# Question about my german shepherd



## nfoman (Sep 24, 2008)

Hello, last year I went to a trainer and he said that my puppy was a mixed breen german shepherd / belgian melamine. I have not heard of a belgian melamine. I have attached an image of my dog, any suggestions if the type of breed is correct?


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

nfoman said:


> Hello, last year I went to a trainer and he said that my puppy was a mixed breen german shepherd / belgian melamine. I have not heard of a belgian melamine. I have attached an image of my dog, any suggestions if the type of breed is correct?


The correct breed name is Belgian Malinois.


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## AkiraleShiba (Dec 9, 2007)

HE probably said Belgian Malinois. I've never seen a brindle German Sheppard but I think that your dog is stunning


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

the brindle colour in the GSD is a (almost) extinct colour....i don't believe it is even acceptable in the ring but being as i don't show i don't know for certain....a friend/mentor i had when i had my GSD that i did show told me of 2 pups that she had produced in 2 separate litters (same sire/different dams, 1/2 sisters) that were brindles, very much like this one...obviously from recessives in all 3 dogs....

i found this on line:
Rare or Possibly Extinct Colors and Patterns in the GSD
Colors and patterns no longer existing in the breed-to my knowledge,include the blue merle and the brindle. Brindle is considered to be dominant over the agouti pattern, and if this is true, it would have been easy to eliminate the pattern from the breed, either intentionally or unintentionally. Unlike recessives, a dominant genetic color or pattern is either visible or not present at all in that individual. If anyone has photos and pedigrees of these GSDs, either historical or contemporary, please contribute the data to this research.

and this:
10. Brindle B&T
I can't resist mentioning the brindle, which was one of the founding patterns of the breed and seems to have become extinct. The brindling gene affected the tan ground, so that B&T's and bicolours showed a dark striping or marbling (the same effect seen in brindle boxers) over the tan which was not at all unattractive. I wouldn't hazard to guess what a brindle marked sable would look like. Hopefully, if the pattern somehow reappeared, it would not be discarded as atypical. 

(if you want to see the pic of this one go here:
http://www.shawlein.com/The_Standard/07_Colour_&_Pigment/Colour_&_Pigment.html


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

nfoman said:


> Hello, last year I went to a trainer and he said that my puppy was a mixed breen german shepherd / belgian melamine. I have not heard of a belgian melamine. I have attached an image of my dog, any suggestions if the type of breed is correct?


Who cares, this is a great looking dog. If he has the brain that matches his looks you are one lucky rascal.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

I've seen some really really dark sables that look similiar to your dog. They're very stunning. You are lucky.


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

tirluc said:


> (if you want to see the pic of this one go here:
> http://www.shawlein.com/The_Standard/07_Colour_&_Pigment/Colour_&_Pigment.html


The link isn't working for me, but here's the picture incase it's not working for others.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

thanx, animalcracker, i couldn't get the pic up.....


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## animalcraker (Nov 9, 2006)

From what I read on various websites the Malinois does not come in brindle, but the Dutch shepherd does. Also they are different breeds and the Dutch shepherd is becoming increasingly popular especially with police units.

Belgian Malinois








Dutch Shepherd









The website that tirlic linked to has lots of great info on the GSD and *everything* related to them, including pictures and factiods about related breeds. http://www.shawlein.com/ Even if your not into GSD's it's quite a good read thru!


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## nfoman (Sep 24, 2008)

I have added another picture to get a better view. Thank you for the replies.


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## tirluc (Aug 29, 2006)

how about a standing pic?...got any?.....that would also help alot


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## climber (Apr 28, 2008)

Certainly looks like a Dutch Shepherd to me. If it is, it probably does have the brains to match the looks.  

Here are a couple pics of my dutchie for comparison, he was 5 months old in them:


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## GSDGenetics (Mar 20, 2009)

From the best I can tell in the photos, your dog does structurally resemble the Dutch Shepherd more than the German Shepherd. The German Shepherd is a bit longer than tall, and has more angulation front and rear than the Dutch Shepherd. 

Attached are photos of a sable brindle German Shepherd puppy, a descendant of the original brindle bicolor pictured below the sable brindle. The brindle mutation reappeared in the breed a few years ago and I was fortunate enough to have the first brindle, the bicolor brindle pictured below the sable, in my possession for a time. Due to having to relocate, not knowing if I would be able to breed GSD again, and not wanting to deprive the breed of the brindle gene, I let her breeder keep her so she could be used for breeding until I was in a situation more suited to breeding again. She has a number of brindle progeny and descendants. DNA testing confirmed that she and her progeny were definitely brindle GSDs, supposedly the first confirmed recurrence of brindle in the breed in 80 years.


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## jhernandez (Apr 14, 2009)

Mothers and puppies


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

I'd say it's a Dutchie or GSD Dutchie mix...I don't see Malinois at all.


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## Toby4Life (Jun 2, 2008)

This if funny bc I'm considering adopting a dog at a shelter that they think is a dutch shepard mix. I just went and met her today and she seems like a great dog!!

http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=13445962


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## FilleBelle (Aug 1, 2007)

It occurs to me that a Belgian Melamine would be VERY easy to take care of!


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## LeRoymydog (Feb 25, 2007)

Toby4Life said:


> This if funny bc I'm considering adopting a dog at a shelter that they think is a dutch shepard mix. I just went and met her today and she seems like a great dog!!
> 
> http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=13445962



Are you thinking of Piper? I liked her the best!!!


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## Toby4Life (Jun 2, 2008)

If it was up to me, I'd probably be taking Piper home today. Unfortunately, my SO will be the one home with her all day and she would rather not get a dog that hyper. We are still discussing, but I think Cinder may be a better fit for everyone.


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## Willowy (Dec 10, 2007)

FilleBelle said:


> It occurs to me that a Belgian Melamine would be VERY easy to take care of!


Haha! But not dishwasher safe!


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## dogboi (May 8, 2010)

Renoman said:


> The correct breed name is Belgian Malinois.


The Dutch Shepherd is a cousin of the Belgian Shepherd. The two breeds are remarkably similar, but it is likely that the Dutch Shepherd possesses more German Shepherd blood in its ancestry.


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## SEK (May 20, 2015)

Looks like a Dutch Shepherd.



nfoman said:


> Hello, last year I went to a trainer and he said that my puppy was a mixed breen german shepherd / belgian melamine. I have not heard of a belgian melamine. I have attached an image of my dog, any suggestions if the type of breed is correct?


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