Old English Sheepdog
VS
Belgian Malinois
Old English Sheepdog vs Belgian Malinois
Compare Old English Sheepdog and Belgian Malinois 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
Old English Sheepdog
Belgian Malinois
Breed type
Purebred
Purebred
Height
56 – 70 cm
57 – 62 cm
Weight
25 – 50 kg
20 – 30 kg
Life expectancy
10 – 12 years
10 – 14 years
Child friendly
5/5
3/5
Energy level
5/5
3/5
Intelligence
3/5
5/5
Trainability
4/5
5/5
Health
3/5
4/5
Grooming needs
5/5
3/5
Shedding
1/5
3/5
Barking level
4/5
4/5
Aggressiveness
2/5
3/5
Characteristics
Old English Sheepdog
Great with kids
High energy
Easy to train
Giant
Belgian Malinois
Super smart
Easy to train
Large
Summary
About Old English Sheepdog
The Old English Sheepdog is a large, shaggy, athletic herding breed with a dense double coat needing regular grooming or a shorter pet clip. Affectionate, clownish, and people focused, it’s intelligent but sometimes stubborn, thriving with consistent training and daily mental and physical exercise.
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.
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