History of the Malinois
Herding dogs have almost been around as long as humans. The Belgian Shepherd breeds were first categorized in the late 19th century. Acknowledged breeds besides the Malinois are the Laekenois, the Tervuren and the Groenendael.
The Malinois gets his name from the city of Malines in Belgium. As strong, reliable herding dogs were needed, breeders focused on ability over pleasing aesthetics.
They weren't very popular outside their native country first due to not being recognized by non-belgian kennel-clubs. Their numbers also greatly diminished during both world wars and they nearly went extinct, if not for the efforts of the breeders. Recognizing their great abilities lead to a steady increase in popularity as both a working and family dog.
