People are quick to compare Belgian Malinoises and German shepherds, but owners of these dogs know that the two breeds are far from the same. The average dog lover probably knows that both breeds are historically used as military and police dogs because they're highly intelligent, easy to train, and love to work. Both the Belgian Malinois and and German shepherd also make effective guard dogs and are fiercely loyal to their handlers and families. (My GSD is only 18 weeks old and he's already on high alert if our kids are out of his sight!)
However, there are a few key differences between the breeds that can be hard to explain to someone who has never interacted with them before. Luckily, one TikTok personality summed it up perfectly. Content creator Jonny Devaney's channel is devoted to dog breed impersonations, and he totally nailed his comparison between a Belgian Malinois vs. German shepherd.
@jauncydev German Shepherd meets a Belgian Malinois #dogbreeds #germanshepherd #belgianmalinois #dogs #dogbreedsoftiktok
In the video, Devaney plays two roles: a German shepherd police dog and a camo-clad Belgian Malinois.
"What are you doing?" Devaney the GSD asks, as the Malinois version of himself does a flip and starts dancing. The very confused German shepherd looks on before finally telling the Malinois to "stop it." The Malinois disappears, seemingly into thin air, leaving the shepherd even more confused. Then the Malinois reappears on the roof of a house to continue dancing and all-around spazzing out. The clip hilariously ends with the German shepherd looking at the camera and saying, "That's too much." Then he limps away with a cane, a nod to the German shepherd's predisposition for hip problems.
Many Malinois owners saw the TikTok and loved the accuracy of Devaney's impersonation. "I wish my Belgian Malinois had a phone so that I could send this to him," one user commented. Another said they "can vouch for this" because they have four Malinoises and the dogs "do, in fact, act like this."
While some German Shepherds can have energy for days, they know when to quit. Belgian Malinoises...not so much. Devaney embodies the differences between the breeds perfectly!
Do you have a Belgian Malinois or a German shepherd? Show us on our Wide Open Pets Instagram!
