Belgian Malinois vs Belgian Tervuren
Compare the Belgian Malinois to the Belgian Tervuren. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Belgian Malinois and Belgian Tervurens.
Quick Summary
- Owner Experience - The Belgian Tervuren is a good choice for new owners, whereas the Belgian Malinois is not recommended for new/inexperienced owners.
- Children - Both the Belgian Tervuren and Belgian Malinois are child friendly, but the Belgian Tervuren is a better choice for young children.
- Grooming - Both the Belgian Malinois and Belgian Tervuren are easy to groom.
- Barking - The Belgian Tervuren bark/howls frequently. The Belgian Malinois has an average level of barking.
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| Breed Name | Belgian Malinois | Belgian Tervuren |
| General Details | ||
| Breed Type | Purebred | Purebred |
| Is Hypoallergenic | No | No |
| Lifespan | 10-12 yrs. | 10-12 yrs. |
| Height | 22-28 in. | 22-26 in. |
| Weight | 55-75 lb | 45-75 lb |
| Intelligence | High | High |
| History | ||
| Origin Country | Belgium | Belgium |
| Origin Year | 1891 AD | 1895 AD |
| Temperament | ||
| Overall Friendliness | ||
| Family Friendly | ||
| Kid Friendly | ||
| Pet Friendly | ||
| Stranger Friendly | ||
| Personality | ||
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| Living Environment | ||
| Apartment | No | No |
| Indoor | Yes | Yes |
| Small Yard | Yes | No |
| Medium Yard | Yes | Yes |
| Large Yard | Yes | Yes |
| Temperature Tolerance ¹ | 30°F to 80°F | 30°F to 70°F |
| Barks/Howls | ||
| Exercise Needs | ||
| Energy Level | High-Very High | High |
| Exercise Required | High-Very High | High |
| Top Running Speed | 35 mph | 24 mph |
| Strength | High | High |
| Grooming Needs | ||
| Coat Maintenance | Low-Medium | Low |
| Shedding | Medium | High |
| Dander | Medium | Low |
| Drool Amount | Low | Low |
¹This is estimated min/max temperature range for a healthy adult dog. Dogs that live indoors, puppies, seniors, unwell dogs, and/or dogs with improperly groomed coats may overheat sooner and get cold more quickly.
| Breed Name | Belgian Malinois | Belgian Tervuren |
| Breed Mentality | ||
| Dominant/Alpha | Yes | No |
| Family/Pack | No | Yes |
| Independent | No | No |
| Breed Focus | ||
| Distracted Easily | No | No |
| Average | No | Yes |
| Focused & Patient | Yes | No |
| Breed Instincts | ||
| Aggression | Average | Average |
| Burrow/Digging | Below Average | Average |
| Chasing | Average | Average |
| Follow Commands | High | Average |
| Fighting | Average | Below Average |
| Guarding | High | Below Average |
| Herding | High | High |
| Hunting | Below Average | Average |
| Protection | High | Average |
| Remove Vermin | Average | Average |
| Sledding | Average | Average |
| Watch | High | Average |
| Breed Name | Belgian Malinois | Belgian Tervuren |
| Lifespan | ||
| Lifespan | 10-12 yrs. | 10-12 yrs. |
| Common Health Issues | ||
| Elbow Dysplasia | Yes | No |
| Epilepsy | Yes | No |
| Eye Problems | Yes | No |
| Hip Dysplasia | Yes | No |
| Breed Name | Belgian Malinois | Belgian Tervuren |
| Coat | ||
| Fur | Yes | Yes |
| Hair | No | Yes |
| Coat Type | ||
| Wire Coat | Yes | No |
| Double Coat | No | Yes |
| Coat Texture | ||
| Straight | Yes | Yes |
| Wooly | No | Yes |
| Coat Length(s) | ||
| Short | Yes | No |
| Medium | No | Yes |
| Long | No | Yes |
| Coat Color(s) | ||
| Black | Yes | Yes |
| Brindle | Yes | Yes |
| Cream | Yes | No |
| Cream & Sable | Yes | No |
| Fawn | Yes | No |
| Fawn & Sable | Yes | No |
| Gray | Yes | No |
| Gray & Sable | Yes | No |
| Liver | Yes | No |
| Mahogany | Yes | No |
| Red | Yes | No |
| Red & Sable | Yes | No |
| Cream&black | No | Yes |
| Fawn&black | No | Yes |
| Fawn&liver | No | Yes |
| Gray&black | No | Yes |
| Mahogany&black | No | Yes |
| Mahogany&liver | No | Yes |
| Silver&black | No | Yes |