Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher – Which one is a better dog breed for you?
"Find similarities and differences between Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher"
Compare Belgian Malinois and Doberman Pinscher. Which is better: Belgian Malinois or Doberman Pinscher?
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| Name | Belgian Malinois | Doberman Pinscher |
|---|---|---|
| Origins |  Belgium |  Germany |
| Group | Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs) | Working Dogs |
| Popularity Rank | 44 | 16 |
| Reviews | 1 | 3 |
| Rate |
| Other Names | Malinois | Dobie, Dobermann, Dobynm, Doberman |
|---|---|---|
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| AKC Group | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1959 as a Herding breed. | Recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1908 as a Working breed. |
| FCI Group | Not recognized by FCI. | Recognized by FCI in the Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs group, in the Pinscher and Schnauzer type section. |
| 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 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 New Zealand Kennel Club United Kennel Club Canadian Canine Registry |
| Price | $1200-$1400 | $800-$1000 |
General Appearance - Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher
| Size | Large | Medium |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Male: 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg), Female: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg) | Male: 88-99 pounds (40-45 kg), Female: 71-77 pounds (32-35 kg) |
| Avg. Weight | Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 65 pounds (29.5 kg) | Male: 93.5 pounds (42.5 kg), Female: 74 pounds (33.5 kg) |
| Height | Male: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (56-61 cm) | Male: 26-28 inches (66-71cm), Female: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm) |
| Avg. Height | Male: 25 inches (63.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm) | Male: 27 inches (68.5 cm), Female: 25 inches (63.5 cm) |
Hair & Care - Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher
| Coat |
Weather-resistant Straight | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Colors |
Brindle Cream Fawn Black |
Blue Red Tan Brown White Black |
| Grooming | Average: The Belgian Malinois requires average grooming effort. | Easy to groom: The Doberman Pinscher doesn't require a lot of grooming. |
| Shedding Level | Belgian Malinoiss shed moderately. | Doberman Pinschers shed moderately. |
Characteristics - Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher
| Temperament |
Active Alert Confident Friendly Hard working Protective Stubborn Watchful |
Alert Fearless Loyal Energetic Intelligent Obedient |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Rank | Very smart: Belgian Malinois is an excellent dog breed. | Outstanding: Doberman Pinscher is one of the brightest dog breeds. |
| Trainability | Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to train. | Doberman Pinschers are quite easy to train. |
| Playfulness | The Belgian Malinois is a highly playful breed. | Doberman Pinschers, like any other dog breed, like playing. |
| Sensitivity Level | They are a little bit more sensitive than other dog breeds. | Doberman Pinschers don't like an irregular daily routine, noisy household and frequent guest visits. |
| Affection Level | Belgian Malinoiss may seem unfriendly sometimes due to their independence. | Doberman Pinschers are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers. |
| Social Needs | Belgian Malinoiss are a social breed. | Doberman Pinschers need for social interaction is average. |
| Barking | Average to high: The Belgian Malinois is a vocal breed. | Low to Average: The Doberman Pinscher rarely barks. |
| Watchdog Ability | Belgian Malinoiss are one of the best watchdogs. | Doberman Pinschers are one of the best watchdogs. |
| Territorial | Belgian Malinoiss strongly protect their territory. | Doberman Pinschers are extremely protective guard dogs. |
| Biting Potential |
Low The Belgian Malinois has a low chance of biting somebody. |
Moderate The Doberman Pinscher has an average chance of biting somebody. |
| Mouthiness | Belgian Malinoiss have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people. | Doberman Pinschers have lower than average 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. | Doberman Pinschers tend to escape less than other breeds. |
| 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. | Doberman Pinschers don't have an impulse to catch or chase small animals. |
| 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. | Doberman Pinschers are very apartment-friendly dogs. |
| Adaptability | Belgian Malinoiss adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. | Doberman Pinschers adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments. |
| 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. | Just like every puppy, they are prone to panic, cry, bark, whine when they left alone by their owner. |
| 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 Doberman Pinscher
| Stranger Friendly | Belgian Malinoiss are not the most stranger friendly dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are not stranger friendly dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Child Friendly | Belgian Malinoiss are kid-friendly dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are average friendly dogs towards children. |
| Cat Friendly | Belgian Malinoiss are average friendly towards cats. | Doberman Pinschers are average friendly towards cats. |
| Dog Friendly | Belgian Malinoiss are average friendly towards other dogs. | Doberman Pinschers are not the most dog-friendly dogs. |
| Office Friendly |
No Belgian Malinois is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
No Doberman Pinscher is not the best dog breed for office environment. |
| Senior Citizens Friendly | Belgian Malinoiss are usually recommended for elderly people. | Doberman Pinschers are commonly okay with elderly people. |
| Pet Friendly | Belgian Malinoiss are generally with other pets. | Doberman Pinschers are generally with other pets. |
| Good For First Time Owners |
No Belgian Malinoiss are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality. |
No Doberman Pinschers 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. |
Not really 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 Doberman Pinscher 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 Doberman Pinscher
| Health Issues | The Belgian Malinois is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly. | Doberman Pinschers are commonly healthy dogs. |
|---|---|---|
| Health Problems |
Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Eye Problems Hip Dysplasia |
Cardiomyopathy Hip Dysplasia Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) Von Willebrand's Disease Wobbler's Syndrome |
| Life Expectancy | 12-14 years | 10-12 years |
| Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Energy Level | Belgian Malinoiss are high energy dogs. | Doberman Pinschers have a higher energy level than other dog breeds. |
| Exercise Need | Belgian Malinoiss need a lot of exercises. | Doberman Pinschers need quite a lot of exercise. |
| Sleeping Need | Belgian Malinoiss don't need too much sleep. | Doberman Pinschers sleep 12-14 hours a day as an average dog and they're not considered as a lazy breed. |
| Avg. daily food consumption | 2 to 3 cups of high-quality dry food a day, divided into two meals. | 5 to 6 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 warm weather |
| Stinkiness |
Medium The Belgian Malinois has an average chance of bad smell. |
Medium The Doberman Pinscher has an average chance of bad smell. |
| Drooling tendency | The Belgian Malinois is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency. | The Doberman Pinscher drools quite a lot, so if you dislike being covered by slobber spots on your clothes, you may want to choose another dog breed. |
Reproducibility - Belgian Malinois vs Doberman Pinscher
| 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 | 6-10 puppies |
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Reviews
- George
Dec 16, 2019, 4:48:24 AM:
Lots of incorrect and contradicting information.
- Stuart
Dec 23, 2019, 8:31:14 AM:
I am with George...some of this stuff is incorrect. Both Malinois and Dobermans have historically been used in the military. Dobermans were used for fighting a while back. Both breeds do therapy work, and Dobermans can have a prey drive.
- Zaneta Petroska
Feb 17, 2021, 8:24:54 PM:
Belgian Malinois it’s better than Dobermans in every case incorrect information