Why do police use belgian malinois

Where they come from: One of the main differences between Dutch Shepherds and Belgian Malinois is their origin. Rough vs short vs long coat: Malinois have only one coat type: short, straight and dense.

In contrast, Dutch Shepherds can have a short coat similar to the Malinois but also long and rough coats. Police dogs must remember several verbal cues and hand gestures. Recently, the Belgian Malinois has become the dog of choice for police and military work due to their intense drive and focus. The Bulldog, Pug, Dachshund, Pekingese, Basset Hound, and Boxer are some of the most popular breeds of dogs who are generally unable to swim due to their anatomy and facial structure.

Additionally, dogs with ideal anatomy might struggle to keep afloat if they have heavy, thick fur coats. Malinois are smaller and more agile than German Shepherd Dogs, and have fewer health issues. However, Belgian Malinois are starting to replace German Shepherds because of their greater aggression level. They also have a higher energy level than GSD, making them more capable of performing intense tasks.

The Malinois is generally considered to be a more independent dog as German Shepherds can suffer from separation anxiety once they have formed a bond with their keepers. The Belgian Malinois has a reputation of being slightly easier to train. And like the GSD, the Malinois had to find new work when using dogs to herd and guard livestock became less common.

Today, the Belgian Malinois is one of the top canine picks for police dog work, military K-9 service, and private sector protection and security work.

As the American Belgian Malinois Club explains, the New York police force is widely regarded as the first police organization to incorporate the Belgian Malinois into their ranks.

In fact, there are even special breeders that supply Malinois to the military, police force, and private sector organizations! He is retired now and lives with his handler, reports the New York Post. There are many, many more Belgian Malinois dogs working in K-9 operations around the world right now who are just as brave, loyal, and selfless. Most will never be recognized and celebrated to the extent Cairo and Conan have been, however.

The Belgian Malinois is now arguably the number one pick for working K-9s in the military and police as well as in government and private security roles.

However, what makes a dog breed a fantastic pick for military, police, and working K-9 protection roles is not necessarily the same as what makes for a great companion canine — a pet dog. These are the traits that made Malinois such a great herding dog and now helps the breed distinguish themselves in police dog roles.

The Belgian Malinois is known to have a driving need to please their people. In the case of a Malinois working or training to work in a K-9 role, this would mean they are driven to please one person — their handler. They are willing to do things most dogs would not even consider doing, like jumping out of aircraft, walking across tightropes, swimming in the open ocean, climbing up and down ladders, and other feats it seems almost impossible to believe a dog could do.

The Malinois lives and breathes work. This dog breed has been developed specifically to spend long hours doing very intense, athletically demanding work. Even in civilian life, the Malinois is a superstar canine athlete. From their agility and strength, to their unrivaled devotion and boldness, it is no surprise this breed has become a top choice for police and military efforts throughout the world. Developed as a herding breed in Malines, Belgium, this diligent breed also proved to be useful in the protection of farm and family.

By breeding with an emphasis on performance as opposed to looks, the success of the Malinois quickly skyrocketed into one of the most sought after breeds for working purposes.

Due to its versatility, new career paths quickly opened to the Malinois. World War II introduced this breed to military use — mainly hired as border patrol, cart haulers and message runners. This was just the beginning. Throughout the following decades, the Belgian Malinois gained further popularity in working fields. In the s, the use of the Malinois spread across the country like wildfire. Mals became the preferred breed for police and military matters, though the public often misjudged the breed as a German Shepherd.

In recent years, however, the name and presence of the Belgian Malinois has started to shine even brighter. Prior to this famous mission, Cairo had experienced other difficult assignments, including being shot during one operation.

The incident put Cairo in serious condition with injuries that may have ended the careers of other dogs.