# German Shepherd vs. Belgian Malinois



## Krystina476 (May 28, 2017)

Hello! I am new to this so I apologize if I am posting this in the wrong place, and if so please redirect me! 

However, I recently adopted this beautiful 7 month boy and I was told by the original breeder that he is a German Shepherd pure bred (and it says this on his "birth certificate"). But..... the more I look at him the more I see him as Belgian Malinois. Maybe he is a mix. I just wanted to get some other people's opinions on this, if anyone is an expertise in this category 

I have grown up with German Shepherds and none of them compare to the amount of energy this boy has. He is currently 7 months and around 60 pounds. 

Do you guys think he may be a mix as well? Thanks in advance!


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## Nigel (Jul 10, 2012)

I see German shepherd. Energy levels vary within the breed.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

I really don't see malinois in there. His head doesn't have the refinement, ears are a bit bigger, rear leg has more angulation and the body doesn't have the proportions of the malinois. His coloring is a bit dilute so his black nose and eyes gives the appearance of a malinois. He looks like a GSD. Many GSDs can be very high energy.


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## MyHans-someBoy (Feb 23, 2013)

I really don't see Malinois either. He looks like a cute, gangly, teenage German Shepherd to me. At 7 months he's not filled out and I bet when he is an adult, he'll look ALL German Shepherd.
Do you have him involved in any classes or sports? The best way to deplete some of that energy is by making them use their brain. The more physical exercise you give them, the more conditioned they get and the more they require, etc.
Good luck with him. I bet he's a lot of fun!


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

Welcome to the forum! He looks like a young GSD to me.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

All GSD. No Malinois.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

It can be tough to tell sometimes for sure. His facial structure screams GSD. He is by no means pure bred mal that is for sure. I have a GSD/mal mix and he looks like this









He could easily pass for purebred GSD, so sometimes it is hard to tell.


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## DutchKarin (Nov 23, 2013)

Hey Baillif would be cool to have a couple comparison photos with Crank and your GSD/Mal mix.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)




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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

The most telling differences are in the muzzles usually. There are some purebred malinois out there with very GSD like faces but it is pretty rare. They generally have shorter muzzles with a straighter steeper angle to them. The ears are usually shorter on a mal than a GSD too but that isn't necessarily the case.










Malinois usually have a more square look to them rather than the longer GSD bodies but also not necessarily the case. Straight toplines and not much angulation.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Old picture of Zebu but there you can see the GSD muzzle.


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

The dog in the OP is a GSD, not a malinois. Not a cross, either.


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## Baillif (Jun 26, 2013)

Slamdunc said:


> The dog in the OP is a GSD, not a malinois. Not a cross, either.


I would concur


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

Baillif said:


>


Nice looking dogs and an excellent example of a Malinois and a GSD X Malinois cross. 

We have several Malinois and GSD X Malinois crosses in our K-9 unit. Super dogs, I really like the X's.


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## Gunnertheterrorist (Jul 15, 2017)

Here's my boy, the vet thought he was a Belgian when he was a pup but now he looks like a Shepherd. What do you all think? Possibly mixed?


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## ausdland (Oct 21, 2015)

v Looks like all GSD to me.


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## Drodes (Dec 26, 2015)

beautiful boy! i agree: gsd!


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

"Nice looking dogs and an excellent example of a Malinois and a GSD X Malinois cross. 

We have several Malinois and GSD X Malinois crosses in our K-9 unit. Super dogs, I really like the X's."




@Slamdunc, I'd love to know the traits you are liking in the GSD X Mal.


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## lovivi (Jul 16, 2017)

What a beautiful dog! Your doggy is definitely not a pure German Shepherd. It is much bigger, slimmer and right - he looks more like Belgian Malinois.


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## Deb (Nov 20, 2010)

I was about to write the same thing. What are the traits you like about the mixes. Do you find them better at K9 work?


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

*


gsdluvr said:



"Nice looking dogs and an excellent example of a Malinois and a GSD X Malinois cross. 

We have several Malinois and GSD X Malinois crosses in our K-9 unit. Super dogs, I really like the X's."




@Slamdunc, I'd love to know the traits you are liking in the GSD X Mal.

Click to expand...

I was about to write the same thing. What are the traits you like about the mixes. Do you find them better at K9 work?*

I've personally trained 4 GSD X Mali crosses over the past 2 years for my PD in the patrol schools that I instruct. Starting with dogs that were from 9 months to a year when we started. All the dogs certified and hit the streets running, each dog has had tracks to apprehensions in their first week on the street. 

I've also trained GSD's and Malinois in the school. What do I like about the X's? They have a lot of traits that the GSD's lack these days, with out some of the malinois issues. They all have been exceptional hard surface trackers. High prey drive, high fight drive, but not over the top defense. Very social when not turned "on". They are also "civil" and will engage for real with little provocation or stimulus. Not handler sensitive like some Malinois can be, but also not going to take unfair corrections. They need to be trained a little differently than a GSD, but are clear headed like a GSD and not overly frantic or hectic in drive. Very driven and will jump through a hoop of fire to get a decoy, just like a Malinois. Doesn't overly "think" things like a GSD might, which I find to be a big negative for what I do and want. I find the mentality that GSD are thinking dogs to be a drawback to a real working dog. IME, and for what I do, to much "thinking" can be a form of avoidance and a sign of a softer temperament. Problem solving is one thing, working independently is a plus. Over thinking, confusion or hesitancy is an issue. When I say go, search or bite, I expect the dog to do exactly that. The X's do it very nicely. With the clear head of a nice GSD and the drive of a nice Malinois. 

Just my opinion after training several and working with and decoying for a whole lot more. For LE work and sport they are really nice dogs. If I could go out to our vendors and consistently find GSD's like my recently retired GSD, Boomer, that is all we would have. Unfortunately, they are hard to find, I always look, and would a choose a GSD with his temperament, nerves, and drive over a Malinois, Dutch Shepherd or X. What I am seeing as being the next best thing to Boomer is a X, very similar in working ability.


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

@Slamdunc, I kind of thought that's what you would say. I also have come to the conclusion, a so-called "thinking dog". is probably just soft.

I wonder how consistently the crosses produce this ideal mix? Hopefully often!


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## Slamdunc (Dec 6, 2007)

@gsdluvr,
We have been pretty lucky with them so far. I have seen quite a few nice dogs from other PD's as well. 

Problem solving and working independently is a positive trait, thinking too much, IMHO is not always a positive.


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## gsdluvr (Jun 26, 2012)

thinking too much, IMHO is not always a positive"

IMHO, agreed!


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## LoboFloppyEars (Oct 15, 2016)

I knew someone who lived in my apartments that has a GSD Mal cross. She was bred for the military and failed due to the fact that she was scared of gunfire.

As far as looks go her body seemed to resemble that of a Mal, and her size and coat style looks like that of a GSD. She's tan colored. Has a black mask but her head looks like that of a GSD.

When it comes to temperament the dog appeared to be mellow and relaxed. Was very obedient too. This dog obviously came trained with her obedience and possibly has her bite work down too. However according to the owner she does not get tired at all when outside. She can hike for miles and just walk and walk without slowing down one bit. She also listens to him very well.

I guess that's where the upside is with this dog and this cross as a whole. I mean I don't know how the rest of these dogs are but she appears to have the calmness of a GSD and the workability of a Mal. I envy this dude, people pay tens of thousands of dollars for a dog like this and he got her for a small adoption fee as she was surrendered to our shelter.


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