GSD Vs BSD Questions

What are the main differences?

Is one more difficult that the other (generally)?

Anyone have any experience with them?

Etc etc

I wouldn't compare them at all. I have never owned a GSD but known lots both show and working lines. I own and know alot of BSD's. For me its the Belgians. I absolutely love them

Can I ask what it is about them you prefer over the GSD? Are they totally different or do you just really love BSD's?

I do think they are totally different. I wanted a dog that I could both show and work. Like I said I have never owned a GSD but I can never see myself changing from BSD''s. They are hard work at times, totally nutty, love to work with you and have boundless energy. I know I have found my breed

Ahh okay!

What is you didn't want to "work" them as such - obviously I don't mean just lay around the house all day... , but not do Schutzhund or agility (well, not proper agility ), would they be okay? Or are they a highly driven working breed?

My dogs do competitive agility, but I do think a bsd would be happy in a none competitive home aslong as they had plenty of exercise and things to occupy their minds. I also think they could be horrors if they did get bored.

BSD Malinois, like the GSD, have two distinct lines, working and showing.

This does not mean you cannot show working line dogs of either breed, in fact they are and have been placed at Championship Shows in the UK including Crufts.

So many GSD owners have GSDs because they can show and work them, whether that be in Agility, Schutzhund, Working Trials, Obedience, HWTM, Flyball etc.

Both BSD and GSD can have boundless energy, be totally nutty and love to work with you.

My next dog will be a working line BSD Malinois bred by the same person who bred my GSD and who is probably the premier producer of working line BSD in the UK as well as being the current World Champion in Mondioring (Level 1)

The main differences are that BSD tend to be faster and more agile than GSD as they are lighter in build.

Yeah I can imagine, at the moment I plan to get a GSD and I know I will have to keep "mind and body" occupied as much as I can too!

Got any pics of yours?

ETA: Thanks SB

Tbh I don't really know much about the BSD, but I am still more drawn to the GSD I think

Who knows in the future though!

(we still need pics though )

Very pleased to see this as when I was involved with the GSD club here it was not the case

Smokeybear - do you know which working GSDs have been placed at UK shows at all. I am genuinely interested to see photos of them.

Mine.............

lol, well done, I thought working line GSDs would be laughed out of a show ring, but good to see their qualities are also appreciated.

Any others?

Tyguard Chilli at Manpol

Must admit I would love a Mal, I had been wanting to get into Sch for ages, and a few years ago was looking into it more, was having discussions with a American GSD breeder, but now life has got in the way, I don't know whether I will ever think about it again, but if I did I would get a Mal, but before that maybe in bout five or so years I woulf ask to help out at a training club to see if its for me, and then look into it after that, I think if I do get into this it will be the only dog or type I would get from a breeder now as temperment is so important in this, and health is more important and I don't think it would be easy, or really expected to get your first dog for this sport from rescue at least, and it may be wrong, and I'm sure that if wrong it will be corrected, but I often think that Mals can be like GSD's on speed, being faster, more agile, higher drive, more excitment, lovely dogs though, amazing to see work, and one of my fav types of dogs, although I do wonder how long it will take me to gain enough experience for such a breed, which is another reason I want to help out with any club in anyway I can, so I can ask others for help, what they think I need to do, or learn, and when I will be ready.

Chaz, why wait? Over here, you can do Schuzhund with any breed pretty much. Have a friend with a very successful ACD in SCHz. Is Diesel up to the challenge?

Schutzhund/Sport mali's have a lot of prey drive but are weak in defense and can be jumpy/nervy so tend to be labelled as "less stable".

KNPV and NVBK Mali's are a lot different...they are a lot more stable as a general rule and have higher thresholds in defense and can cope with pressure. With that said this is due to a few "other breeds" being thrown in there at time to time so a lot of them are not true/full Mali's way back.

I prefer Working GSD's and I do own both....KNPV Mali's too but they just don't float my boat like shepherds do.

They are completely different in everything they do so probably best to go and see which you like the traits of the most.

How did you find the experience? Were the show people shocked to see a working line there and were they positive about it?

Did not ask, however the main difference was that he looked like a dwarf next to some of the showline, some of them you could put a saddle on!

(Puts on flak jacket and helmet)!

How tall is your boy Smokey? And do you have any other pics of him - you always post that link we've seen a million times now