German or Eastern European. How is a Malinois different from a German Shepherd? The history of the origin of the breeds

There is an erroneous opinion that the German and East European Shepherds are practically the same breed, or there is a very close relationship between them.

Of course it's not!

It is enough just to look at their appearance to understand how different these dogs are.

Their differences don't end with looks.

Each has its pros and cons, its own history, character traits and training.

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Story one

The progenitors of German Shepherds began their existence long before human society began its development and transformation into a civilized one. The blood of Indian wolves flows in their veins. Through simple selection, ancient people managed to domesticate semi-wild dogs. In those days, pets were not so attached to their owners, but already adapting to living together with a person and serving him.

The next stage of development began when the demand for agricultural assistants rose in the Middle Ages. The ancestors of modern BUTs were actively crossed with mongrels called Hofowarts. The result is excellent working dogs. This period of formation of the species served as a good university of friendship with a person for shepherd dogs. Working together with a man, the dog got used to being subservient, devoted and dependent on his master. The desire to serve and receive praise from them is at the gene level.

Today, a pet from Germany is considered an excellent companion, watchman, gets along well with small children, is ready to serve a person and be his true friend.

Unfortunately, in the history of this breed there were many uncontrolled matings, which either occurred naturally or were allowed by unscrupulous breeders in order to get more profit from the sale of puppies. Therefore, the purity of the blood is a rarity today. There were also breeders for whom the result was more important than money. They then saved German Shepherds from complete extinction or dissolution in other species.

Story two

And now let's return to the East European Shepherd Dog and recall the development of cynology in the USSR. In those days, breeders faced a serious task - they needed to breed the same breeds of dogs, or similar in performance, as in European countries, but adapted to living conditions in the Soviet Union. We owe this period of history to the emergence of many interesting and beloved by us varieties of pets today.

The thirties were not easy, hunger and poverty reigned in the homes of ordinary citizens, many fell under suspicion of anti-Soviet actions, while others crossed the line of the law in an attempt to find a way to live better. The prisons were overcrowded and reliable guards were required for guard duty. VEO was also used for service in the border areas. The creation of a new breed based on existing German Shepherds is due to several reasons:

• Taking into account the climatic features of Siberia and other regions with a difficult climate, a more enduring, stronger dog was required than NO.
• The honor of the country forced to create, not to repeat. In addition, everything produced in the USSR was obliged to surpass everything foreign in its characteristics.
• VEOs have become more universal, as the range of duties and work performed by them has been noticeably expanded.

The result was such a beast that could satisfy absolutely everyone, from military services to ordinary people who need the help of our smaller friends.

From the VEO turned out to be a diligent soldier during the Second World War, who saved many human lives.

In peacetime, the dog perfectly copes with the duties of a guide, companion and just a pet of the whole family.

Description of rocks

External differences are visible to the naked eye. We list the main external differences that must be taken into account in order not to confuse representatives of different breed families:

• Back line. In BEO it is straight, but in HO it seems to be slightly beveled towards the hind limbs at an angle of twenty-three degrees.
• Chest width. In shepherd dogs of Soviet origin, the chest is much wider and more powerful.
• The limbs also differ in their length, power and width.
• Because of this difference in structure, the gait of shepherd dogs will also be individual. If BUT has a creeping run similar to a lynx, but BEO moves with force pushing off the ground.
• The average weight of BUT is from twenty-two to forty kilograms, VEO - from thirty to sixty kilograms.
• The growth at the withers of the former is from fifty-five to sixty-five centimeters, of the latter, from sixty-two to seventy-six centimeters.

As for coat and color, there are many similarities. The coat is short, close to the body. The undercoat is dense, may differ in color from the outer coat. The pattern on the wool is almost identical, but the color range of the VEO is much more extensive.

Character

Differences in character can be easily explained by the origin of the breeds.

If German Shepherds were used for the most part as farmer's helpers, then their behavior is more suitable for active work. They are prone to physical activity, they are not at all afraid of small children, they are ready to frolic with them. For them, constant activity is important and for people for whom peace is more important, it is better to abandon the idea of ​​​​getting such a dog.

VEO, on the contrary, has a calmer and more balanced temperament.

That is why dogs are bred as helpers for people with disabilities.

Currently, these dogs often serve in the police, rescuers, border guards.

Differences

Summing up the article, we list once again all the differences between German and East European Shepherds:

BUT. Hera and Malinois Thiop, 2013

The Belgian Shepherd Malinois has been gaining popularity in recent years. This is facilitated by both the attention from the media and the real success of this dog in various fields - from the field of sports to highly specialized police practice. The popularity of the breed, unfortunately, often harms it, since a huge number of breeders from commerce begin to revolve around the growing interest of amateurs, who are ready to massively "stamp" puppies for the sake of profit at the expense of the quality of dogs and the breed as a whole. Without going into this issue within the framework of this article, I would like to briefly dwell on the features of the Malinois breed in comparison with the more widely known German Shepherd. It is advisable that the potential owners of the "active Belgian" carefully read this material and seriously consider whether they are ready for such a dog, and whether the Malinois will find really worthy and reliable "leaders" in their person.

But first of all, I strongly recommend reading the translation of the excellent article "Belgian Malinois - look, do not touch!" , published back in 2011, but fully retained its relevance. This publication emotionally and very correctly answers the question - who suits the Malinois.

If after reading the article you want to delve into some of the intricacies of the breed, read on.

So how is a Malinois different from a German Shepherd?

Without going into the details of the amateur discussion about which breed is better, we will report the main, most noticeable differences in the average representatives of the breeds:

1. Exterior

The Malinois is a leaner built dog of a rectangular format with a straight back line. The German Shepherd, as a rule, is more massive, has a descending line of the back (less pronounced in working breeding). The head profile of the "German" has a more pronounced transition from the forehead to the muzzle, the head is also more massive. The color of the Malinois is predominantly red with a black muzzle mask and more or less black hair on the head, chest and legs (rarely there is a completely black color, forbidden by the official standard, but genetically "historical"). The color of German Shepherds is zoned (gray or red), black-backed, black, black and tan.

2. Speed ​​and mobility

Malinois are very fast dogs, both in individual reactions and in motor activity in general, which is associated both with the physique and the characteristics of the nervous system. German Shepherds tend to be a little slower, but the "rate of fire" of an individual dog is very individual. Most often, the less massive the physique, the higher the mobility.

3. Features of the nervous system

The Malinois has a much more "acute" nervous system. This means a lower threshold of excitability (a lower level of stimulus is needed for activation) and a high speed of escalation of excitation (in particular, noticeably less time passes from the detection of a threat to the onset of a dog's defensive reaction). But, at the same time, it is a more "fragile" system than the "iron nerves" of the German Shepherd. Inept handling of it, as well as inadequate socialization in the initial (puppy and adolescent) period often leads to damage to a genetically good dog (development of hysteria, fears, aggressiveness, etc.).

4. Expression of "pure" instincts

The German Shepherd has, as a rule, more complex forms of behavior in which it is not always easy to isolate some basic motivation at a particular moment. In Malinois, archetypal (ancient) forms of behavior are more pronounced, in which individual instincts can often be traced. In practice, on the one hand, this helps in training, on the other hand, the Malinois will behave in many cases more linearly (a puppy who wants to pee will immediately “puff” on the carpet, an adult male with high aggression can attack the enemy without preliminary demonstrations, etc.).

5. Health and predisposition to hereditary diseases

In general, it must be admitted that Malinois are much less prone to diseases than German Shepherds, this is probably the result of the fact that until recently they have not been affected by mass mediocre breeding on the wave of philistine fashion. Of the hereditary diseases of the Malinois, hip dysplasia (rare) and epilepsy most often make themselves felt, in German shepherds - the same dysplasia, diseases of other parts of the musculoskeletal system, allergies, chronic gastrointestinal diseases, higher predisposition to infections.

There are no other major differences between breeds. Some of their individual representatives, located "on the border" of the breed type, are often very similar in temperament and behavior. Specialists (athletes, police officers) sometimes even purposefully use “mixes” (descendants of a German Shepherd-Malinois pair) in their work. We also recall that in the Malinois breed, like the German Shepherd, there is a direction of exhibition (show) breeding, whose representatives are selected for beauty. We do not analyze these dogs here, because we do not use them at home.

P.S. Bonus for lovers of "squeeze" dogs

Quite often, Malinois, more often males, show a great desire for tactile (and visual) contact with their owner and a clear pleasure from this. They really like it when they are stroked, taken “on the handles” (if the owner’s strength allows), hugging and showing similar forms of communication, and also looking into the eyes for a long time. Malinois can be very intrusive, both in terms of demanding such attention and actively following their owner at home or on a walk. It must be warned that such behavior can sometimes cause jealousy of the dog on the part of the “human” family member. "Germans" tend to be much more reserved in showing their affection.

Dogs of the same breed. The difference in the name was explained in the eyes of the Soviet amateur dog breeder simply by political subtleties. There were almost no German Shepherds (BUT) in the USSR, only East European (VEO) were bred.

German Shepherds began to appear and gain popularity in the eighties, when the bulk of the Soviet Union began to crack, lean and prepare to collapse. For some time, the VEO experienced strong pressure from the German and almost disappeared as a breed, but subsequently amateur enthusiasts united in clubs to preserve the breed, and the result cannot but rejoice - the Eastern European thrives today.

East European Shepherds

Among dog breeders to this day, a lot of rumors and gossip associated with the confrontation of these two different and very similar breeds wander; sometimes they are like the truth, sometimes they are absurd to the point of being ridiculous. The most ridiculous rumors include "secret information" that German Shepherds in Germany were crossed with hyenas - hence the low croup and powerful grip of the jaws. And there are people who believe this...

german shepherds

Many dog ​​breeders consider the VEO as an Eastern European variety of the German Shepherd. The International Cynological Organization VEO is not recognized as an independent breed. Perhaps the reason for this is that Russia joined the FCI much later than Germany.

Origin of breeds

The German Shepherd, as an independent breed, is not so many years old. The first representative, male Greif, was shown in 1882 at an exhibition in Hannover. According to other sources, April 1899 is considered the birthday of the breed, when at an exhibition in Karlsruhe a large yellowish-gray male named Hector saw and acquired for his kennel Max von Stephanitz, who is rightfully considered the founder of the breed.

The formation of the East European Shepherd Dog began in the 20-30s of the last century, when several German Shepherds were brought to Russia from Germany. In the more severe climatic conditions of the USSR, shepherd dogs became larger, more massive, temperament and exterior changed somewhat.

Differences in the exterior

The table clearly shows that the VEO is much larger and heavier than the German Shepherd, this is one of the most noticeable differences. The second striking difference is the line of the back. East European Shepherds have a much less inclined back than Germans, hence the different type of dog movement. Although both varieties of shepherds are trotting breeds, the BEO trots more sweepingly, the German Shepherd more smoothly. But with an increase in the speed of movement, the more high-legged "Easterners" increase the amplitude and scope of movements, like good trotting horses, and the "Germans", due to the structural features and articulation angles of the hind limbs with the pelvis, have to increase the frequency of movements. That is, at long distances and higher speeds, the VEO will easily bypass the German, but with long-term work on the trail, the German Shepherd can give odds to the Eastern European. Differences in the structure and setting of the limbs also explain the lower susceptibility to hip dysplasia in East European Shepherd Dogs.

Differences in temperament

Different purpose of dogs causes different temperament. The German Shepherd is noisier, more mobile, representatives of this breed are often choleric. The East European Shepherd Dog is more balanced, one might even say more “serious”. Perhaps these differences are due to a specific approach to breeding for temperament: in the USSR, most breeds are characterized by a greater severity of temper. Until today, in the border and military parts of Russia, East European Shepherd Dogs are preferred, but in exhibition rings and competitions in sports training, the championship remains with the "Germans".

It should also be noted the later maturation of the East European Shepherd compared to the German.

If you live in a small city apartment and you need a companion with whom you could engage in one of the types of sports training, providing yourself with not only a lot of positive emotions, outdoor activities, but also communication with the same dog and sports lovers - energetic and compact will suit you.

If you are attracted to a more serious and larger dog that could adequately and without excessive aggression protect your house and plot, which is ideally adapted to fairly harsh climatic conditions - pay close attention to the East European Shepherd Dog.

Both of these breeds have been consistently popular for many years, due to the excellent character of the dogs, their lively mind, excellent training ability and versatility of use. It is better to buy puppies in kennels that have a good reputation.

Before making a choice between the two breeds, it is necessary to understand how the East European Shepherd Dog differs from the German. Despite a large number of similarities, dogs have significant differences that may be key.

What is the difference between a German Shepherd and an Eastern European in appearance

Male East European Shepherds weigh 35–60 kg and females 30–50 kg.

The breeds differ in the following external features:

• Eastern European is noticeably larger and weighs 7–10 kg more.
• In a German Shepherd, the back is at an angle of 20 degrees, while in another breed it is almost even.
• The chest in Eastern European individuals is wider.
• In a German Shepherd, the front legs are longer than the hind legs and are more apart than in the second breed.
• Eastern European dogs have a medium-sized coat, in the "Germans" it can be longer.
• The main color of shepherd dogs of German origin is black-and-red (from light yellow to red), gray with black is possible. The color palette of another species is much poorer. It is presented in pure black or with an admixture of black-backed, there are also shades from gray to fawn.

Both breeds prefer to trot, but the German Shepherd does it more smoothly. Eastern European runs with sharp sweeping movements.

Endurance is better in the German Shepherd, but in the sprint it is inferior to the Eastern European

Character

More adventurous German Shepherds are easier to train

Sheepdogs have a lot in common in character, but there are also differences. German dogs are more emotional and quick-tempered. They love attention and are always happy to talk to people. The "Germans" also have low independence and are more guided by the host's commands. Dogs of this species are easier to learn new information. For them, there is no single authoritative person; dogs equally obey the whole family, including children. During games, the dog often loses control of himself and can go beyond what is permitted.

East European Shepherds are calm and balanced, it is more difficult to make contact with people and do not like large crowds of people, which makes them nervous. They are more willful and stubborn. Dogs choose one master and obey only him. The intelligence of the two species is about the same.

Which breed is better

Both dogs are equally good, and the choice between them should be made based on the goals and character of the future owner. For active people, the German breed is better suited, the Eastern European will be an ideal companion for calm and balanced breeders.

East European breed is good for guarding a house or apartment

If the goal is to participate in sports competitions, then the "German" is clearly superior to his fellow in the ability to learn various skills. For single people, an Eastern European dog is better suited.

Each of the described dog breeds has its own unique characteristics. It is impossible to definitely choose the best one, since both shepherd dogs have pluses and minuses that must be taken into account.

The formation of the East European Shepherd Dog began in the 20-30s of the last century, when several German Shepherds were brought to Russia from Germany. A shepherd dog suffering from idleness can cause a lot of trouble to you and others.

Many Soviet and Russian dog lovers have been mistaken for a long time, considering East European and German Shepherds to be dogs of the same breed. The most ridiculous rumors include "secret information" that German Shepherds in Germany were crossed with hyenas - hence the low croup and powerful grip of the jaws.

Perhaps the reason for this is that Russia joined the FCI much later than Germany. The German Shepherd, as an independent breed, is not so many years old. The first representative, male Greif, was shown in 1882 at an exhibition in Hannover. In the more severe climatic conditions of the USSR, shepherd dogs became larger, more massive, temperament and exterior changed somewhat.

The table clearly shows that the VEO is much larger and heavier than the German Shepherd, this is one of the most noticeable differences. That is, at long distances and higher speeds, the VEO will easily bypass the German, but with long-term work on the trail, the German Shepherd can give odds to the Eastern European. Differences in the structure and setting of the limbs also explain the lower susceptibility to hip dysplasia in East European Shepherd Dogs.

The German Shepherd is noisier, more mobile, representatives of this breed are often choleric. It should also be noted the later maturation of the East European Shepherd compared to the German. Both of these breeds have been consistently popular for many years, due to the excellent character of the dogs, their lively mind, excellent training ability and versatility of use.

They took a ready-made, already bred breed and appropriated it, changing the name - nothing to say, well done! The Vostochnik is a breed of strong bones, it is difficult for her to go a long distance, but on the other hand she will crush the intruder under herself so that he will not be able to move.

Differences in temperament

VEO, on the contrary, remained in the same dimensions as it was originally intended. Thus it turns out that VEO forms its own type, which does not improve or worsen the breed. VEO is a separate, national breed. I dare to say one "terrible" thing - in the roots of the German Shepherd breed is .... white shepherd! A bit of history: The history of the American-Canadian White Shepherd is inextricably linked with the history of the well-known German Shepherd.

Origin of breeds

It is this name that stands at number 1 in the pedigree book of German shepherds. But where does the American-Canadian white shepherds? BEO is a "dumb" and slow dog! In disputes about working qualities, some people argue that BEO is usually calmer and slower, it is easier to work out endurance with them.

I guess, yes. However, this is rather a manifestation of passion and play, which are inherent in the genotype of the breed. These differences in working qualities have developed both due to the morphological features of the breeds, and due to different approaches to breeding. But is it really necessary in everyday life? It is much better if the spouse is wiser, calmer and more reasonable.

In the military and border units, East European Shepherd Dogs are still preferred to this day.

And there is absolutely no need for a manifestation of a storm of emotions at the same time, since the conditions of service imply many factors, including endurance and secrecy. Thus, it turns out that BUT react more sharply to commands, they are more mobile, and, unlike VEO, they will go crazy if they do not find a use for themselves.

Pairs were very often selected from a German male and an East European Shepherd female

When cultivating the East European Shepherd Dog in the DOSAAF service dog breeding clubs during training, the “violator” took the dog on a soft sleeve, no blows were made with a stack. Oriental puppies in most cases are bought only because they are passed off as German Shepherd puppies. Well, this stupidity can not be refuted. P / s At the moment - 2005-2006, the picture in the breeding of the East European Shepherd Dog has changed a lot and thank God - for the better.

In addition, the German Shepherd is a ‘profile’ dog

A bad character is not characteristic of dogs of this breed, more often it is the result of poor education. The East European Shepherd is a large, strong-boned dog of good proportions with good limbs. Subsequently, as you know, a type of German Shepherd was formed in Russia, which outwardly is very different from the Western one. Its name was influenced by historical events: the war, the struggle with foreign names, and today the well-known "East European Shepherd Dog" is firmly entrenched.

Compare the requirements of the Standard for the growth of HO and WEO. In the East European Shepherd breed, there are females whose height is decently taller than German Shepherd males

The first all-Union exhibition in 1989 almost became the last for the East European Shepherd Dog. The reports rightly pointed out the shortcomings of the exterior and behavior, but the recommendations for further breeding of this breed were very categorical. Still a few years ago, and we probably could have known about this type only from the remaining photographs.

But among the received half-breeds (half-breeds for convenience are called those shepherd dogs whose parents belong to different types), excellent dogs were bred in the MGKSS.

It is the breed - with its own inherent character and complete predictability of behavior. But it was not the air of Russia that was so high in calories that German Shepherds suddenly “grew” to the size of the Middle Caucasus. In the North and in the middle lane, Caucasians and large Laikas were added to the Germans, and in the South - Central Asians.

But by the type of such shepherds could not be attributed to the German

These dogs have a wonderful character, a devoted and loving heart. Vostochnik perfectly captures the mood of the owner - he can accompany him on walks with pleasure, be a tireless partner in games, and a reliable partner in work. At the same time, it can become completely quiet and inconspicuous if the owner is not currently in a position to communicate.

She doesn't have to repeat the same thing over and over again. Being at home, she gladly takes part in your affairs, and is ready for anything that her master, whom she adores, does not wish.