Page 234 - Showsight January 2013

LIVING WITH THE
Belgian Malinois
By Ann MacKay
At first glance, the Bel-
gian Malinois may seem
an unremarkable, rustic
dog in an unglamorous
short coat. But take a
closer look. You won’t
have to go further than their inquisitive,
sparkling eyes to see there is a whole lot
more under that plain brown fur!
A friend described the Malinois this
way: “The Malinois is the Ferrari of the
dog world: built for sport, powerful and
instantly responsive to expert handling.
But you can go right through the guardrail
and over a cliff if you are a poor driver.”
Intrigued? I hope so! Please allow me
to introduce that exotic sports edition
amongst dog breeds, the Belgian Malinois.
The Belgian Malinois is known in its
country of origin as a variety of the Belgian
Shepherd Dog, along with its cousins, the
Tervuren, Groenendael and Laekenois. It is
distinguished by its business-like attire—a
short, wash and wear type of coat.
In Belgium, April 1892, the newly
formed Club du Chien de Berger Belge
approved a written standard for the native
herding dog of Belgium, as written by Pro-
fessor Adolphe Reul. This standard defined
it as a breed with three varieties: long hair,
rough hair and short hair. It wasn’t until
1909 that the designation “Malinois” was
used in an official show catalog to describe
the shorthaired variety.
In May 1892, the first sheep trials
in continental Europe were held in the
markets of Cureghem-Brussels, Belgium.
However, because of market conditions,
the sheep population was rapidly declin-
ing in Belgium. Sheep-herding skills were
becoming less valuable. Fortunately, the
Belgian Shepherd Dog had already attract-
ed many admirers, and new tests were
designed to feature their talents. The first
“dressage” trial showcasing the working
talents of the Belgian Shepherd Dog took
place in Malines, Belgium in July 1903.
The Belgian Shepherd Dog, especially
the Malinois, has enjoyed a reputation
for its marvelous intellect and trainability
ever since.
Like many herding breeds, the Belgian
Malinois is known for is athleticism, intel-
ligence and trainability. They’re brilliant,
exuberant dogs that thrive on living and
working with its owner.
In his book A Hundred Years of His-
tory of the Belgian Shepherd Dog, noted
breed historian Jean-Marie Vanbutsele
said “The Belgian Shepherd Dog pos-
sesses a particularity of the breed concern-
ing its behaviour: it is characterized by a
greater sensitivity than any other breeds;
it is a hyper-affectionate. This feature is
expressed in its relation with its master.”
He goes on to quote another breed author-
230 • ShowSight Magazine, January 2013