Comparison: Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd

Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd are marked as similar in our database. The table compares only the data we have on the breeds.

	Belgian Malinois	German Shepherd
FCI group	1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)	1. Sheepdogs and Cattle Dogs (except Swiss Cattle Dogs)
Country of origin	Belgium	Germany
Category	Large	Large
Height at withers	58–62 cm	55–65 cm
Weight	25–30 kg	22–40 kg
Life span	12–14 years	9–13 years
Recognition features	Short fawn coat with a black mask and black-tipped hairs Lighter, finer build than a German Shepherd Erect ears and proud neck carriage	Medium-large dog with a straight topline and a gently sloping croup Erect pointed ears and a bushy, sabre-like tail carried low Most often saddle or black-and-tan coat with a dark mask
Coat	Short dense fawn coat with a black mask.	Double coat with dense undercoat, medium or long, straight and harsh outer hair.
Purpose	The short-coated Belgian shepherd variety from around Mechelen; today a top police, military and detection dog.	Standardised in Germany in the late 1890s (Max von Stephanitz, 1899) as a versatile herding and working dog; today mainly a police, service and guide dog.

Breed page: Belgian Malinois · Breed page: German Shepherd

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The information is indicative. Texts are based on available sources and may contain inaccuracies; for binding details (e.g. for breeding or shows) use the official breed standard.