THE BELGIAN MALINOIS CAN MAKE A FANTASTIC PET TOO

The Belgian Malinois takes its name from its birthplace, the Belgian town of Malines.

- Priyanka Tanwar*

They are among the four breeds of Belgian sheepdogs that were initially bred for herding in the late 1890s. They are registered in Belgium and France as Chien de Berger Belge (Belgian Shepherd Dog Club) along with the other three breeds of Belgian pastoral canines.

In the last few decades, this coveted breed has proven to be extremely versatile and is one of the top breeds selected by military and police departments across the world. They are extensively used in detection, search and rescue missions as they excel at detection of explosives, accelerants and narcotics. They are also known to guard the lawns of the White House. Five Belgian Malinois dogs were first recruited into the New York City Police Force in 1908. The breed enjoys the distinction of serving as messengers and assistants to the Red Cross along with performing artillery duties and pulling ambulance carts during World War I. Their popularity escalated after the war when many military men returning to American shores brought along a dog and other European nations continued to import them. Belgian Malinois canines are in high demand again following the valorous service of canine commando Conan in the US raid on ISIS leader Baghdadi.

A life-size bronze statue of a Belgian Malinois military commando wearing full deployment kit stands tall at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville, North Carolina, US. This K9 Memorial for SOF dogs was created by master sculptor Lena Toritch and unveiled on July 27, 2013.

The Belgian Malinois is NOT the typical family dog and could be a challenging pet to a first time owner. However, they make fantastic pets with experienced owners. These canines have an average life expectancy of 14-16 years. They are identified as a distinct breed by AKC, UKC and other famous kennel clubs.

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