The German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix is a cross of two highly intelligent and energetic herding breeds. German Malinois inherit some of the best and worst traits from their parent breeds and must be trained and socialized from an early age.
But, how much is a German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix? German Malinois puppies on average cost from $500 to $2000 or more. The price varies a lot and depends on several factors, like the breeder, location, supply and demand, and pedigree. Health-tested puppies that come from champion lines will naturally cost more than pups without health certificates.
Are you looking for a high-energy working dog that will also be a loyal companion? The German Shepherd Belgian Malinois is an excellent choice! Read on to learn more about this rare mix and whether it will be a good addition to your home!
What Is a German Shepherd Belgian Malinois Mix?
The German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix is a designer dog breed. These designer pooches go by several names, including the German Malinois, Malinois X, and Shephinois.
German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are officially recognized by the American Kennel Club, but their offspring are a crossbreed. However, the following organizations recognize the German Malinois:
- Designer Dogs Kennel Club
- American Canine Hybrid Club
- Dog Registry of America, Inc
- Designer Breed Registry
Brief History
It’s unclear when and why designer breeders started to cross German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois. Chances are they wanted to create a superior working and herding dog that can perform guarding duties.
To get a better idea of how a German Malinois will look and behave, you need to meet its parent breeds!
German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a medium to large size dog breed developed in Germany for herding sheep. Over the years, GSDs evolved into all-purpose working dogs that are used by the military and police, but also make loyal, protective, and alert family pets.
Belgian Malinois
The Belgian Malinois or Belgian Shepherd is a medium-sized herding dog, created in Belgium. Mals are also used by police and military forces and have strong protective and territorial instincts that can lead to aggression without proper socialization.
German Shepherd x Belgian Malinois
When you mix these two breeds you get a German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix. Highly intelligent, loyal, obedient, and energetic these dogs are best suited to adult-only homes or families with older children.
Like its Belgian Malinois parent, this mix can be standoffish with strangers and turn aggressive without proper socialization and training. Therefore, we do not recommend German Malinois to first-time owners, seniors, and families with toddlers.
Characteristics of German Shepherd Belgian Malinois Mix
Since German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois are similar, it’s easy to guess what their offspring will look like. They have strong and powerfully built bodies, wedge-shaped heads, pointed muzzles, almond-shaped eyes, and upright ears.
German Malinois Highlights:
| Size | Medium to large-sized dog |
| Weight | 45-85 pounds |
| Height | 22-26 inches |
| Coat Type | Short or medium-length double coat |
| Shedding | Heavy shedding |
| Energy Level | Extremely energetic |
| Overall Health | Very good |
| Lifespan | 10-14 years |
Height
The Belgian Malinois German Shepherd mix is a large dog that is between 22 and 26 inches tall at the withers.
Weight
Adult Shephionis usually weigh from 45 to 85 pounds. Males tend to be larger and heavier than females.
Coat Color
German Malinois can inherit a variety of coat colors from their German Shepherd parents. They usually have black masks on their faces or black muzzles. The most commonly seen coat colors in this mix are:
- Fawn
- Black and tan
- Black and brown
- Tan
- Red
- Cream
- Grey
Shedding
This mix has a short or medium-long coat that sheds all year round. They will also blow their coats during the shedding season at which point you can expect an obscene amount of dog hair flying around your home.
If you suffer from allergies or asthma you should rethink getting this mix and consider getting a low-shedding dog breed.
Temperament
The German Malinois will inherit high energy, intelligence, alertness, and working abilities from its parent breeds. Female dogs generally have calmer and sweeter temperaments while males are likely to be territorial and aggressive, but are also better workers.
This mix is naturally protective of its people and aloof around strangers which makes them excellent guard dogs. However, due to their strong protective instincts, these dogs can easily become aggressive with people they don’t know or other dogs (source).
Having said that, the German Malinois can be a fantastic family pet but only with proper socialization and training that will keep their protective side in check.
Pet Friendly
Some German Malinois get along with other dogs, especially if they were raised together since puppyhood. Most often though, this mix doesn’t get along with other pets due to their high prey drive and highly territorial nature.
Their herding and hunting instincts may spur them to chase and prey on smaller pets, so if you have a cat, the German Malinois is definitely not a dog for you!
Child Friendly
While German Shepherds get along nicely with children, Belgian Malinois are less tolerant of young children and aren’t recommended to families with kids. The German Malinois takes after its Belgian Malinois parent meaning that its overbearing and territorial nature makes it unsuitable for homes with young children.
If you have toddlers at home or plan to have children in the near future, the German Malinois isn’t the right dog for you! However, when trained and socialized from an early age, this mix gets along with older children and can be an energetic and protective companion.
German Shepherd Belgian Malinois Mix Care
This mix needs an experienced and dedicated owner who is willing to go the extra mile to train, socialize, and exercise their dog. If you decide to welcome this mix into your home, here’s everything you need to know about caring for a German Malinois:
Health Risks
The German Malinois is considered a generally healthy designer hybrid. However, they can develop the same health issues that affect German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois dog breeds.
The most common health problems seen in this mix are:
- Hip dysplasia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Bloat
- Progressive retinal atrophy
- Anesthesia sensitivity
- Degenerative myelopathy
German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix has an average lifespan of 10 to 14 years. Keep up with your dog’s regular veterinary checkups and vaccinations to catch potential health issues and start treating them in the early stages.
Grooming
Depending on which parent breed they take after, German Malinois can have short or medium-length double coats. Their coats will shed moderately throughout the year and go through a heavy shed during spring and fall.
Short-haired dogs can be brushed three times a week with a bristle brush. Long-haired German Malinois, on the other hand, need to be brushed daily especially during the shedding season when they will blow their entire under-coats.
The good news is that these dogs don’t have to be bathed often! Bathe your mix once every three to four months using a hypoallergenic dog shampoo or a specialized de-shedding shampoo for dogs.
As a part of your regular grooming routine, you should also trim your dog’s nails, brush their teeth, and clean their ears.
German Malinois are highly energetic dogs that will wear their nails naturally, to some extent. Generally, you’ll need to trim your pup’s nails once a month, or when you hear them clicking against the floor.
Inspect your dog’s ears weekly for dirt, mites, and waxy buildup and clean as necessary using a vet-approved ear cleaning solution for dogs.
Ideally, you should brush your dog’s teeth twice a day to prevent plaque and tartar buildup, but if that’s too much, brush at least three times a week (source). Use a dog toothbrush and an enzymatic toothpaste to keep your pup’s breath fresh and their teeth clean.
Food or Diet
An ideal diet for the German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix is formulated for large dogs with high energy. Choose foods that are made from high-quality human-grade ingredients and contain appropriate levels of proteins, fats, and fibers.
If you are planning to keep this mix as a working dog to herd sheep or cattle, feed them with specially formulated dog food for working dogs. These foods have higher levels of protein and fat to meet the nutritional needs of working dogs.
Stick to a regular feeding schedule of two meals for adult dogs and three or four smaller meals for puppies. Due to their high energy levels, German Malinois aren’t prone to obesity. However, that doesn’t mean you should start doling out treats or feeding table scraps to your dog.
Since this mix has a higher risk of developing joint and mobility problems, talk with your vet about including supplements into their diet. Mobility supplements that contain glucosamine and chondroitin can be extremely beneficial for your dog’s joint and bone health.
Training and Exercise
Like its parent breeds, the German Malinois is a highly energetic dog that needs a lot of exercises. This mix needs around two hours of intense activity every day.
Luckily, this mix isn’t picky when it comes to their preferred activities and will happily hike, jog, run, swim, do agility or dog trials just to burn excess energy. Besides regular activities, you should also play and mentally stimulate your mix to prevent them from becoming bored and frustrated.
Playing fetch, hide and seek, retrieving, or tracking are great ways for keeping your mix active and mentally stimulated at the same time. You should also invest in interactive and puzzle toys, so your dog can stay engaged and occupied when you have to leave the house.
The German Shepherd Belgian Malinois is highly intelligent and eager to please breed, however, they can be stubborn at times. The best way to train this mix is by using positive reinforcement training methods.
Training your mix from puppyhood can help curb any unwanted behaviors like overprotectiveness and aggression. Having said that, training your German Malinois will be a lifelong commitment and you shouldn’t stop just because your dog learned all basic commands.
Socialization is an important aspect of training, and it’s a must for German Malinois! Start exposing your mix to as many new people, children, pets, places, objects, sounds, and smells as soon as you bring them home.
This mix is aloof with strangers and is likely to become aggressive without proper guidance, so training and socialization is crucial!
Housing
Due to their size and high activity level, German Malinois aren’t suited for apartment living. These dogs need a lot of free space to run around, explore, and work, so a standalone house with a fenced yard will be ideal.
Where to Get a German Shepherd Belgian Malinois Mix?
While the German Shepherd is a very popular breed, the German Malinois is a new mix and far from reaching the GSD’s levels of popularity. If you’re convinced that the German Malinois is the right dog for your home, you can adopt or shop.
German Shepherd Belgian Malinois Mix Breeders
Since the German Shepherd Malinois mix is still a rare hybrid you may have trouble locating a breeder that makes puppies available regularly. When you locate the breeder, schedule an appointment to meet the mother and the puppies and to inspect the conditions they are kept in.
German Shepherd Belgian Malinois Mix Price
German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix puppies on average cost from $500 to $2000. The price varies a lot and depends on several factors, like the breeder, lineage, coat color, health certificates, and much more.
Adoption
Though technically designer dogs, some German Malinois may end up abandoned and in the care of shelters and rescue organizations across the state. Consider adoption if you’re certain that this mix will make a great addition to your home.
When adopting a German Malinois, ask about behavioral testing and how the dog did. Dogs that don’t pass behavioral testing are more likely to exhibit aggressive behavior at some point so make sure that the dog you want to adopt passes with flying colors.
Conclusion
The German Shepherd Belgian Malinois mix is a highly energetic, intelligent, protective, and territorial dog that needs an experienced owner and a large home. This mix can become overly protective and aggressive without training and socialization so don’t get one if you don’t have time to train your dog every day.
A properly trained and socialized German Malinois can make a fantastic companion to active people and families with children or people looking for a working dog.
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