You may not have heard of the breed of dog called the Belgian Malinois, but I bet you have seen them on TV and in the movies.  The Belgian Malinois is one of the varieties of Belgian Shepherd dogs and a member of the herding group.

These dogs are known to be fiercely loyal, protective and intelligent, as well as sweet and loving to their human families.

They are so protective that they would take a bullet for someone they love.  They have a great sense of smell and are used to find drugs, explosives, search and rescue, tracking and pursuing criminals on the run.  They are also used as personal protection, therapy, and companion dogs.

These traits make them very useful to police departments and the military.  The Secret Service even use them to protect the grounds of the White House in Washington DC.

You may have seen the movie Max which features a Belgian Malinois named, ‘Max’ who is a soldier in the armed forces.  The movie was very good!  I would highly recommend it!  

When the movie came out, critics and Malinois owners were concerned that there would be a sudden surge of  people buying Malinois puppies based solely on what they saw of the breed in the movie.  

Many times people fail to understand, the Malinois is a working dog with tons of energy and a need to have a job to do.  Without the proper exercise, training and commitment this breed can become a bad choice.  Due to the Malinois’ high drive, owners realize they can not properly take care of them and tragically this brave, intelligent dog turns up in shelters and are sometimes difficult to place.

The dog in the picture above is my dog TJ.  She is my best friend, protector and companion.  Most importantly, she is a member of my family.