Belgian Malinois
VS
Papillon
Belgian Malinois vs Papillon
Compare Belgian Malinois and Papillon side by side and get a clear picture of what sets the breeds apart. Explore differences in size, weight, temperament, activity level, and other key traits to more easily decide which breed best fits your lifestyle and circumstances.
Characteristic
Belgian Malinois
Papillon
Breed type
Purebred
Purebred
Height
57 – 62 cm
25 – 28 cm
Weight
20 – 30 kg
3 – 5 kg
Life expectancy
10 – 14 years
13 – 15 years
Child friendly
3/5
4/5
Energy level
3/5
4/5
Intelligence
5/5
5/5
Trainability
5/5
5/5
Health
4/5
5/5
Grooming needs
3/5
4/5
Shedding
3/5
3/5
Barking level
4/5
4/5
Aggressiveness
3/5
2/5
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Characteristics
Belgian Malinois
Super smart
Easy to train
Large
Papillon
Great with kids
High energy
Super smart
Easy to train
Tiny
Summary
About Belgian Malinois
Belgian Malinois: medium‑large, lean, and highly athletic herding dog with a short fawn coat and black mask. Extremely intelligent, intense, loyal, and people‑focused. Needs firm structure, daily mental work, and heavy exercise; thrives with experienced, very active owners.
About Papillon
The Papillon is a small, elegant toy dog with large butterfly-like ears, a fine, silky parti-coloured coat and a plumed tail. Lively, intelligent and highly trainable, it enjoys activity and mental stimulation, makes an alert watchdog, needs regular brushing, and often lives into the mid–late teens.
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