Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier" Compare Belgian Malinois and American Pit Bull Terrier. Which is better: Belgian Malinois or American Pit Bull Terrier?

General Appearance Hair & Care Characteristics Good With Health Factors Reproducibility Show differences only

Name	Belgian Malinois	American Pit Bull Terrier
Origins	Belgium	United States
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Hunting Dogs
Popularity Rank	44	336
Reviews	1	4
Rate

Other Names	Malinois	APBT, Pit Bull, Pitty, Pit, Pitbull
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
AKC Group	Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1959 as a Herding breed.	Not recognized by the American Kennel Club.
FCI Group	Not recognized by FCI.	Not recognized by FCI.
Breed Recognition	American Canine Registry American Kennel Club America's Pet Registry Canadian Kennel Club Dog Registry of America Inc. Federation Cynologique Internationale Kennel Club of Great Britain North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Australian National Kennel Council Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club	American Canine Registry Dog Registry of America Inc. North American Purebred Registry, Inc. American Canine Association, Inc. Continental Kennel Club National Kennel Club United Kennel Club Backwoods Bulldog Club
Price	$1200-$1400	$500-$700

General Appearance - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Size	Large	Medium
Weight	Male: 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg), Female: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg)	22-78 pounds (10-35 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 65 pounds (29.5 kg)	50 pounds (22.5 kg)
Height	Male: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (56-61 cm)	14-24 inches (35-60 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 25 inches (63.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)	19 inches (47.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Coat	Weather-resistant Straight	Fine
Colors	Brindle Cream Fawn Black	Blue Gray White Tan Brown Red Yellow Black
Grooming	Average: The Belgian Malinois requires average grooming effort.	Effortless: The American Pit Bull Terrier requires minimal grooming.
Shedding Level	Belgian Malinoiss shed moderately.	American Pit Bull Terriers shed moderately.

Characteristics - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Temperament	Active Alert Confident Friendly Hard working Protective Stubborn Watchful	Affectionate Clownish Friendly Loyal Strong Willed Aggressive Courageous Intelligent Obedient Stubborn
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Belgian Malinois is an excellent dog breed.	Average: American Pit Bull Terrier's has average obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to train.	American Pit Bull Terriers are easy to train.
Playfulness	The Belgian Malinois is a highly playful breed.	The American Pit Bull Terrier is a playful breed.
Sensitivity Level	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.	They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds.
Affection Level	Belgian Malinoiss may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence.	American Pit Bull Terriers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Belgian Malinoiss are a social breed.	American Pit Bull Terriers are a social breed.
Barking	Average to high: The Belgian Malinois is a vocal breed.	Average: The American Pit Bull Terrier barks occasionally.
Watchdog Ability	Belgian Malinoiss are one of the best watchdogs.	American Pit Bull Terriers are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Belgian Malinoiss strongly protect their territory.	American Pit Bull Terriers are average defenders.
Biting Potential	Low The Belgian Malinois has a low chance of biting somebody.	High The American Pit Bull Terrier has a high chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Belgian Malinoiss have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	American Pit Bull Terriers have a strong tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.
Impulse to Wander or Roam	Wanderlust potential of the Belgian Malinois is strong enough to escape from home.	Wanderlust potential of the American Pit Bull Terrier is strong enough to escape from home.
Prey Drive	Belgian Malinoiss have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.	American Pit Bull Terriers have an average prey drive, which means that they don't have a high impulse to chase and catch something like a cat or any other small aminals, but it might happen.
Apartment Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.	American Pit Bull Terriers are not recommended for an apartment lifestyle.
Adaptability	Belgian Malinoiss adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	American Pit Bull Terriers adapt to lifestyle changes and different living environments quite okay usually.
Tolerates Being Left Alone	Belgian Malinoiss do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.	American Pit Bull Terriers do best when a family member is at home during the day or if their workplace is dog-friendly so they can take the dog at work.
Fighting Dog	Not really In history, this breed was not really used for combat dog.	Yes In history, this breed was unfortunately used for combat dog.

Good With - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Stranger Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	American Pit Bull Terriers are average friendly towards strangers.
Child Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are kid-friendly dogs.	American Pit Bull Terriers are kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are average friendly towards cats.	American Pit Bull Terriers are not cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are average friendly towards other dogs.	American Pit Bull Terriers are not dog-friendly.
Office Friendly	No Belgian Malinois is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No American Pit Bull Terrier is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are usually recommended for elderly people.	American Pit Bull Terriers are usually recommended for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are generally with other pets.	American Pit Bull Terriers do best when they’re the only pet at the family.
Good For First Time Owners	No Belgian Malinoiss are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No American Pit Bull Terriers are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.
Service Dog	Yes This breed makes good as a service dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a service dog.
Therapy Dog	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.	Not really This breed generally not used as a therapy dog.
Detection Dog or Sniffer Dog	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.	Yes A detection dog or sniffer dog is a dog that is trained to use its senses (mostly its smell) to detect substances such as explosives, illegal drugs, wildlife scat, currency, blood, and contraband electronics such as illicit mobile phones.
Search and Rescue Dog (SAR)	Yes The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.	Not really The use of dogs in search and rescue (SAR) is a valuable component in wilderness tracking, natural disasters, mass casualty events, and in locating missing people.
Boat Dog	Not really Belgian Malinois breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.	Not really American Pit Bull Terrier breed usually doesn't like being on a boat.
Cart Pulling or Drafting Dog	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.	Not really A drafting dog or draft dog is a dog bred and used for cart pulling.

Health Factors - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Health Issues	The Belgian Malinois is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	American Pit Bull Terriers tend to have more and frequent health issues than other breeds.
Health Problems	Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Eye Problems Hip Dysplasia	Demodectic Mange Hip Dysplasia Skin Allergies
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	10-14 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No
Energy Level	Belgian Malinoiss are high energy dogs.	American Pit Bull Terriers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.
Exercise Need	Belgian Malinoiss need a lot of exercises.	American Pit Bull Terriers have an average exercise need.
Sleeping Need	Belgian Malinoiss don't need too much sleep.	American Pit Bull Terriers are quite energetic dogs and they don't spend to much time with sleeping.
Avg. daily food consumption	2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.	Recommended daily amount: 1.5 to 2.5 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Low to Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Prefers average to warm weather conditions
Stinkiness	Medium The Belgian Malinois has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The American Pit Bull Terrier has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Belgian Malinois is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The American Pit Bull Terrier is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Gestation Length	60-64 days	60-64 days
How often can the have a litter?	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.	Once a year. More frequent breeding is not healthy.
Litter Size	6-10 puppies	5-8 puppies
Dog Name Generator – Find A Perfect Name For Your Puppy

Popular Dog Compares

Despite the best intentions, there may be errors. If you find one, please let us know and we will fix it as soon as possible. Contact us here.

Rate This Comparsion - Belgian Malinois vs American Pit Bull Terrier

Reviews