# Belgian Malinois?



## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

I guess I'll explain a little about my dog, Zeus.....

We were looking online at the local pounds to find us a new family member (we had recently lost my old dog, Nick, of 12 years). While we were looking we stumbled across a rescue add on a Freecycle website. It was for a German Shepherd who had been rescued at 3 months old. Evidently he had been throw from a moving vehicle down the interstate, wondered out into the woods and stumbled across this families farm. So they took him in and kept him fed for a couple of weeks until they decided to look for him a new owner. We weren't really looking for a German Shepherd but rather a Golden Retriever, but we said "what the heck" and went out to their farm anyways. Seeing as how I live in the middle of Orlando, that was a fun 2 hour drive, haha. So to speed things up, we met the family then we met Zeus. He was immediately attached to me. Followed me around, look my hands generously, and was pretty much the perfect fit. So we ended up compromising and going with the German Shepherd instead of the Golden Retriever. 

So fast forward a year to our present day. Everything has been great. If anyone has seen Marley and me.....that's Zeus to the T. He's big, he's got TONS of energy, and even though he's roughly 80lbs of solid muscle he still thinks he's a lap dog. He does however obey a lot better than Marley, haha.

Anyways, I was recently posting some pics of him on another forum, pretty much bragging like we all do. Well one of the members said that he doesn't think he's a German Shepherd. Instead he thinks he's a Belgian Malinois. First, I had never even heard of a Belgian Malinois until that moment, and Second......WHAT!

So I started doing research, looking at pics, comparing descriptions, etc. Every one of them I've read his described him perfectly. The only difference is he's a little heavier than the "average" weight. Other than that, its a perfect description. 

So I guess I'm looking for a little more conformation from some fellow dog owners. What's your opinion?

Here's some pics starting with the youngest to the latest...




































Here's AKC's description of a Belgian Malinois...

Belgian Malinois


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Here's a few more pics of Zeus...


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

he looks very similar to several Pit bull GSD mixes I know.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> he looks very similar to several Pit bull GSD mixes I know.


And see when we initially got him I said the same thing to my mother. Of course she absolutely denies him having any Pit bull in him but I have talked with a couple of people who think he may have a little of it in him. Thanks for your input!


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## LoneRider (Jul 6, 2009)

Nope, that's a Malinois purebred to a T. Sometimes they get to be around 80 lbs. I have a Malinois named Ninja at home in Central Florida (I'm in the military and presently deployed to the Sandbox right now, my parents babysit him) and I must say you've got an equally good looking dog. 

How old is he? He looks to be about a year or two old. Mals are high energy/high prey drive dogs. When my dog gets hyper I usually go out and jog with him or I'll toss the tennis ball, or hide his chew toy somewhere on my person and ask him: "Where is it?". He'll sniff me like crazy and I'll say, "I don't have it. Find it..." and then he invariably does find it.

Malinois are smart, energetic dogs, so as long as you exercise him he should be alright.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

LoneRider said:


> Nope, that's a Malinois purebred to a T. Sometimes they get to be around 80 lbs. I have a Malinois named Ninja at home in Central Florida (I'm in the military and presently deployed to the Sandbox right now, my parents babysit him) and I must say you've got an equally good looking dog.
> 
> How old is he? He looks to be about a year or two old. Mals are high energy/high prey drive dogs. When my dog gets hyper I usually go out and jog with him or I'll toss the tennis ball, or hide his chew toy somewhere on my person and ask him: "Where is it?". He'll sniff me like crazy and I'll say, "I don't have it. Find it..." and then he invariably does find it.
> 
> Malinois are smart, energetic dogs, so as long as you exercise him he should be alright.


Hahaha, that sounds like Zeus. He's currently 1.5 years old. He has his moments where he gets spastic, then we usually go outside and play. He loves to play catch with his Firehose toy. He also loves running up and down the stairs, over and over and over.

Ever since I started researching the Malinois I was thinking "wow, its a perfect match" my only concern was his weight. I had heard of other dogs hitting a little higher average weights before but I wasn't sure. 

He's extremely smart but can be very stubborn at times, lol. He's great with people and other dogs as well, but like most dogs he's got a vendetta against cats. We usually take him to the local dog park right by the elementary school is. When the kids get out they usually come over and play catch with him. He absolutely LOVES the attention.

Thanks for your help, its much appreciated! I'm glad I could finally get a little conformation and reassurance. 


BTW, thank you so much for serving our country. I was headed to the Marine Corps then got told I was a no go because of a dislocated hip in my past. Funny thing is I'm a triathlete and marathon runner. I guess that doesn't count, lol.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

most of the Mals I've seen are a lot lighter in build and bone and are a tad bit more square in proportions than your dog Phantom, his coat seems a bit off too...ask Xeph..she's the resident Shepherd Queen.....he could be a Mal but if he is he's not to the standard I don't think...though I could be wrong. 

its kind of eerie though how much he looks like a Pit x GSD that I know...right down to the expression.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> most of the Mals I've seen are a lot lighter in build and bone and are a tad bit more square in proportions than your dog Phantom, his coat seems a bit off too...ask Xeph..she's the resident Shepherd Queen.....he could be a Mal but if he is he's not to the standard I don't think...though I could be wrong.
> 
> its kind of eerie though how much he looks like a Pit x GSD that I know...right down to the expression.


I've been seeing variant sizes and colors since I start researching. I've seen some look almost pure black and some that have no black at all. The most I've seen look a little thinner than Zeus and don't have such a thick neck. My vet seems to think he's also a pure bred Mal but she's not 100% sure. Everyone I talk to pretty much says "He looks pure bred Mal but there is just something a little different, or he's to big, or he's to dark" I saw a couple of Mals on youtube that looked like they could be his clones, lol. I guess whether he's pure bred or not really doesn't matter to me especially since I can't have him registered as a pure bred anyways, but I'm really just trying to narrow it down out of curiousity.


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## hulkamaniac (Feb 11, 2009)

He looks exactly like the malinois my neighbor owns. He's an ex-military working dog though and is 10 years old to boot so I can't speak for how well he reflects the breed temperatment. He's not playful at all and when Zero tries to initiate play with him, he just looks at him with a puzzled look like he has no clue what is going on. He's just got an aura about him that is all business and while he's friendly and will walk right up to you, you can tell that he views you with suspicion right off the bat. I've been told he spent the last 6 years of his life in the Middle East. 

He seems very intelligent and I've been told the military prefers them to GSDs because they have a lower incidence of hip dysplasia. His favorite activity seems to be patrolling the perimeter of the yard and guarding the porch against all trespassers. Again, I'm betting this is a product of his training and has nothing to do with his personality.


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## RedyreRottweilers (Dec 17, 2006)

Does not look like a Malinois to me.

I see GSD for sure, and I could see the APBT part too.

Nice looking guy!


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

here's a comparison...

the first pic is a Mal..

the second is a pitxGSD pic I pulled off the net. Ill see if I can get you a pic of Wilco, he and your dog could be twins...except I watched Wilco come out of his mama..and she was a pit bull.


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## Marsh Muppet (Nov 29, 2008)

I vote mixed breed, as well. Looks more like GSD x something than purebred Mal. I'm not an expert, though. If you find yourself unable to bear the disappointment of finding out he is not purebred, you can send him to me. I'll find something for him to do.

That's a seriously handsome dog...whatever he is.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

hulkamaniac said:


> He looks exactly like the malinois my neighbor owns. He's an ex-military working dog though and is 10 years old to boot so I can't speak for how well he reflects the breed temperatment. He's not playful at all and when Zero tries to initiate play with him, he just looks at him with a puzzled look like he has no clue what is going on. He's just got an aura about him that is all business and while he's friendly and will walk right up to you, you can tell that he views you with suspicion right off the bat. I've been told he spent the last 6 years of his life in the Middle East.
> 
> He seems very intelligent and I've been told the military prefers them to GSDs because they have a lower incidence of hip dysplasia. His favorite activity seems to be patrolling the perimeter of the yard and guarding the porch against all trespassers. Again, I'm betting this is a product of his training and has nothing to do with his personality.


Zeus definitely has the same attitude of "I mean business" He does however love to play. He's never been trained to be a guard dog or the likes but when we're walking and he sees other people or dogs he squares up. Its funny because he gets this real "I'm a bad ass" body language when another dog or person comes into view. He's not aggressive, just protective. We usually meet and greet strangers at ease. They smell each other, Zeus greets himself to the owner and then he lets his guard down and starts bouncing around ready to play, haha.



RedyreRottweilers said:


> Does not look like a Malinois to me.
> 
> I see GSD for sure, and I could see the APBT part too.
> 
> Nice looking guy!





zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> here's a comparison...
> 
> the first pic is a Mal..
> 
> the second is a pitxGSD pic I pulled off the net. Ill see if I can get you a pic of Wilco, he and your dog could be twins...except I watched Wilco come out of his mama..and she was a pit bull.


I looked at the pictures google brought up and I'm willing to bet he's got zero pit bull in him. There are "some" things in common, but he doesn't quite fit the bill. 



Marsh Muppet said:


> I vote mixed breed, as well. Looks more like GSD x something than purebred Mal. I'm not an expert, though. If you find yourself unable to bear the disappointment of finding out he is not purebred, you can send him to me. I'll find something for him to do.
> 
> That's a seriously handsome dog...whatever he is.


Hahaha, nope. Can't have my bud. He's a great foot warmer at night and is a great security system for the house, lol. Thanks though, he is definitely a handsome dog. We're very lucky to have got him not to mention a very beautiful looking dog such as he. Not bad for a free rescue dog....well I say free. More like $500 after shots, check up, neuter, etc. haha. Still have yet to microchip him. I think he'll be getting that for christmas.


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

Yeah, he's definitely handsome but I'm in the 'Shepherd mix type' group. If you look at a Malinois from the side, their body structure is a LOT lighter then Zeus appears to have -










His head and muzzle also look to be heftier then you'd see on a typical Malinois. 

Again though, he's a very good looking dog. Athletic too, by the looks of it


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

only reason I said pit is because he is very much like my friend's dog. Who we know for a fact is GSD x Pit because he came from another person I know who had a male GSD and a female pit bull who "oopsed".


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Dakota Spirit said:


> Yeah, he's definitely handsome but I'm in the 'Shepherd mix type' group. If you look at a Malinois from the side, their body structure is a LOT lighter then Zeus appears to have -
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ya that was my main concern with Zeus. He's just a heftier version of a Mal. It wouldn't honestly surprise me if he was a GSD/Mal mix. I've seen a few of those that look like him, but he just seems to be more in line with the mal description aside from his heftier appearance. And yes, he's extremely athletic. Very well built I might add to. He shares the house with my 6 y/o brother and they both wrestle and fight and play all day. They have their love moments and the hate moments, lol. It's funny watching Zeus interact with a 6 y/o human child because his mentality closely resembles that of one. It really wouldn't surprise me if he's a mixed breed and it also wouldn't surprise me if his just a heftie purebred Mal. Either way he's my buddy! 



zimandtakandgrrandmimi said:


> only reason I said pit is because he is very much like my friend's dog. Who we know for a fact is GSD x Pit because he came from another person I know who had a male GSD and a female pit bull who "oopsed".


Ah gotcha. There are a few similarities but I don't think there are enough to say he's a GSD/Pit mix, but then again I could be wrong. Thanks for your input. It's best to have several different points of view.


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## Spicy1_VV (Jun 1, 2007)

Really no way to guarantee you what he is but if anything a Malinois mix. I will try to post some pics of mine.

Possibly a 
Malinois/GSD mix (some breed intention this cross)
GSD/Pit mix
some other GSD mix

I had a pup that looked like similar to a Malinois especially the head/face but no Malinois at all.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

That is in no way a Malinois...but it is most definitely a Shepherd Mix


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Spicy1_VV said:


> Really no way to guarantee you what he is but if anything a Malinois mix. I will try to post some pics of mine.
> 
> Possibly a
> Malinois/GSD mix (some breed intention this cross)
> ...


It's highly likely he is a GSD/Mal mix. I've heard of breeders cross breeding them that way on purpose. I guess its the best of both worlds, lol



Xeph said:


> That is in no way a Malinois...but it is most definitely a Shepherd Mix


Meh, I wouldn't rule out Malinois altogether. He fits 99.9% of the description aside from the size issue. It would definitely not surprise me though if he does in fact have GSD in him.


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

I know mutts that fit the description of the Malinois too.

The head is wrong for a Malinois, the ear set is wrong, the muzzle is wrong, the chest is wrong, the bone is wrong...the white foot is really wrong (so there's more than GSD/Mal in him more than likely).

I really hate to rain on your parade..but that is indeed a Shepherd head.

Look at the shape of your dog's head compared to my GSD Male:


















And the head of a malinois:









Your dog's head is much more like my GSD's.

Even the coat isn't correct for a Malinois


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Xeph said:


> I know mutts that fit the description of the Malinois too.
> 
> The head is wrong for a Malinois, the ear set is wrong, the muzzle is wrong, the chest is wrong, the bone is wrong...the white foot is really wrong (so there's more than GSD/Mal in him more than likely).
> 
> ...


Ok ok ok! Your right!


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## Xeph (May 7, 2007)

Don't be disappointed  As the current owner of two, I can tell you you're hard pressed to find a better breed/breed mix xD


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Xeph said:


> Don't be disappointed As the current owner of two, I can tell you you're hard pressed to find a better breed/breed mix xD


Nah, I would not be disappointed one bit. My step father grew up with two GSD's. One black and one white so he's quite fond of them. What ever Zeus is, he's a great dog and very well built with great coloration. Here's some pics I snapped a few minutes ago out in the back yard. We were playing catch, then he wanted to investigate everything, haha.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Haha here he is getting ready to go to bed. He was just laying there looking at me waiting for me to put my book down. Thought he looked cute so I took a pic, haha.


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## Shaina (Oct 28, 2007)

Well I agree with everyone above that based on the Mals I know (and I am NOT an expert nor do I pretend to be -- just spend a fair amount of time around a few), he's not a Mal (at least not purebred).

But I really replied just to say that he is a really really handsome dog, and looks like a lot of fun


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

Shaina said:


> Well I agree with everyone above that based on the Mals I know (and I am NOT an expert -- just spend a fair amount of time around a few), he's not a Mal (at least not purebred).
> 
> But I really replied just to say that he is a really really handsome dog, and looks like a lot of fun


 Thanks!


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## ACampbell (Oct 7, 2007)

I'd have to get on the vote of a GSD/Pit mix...why? If you "crop" the ears in the pic with the tug toy, that's about a pittie looking head...
But do not despair! I have one of each (and a Golden Retriever not on my siggie yet) and both have excellent qualities...though I have to say I prefer my GSD to the pittie.


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

ACampbell said:


> I'd have to get on the vote of a GSD/Pit mix...why? If you "crop" the ears in the pic with the tug toy, that's about a pittie looking head...
> But do not despair! I have one of each (and a Golden Retriever not on my siggie yet) and both have excellent qualities...though I have to say I prefer my GSD to the pittie.


 
well...Ill take Lily then. Gimme!


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

He is adorable!

Are those Halo tags I see?


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

BrittanyG said:


> He is adorable!
> 
> Are those Halo tags I see?


Haha, thanks. They are just standard military dogtags. One says his name and phone number, the other says his address and that he is vaccinated.


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## BrittanyG (May 27, 2009)

A bit OT, but jeez, you guys have some awesome sigs. I need to redo mine.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

BrittanyG said:


> A bit OT, but jeez, you guys have some awesome sigs. I need to redo mine.


Ha, thanks. I'm a designer in the real world. Currently going for my B.S. in Web Design and Development.

Here's a forum of mine that I run. *warning* It's a gaming site so some stuff may not be suitable for younger viewers.

KHAOS KORPS

All graphics are done by myself. Photography is another hobby of mine.


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## LoneRider (Jul 6, 2009)

I'd say he's at least part Malinois. I would've figured him to be a purebred Mal save for the head shape. 

Where I got my Malinois, Gatorland Malinois in Barberville, FL, there was a dog named Stanley, who was a fairly muscular Malinois, so hefty musculatures aren't uncommon in Mals.


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## P.H.A.N.T.O.M (Jul 7, 2009)

LoneRider said:


> I'd say he's at least part Malinois. I would've figured him to be a purebred Mal save for the head shape.
> 
> Where I got my Malinois, Gatorland Malinois in Barberville, FL, there was a dog named Stanley, who was a fairly muscular Malinois, so hefty musculatures aren't uncommon in Mals.


The thing is I've seen a few that look like exact copies of him and they're called Malinois, so I assumed he was one as well. They have a distinct coloration and he's got it, not to mention the other traits aside from size. I honestly think he's either pure or part Mal, probably GSD/Mal mix is more realistic. He just seems to fit the description just right. I don't think he's got any pit in him. I know he's got a big stubborn head but something in my gut tells me he has no pit. Whatever he is he's a great dog, I love him to death (even though he's a pain in my butt, lol) and wouldn't trade him for the world.

I'm very interested in getting him trained in protection. That will have to wait till I start seeing a little more green in my wallet.


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