Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Which One to Choose?

If you’re torn between adopting a Doberman vs Belgian Malinois, you may be wondering which one you should choose. The answer to that depends on your home and lifestyle and how readily you’ll be able to meet each breed’s needs.

Of course, that involves knowing what their needs are. Both the Doberman and the Belgian Malinois are unique dog breeds with different personalities, behaviors, and requirements to thrive. We’ve created the Doberman vs Belgian Malinois guide to help you decide which one is best for you. 

Ready to learn the key differences between the Doberman and Belgian Malinois? Keep reading!

Comparing the Doberman vs Belgian Malinois

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: 6 Key Differences

In order to decide whether the Doberman vs Belgian Malinois is best for you, it’s important to have a good idea of what makes them different. The Doberman is larger than the Malinois by two inches and twenty pounds, but it is also quieter with less need for rigorous mental and physical exercise. Because of the Belgian Malinois’ high prey drive, the Doberman is also better with other pets, especially smaller pets like cats. 

However, this is just a glance at a Doberman vs Belgian Malinois comparison. Keep reading to find out which breed is right for you. 

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Size

The Doberman is larger than the compact Belgian Malinois.

While they’re around two inches larger, they can be almost double their weight. On average, they’re at least twenty pounds heavier than the Belgian Malinois, and many exceed the requirements that apartments set for dog weight limits.  

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Health

Overall, both the Doberman and the Belgian Malinois are relatively healthy dogs. The Doberman is considered a larger dog, while the Belgian Malinois is considered medium, which can result in different health factors and lifespans. Many of the conditions prevalent in either breed can be prevented by choosing a reputable breeder. However, it’s still important to keep an eye out for all of them in order to catch any conditions early. 

The Doberman is susceptible to four main conditions:

• Von Willebrand’s Disease (vWD)
• Hypothyroidism
• Wobbler’s Syndrome
• Narcolepsy.

Solid white varieties of the Doberman are often caused by albinism. This increases their risk of skin disorders, including skin cancer. 

The Belgian Malinois, however, is more vulnerable to conditions relating to its eyes. This includes progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, and other similar conditions. Hip and elbow dysplasia are common in both breeds. Both may also suffer from joint issues later in life due to their high energy levels and need for hours of exercise each day.

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Relationship with Family

When you’re choosing a dog breed, you’ll want to make sure that you’re picking the perfect family member. This means choosing a dog that can get along with you, your children, and your other pets. 

The Doberman is a born and bred protector loyal to its family. While it can be good with children and other pets, it’s important, if not essential, that they are raised together. It will also take time and effort to train the Doberman. While it may still only bond with a single person, this can help create a well-socialized dog who can easily tolerate others. 

As herding dogs with a strong prey drive, however, the Belgian Malinois doesn’t do best with other pets. While they can be okay with children, it’s better to have older children. Belgian Malinois may not realize their strength and can knock over small children while playing. Like with the Doberman, the best way to help make a family member out of your Belgian Malinois is to take the time to properly train them from an early age.  

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Noise Levels

As a guard dog, you’ll notice that Dobermans are a fairly quiet breed. They tend only to bark when it comes to conveying something important to you. This can include basic needs, like an empty water bowl or a need to go outside, or it can be to alert you of something they’ve perceived as a threat to the household.

Belgian Malinois are much more talkative, although not as huskies. They’ll bark to communicate with you, other dogs, or just for fun if they’re not burning enough energy each and every day. This can make it difficult to keep them in an apartment as their noise levels may disrupt your neighbors and lead to noise complaints. 

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Need for Activities

The Doberman is a high-energy dog with a need for physical activity – preferably 1 to 2 hours each and every day. While an hour of this can be fulfilled through walks, it’s important to provide some diversity in their life as well. Fetch can be a popular option, as well as other focused tasks that work on obedience while highlighting exercise. 

For the Belgian Malinois, an abundance of both physically and mentally stimulating activities is a must. It needs at least an hour and a half of walking each day, on top of additional activities to work its mind and body. Fetch, retrieval, and ball herding are all good ways to keep your Belgian Malinois both in shape and free of boredom that could lead to unencouraged behaviors like excessive barking or destruction. 

Doberman vs Belgian Malinois: Conclusion

With the proper training and environment, both the Doberman and the Belgian Malinois can make great pets. However, good pets aren’t necessarily good for everyone and every situation. 

The Doberman will do best in a family environment, whether children or other pets. They can also be happy with less intense exercise compared to the Belgian Malinois, making it easier to adopt them into your lifestyle. However, the Belgian Malinois can be a good choice for individuals or couples looking for a single pet to adopt into their already active lifestyle. 

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Dmytro Zinkevych/Shutterstock.com