Belgian Malinois
Canis familiaris
#126 of 341 
Forest Skirmisher Domesticated 
FightPhoto: SheltieBoy from USA · CC BY 2.0
The Belgian Malinois is a lean, 30 kg Belgian working shepherd built for explosive speed, leaping and relentless drive. Measured police dogs reach about 41 km/h in 25 m and hit with a flying grip, but its bite is moderate and its frame light, so it wins on agility and commitment rather than power and is outclassed by large predators.
Attack46 
Defense32 
Agility76 
Stamina75 
Intelligence70 
Special54 Detailed ratings
Research-backed ratings on one 0–100 scale for all 341 animals (updated 2026-09-28). How ratings work
Special abilities
Ability 1Spring-Loaded LaunchSprints to about 40 km/h within 25 m and leaps into a full grip, hitting at about 7.6 m/s with roughly 842 J of kinetic energy. Against a similar-size opponent the impact alone can knock it down.
Ability 2Relentless Work DriveThe FCI's "bursting with energy, always ready to leap into action" temperament, trained into sustained, handler-directed engagement. It keeps the Malinois pressing an attack long after many dogs would disengage.
Unique traits
TraitShort-Coated Belgian ShepherdThe short-haired fawn variety of the four Belgian Shepherds, with black overlay and a pronounced black mask, square in build with body length equal to withers height.
TraitSpecial Operations DogUsed by the US Armed Forces, the US Secret Service, Israel's Oketz Unit, the Australian Defence Force and Kruger National Park's anti-poaching unit; the French police Malinois Diesel was posthumously awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal in 2015.
How it fights
Weapons
- The Malinois attacks with a running, leaping full-mouth grip. Two independent studies put numbers on it. Finnish police Malinois reached about 40 km/h within 25 m and hit with peak accelerations around 7 g and deceleration spikes over 11 g across the study dogs. IGP Malinois hit the sleeve at about 7.6 m/s carrying about 842 J of kinetic energy. The impact is the main weapon; the grip itself measured a median of only 247 N on the sleeve.
Struggles vs
- Low mass for close-range grappling with large animals.
- Short coat, little padding and no armor.
- Moderate measured grip force.
- Far outmatched by bears, big cats and large ungulates.
- Weight
- 30 kg66 lb
- Height
- 62 cm24.4 in
- Length
- 62 cm24.4 in
- Top speed
- 41 km/h26 mph
- Bite force
- No reliable measurement
- Lifespan
- 12 years
- Home biome
- Forest
- Lifestyle
- Social
Rated specimen: Healthy adult male working dog, 30.0 kg, 62.0 cm at the withers.
Fun facts
- In 1891 a team led by Adolphe Reul gathered 117 Belgian shepherd dogs to sort them into varieties; the Malinois is the short-haired fawn one.
- Finnish police Malinois reached up to 41 km/h within 25 m before biting.
- In a 2026 study, Malinois hit the bite sleeve carrying about 842 J of kinetic energy.
- Their measured median bite on a sensor sleeve was only 247 N, lower than that of police German Shepherds.
- Diesel, a French police Malinois killed in the 2015 Saint-Denis raid, was posthumously awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal.
- The FCI counts the Malinois as one variety of the Belgian Shepherd, while the AKC treats it as a separate breed.
Closest rivals by power. Tap one for the full breakdown, or pick any opponent.
vs Striped HyenaWins · 50% · Toss-up 
W vs Sun BearWins · 50% · Toss-up 
W vs KangalLoses · 50% · Toss-up 
L vs Caucasian Shepherd DogLoses · 50% · Toss-up 
L vs Proboscis MonkeyLoses · 50% · Toss-up 
L vs MandrillLoses · 50% · Toss-up 
L vs Tibetan MastiffLoses · 50% · Toss-up 
L vs OkapiLoses · 50% · Toss-up 
L 
Pick any opponent Belgian Malinois battle analysis
The Belgian Malinois is the short-haired fawn variety of the Belgian Shepherd, a herding dog type that Belgian breeders began to standardize in 1891. A working male weighs about 30 kg and stands about 62 cm, a square, lean dog with a black mask. Its breed standard describes a dog "bursting with energy, and always ready to leap into action", and that energy has made it the police and military dog of choice for forces from the United States to Israel and Australia.
Science has measured what that looks like. Finnish police Malinois sprinted to about 40 km/h in 25 m, and IGP Malinois hit the helper's sleeve at about 7.6 m/s, carrying some 842 J of energy into the impact. The grip that follows is less dramatic: a median of 247 N on a sensor sleeve, lower than police German Shepherds. The Malinois is a missile first and a crusher second.
On the absolute scale that makes it one of the most agile and driven domestic dogs, rated above the German Shepherd in Agility, Stamina and Intelligence, but below it in Attack and Defense because it is lighter and bites less hard. Against coyotes and other light canids it is dangerous; against wolves, heavy guardian dogs and any large predator its 30 kg frame is simply too small.
Habitat & range
A domestic breed from Belgium, now kept worldwide in police, military and sport kennels as well as homes.
Diet & hunting
Fed by its owners on commercial dog food, meat and household scraps.
Social life
Bonds intensely with its handler; alert and watchful toward strangers. It needs a great deal of work and exercise.
Conservation
Not applicable as a wild species; it is a Domesticated breed.
Quick answers
How strong is a Belgian Malinois?
On the Animal Battle Stats scale, the Belgian Malinois has an attack rating of 46 and a power index of 53.8 out of 100, which ranks it #126 of 341 animals and puts it in B tier (Strong). Its strongest stat is agility (76).
How much does a Belgian Malinois weigh?
A typical adult Belgian Malinois weighs about 30 kg (66 lb). Rated specimen: healthy adult male working dog, 30.0 kg, 62.0 cm at the withers.
How fast is a Belgian Malinois?
The Belgian Malinois's top speed is about 41 km/h (26 mph). Its agility rating is 76 out of 100.
What does a Belgian Malinois eat?
Fed by its owners on commercial dog food, meat and household scraps.
Is the Belgian Malinois endangered?
The Belgian Malinois's conservation status is Domesticated. Not applicable as a wild species; it is a Domesticated breed.
What animals can beat a Belgian Malinois?
Among its closest rivals, the Kangal (50%), the Caucasian Shepherd Dog (50%), the Proboscis Monkey (50%), the Mandrill (50%), the Tibetan Mastiff (50%), the Okapi (50%) would be favored against the Belgian Malinois. It would be favored against the Striped Hyena, the Sun Bear.
Researched 2026-09-28. Ratings are editorial judgments built from these sources; measurements describe a healthy adult male.
- FCI Standard No. 15, Belgian Shepherd Dogsize, proportions, coat, temperament, gait
- Hyytiäinen et al. (2021), Animals, Reliability of a New Bite Force Measure and Biomechanics of Modified Long Attack in Police Dogsbite force, speed, body size
- Vilar et al. (2026), Frontiers in Veterinary Science, Head and neck loading during the long attack in IGP protection work dogsimpact energy, velocity, body mass
- Wikipedia, Belgian Malinoisvarieties, history, users, lifespan, Diesel
- AKC, Belgian Malinoisregistry size and lifespan
- McMillan et al. (2024), Scientific Reports, Longevity of companion dog breedslifespan
- Lindner et al. (1995), Measurement of bite force in dogs: a pilot studydog bite force context
- Ellis et al. (2008), Journal of Anatomydog bite force context
- Hebdon et al. (2025), Science Advances, Dog skull shape and performance specializationskull shape of bite-work breeds
Photo: “HMKC Christmas Fun Run 2012 (8265428196).jpg” by SheltieBoy from USA, CC BY 2.0, background removed and cropped. Original
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