Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback – Which one is a better dog breed for you?

"Find similarities and differences between Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback" Compare Belgian Malinois and Rhodesian Ridgeback. Which is better: Belgian Malinois or Rhodesian Ridgeback?

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

Name	Belgian Malinois	Rhodesian Ridgeback
Origins	Belgium	Zimbabwe
All Dog Breeds By Country Of Origin
Group	Pastoral Dogs (Herding Dogs)	Hunting Dogs
Popularity Rank	44	41
Reviews	1	5
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Other Names	Malinois	African Lion Dog, African Lion Hound
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 1955 as a Hound breed.
FCI Group	Not recognized by FCI.	Recognized by FCI in the Scent hounds and related breeds group, in the Related breeds 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 National Kennel Club New Zealand Kennel Club Rhodesian Ridgeback Club Of The US
Price	$1200-$1400	$900-$1200

General Appearance - Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback

Size	Large	Large
Weight	Male: 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg), Female: 60-70 pounds (27-32 kg)	Male: 80-90 pounds (36-41 kg), Female: 65-75 pounds (29-34 kg)
Avg. Weight	Male: 70 pounds (31.5 kg), Female: 65 pounds (29.5 kg)	Male: 85 pounds (38.5 kg), Female: 70 pounds (31.5 kg)
Height	Male: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm), Female: 22-24 inches (56-61 cm)	Male: 25-27 inches (63-69 cm), Female: 24-26 inches (61-66 cm)
Avg. Height	Male: 25 inches (63.5 cm), Female: 23 inches (58.5 cm)	Male: 26 inches (66 cm), Female: 25 inches (63.5 cm)

Hair & Care - Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback

Coat	Weather-resistant Straight	Dense
Colors	Brindle Cream Fawn Black	Golden Red White Gray Wheaten
Grooming	Average: The Belgian Malinois requires average grooming effort.	Effortless: The Rhodesian Ridgeback requires minimal grooming.
Shedding Level	Belgian Malinoiss shed moderately.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks shed none to minimal.

Characteristics - Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback

Temperament	Active Alert Confident Friendly Hard working Protective Stubborn Watchful	Dignified Loyal Sensitive Intelligent Mischievous Strong Willed
Intelligent Rank	Very smart: Belgian Malinois is an excellent dog breed.	Average: Rhodesian Ridgeback's has average obedience intelligence.
Trainability	Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to train.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are quite easy to train.
Playfulness	The Belgian Malinois is a highly playful breed.	The Rhodesian Ridgeback 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.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are genuinely loyal, soft and gentle, loving and affectionate dogs toward their handlers.
Social Needs	Belgian Malinoiss are a social breed.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are a social breed.
Barking	Average to high: The Belgian Malinois is a vocal breed.	Low to Average: The Rhodesian Ridgeback rarely barks.
Watchdog Ability	Belgian Malinoiss are one of the best watchdogs.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are average watchdogs.
Territorial	Belgian Malinoiss strongly protect their territory.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks strongly protect their territory.
Biting Potential	Low The Belgian Malinois has a low chance of biting somebody.	Low The Rhodesian Ridgeback has a low chance of biting somebody.
Mouthiness	Belgian Malinoiss have an average tendency to nip, chew, play-bite, or herd people.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks have an 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.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks have high wanderlust potential, which means that this breed has a strong desire for exploring the world.
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.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks have a high impulse to chase and catch something.
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.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not the best choice for an apartment lifestyle, but they don't mind being inside if you walk them several times every day.
Adaptability	Belgian Malinoiss adapt very well to lifestyle changes and basically all living environments.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks adapt well to lifestyle changes and different 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.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks 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 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Stranger Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are not the most stranger friendly dogs.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not the most stranger friendly dogs.
Child Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are kid-friendly dogs.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are very kid-friendly dogs.
Cat Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are average friendly towards cats.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not the most cat-friendly dogs.
Dog Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are average friendly towards other dogs.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are not the most dog-friendly dogs.
Office Friendly	No Belgian Malinois is not the best dog breed for office environment.	No Rhodesian Ridgeback is not the best dog breed for office environment.
Senior Citizens Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are usually recommended for elderly people.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks are one of the best breeds for elderly people.
Pet Friendly	Belgian Malinoiss are generally with other pets.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks usually don’t get on well with other pets.
Good For First Time Owners	No Belgian Malinoiss are not good for novice owners, due to their stubborn personality.	No Rhodesian Ridgebacks 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 Rhodesian Ridgeback 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 Rhodesian Ridgeback

Health Issues	The Belgian Malinois is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.	The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a healthy breed, but there are certain health issues that you should check with your vet regularly.
Health Problems	Elbow Dysplasia Epilepsy Eye Problems Hip Dysplasia	Dermoid Sinus Elbow Dysplasia Hip Dysplasia
Life Expectancy	12-14 years	10-12 years
Calculate dog years to human years by breed here
Hypoallergenic	No	No
Energy Level	Belgian Malinoiss are high energy dogs.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks have a higher energy level than other dog breeds.
Exercise Need	Belgian Malinoiss need a lot of exercises.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks need quite a lot of exercise.
Sleeping Need	Belgian Malinoiss don't need too much sleep.	Rhodesian Ridgebacks 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: 2 3/4 to 4 3/8 cups of a high-quality daily, divided into two meals.
Weight Gain Potential	Low to Average.	Average.
Weather & Climate	Tolerates warm and cold weather.	Tolerates warm and cold weather.
Stinkiness	Medium The Belgian Malinois has an average chance of bad smell.	Medium The Rhodesian Ridgeback has an average chance of bad smell.
Drooling tendency	The Belgian Malinois is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.	The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a perfect example for very low drooling tendency.

Reproducibility - Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback

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	6-8 puppies
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Reviews

german shepard
Apr 10, 2019, 8:43:24 PM:
Dereck
Feb 23, 2020, 10:16:21 PM:
These dogs are like twins. Especially when it comes to behavior and characteristics.