Working Breed Standard
The below provided breed standard is supplied by the American Working Malinois Association. We believe this standard best describes the qualities and character of a working Belgian Malinois
General AppearanceThe Malinois (mechelaar) is an elegant, well-proportioned, medium-sized, square dog. By his majestic carriage and harmony of form, the Malinois gives this impression of elegant robustness. He is a hardy individual, accustomed to living in the open air and built to resist inclement weather and the atmospheric changes so frequent in the Belgium climate. His elegance and expression denote great strength of character, making him a proud representative of the herding breeds.
CharacteristicsThe Malinois was developed in Belgium as a herding dog to work sheep. he is enthusiastic and remarkably quick. He shows a natural tendency to be in motion. The Malinois was developed for endurance. He must be able to move and tend the flock all day and to guard it from all invaders. In addition to his inborn ability as guardian of the flocks, he is an exceptional watchdog and a tenacious and brave defender of his master and family. He is vigilant, and highly responsive to his owner's direction. He is alert, intelligent and inquisitive. While he is firmly loyal to those he knows and loves, he typically exhibits reserve with strangers.
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Head
The head is finely chiseled, long without exaggeration, and lean. The skull and muzzle are approximately the same length with, at most, a very slight advantage for the muzzle; which gives the whole head a finished expression.
Fault: Too broad or too heavy a head; or a too pointed, foxy head.
Skull: Medium width in proportion to the length of the head. The forehead is more flat then round. The occiput is not accentuated. Seen in profile, the upper line of the skull is parallel to an imaginary line drawn from the muzzle.
Muzzle: Of approximately equal length to the length of the skull, narrowing gradually toward the nose. The upper line of the muzzle is straight; and seen in profile it is parallel to an imaginary line drawn from the skull. The mouth is well split. When the mouth is open, the corners are drawn well back and are in line with the eyes. The muzzle is well-chiseled under the eyes.
Stop: Moderate.
Faults: Excessive, or lack of, stop.
Nose: Black, with well-opened nostrils.
Fault: Lack of external pigmentation.
Lips: Thin in texture, well-tightened, strongly pigmented, not allowing the red of the mucous membranes to show when closed.
Fault: Lack of external pigmentation.
Cheeks: Clean and flat, although very muscular.
Eyes: Medium size, neither prominent nor deep set. Almond in shape, brown in color, preferably dark. Their look is direct, lively, intelligent and questioning. The eyelids are edged in black.
Fault: Very light or round eyes.
Ears: High set, triangular, carried well-pricked. The ears are small to medium and in proportion to the length of the head and the size of the dog. The concavity of the ear is well-curved at the base. The base of the ear does not come below an imaginary line drawn from the corner of the eye.
Dentition: Jaws are well-developed.
Fault: Too broad or too heavy a head; or a too pointed, foxy head.
Skull: Medium width in proportion to the length of the head. The forehead is more flat then round. The occiput is not accentuated. Seen in profile, the upper line of the skull is parallel to an imaginary line drawn from the muzzle.
Muzzle: Of approximately equal length to the length of the skull, narrowing gradually toward the nose. The upper line of the muzzle is straight; and seen in profile it is parallel to an imaginary line drawn from the skull. The mouth is well split. When the mouth is open, the corners are drawn well back and are in line with the eyes. The muzzle is well-chiseled under the eyes.
Stop: Moderate.
Faults: Excessive, or lack of, stop.
Nose: Black, with well-opened nostrils.
Fault: Lack of external pigmentation.
Lips: Thin in texture, well-tightened, strongly pigmented, not allowing the red of the mucous membranes to show when closed.
Fault: Lack of external pigmentation.
Cheeks: Clean and flat, although very muscular.
Eyes: Medium size, neither prominent nor deep set. Almond in shape, brown in color, preferably dark. Their look is direct, lively, intelligent and questioning. The eyelids are edged in black.
Fault: Very light or round eyes.
Ears: High set, triangular, carried well-pricked. The ears are small to medium and in proportion to the length of the head and the size of the dog. The concavity of the ear is well-curved at the base. The base of the ear does not come below an imaginary line drawn from the corner of the eye.
Dentition: Jaws are well-developed.
Neck
The neck is distinct. The neck is slightly elongated and muscular, without throatiness, widening gradually towards the shoulders. The nape is very slightly arched.
Forequarters
The Malinois has a solid skeletal structure, lean with strong musculature.
Shoulders: The shoulder blades are long and sloping, secure and flatly attached, forming with the upper arm (humerus) an angle sufficient to insure the free movement of the elbows.
Arms: The upper arms lie close to the body. They move in a direction parallel to the longitudinal (lengthwise) axis of the body. The dog single track as speed increases.
Forearms: Long and well-muscled. Pasterns (metacarpal bones) - Short, strong and slightly sloping.
Fore Feet: round. The toes are curved and quite compact. The pads are dens and elastic. The nails are dark and strong.
Shoulders: The shoulder blades are long and sloping, secure and flatly attached, forming with the upper arm (humerus) an angle sufficient to insure the free movement of the elbows.
Arms: The upper arms lie close to the body. They move in a direction parallel to the longitudinal (lengthwise) axis of the body. The dog single track as speed increases.
Forearms: Long and well-muscled. Pasterns (metacarpal bones) - Short, strong and slightly sloping.
Fore Feet: round. The toes are curved and quite compact. The pads are dens and elastic. The nails are dark and strong.
Body
The body is powerful without heaviness. The length, measured from the point of the shoulder to the end of the rump is approximately equal to the height at the withers. In bitches, the length can go slightly beyond the height of the withers.
Breast: Seen from the front, the breast is not too broad, without being narrow.
Chest: Not too broad, but in compensation, deep and inclined. The thoracic cage is encircled by ribs which are arched in the upper part, but flat on the sides.
Withers: Accentuated.
Back and Loins: The back and lumbar/loin region are straight, broad and powerfully muscled and short.
Croup: Very slightly sloped. Broad without exaggeration.
Abdomen: Moderately, developed, neither hanging (paunchy) nor tucked up. It prolongs, in a harmonious curve, the line under the chest.
Breast: Seen from the front, the breast is not too broad, without being narrow.
Chest: Not too broad, but in compensation, deep and inclined. The thoracic cage is encircled by ribs which are arched in the upper part, but flat on the sides.
Withers: Accentuated.
Back and Loins: The back and lumbar/loin region are straight, broad and powerfully muscled and short.
Croup: Very slightly sloped. Broad without exaggeration.
Abdomen: Moderately, developed, neither hanging (paunchy) nor tucked up. It prolongs, in a harmonious curve, the line under the chest.
Hindquarters
Powerful without heaviness. The legs are perpendicular to the ground, moving in the same plane as the forequarters. The dog single tracks as speed increases.
Thighs: Broad and well-muscled.
Stifle: Long, broad, well-muscled and moderately angulated, without exaggeration.
Hocks: The hocks should be short, broad and muscled. Seen from the rear, they will be perfectly parallel (to each other).
Rear Pasterns (Metatarsal Bones): Solid and short. Dewclaws, if present, should be removed.
Hind Feet: Slightly oval, with the toes curved and very compact. Dense and elastic pads. The nails are black and strong.
Tail: The tail is well set and of medium length, extending to the hocks. When at ease, the dog carries it higher and accentuates the curve towards the tip, without at any time forming a hook or a deviation. (The tail is held without deviating from the center line).
Faults: Tail carried too high, hooked or carried outside the median line.
Thighs: Broad and well-muscled.
Stifle: Long, broad, well-muscled and moderately angulated, without exaggeration.
Hocks: The hocks should be short, broad and muscled. Seen from the rear, they will be perfectly parallel (to each other).
Rear Pasterns (Metatarsal Bones): Solid and short. Dewclaws, if present, should be removed.
Hind Feet: Slightly oval, with the toes curved and very compact. Dense and elastic pads. The nails are black and strong.
Tail: The tail is well set and of medium length, extending to the hocks. When at ease, the dog carries it higher and accentuates the curve towards the tip, without at any time forming a hook or a deviation. (The tail is held without deviating from the center line).
Faults: Tail carried too high, hooked or carried outside the median line.
Size
The desirable size for males is 23-26 1/2 inches. The desirable size for females is 21-24 1/2 inches.
Gait
The gait is ground-covering, effortless an seemingly tireless. The Belgian Shepherd Dog is usually in motion and is capable of working livestock all day. Because he was developed as a herding dog, and because of his exuberant temperament, he tends to move in circles around his owner rather than in a straight line.
Coat
The hair should be rich and dense, giving good protection against wet and cold. The undercoat is very dense, corresponding with climatic conditions. The hair must always be abundant, dense and of good texture, forming with the woolly undercoat an excellent protective covering. The hair should be short on the head, the exterior of the ears and the lower parts of the legs. Short on the rest of the body, thicker on the tail and around the neck, where it forms a slight collarette beginning at the base of the ear and extending to the throat. In addition, the hindquarters should be fringed, with longer hair. The coat should be thick, close and of good firm texture with a woolly undercoat. The coat should conform to the body without standing out or hanging down. The distribution of hair on the tail simulates that seen o on ears of wheat.
Faults: Lack of sufficient undercoat to form a double coat. Wavy hair, Too long hair.
Faults: Lack of sufficient undercoat to form a double coat. Wavy hair, Too long hair.
Colors
Short-haired charcoal, other than black with a dark mask. The small to moderate white patch is permitted on the chest, and the tips of the toes may be white. White or gray frosting on the muzzle is acceptable.
Body: Fawn or Sable (all the gamut of colors through beige to gray), with charcoaling. the coat is characteristically double pigmented, wherein the tip of each hair is blackened. On mature males this darkening is especially pronounced on the shoulders, back and rib section. The underparts of the body, tail and culottes are cream, gray or light beige. The coat characteristically becomes darker with increasing age. Allowance should be made for female and young males. The tail typically has darker tips.
Faults: Lack of charcoaling at maturity. Excessive charcoaling tending to a black saddle, black in patches.
Face: The face has a black mask. The preferred mask is well pronounced, stretching to unite the upper and lower lips, the corners of the mouth, and they eyelids in a single dark zone. The ears are mostly dark. An open mask or mostly black head is acceptable.
Faults: Minimal Mask.
Body: Fawn or Sable (all the gamut of colors through beige to gray), with charcoaling. the coat is characteristically double pigmented, wherein the tip of each hair is blackened. On mature males this darkening is especially pronounced on the shoulders, back and rib section. The underparts of the body, tail and culottes are cream, gray or light beige. The coat characteristically becomes darker with increasing age. Allowance should be made for female and young males. The tail typically has darker tips.
Faults: Lack of charcoaling at maturity. Excessive charcoaling tending to a black saddle, black in patches.
Face: The face has a black mask. The preferred mask is well pronounced, stretching to unite the upper and lower lips, the corners of the mouth, and they eyelids in a single dark zone. The ears are mostly dark. An open mask or mostly black head is acceptable.
Faults: Minimal Mask.
Faults
Bitchy looking dogs. The Malinois is a herding dog, and faults that affect his ability to work livestock in all types of climatic changes should be particularly penalized.
Disqualifications
Extreme Viciousness or shyness.
under or over shot of bite.
Drooping or hanging ears.
Solid white markings elsewhere then on tips of toes, chest, or frosting of muzzle.
Absence of or docked tail.
Males under 23 or over 26 1/2 inches. Females under 21 or over 24 1/2 inches.
Absence of black on one or more of the following points: Ear bases, eyebrows, sides of muzzle and under jaw.
under or over shot of bite.
Drooping or hanging ears.
Solid white markings elsewhere then on tips of toes, chest, or frosting of muzzle.
Absence of or docked tail.
Males under 23 or over 26 1/2 inches. Females under 21 or over 24 1/2 inches.
Absence of black on one or more of the following points: Ear bases, eyebrows, sides of muzzle and under jaw.