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FCI Breed Standard - The Belgian Malinois

FCI-Standard No 15 / 19-04-2002 /GB

Belgian Malinois Standard

Translation: Mrs Jeans-Brown, revised by Dr. R. Pollet.

Country of Origin: Belgium.

Date of publication of original valid standard: 22-06-2001.

Brief Historical Summary: In Belgium, at the end of the 1800's, there were a great many herding dogs, whose type was varied and whose coats were extremely dissimilar. In order to rationalise this state of affairs, some enthusiastic dog fanciers formed a group and sought guidance from Prof. A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School, whom one must consider to have been the real pioneer and founder of the breed.

The breed was officially born between 1891 and 1897. On September 29^th, 1891, the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club (Club du Chien de Berger Belge) was founded in Brussels and in the same year on November 15^th in Cureghem, Professor A Reul organised a gathering of 117 dogs, which allowed him to carry out a return and choose the best specimens. In the following years they began a real program of selection, carrying out some very close interbreeding involving a few stud dogs.

By April 3^rd, 1892, a first detailed breed standard had been drawn up by the Belgian Shepherd Dog Club. One single breed was allowed, with three coat varieties. However, as was said at the time, the Belgian Shepherd only belonged to ordinary people and therefore the breed still lacked status.

As a result, it wasn't until 1901 that the first Belgian Shepherds were registered with the Royal Saint-Hubert Society Stud Book (L.O.S.H.).

During the following years, the prime movers among the Belgian Shepherd enthusiasts set to work with great determination to unify the type and correct the faults. It can be said that by 1910 the type and temperament of the Belgian Shepherd had been established.

During the history of the Belgian Shepherd, the questions of differing but acceptable varieties and colours had led to many heated discussions. On the other hand, anything involving morphology, temperament and suitability for work has never caused any disagreement.

Utilisation: Originally a sheep dog, today a working dog (guarding, defence, tracking, etc) and an all-purpose service dog, as well as a family dog.

General Appearance

The Belgian Shepherd Malinois is a mediolineal dog, harmoniously proportioned, combining elegance and power, of medium size, with dry, strong muscle, fitting into a square, rustic, used to the open air life and built to resist the frequent atmospheric variations of the Belgian climate.

Through the harmony of its shape and its high head-carriage, the Belgian Shepherd Malinois should give the impression of that elegant strength which has become the heritage of the selected representatives of a working breed. The Belgian Shepherd is to be judged in its natural stance, without physical contact with the handler. (See Illustration of Anatomy)

Important Proportions

The Belgian Shepherd Malinois can be fitted into a square. The chest is let down to the level of the elbows. The length of the muzzle is equal to or slightly longer than half the length of the head. (See Illustration of Measurements)

Temperament / Behaviour

The Belgian Shepherd Malinois is a watchful and active dog, bursting with energy, and always ready to leap into action. As well as its innate skill at guarding flocks, it also possesses the highly prized qualities of the best guard dog of property. Without any hesitation it is the stubborn and keen protector of its owner. It brings together all those qualities necessary for a shepherd, guard, defence and service dog.

Its lively, alert temperament and its confident nature, showing no fear or aggressiveness, should be obvious in its body stance and the proud attentive expression in its sparkling eyes.

When judging this breed, one should take into consideration its calm and fearless temperament.

Head

Carried high, long without exaggeration, rectilinear, well chiselled and dry. Skull and muzzle are roughly equal in length, with at the most a very slight bias in favour of the muzzle which puts the finishing touch to the whole head.

• Cranial Region: Of medium width, in proportion with the length of the head, with a forehead flat rather than round, frontal groove not very pronounced; in profile, parallel to imaginary line extending muzzle line; occipital crest little developed; brow ridges and zygomatic arches not prominent.
• Stop: Moderate.

Facial Region

• Nose: Black.
• Muzzle: Medium length and well chiselled under the eyes, narrowing gradually towards the nose like an elongated wedge. The bridge of the nose is straight and parallel to the continuation of the topline of the forehead. The mouth is well split which means that when the mouth is open the commissures of the lips are pulled right back, the jaws being well apart.
• Lips: Thin, tight and strongly pigmented.
• Jaws/teeth: Strong, white teeth, regularly and strongly set in well-developed jaws. Scissor bite; pincer bite, which is preferred by sheep and livestock herders, is tolerated. Complete dentition according to the dental formula; the absence of two premolars 1 (2 P1) is tolerated and the molars 3 (M3) are not taken into consideration. (See Illustration of Teeth).
• Cheeks: Dry and quite flat, although muscled.
• Eyes: Medium size, neither protruding or sunken, slightly almond shaped, obliquely set, brownish colour, preferably black, black-rimmed eyelids, with a direct, lively, intelligent and enquiring look.
• Ears: Rather small, set high, distinctly triangular appearance, well-rounded outer ear, pointed tips, stiff, carried upright and vertical when the dog is alert.

Neck

Well standing out, slightly elongated, rather upright, well-muscled, broadening gradually towards the shoulders, without dewlap, nape slightly arched.

Body

• General View: Powerful without being heavy. The length from the point of the shoulder to point of buttock equal to height at withers.
• Topline: Upper line of back and loins is straight.
• Withers: Pronounced.
• Back: Firm, short and well-muscled.
• Loins: Solid, short, sufficiently broad, well-muscled.
• Croup: Well muscled; only very slightly sloping. Sufficiently broad but not excessively so.
• Chest: Slightly broad, but well let down; upper part of ribs arched; seen from the front forechest little broad, but without being narrow.
• Underline: Begins below the chest and rises gently in a harmonious curve towards the belly, which is neither drooping nor tucked up, but slightly raised and moderately developed.

Tail

Well set on, strong at the base, of medium length, reaching at least to hock, but preferably further; at rest carried down, with tip curved backwards at level of hock; more raised when moving, although without passing the horizontal, the curve towards the tip becoming more accentuated, without ever at any time forming a hook or deviation.

Limbs

Forequarters

• General View: Bone solid but not heavy; muscle dry and strong; front legs upright from all sides and perfectly parallel when seen from the front.
• Shoulder: Shoulder blade is long and oblique, well attached, forming a sufficient angle with the humerus, ideally measuring 110-115 degrees.
• Upper Arm: Long and sufficiently oblique.
• Elbow: Firm, neither turning out nor tied in.
• Forearm: Long and straight.
• Wrist (carpus): Very firm and clean.
• Front Pastern (metacarpus): Strong and short, as perpendicular to the ground as possible or only very slightly sloping forward.
• Fore Feet: Round, cat feet; toes arched and well closed; pads thick and springy; nails dark and strong.

Hindquarters

• General View: Powerful, but not heavy; in profile the hindlegs are upright and when seen from behind are perfectly parallel.
• Upper Thigh: Medium length, broad and strongly muscled.
• Stifle: Approximately on the plumb line from the hip; normal stifle angulation.
• Lower Thigh: Medium length, broad and muscled.
• Hock: Close to the ground, broad and muscled, moderate angulation.
• Back Pastern (metatarsus): Solid and short; dewclaws not desirable.
• Hind Feet: May be light oval; toes arched and well closed; pads thick and springy; nails dark and strong.

Gait / Movement

Lively and free movement at all gaits; the Belgian Shepherd Malinois is a good galloper but its normal gaits are the walk and especially the trot; limbs move parallel to the median plane of the body. At high speed the feet come nearer to the median plane; at the trot the reach is medium, the movement even and easy, with good rear drive, and the topline remains tight while the front legs are not lifted too high. Always on the move, the Belgian Shepherd Malinois seems tireless; its gait is fast, springy and lively. It is capable of suddenly changing direction at full speed. Due to its exuberant character and its desire to guard and protect, it has a definite tendency to move in circles.

Skin

Elastic but taut over all the body; edges of lips and eyelids strongly pigmented.

Coat

The hair must always be dense, close-fitting and of good texture, with the woolly undercoat forming an excellent protective covering.

The hair is very short on the head, the outer sides of the ears and the lower part of the legs. It is short over the rest of the body and fuller at the tail and around the neck where it forms a collarette or ruff which begins at the base of the ear, stretching as far as the throat. As well, the back of the thighs is fringed with longer hair. The tail is ear of corn shaped, but does not form a plume.

Colour

• Colouring: Only fawn with black overlay (fauve-charbonne) and with black mask. A small amount of white is tolerated on the forechest and toes.
• Mask: The mask must be very pronounced and tend to encompass the top and bottom lip, the corners of the lips and the eyelids in one single black zone. A strict minimum of six points of skin pigmentation is called for: the two ears, the two upper eyelids and the two lips, upper and lower, which must be black.
• Black Overlay: The black overlay means that the hairs have a black tip which shades the base colour. This blackening is in any case "flamed" and must not be present in great patches nor in real stripes (brindled).

Size, Weight and Measurements

Height at Withers

The ideal height at withers is on average:

• Males: 62 cm.
• Females: 58 cm.
• Limits: 2 cm less; 4 cm more.

Weight

• Males: About 25-30 kg.
• Females: About 20-25 kg.

Measurements

Average normal measures for an adult male Belgian Shepherd Malinois of 62 cm at the withers:

• Length of Body: 62 cm (from the point of shoulder to the point of the buttock).
• Length of Back: 41 cm (from the withers to the crest of the pelvis).
• Circumference of the Chest behind the Elbows: Minimum 75 cm.
• Depth of Chest: 31 cm.
• From Ground to Chest: 31 cm.
• Length of Head: 25 cm.
• Length of Muzzle: 12.5 cm - 13 cm.

Faults

Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

• General Appearance: Cloddy, lacking elegance; too light or too slender; longer than high; fitting into a rectangle.
• Head: Heavy, too strong, lacking parallelism, not sufficiently chiselled or dry; forehead too rounded; stop too accentuated or too flat; muzzle too short or pinched; Roman nose; brow ridges or zygomatic arches too prominent.
• Nose, Lips and Eyelids: Traces of depigmentation.
• Dentition: Badly aligned incisors. Serious fault: lack of one incisor (1 I), one premolar 2 (1 P2), one premolar 3 (1 P3) or three premolars 1 (3 P1).
• Eyes: Light, round.
• Ears:Large, long, too broad at the base, set low, carried outward or inward.
• Neck: Slender; short or deep set.
• Body: Too long; thoracic cage too broad (cylindrical).
• Withers: Flat, low.
• Topline: Back and/or loins long, weak, sagging or arched.
• Croup: Too sloping, overbuilt.
• Underline: Too much or too little let down; too much belly.
• Tail: Set too low; carried too high, forming a hook, deviated.
• Limbs: Bone too light or too heavy; bad upright stance in profile (e.g. front pasterns too sloping or weak wrists), from the front (feet turning in or out, out at elbow, etc.), or from behind (hindlegs too close, too wide apart or barrel shaped, hocks close or open, etc.); too little or exaggeratedly angulated.
• Feet: Spreading.
• Gait: Moving close, too short a stride, too little drive, poor back transmission, high stepping action.
• Coat: Insufficient undercoat. Hair half-long where it should be short; smooth-haired; harsh hairs scattered in the short coat; wavy coat.
• Colour: White markings on the chest forming tie; white on the feet going beyond the toes. Brindle; tints not warm enough; not enough or too much black overlay or set in patches over the body; not enough mask. Too light a fawn; a base colour which is very diluted, named washed-out, is considered a serious fault
• Temperament: Specimens lacking in self-confidence or overly nervous.

Disqualifying Faults

• Temperament: Aggressive or timid specimens.
• General Appearance: Lack of breed type.
• Dentition: Overshot; undershot, even if contact is not lost (reverse scissor bite); crossbite; absence of one canine (1 C), one upper carnassial (1 P4) or lower carnassial (1 M1), one molar (1 M1 -upper jaw- or 1 M2; M3 are not taken into account), one premolar 3 (1 P3) plus one other tooth or a total of three teeth (excluding the premolars 1) or more.
• Nose, Lips, Eyelids: Strong depigmentation.
• Ears: Drooping or artificially kept erect.
• Tail: Missing or shortened, at birth or by docking; carried too high and ringed or curled.
• Coat: Lack of undercoat.
• Colour: Any colours which do not correspond with what has been described; too widespread white markings on forechest, especially if they reach as far as the neck; white on feet going more than halfway up the front or the back pasterns and forming socks; white markings anywhere other than forechest and toes; lack of mask, including a muzzle of lighter colour than the rest of the coat.
• Size: Outside the limits laid down.

N.B.

Male animals should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.

Crossbreeding - Matings Between Varieties

Any matings between varieties are forbidden, except in exceptional circumstances, when this ban can be lifted by the appropriate and official breed councils (Text 1974, drawn up in Paris). (A.N.K.C. in Australia).