Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback

Compare the Belgian Malinois to the Rhodesian Ridgeback. Use the tool below to compare temperament, size, personality, maintenance requirements, and everything else between Belgian Malinois and Rhodesian Ridgebacks.

Quick Summary

Below are a few quick comparisons between the two breeds.

Owner Experience - The Rhodesian Ridgeback is a good choice for new owners, whereas the Belgian Malinois is not recommended for new/inexperienced owners.
Children - The Rhodesian Ridgeback is very child friendly. The Belgian Malinois does okay around kids, but is not as tolerant as the Rhodesian Ridgeback.
Grooming - Both breeds have low maintenance coats, but the Rhodesian Ridgeback is easier to groom.
Barking - The Belgian Malinois has an average tendency to bark. The Rhodesian Ridgeback will rarely bark.

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Belgian Malinois vs Rhodesian Ridgeback

Breed Name	Belgian Malinois	Rhodesian Ridgeback
General Details
Breed Type	Purebred	Purebred
Is Hypoallergenic	No	No
Lifespan	10-12 yrs.	10-12 yrs.
Height	22-28 in.	24-27 in.
Weight	55-75 lb	65-90 lb
Intelligence	High	Average
History
Origin Country	Belgium	Zimbabwe
Origin Year	1891 AD	1924 AD
Temperament
Overall Friendliness	Below Average	Very Good
Family Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Kid Friendly	Average	Very Good
Pet Friendly	Below Average	Very Good
Stranger Friendly	Below Average	Good
Personality
	Affectionate Aggressive Stubborn Willing To Please	Affectionate Jealous Loving Does Not Like Being Alone Likes To Snuggle Stubborn Willing To Please
Living Environment
Apartment	No	Yes
Indoor	Yes	Yes
Small Yard	Yes	Yes
Medium Yard	Yes	Yes
Large Yard	Yes	Yes
Temperature Tolerance ¹	30°F to 80°F	35°F to 95°F
Barks/Howls	Often	Rarely
Exercise Needs
Energy Level	High-Very High	High-Very High
Exercise Required	High-Very High	High
Top Running Speed	35 mph	35 mph
Strength	High	High
Grooming Needs
Coat Maintenance	Low-Medium	Low
Shedding	Medium	Low
Dander	Medium	Low
Drool Amount	Low	None

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.

Instincts & Behavior Comparison
Breed Name	Belgian Malinois	Rhodesian Ridgeback
Breed Mentality
Dominant/Alpha	Yes	No
Family/Pack	No	Yes
Independent	No	No
Breed Focus
Distracted Easily	No	No
Average	No	No
Focused & Patient	Yes	Yes
Breed Instincts
Aggression	Average	Below Average
Burrow/Digging	Below Average	Below Average
Chasing	Average	High
Follow Commands	High	Average
Fighting	Average	Below Average
Guarding	High	Average
Herding	High	Below Average
Hunting	Below Average	High
Protection	High	Below Average
Remove Vermin	Average	Below Average
Sledding	Average	Below Average
Watch	High	Average

Health Comparison
Breed Name	Belgian Malinois	Rhodesian Ridgeback
Lifespan
Lifespan	10-12 yrs.	10-12 yrs.
Common Health Issues
Dermoid Sinus	No	Yes
Elbow Dysplasia	Yes	Yes
Epilepsy	Yes	No
Eye Problems	Yes	No
Hip Dysplasia	Yes	Yes

Appearance Comparison
Breed Name	Belgian Malinois	Rhodesian Ridgeback
Coat
Fur	Yes	Yes
Coat Type
Wire Coat	Yes	No
Double Coat	No	Yes
Coat Texture
Straight	Yes	Yes
Coat Length(s)
Short	Yes	Yes
Coat Color(s)
Black	Yes	No
Brindle	Yes	No
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
Light Wheaten	No	Yes
Red Wheaten	No	Yes
Wheaten	No	Yes