Maltese vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison | MyDogBreeds

Maltese vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed ComparisonMaltese is originated from Italy but Belgian Shepherd is originated from Belgium. Maltese may grow 41 cm / 16 inches shorter than Belgian Shepherd. Maltese may weigh 25 kg / 55 pounds lesser than Belgian Shepherd. Both Maltese and Belgian Shepherd has almost same life span. Maltese may have less litter size than Belgian Shepherd. Both Maltese and Belgian Shepherd requires Moderate maintenance.

History

maltese - historyThe Maltese dog hardly needs any introduction as this is an ancient breed which is still as popular as ever. Some people refer to it as the "Maltese Lion Dog," or "Melita" which was Malta’s previous name.

It was in the 19th century, that the Kennel Club settled on the name of Maltese for the dog breed. The dog has been selectively bred to keep its small size. The exact origin of the dog is unknown and there are various stories surrounding where its origins are, thought to be Italy.

It is believed that dogs such as spaniels and poodles have been used to bring about the Maltese. The American Kennel Club, a registry for pure bred dogs, recognized the breed in 1888.

belgian shepherd - historyThere are different varieties of the Belgian Shepherd Dog – but these all differ only in color, length and texture of coat. The interesting aspect of the names of the different Belgian Shepherds, is that the names of the different varieties are taken from the individual towns in Belguim from which each variety comes from.

This breed dates back to the middle ages, but it was only in 1891 that Professor A. Reul of the Cureghem Veterinary Medical School established standards for the types and actually separated- and distinguishing them. In the UK they are shown as one breed.

Basic Information

Group:
Toy dog
Working dog
Origin:
Italy
Belgium
Height Male:
20 - 25 cm
7 - 10 inches
60 - 66 cm
23 - 26 inches
Height Female:
20 - 25 cm
7 - 10 inches
52 - 62 cm
20 - 25 inches
Weight Male:
1 - 5 kg
2 - 12 pounds
25 - 30 kg
55 - 67 pounds
Weight Female:
1 - 5 kg
2 - 12 pounds
20 - 30 kg
44 - 67 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
10 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
1 - 3
6 - 10
Size:
Small dog
Large dog
Other Names:
Melita, Maltese Lion Dog
Belgian Sheepdog Chien de Berger Belge
Colors Available:
White
depends on variety - black with white, brown
Coat:
Long and silky
short- and long-haired varieties
Shedding:
Minimal
Constant, Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Stubborn, Sweet, Territorial
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate maintenance
Moderate maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

Description

maltese puppy - descriptionThe Maltese is looked upon as a toy dog. Both male and female stand roughly between 20-25cm in height and weigh between 1 and 4kg.

He is as cute as a button with a rounded skull, a pitch black nose, brown eyes and medium length floppy ears. The tail is feathery and is curled. He has a long, silky coat without an undercoat.

The color of his coat is pure white, and because he doesn’t shed he is looked upon as being hypoallergenic. Most people who own a Maltese like having the coat short to one length all round.

Temperament:

These little dogs have been bred to be companion dogs. They may be little, but it is a good idea to have him trained and socialized as they are inclined to be a bit snappy, especially with children.

He is intelligent, so training him won’t be difficult. Brought up the right way though, he can be good with children as well as pets in the home. They love their human families and want to be constantly with them. He is an energetic little dog too, and will just love ball games both inside and outside.

His very temperament and smallness make it that he fits perfectly into life in the city or the countryside. He is sweet and gentle but he makes a good watchdog, alerting you with his barking to strangers coming close by. Don’t leave him for long period of time as he hates being on his own and then he may start barking from sheer boredom and frustration.

Different Varieties

belgian shepherd puppy - descriptionThe Belgian Shepherd is a well proportioned, muscular medium-to-large dog breed. There are the different varieties but they generally stands at 56 – 66cm in height and weighs anything from 25 to 30kg. You get the short haired Malinois and then you also get the Belgian Tervuren and the Groenendal which are fairly long-haired varieties. Their colour shades vary so you can find black with white markings on the chest and feet, you can find light to dark brown and some are even inclined to be brown.

Not Aggressive but a Great Guardian

All the varieties have long tails, pointed, fully erect ears and black noses. While the Belgian Shepherd isn’t an aggressive dog, he makes an excellent guard dog, being alert, highly energetic and intelligent and easy to train. As with most other dogs, you’ll want to see to it that he is trained and socialized because then he makes a super pet suited to life with a family where there are children and other pets. He has an independent nature and is loyal and protective with his human family.

Characteristics

maltese dog - characteristicsThe Maltese is a popular dog no doubt, and his smallness is a draw-card as he adapts easily to life in the city or the countryside.

He is loving, loyal, intelligent and responsive, making him a good family dog and being an excellent playmate for children. Teach your children how to respect animals because raucous, disrespectful kids might produce a nip from an agitated Maltese.

Being a light shedder is another draw-card, with him being looked upon as a hypoallergenic breed. He has got so many good things going for him that he is guaranteed to make you an ideal pet.

belgian shepherd dog - characteristicsEnergy is a big factor with this beautiful dog, so before you consider one as a pet, be sure that you can take care of his exercise needs. He belongs to the working group of dogs so he won’t enjoy just lazing around day after day. He is wired to be herding livestock and that natural instinct doesn’t disappear once he becomes a pet in your home. With so much energy, he wants a nice sized garden and wouldn’t do well cooped up indoors at all.

He is a strong, loving dog, and in exchange for your care of him, he will be a loyal, loving, protective friend who will love you to the end.

Health Problems

maltese puppies - health problemsYour Maltese is a feisty little thing who, with good care, can live for a good few years – up to 15 or even longer. As with any other dog, he can become ill. One or two illnesses to look out for include -

Skin Problems:

Sebaceous adenitis is caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands and is an uncommon skin disease found in some breeds of dog.

There are two types - one for long coated breeds and one for short coated breeds. For long or double-coated dogs, you’ll notice a white/silvery kind of dandruff on the coat as well as hair loss. There can also be skin lesions along the back and ears. It can make your pet miserable and he will need to see a vet.

Thyroid Problems:

A common hormonal problem is canine hypothyroidism, brought on by inadequate levels of thyroid hormones. Symptoms include hair loss, weight gain, coldness and a weakened immune system.

belgian shepherd puppies - health problemsThe Belgian Shepherd is a hardy dog so if you do your part to provide him with good quality nutrition from the food he eats and you exercise him, he’ll reach the 10-14 years allotted to him. Just like with any dog, there will be some minor concerns that you need to watch out for -

epilepsy, eye problems, cancer, skin allergies and hip dysplasia.

remember to check his teeth and for ticks and parasites as both, if just left, can jeopardise his health seriously.

see that he get his first puppy vaccinations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

Caring The Pet

Diet:

maltese dogs - caringYour Maltese is going to require quality food, water, exercise and shelter to enjoy a good life. The type of food you feed any dog has a direct impact on his health.

You need to provide him with quality food, and if its commercially manufactured food, you need to read the labels carefully so that the food is appropriate to your Maltese. For instance, you can’t mistakenly pull a ‘large-breed’ packet of food off the shelves and expect your Maltese to be able to stomach it.

If you do buy him this kibble, make sure the ingredients are wholesome. To break the monotony of eating kibble every day, give him some boiled chicken, brown rice and some raw or cooked vegetables chopped up finely into his kibble. He will love you for this as it makes a tasty meal for him and will keep him healthy.

Try to keep his diet nice and simple to avoid digestive problems.

Make sure he has constant access to fresh, cool water.

General Care:

Make sure your Maltese dog has a nice warm, dry place to sleep.

Get him to the vet if you notice that he is ill.

Brush his hair twice a week and take him to have it professionally cut if you prefer.

Clip his nails when they become too long and check around his eyes and inside his ears for any kind of infection.

These little dogs are prone to dental problems and he will need to have his teeth brushed 2 or 3 times a week.

Exercise

belgian shepherd dogs - caringYour Belgian Shepherd is an energetic dog breed who is social and who wants to be included in your family activities. You can’t just keep him cooped up in your back yard and expect him to do well. He’ll need daily exercise – walks, swims if there is water close by, chasing the ball as well as your companionship.

Grooming and shedding

These dogs are shedders so you’ll certainly be needing to watch your clothes for hairs. You will need to give them a good brush at least twice a week to get rid of all that loose hair and to keep his coat shiny and in tip top condition. Also, he likes the closeness the brushing provides between him and his human caretaker.

Feeding your Belgian Shepherd

The Belgian Shepherd is a robust, healthy breed of dog, but many ill dogs are brought to veterinary clinics because they are suffering with itchy skin problems, they have digestive problems and they’re generally run down. This is because they aren’t provided with a varied and balanced diet plan. Apart from eating a quality dry- or wet dog food as recommended by your vet, he’ll most certainly need some raw meat in his diet too.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Pomeranian vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  2. Maltese vs Cavalier King Charles Spaniel - Breed Comparison
  3. Maltese vs Cockapoo - Breed Comparison
  4. Maltese vs Cavapoo - Breed Comparison
  5. Maltese vs Cavachon - Breed Comparison
  6. Maltese vs Japanese Chin - Breed Comparison
  7. Maltese vs Bolognese - Breed Comparison
  8. Maltese vs Italian Greyhound - Breed Comparison
  9. Maltese vs Jug - Breed Comparison
  10. Maltese vs Australian Silky Terrier - Breed Comparison
  11. Maltese vs Dorgi - Breed Comparison
  12. Maltese vs Belgian Griffon - Breed Comparison
  13. Maltese vs Carlin Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  14. Maltese vs Dorkie - Breed Comparison
  15. Maltese vs German Spitz (Klein) - Breed Comparison
  16. Maltese vs Doxiepoo - Breed Comparison
  17. Maltese vs Bospin - Breed Comparison
  18. Maltese vs Bantam Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  19. Maltese vs Damchi - Breed Comparison
  20. Maltese vs Lowchen - Breed Comparison
  21. Maltese vs Cyprus Poodle - Breed Comparison
  22. Maltese vs Doxiepom - Breed Comparison
  23. Pug vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  24. Maltipoo vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  25. Papillon vs Maltese - Breed Comparison
  26. Samoyed vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  27. Alaskan Malamute vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Bullmastiff vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  29. Great Pyrenees vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  30. Boerboel vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  31. Presa Canario vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  32. Labrador Husky vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  33. Argentine Dogo vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  34. Giant Schnauzer vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  35. Belgian Shepherd vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  36. Belgian Shepherd vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  37. Belgian Shepherd vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  38. Belgian Shepherd vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  39. Belgian Shepherd vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Belgian Shepherd vs Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  41. Belgian Shepherd vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  42. Belgian Shepherd vs Bandog - Breed Comparison
  43. Belgian Shepherd vs Beauceron - Breed Comparison
  44. Belgian Shepherd vs Alano Espanol - Breed Comparison
  45. Belgian Shepherd vs Antebellum Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  46. Goldador vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  47. Belgian Shepherd Dog (Groenendael) vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  48. Dogo Cubano vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  49. Dogo Sardesco vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  50. Central Asian Shepherd vs Belgian Shepherd - Breed Comparison

View/Compare Breeds

Popular Dog Breeds