with oval bone rather than round. Feet
slightly elongated. The tail is strong, never cropped or
stump. Coat is characteristically short, straight, hard, and
weather-proof, with a dense undercoat; somewhat longer around neck
to form a collarette, as well as on the tail and back of thighs.
The color is rich fawn to mahogany with black hair tips to create an
overlay.
The Malinois, a
versatile and attractive herding dog appears a great deal like the
German Shepherd dog, which has been its blessing and its curse,
since it will never escape being in the shadow of the popular German
Shepherd. Its lesser popularity makes it a viable choice for
people who are not inclined to find a top notch German Shepherd or
who want a hard-as-nails guard dog. Nonetheless, the Malinois
has many wonderful virtues to offer an owner. He is
protective, strong, affectionate and trustworthy with children,
obedient and overall quite undemanding.
