The Belgian Malinois is one of the most popular breeds out there. They have many qualities that endear them to their owners. But apart from their graceful physique and friendly nature, these breeds are as useful as any other breed you have come across. It’s not just looks that attract people to them, but also substance.
The Belgian Malinois is a wonderful service dog that is both loyal and intelligent. They are easy to train and they follow instructions carefully. Because of their calm disposition, they serve as excellent emotional support and therapy dogs. They are known to help people calm down much easier thanks to their attentiveness.
But there’s more to these elegant and duty-bound dogs than meets the eye. You can own them as companion dogs or they can play a more serious role in someone’s life. It all comes down to training. And the Belgian Malinois is really good at training.
Belgian Malinois as Service Dogs
Everything about the Belgian Malinois says how great they are as service dogs. From their stamina and raw power to their highly developed intelligence. All these attributes make them the ideal candidate to take up the duty of a service dog.
In addition, they are great at following instructions. And they’re loyal to a fault. Once they develop a connection with their new owners, which is easy, they stay with the owner all the time. They are around and ready to help at the drop of a hat. Because they sleep little, that means they are available more hours of the day than other breeds.
There’s something about the Belgian Malinois that makes them a favorite service dogs to a wide variety of people. Besides their ability to perform their duties, they also serve as companions and pets for the rest of the household.
What Kind of Service Do Belgian Malinois Perform?
In general, the Belgian Malinois can fill up any service or duty you ask of it. Even in the military, they take their duties with the diligence you’d expect of a dog in their position. But in civilian life, these dogs have many jobs to perform and tasks to carry on their slender shoulders.
As emotional support animals, the Belgian Malinois fits in perfectly. They are passionate and caring animals by nature. This makes them ideal to show support and help their humans in their moments of need. They have the ability to recognize signs of stress in their owners and that’s when their training kicks in. They immediately spring into action and do all they can to calm the person down.
Service Needs Belgian Malinois Can Meet
But that’s not all the Belgian Malinois can do for their human. Because they’re emotionally developed and have high intelligence, they act as guide dogs. People with disability who need a guide dog will find the perfect match in the Belgian Malinois. They know the lay of the land very quickly and need little training whether indoors or outdoors.
They also perform other duties that involve interacting with humans and performing complex tasks such as purchasing and carrying bags of groceries. For someone with a disability who needs an agile companion that will carry out their daily tasks, the Belgian Malinois is the right dog for this job. Add to that all the other small tasks these dogs are great at and you can understand why they are so popular as service dogs.
Service Traits of Belgian Malinois
Loyalty is the first quality that comes to mind when we talk about the Belgian Malinois. It feels a strong bond with their owner and they stay by their side around the clock. Because they are well-adjusted and emotionally stable, that makes them the right dogs to provide emotional support and therapy for certain patients. Their quiet demeanor brings calm and emotional stability to the person in need of support.
Add to that their ability to build rapport quickly with the person they’re supposed to help. It’s hard not to fall in love with this adorable animal. They don’t need much care or attention, yet they offer a ton of love to their owner without expecting much in return. They have this ability to put the human first.
Belgian Malinois’ High-Energy
And did we mention that they don’t sleep much? A few hours of sleep at night or during the day time is all they need. And then they’re up and about strutting with confidence and ready to perform a duty or take up a task. Who wouldn’t love a dog like that?
And let’s not forget that many of these tasks require high stamina and strength. A different breed with a less muscular body wouldn’t be able to carry out all these duties with such efficiency. But the Belgian Malinois keeps going and going without feeling tired or exhausted. It’s their natural stamina and high energy that help them do all these tasks perfectly. And for that you couldn’t ask more out of them.
Belgian Malinois as Emotional/Therapy Support Animals
We already talked about how these amazing dogs act as emotional support animals for people with different disabilities. Take for example a person suffering from a social anxiety disorder. For such a person, every time they go out it’s an ordeal. They constantly need a familiar face by them to assure them that their anxiety is unfounded.
No other companion can provide this round the clock service like the Belgian Malinois. It’s an affable animal by nature and it doesn’t shy away from crowds. It takes to people even strangers with ease and this is what the owner needs. This confidence and handling strangers without any issues. The Belgian Malinois is ideal as a therapy support animal. It takes emotional support up to new heights with its dedication and loyalty.
Can a Belgian Malinois Be a Hunting dog?
The short answer is yes they can. But there are a few caveats here. While it has a sharp vision and sharp smell, it might not be the best hunting dog you can take with you. If you want the Belgian Malinois to sneak on the prey or detect its location, it can do that thanks to its heightened senses. But when it comes to actually chasing or hunting prey, it’s a different story.
It’s one thing to chase a butterfly or a squirrel but it’s another to actually hunt a boar. For one thing, the Belgian Malinois knows that it will never catch the butterfly. As for the squirrel, it’s just too sneaky and hides too fast. But the fun is in the chase not in the catching. That’s how the Belgian Malinois sees it.
Are Belgian Malinois Naturally Aggressive?
And that’s another issue with people who want to adopt the Belgian Malinois as a hunting dog. They are too friendly and affable to go after a wild boar. For the dog, there’s no point in chasing an animal with such dangerous tusks and high temper. Most likely the Belgian Malinois will just turn around and run as fast as it can the opposite direction.
This is why they don’t fight much. The Belgian Malinois definitely has the physique and stamina to get into a fight and win it. But it doesn’t have that fighting spirit. It just doesn’t see things that way. It’s too chill for a dog to start a fight. And it has to be very stressed to do that.
What Makes a Good Service Dog?
First and foremost, a good service dog has to be loyal and obedient. It needs to follow a lot of orders and some of them might not be very pleasant. A normal dog doesn’t like responsibility. It’d rather go out and play with the butterflies than take care of an ailing person. So a sense of duty is important in the service dog.
Physical strength is another good trait. We’re talking about a dog that’s willing to carry bags for its owner and run around picking up packages from the store and back. Without that strength, the dog will fail miserably.
Types of Service Dogs
That said, the types of service dogs vary wildly. Luckily, the Belgian Malinois shines in many of these types. You have guide dogs. We already talked about those and how they help people with disabilities go through their day without hassle.
Other service dogs include hearing dogs, diabetic alert dogs, mobility assistance dogs, seizure response dogs, autism support dogs, allergy detection dogs, and psychiatric service dogs among others. Each type has a role to play that helps people with certain disabilities.
Belgian Malinois as Service Dogs Are Not for Everyone
That said, one can see why the Belgian Malinois is not the service dog for everyone. Although it requires less sleep than many breeds, it still needs its own recreational time and exercise. While it has a lot of stamina, too much stress can wear it out and leave it exhausted. So it needs to have its own private time and to be allowed to play with other dogs for a while.
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