The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull Mix – A Complete Guide You Need To Read

The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mix is certainly not a dog you will see every day. This unique mix is bred to combine the intelligence, alertness, and dependability of the Belgian Malinois with the work ethic, strength, and loyalty of the Pit Bull. 

It’s a great dog if you’re looking for an energetic, active, strong, and protective dog. It fits perfectly in an active lifestyle with lots of adventures and vigorous exercising. It also has a high prey drive, though, and it would be better if it is the only canine in your house.

This mix might not be recognized as a breed by the American Kennel Club, but it is recognized by the United Kennel Club. Now, let’s find out more about its characteristics.

Other Names	N/A
Weight	60-90 Pounds
Height	16-18inches
Lifespan	10-14 years
Colors	Wide variety including black, brown, and red with different colored markings
Health	8/10
Grooming Needs	6/10
Exercise Needs	9/10
Shedding	6/10
Kid Friendliness	7/10
Pet-friendliness	5/10
Protectiveness	9/10
Good for apartments	No
Average puppy cost	$1000-$1500 USD

The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull Mix Characteristics 

• Size: 16-18 inches
• Weight: 60-90 pounds 
• Colors: Wide variety including black, brown, and red with different colored markings
• Coat Type: Single-coated or double-coated

The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mix gets its characteristics from both its parent dogs. The characteristics can differ widely depending on which parent had more dominant genes. The mix can look more like a Belgian Malinois or more like a Pit Bull, or even a balanced mix of both.

Pit Bulls are quite heaving due to their high muscle mass, but Belgian Malinois are light and slim compared to Pit Bulls. Their mix can have a bit of both, a slimmer look than the average Pit Bull but with enough muscle mass to contribute to their weight of up to 90 pounds.

Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mixes can come in a wide variety of colors. The most common colors are brown, black, white, and red. Their coat can also have streaks of different colors in addition to the main colors. The streaks can be white, gray, or reddish-white. 

When it comes to coat types, Pit Bulls and Belgian Malinois have very different coat types, so their mix can end up with either a single-layer short coat or a double-layer smooth coat. Their nose color can also be black, brown, or red, while their eyes are almond-shaped and brown in most cases.

Parent Breeds

Their first parent is the Belgian Malinois. The Malinois first originated in Belgium as a herding dog. It is a very protective, alert, and dependable working dog. Belgium farmers used them for herding, and nowadays, they are primarily used as police and military dogs to detect drugs and follow smells. 

Belgian Malinois are used as working dogs because of their active nature and high energy as well. They need vigorous exercise to stay happy and healthy. They can fare very well in an active environment and become good athletic companions. Apartments are not really the best place for them.

These dogs are slim and lean. They have a thick coat of smooth hair and are usually confused with German Shepards due to too many similarities. 

The second parent is the American Pit Bull. The breed originated in England as fighting dogs. They were used in the vicious sport of bull and bear baiting and dog fighting arenas.

Due to their violent history, American Pit Bull Terriers are believed to be aggressive and dangerous dogs; however, they are not aggressive by nature. Many people own them as home pets and say they are very friendly and family-oriented dogs. They have very high energy and love to play around.

American Pit Bull Terriers have a strong build with lots of muscles. They are stocky with a single-layered, short coat of hair on their backs.

Temperament 

Combining the temperaments of both their parents, the Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mix is a very hyperactive dog. This dog has a lot of energy to exert and is not bred to stay cooped inside apartments as they may get anxious or start to pick fights.

This mix combines the Belgian Malinois’s strictness with the Pit Bull’s friendliness. They are very protective of their family, love getting attention, and seek constant approval. They are amazing watchdogs.

The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mix is a very family-friendly dog. They get along with children and are very protective. The mix takes away some of the aggression of both breeds and tones it down considerably, but you still need to be careful not to cross their boundaries.

Health and Lifespan 

The purpose of breeding two dogs is usually to get healthier mixed breeds with longer life expectancies. The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mix can live around 10 to 14 years as a healthy, strong canine.

They are still prone to some common health issues among dogs. So, here are some examples of health  problems the Belgian Malinois Pit Bull may face:

• Hip Dysplasia: A very common disease among big-sized dogs. Hip Dysplasia is a genetic disease where the ball and socket of the hip do not align in place.  It can cause limping and lots of pain for your canine.
• Allergies: Skin allergies differ between individual dogs. Different types of food, textures, or weather can cause your dog different skin diseases, from temporary rashes to other issues in need of a doctor’s intervention.
• Eye & sight problems: Eye problems such as Cataracts are common among both the Belgian Malinois and the Pit Bulls. Your dog might start to have clouded vision, and their sight worsens with time.
• Thyroid problems: Hyperthyroidism is a disease that appears in older dogs. It causes the body to function slowly; its symptoms include lethargy, weight gain, and skin issues like allergies and sudden changes in texture.

Nutritional Needs 

Nutrition needs are largely dependent on each individual dog. But as a general rule, Belgian Malinois Pit Bull mixes are large active dogs that need three meals a day, each containing 2 cups of dry food.

Being an incredibly active dog, a Belgian Malinois Pit Bull will need a very nutritious diet full of protein and fats to compensate for the energy they exert each day.

You should be careful, though, because this breed is prone to being overweight. You can check whether your dog is overweight by putting your hand on its back; you should be able to feel the ribs but not see them for a healthy weight.

Here are some recommendations for nutritious food for your Belgian Malinois Pit Bull:

Name	Ingredients	Protein %	Fat %
Diamond Naturals Chicken Dog Food	Chicken, whole grain brown rice, barley, rice bran, dried yeast, vitamins, and minerals	23%	13%
American Journey Active Life Formula	Salmon, brown rice, and vegetables	25%	15%
Taste of the Wild Southwest Canyon Grain	Beef, peas, garbanzo beans,  lamb meal, canola oil, vitamins, and minerals	29%	15%
Orijen Six Fish Grain-Free Dry Dog Food	Whole mackerel, whole herring, monkfish, Acadian redfish, flounder, whole Hake, and whole Red Lentils,	38%	18%

If you want to check out more options, I highly recommend checking my guide to the best foods for Pit Bulls here.

Grooming Needs and Shedding

The Belgian Malinois Pit Bull can either inherit the short single coat of its Pit Bull parent or the thick double coat of the Belgian Malinois parent. The short coat only needs brushing a couple of times a week, but the thick coat will need daily brushing to remove tangles and keep it healthy.

They can be quite heavy shedders during shedding season. You will need to brush them to remove dead skin and excess hair.

Bathing can happen twice a month or according to their activity. Hyperactive dogs may need weekly baths if they play outside for too long. As for nail trimming, a trim every couple of months should be enough to keep their nails at an appropriate length.

Belgian Malinois Pit Bull’s ears are the type that folds over and that can collect dirt and bacteria if not cleaned regularly. Grooming your dog can be done easily at home, but if it’s too much for you or you’d prefer a professional to do it, it can cost you about $100 to $200 every couple of months.

Exercise Needs 

Both the Belgian Malinois and the Pit Bull are super active dogs with lots of physical strength that needs honing. This dog will need at least 1 to 2 hours of daily exercise to stay satisfied. The exercise can include walking, running, or going to dog obstacle courses or dog parks. 

A Belgian Malinois Pit Bull is not an indoor dog. It will not fare well in a small apartment with no sizable outdoor area for them to use. If you are also a busy person with not much time to go for long walks, maybe this dog is not for you.

Here is how much exercise your dog needs on average at each stage of their life:

Age	Exercise duration	Example	Intensity
Less than four months	No proper walks	Free wandering in a safe space (eg, a park)	Very light
4 to 7 months	20 minutes	Short walks	Light to moderate
8 to 12 months	40 minutes	Long walks, small obstacle jumping, or climbing  stairs  once a week	Moderate
12 to 18 months	60 minutes	Long walks and agility exercises	Moderate
18 months and older	No limit	Long walks, agility exercises, obstacle courses, running, climbing…etc	High

According to their age, you will need to provide them with lots of playtimes in between exercise and many toys and games to keep themselves occupied throughout the day. You do not want them to get bored, as boredom can manifest destructive behaviors such as a bad temper, chewing, and destroying your furniture. 

Training

Training a Belgian Malinois Pit Bull needs to start at a young age. The dog is intelligent, smart, and eager to please and will not be hard to train as long as the training is consistent and done well. Training them on basic commands should be easy enough as they are fast learners.

This dog needs to start socialization as early as possible because they are not very good around other animals by nature.

They tend to be jealous, over-protective, and territorial dogs. Early socialization will help them become more accustomed to dealing with other dogs around them, and their Pit Bull genes will help them be friendly with humans.

Here are some tips on basic types of training:

• Socialization training: Socializing your dog needs to start as early as possible. Start with 30-min sessions exposing them to different places and people. Invite people to your house and encourage your dog to interact with them.
• Potty training: Belgian Pits are incredibly smart and will be easy to potty train. Start young as well. The best way to establish a routine of taking them outside as soon as they wake up and after every meal. Designate a specific spot for the potty so they know what they need to do and where.
• Obedience training: Belgian Pits are naturally obedient, so this won’t be hard. All you need to do is to be consistent with your commands. For example, when your dog barks at a stranger, say “stop” until they understand and do what you say.

As Family Dogs 

Belgian Malinois Pit Bulls make excellent family pets. They are incredibly protective of their family. They are good with children and are excellent playing partners because of their high energy.  

Their intelligence and alertness make them great as guard dogs as well, which is something many families want but can’t have in a Pit Bull as they are too friendly with strangers.

Belgian Malinois, on the other hand, makes excellent police and military dogs because of their alertness and wariness of strangers. 

The mix takes the best of both worlds to give your family a friendly dog that is also dependable and loyal.

As Guard Dogs 

Pit Bulls are not often the best guard dogs as they can be too friendly. On the other hand, Belgian Malinois are bred as herding dogs, police dogs, and military dogs. They are alert, strict, smart, protective, and loyal. The mix takes both traits and is an excellent guard dog that is not too aggressive and not too friendly.

Guard dogs are a good addition to big families with big homes. Belgian Malinois Pit Bulls are naturally loyal and protective of their families and like to stay outdoors, which is convenient for guards and watchdogs. 

Belgian Malinois and Pit Bulls are known for their loyalty, intelligence, and strength, making them perfect guard dogs for a family or an individual owner.

Where to Find Belgian Malinois Pit Bulls?

Even though the Belgian Malinois Pit Bull is an unusual mix, it is very popular nowadays and can be easily found. It’s advisable to look in shelters around you for dogs that need a second loving home before you start looking for breeders or pet stores.

If you don’t find dogs in your nearby shelters, check out these reputable breeders:

• Greenfield Puppies: This website has several reputable breeders around the Pennsylvania area. They provide you with a guide to the dog’s temperament, personality, and appearance. You can look through available dogs and choose the one that is most suitable for what you’re looking for.
• Lucid Belgian Malinois: This breeder specializes in breeding Belgian Malinois dogs and sometimes mixes them. All the dogs are vaccinated, potty trained, and socialized. You can look through the available dogs on the website and contact them for any questions.
• Wolfsbane K9: This breeder has a 15-year of experience in breeding Belgian Malinois dogs. All the dogs come from top bloodlines and are professionally trained since birth. The dogs are also vaccinated and get regular health checks from their in-house vet.

How Much Is the Belgian Malinois Pit Bull Mix? 

A Belgian Malinois Pit Bull can cost around $1000 to $1500. You can find them a lot cheaper if adopted from a shelter. Backyard breeders can also sell them for under $1000, but they’re not to be trusted as the dog might have health issues or be unregistered.

All About the Belgian Malinois Pit Bull Mix in a nutshell 

Belgian Malinois Pit Bulls are great dogs for outgoing, active, and energetic owners. They are a  wonderful companion for long runs and rigorous training. They are also smart, loyal, and protective as family dogs. If you have an active life, then this dog is your perfect match.

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