Dutch Shepherd Forum

I've worked around German, Belgian, and Dutch Shepherds and have seen some differences in their personalities and the way they work, but I have only ever owned or handled a Dutch Shepherd myself so I do not know how different they may be from the owner's perspective. Of course I've heard that DS are like a Mal with an off switch, and I've seen this to some extent in trials, but I'm curious to hear from people who have owned both DS and Malinois what kind of differences they have noticed? Of course I mean DS who do not have recent Malinois blood in their lines.

Since I have only had a Mal and DS, I do find them similar except, like you said, the DS has an off switch. They both are great, fun, spunky, smart etc.

I see big differences between my two Belgians and my DS. But to an outsider, they might not seem so different, or just chock it up to personality differences.

Just a couple of things I can come up with at the moment. My DS is more likely to talk back to me during training, while both Belgians would do somersaults to please me if that's what they thought I wanted. Both of my Belgians are also soft dogs, and will shut down if they think I'm cross with them. Even when I was taking a Rally O class with my Laekenois, I was concentrating on my footwork and being quiet one session, and Balto was getting really worried that he was doing something wrong. (Because there's a lot of communication in Rally O.)

Also, my DS is more independent. When the Belgians want to come inside, they will stand at the back door until I open it. If my DS comes to the back door and it's closed, he'll go find something else to do until I show up to let him in. He's also not as clingy as the two Belgians. Though this rescue that's been in my house for a couple of days now, is pretty clingy. But he's just lost the only home he's ever known.

Also, if all 3 are outside and I come out, the 2 Belgians will come over and see what's up with me, and my DS will just keep doing what he's doing.

thats funny Carol, Thalie is very clingy and will wait at the back door and stare at it until I let her in. Thalie will shut down if I get really angry at her, thats rare, even when we were training. When Im outside, most of the time Thalie will be near me and always check out what im doing. Sadie will wait at the door if she really wants to come in, or go and do something until I open the door. She is more independent that Thalie. Sadie sounds more like your Belgians.

I wonder if we can really get a good sample of the differences from our group? Each DS seems so different .

Zodiac is like that too (sensitive, clingy, waits at the door until we let her in) but according to my trainer being clingy and being sensitive are common traits in both Dutch Shepherds and Malinois. Zodiac is very eager to please and I can't use a harsh tone with her or she will act like I just beat her.

The major difference I have seen between Dutches I've known and Mals I've known is that after an owner gets home from working their dogs most Dutches I've met are happy to relax and act like pets, whereas most Mals I've met still want to run around. I wasn't sure if those were just the dogs I knew or if that was how the breeds are in general.

CaroleBoaz wrote:I see big differences between my two Belgians and my DS. But to an outsider, they might not seem so different, or just chock it up to personality differences.

Just a couple of things I can come up with at the moment. My DS is more likely to talk back to me during training, while both Belgians would do somersaults to please me if that's what they thought I wanted. Both of my Belgians are also soft dogs, and will shut down if they think I'm cross with them. Even when I was taking a Rally O class with my Laekenois, I was concentrating on my footwork and being quiet one session, and Balto was getting really worried that he was doing something wrong. (Because there's a lot of communication in Rally O.)

Also, my DS is more independent. When the Belgians want to come inside, they will stand at the back door until I open it. If my DS comes to the back door and it's closed, he'll go find something else to do until I show up to let him in. He's also not as clingy as the two Belgians. Though this rescue that's been in my house for a couple of days now, is pretty clingy. But he's just lost the only home he's ever known.

Also, if all 3 are outside and I come out, the 2 Belgians will come over and see what's up with me, and my DS will just keep doing what he's doing.

But do you think that has more to do with the lines rather then belgians vs DS? There are some very hard mals out there, and there are some very flaky DS.

I'm thinking if it would be more fair do say FCI DS vs FCI Mali, or KNPV DS vs KNPV Mali (although they're all intertwined there any ways), etc..

It would be like asking how does the GSD compare to the Doberman and not taking into account the wide array of working vs show GSDs. I think similarly there is a fair spread of variety of temperaments between just the Malis and just the DSs.

A friend of ours has a 2 year old Malinois, and they wanted to have Tucker our 3 year old DS to have a play day with Kesha. After a day of play at a local lake , I have to say we chose the right dog for us. Tucker our DS is a lot more calm , when compared to the high energy of the Malinois. Kesha was a non-stop dynamo. It was fun watching Tucker playing with a dog above his hyper level. Serves him right

I own both a DS and a Goof Ball Mali. The DS is still a pup but the differences are obvious to me. The Mali is a huge goof ball. He WANTS to work all the time. He will chill out but he HAS GOT to do something. He is also as serious as a heart attack in bitework. As a pup is was a game..... now...... it's for real. He tries to tear the decoys head off. The decoy will slip the sleeve and he'll drop the sleeve and continue after the decoy. Also, he's very handler sensitive and OB, bitework, and detection can almost be done (with me anyway) simply with body language. He's like a Ferrari; graceful, powerful, temperamental, and fun to drive. While he's large for a Maligator (75-80 pounds) he's very precise in bitework and doesn't use his weight like a GSD or a Rotty does. He's not all that physical

The DS is...... stoic.... and serious.... even for a pup. As an adult, he's going to be a hammer looking for a nail. He's going to be less handler sensitive than the mali and he's going to want to do things his way and independently. I can tell, the old school way of teaching an out would end with a bit handler or a dog than won't out. He's already possessive of his toys and his yard and his pack. He decidedly has a lack of spatial awareness, even for a puppy and will be a very physical dog. He'll use his weight to man handle decoys and he'll be a big boy; 22 weeks and 40 pounds

Neither are trained with aversion/force so it's simply and issue of drive direction.

Their energy levels are similar they just show it differently

Could someone please draw me a diagram and provide instructions on using this so-called DS off switch?

centrop67 wrote:Could someone please draw me a diagram and provide instructions on using this so-called DS off switch?

Ha. Ha. Ha! I had one model that came with one and one that is just now (at 1 1/2 years ) developing one... I think it depends on the Dutchie~

centrop67 wrote:Could someone please draw me a diagram and provide instructions on using this so-called DS off switch?

New to the forum and reading old threads but I too would enjoy finding he off switch hahaha

I'm just gonna add my thoughts, malis are crazy,playful, goofy and super sensitive
Dutchies are hard headed stubborn, with strong work ethics.
But it can also be switched around.
My Dutchie takes no shit from me and will tell me if he doesn't like something I did. This is our current battle lol. He loves to work but is not a good family dog. He is non stop, all around independent. He also has made up his mind he will not work for free-_- greatest dog I've ever owned though.

The malis I've seen love their owners and love to play. Pretty goofy and super lovey!