Koolie vs Belgian Shepherd Dog (Malinois) - Breed Comparison

The Belgian Malinois is one of 4 Belgian Shepherd varieties. The dogs were developed- and hail from Belguim. The Malinois has a short, fawn colored coat. The American Kennel Club recognizes that the Malinois is a separate breed from the other 3 varieties. It was in 1892 that Professor Reul wrote the first Belgian Shepherd Dog standard, recognizing 3 varieties – dogs with short coats, dogs with long coats and dogs with rough coats.

Today's Malinois goes back to a breeding pair owned by Adrien Janssens. It was in 1885 that he bought a fawn, rough-haired dog, breeding the dog with a short-haired dog named Lise de Laeken. After other breedings, the two dogs were recognized as ancestors of the modern Belgian Shepherd Dogs.

The city of Malines formed a club for the promotion of these fawn short hairs and the name Malinois became synonymous with them. In March 1992, the American Belgian Malinois Club received AKC parent club status.

The Koolie's ancestors were both the smooth coated blue merle Collie as well as the Black and Tan Collie. The dog hails from Australia.

Looking much like the Heeler dog, the Koolie is thought to have got its name from German immigrants to Australia who couldn’t pronounce the name ‘collie’ properly, so the name came out as Koolie. The Koolie of today is a product of a cross between the German Koolie and the Australian Dingo.

The dog has been around for a long time and in 2000, the Koolie Club of Australia was formed. It was in 2004 that the Koolie was recognized by the Australian Sporting Registrar. In May 2006, the Stockdog Committee of the Australian Shepherd Club of America accepted the Koolie as a recognized and accepted herding breed.

Similarities to German Shepherd

The Malinois is a medium-size Belgian shepherd dog. People sometimes mistake them for the German Shepherd as they are fairly similar to look at. The Malinois however is a smaller, lighter boned dog with naturally upright ears and a black-masked face. He is shorthaired and fawn-colored with black tips on the hairs, although other colors are brown or red too. He is an intelligent and active dog, always having been used for herding-, police- and rescue work.

Reserved or Friendly

You’ll find the Malinois somewhat unpredictable as some are friendly and confident while other can be shy and withdrawn around strangers. This is a dog who loves to be around his human family, but to bring out the best in him, training and socialization classes will be necessary. Well-socialized Malinois are always good with children and other pets, more so if they’ve been raised with them.

Known also as the German Koolie or German Collie, the Koolie is a working- or herding dog standing at between 40 – 60cm in height and weighing up to 24kg.

The Koolie's coat is a merle coat pattern in red or black and possibly with some tan and is mostly short and smooth, though it can be medium length too. Depending on the coat color – red or black – the nose and eyes can be either brown or black, although eye color can also be blue or yellowish.

Temperament:

The Koolie is such a wonderful pet who has some excellent characteristics to his name. He is active, energetic, fun, clever, friendly and playful, but if you have him trained and socialized he becomes even more of a great family pet. He is intelligent too and will require an owner who is steady, firm, fair and consistent. You wouldn't call him an aggressive dog

The Belgian Malinois makes a wonderful guard dog and he works hard to ensure that his human family, whom he adores, are well protected under his watch. They’re such intelligent dogs too that you may feel inclined to pass over some of your chores to him.

He responds well to training, and to get the best from this breed, start with training and socialization as soon as you bring your puppy home.

Socialization is excellent as it introduces your puppy to different people, animals as well as situations.

He is an adaptable dog and can live in an apartment if he is well exercised. He can be your devoted and loyal friend for a good number of years but you will have to do your part in providing him with the best care possible.

Many people today like the idea of a ‘wild’ animal as a pet, and the Koolie, with his Dingo ancestry, can be a challenging dog breed to keep. People eventually blame these animals for having a poor temperament – meantime all they are essentially, are high-energy animals.

If you keep a Koolie, it will be better if you were a firm, kind, patient, consistent dog owner who understands the special needs of these kinds of dogs. They’re an energetic, care-free animals who will do better on a large property or farm as he is lively and will need a good deal of exercise.

He is quite capable of being a splendid pet with training and socialization and will settle down well to family life when he is loved and cared for.

Belgian Malinois are generally healthy dogs. However every dog, regardless of breed, can pick up illnesses, and it is always wise to be aware of some of the diseases your Malinois might face.

Hip Dysplasia

An inherited condition where the thigh bone doesn't fit properly into the hip joint. As the dog ages, arthritis can develop.

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

A degenerative eye disorder that can lead to blindness.

Dental problems

Brush his teeth at least 2 or 3 times a week to remove tartar build-up. Too much plague leads to inflamed gums, bad breath, pus inside the mouth and even loss of teeth.

The Koolie is a long-lived dog and there are records of it being able to reach 18 years of age. Because they have a diverse gene pool, you won’t find many genetic problems with this dog.

It is always wise when you’re the owner of a dog, to look out for his health and wellbeing -

Vaccination:

This is to prevent your Koolie picking up fatal diseases such as distemper and parvo-virus. Dogs can be vaccinated from 6 weeks of age for protection.

Parasites:

Working dogs like the Koolie are susceptible to parasites such as tapeworm. Worming of your dog can be included in your vet visit. Dogs with worms may show tell-tale signs such as being pot bellied, very pale gums, anemia and a dull, thinned coat.

A look at his droppings may reveal white segments or worms. Fleas are another kind of parasite and they breed quickly in warm months. Mange is a skin disease caused by small parasitic mites which can actually live inside the hair follicles of dogs. Veterinary treatment will be required.

Heat Stroke:

This is when your pet’s temperature rises out of control. Dogs pant to reduce their body temperature so a dog puffing heavily is putting in extra work to reduce his body temperature.

Never leave you pet in a boiling hot car as the body becomes weak and he has difficulty with breathing. Without immediate treatment, the dog will collapse and die.

Regular Brushing as he’s a Shedder

Because the Malinois is a constant shedder, with a couple of heavy shedding periods during the year, you’ll need to be conscientious with his grooming and brush him at least twice a week to get rid of loose hairs and to give his thick coat a glossy, healthy look to it.

Exercise

Because of their high energy, Malinois aren’t recommended for couch-potato type owners. It will be cruel to buy such a dog and to leave him to waste away with boredom and frustration in your back yard. He’ll want lots of rough and tumble, ball games, runs in the park or in the country and long walks.

Feeding

Belgian Shepherd Malinois puppies are vulnerable when they’re tiny, and it would be wise to speak to your vet about superb nutrition to build up a puppy’s immune system.

An excellent way to ensure the health of your growing Malinois is to give him a home prepared meals along with commercially manufactured food recommended by your vet. You can’t just put a bowl of commercially manufactured dog food in front of him day after day month after month.

Apart from what your vet recommends, give him some brown rice, some cooked vegetables and some raw meat. Raw meat will ensure he can fight of skin infections. The age of the dog, emotional state and environmental influences can all play a role in skin diseases with dogs, but by ensuring some raw meat in his diet, the immune system is strengthened and skin disorders are eliminated. Always ensure a steady supply of fresh water.

Training:

The Koolie is an intelligent dog that will benefit from training and socialization to make him obedient and able to cope in diverse situations.

Exercise:

These dogs show an untiring enthusiasm for exercise and work and wherever you live, you will need to ensure that he gets regular exercise.

Diet:

Only the very best - both home-made and commercially manufactured food - will be good enough for this energetic dog. Good quality food ensures health and longevity. Always see that there is a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Relaxing Time:

Make sure that your dog has a warm, dry place to sleep inside and that when outside, he has a cool, sheltered spot from the sun.