Is the Belgian Malinois Better than the Scottish Deerhound as a Pet? Our Answer.

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Belgian Malinois Versus Scottish Deerhound: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the Belgian Malinois and for the Scottish Deerhound. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the Belgian Malinois or the Scottish Deerhound.

Belgian Malinois versus Scottish Deerhound: Overview

A very important difference between the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The Belgian Malinois is a large-sized dog while the Scottish Deerhound is a giant-sized dog.

Furthermore, the Belgian Malinois belongs to the Herding Dogs group. Herding Dogs were bred for moving livestock, including sheep, cattle, and even reindeer. Herding dogs work closely with their human shepherds, and their natural intelligence and responsiveness make them highly trainable. They have high levels of energy, which needs to be channeled properly to prevent destructive behavior. Herding breeds are protective of their people and property and make excellent watchdogs. Their intelligence, agility, and activity level make them well suited to dog sports.

On the other hand, the Scottish Deerhound belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.

Belgian Malinois versus Scottish Deerhound: Comparison Table

The table below compares the Belgian Malinois to the Scottish Deerhound based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound

FactorBelgian MalinoisScottish Deerhound
Adapts Well To Apartment Living1/51/5
Does NOT Drool5/55/5
Life Span12 to 14 years8 to 11 years
Dog Friendly2/52/5
Does NOT Shed4/51/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight4/52/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl4/55/5
Height22 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder28 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder
Good For Novice Owners3/51/5
Tolerates Being Alone3/52/5
Friendly Toward Strangers3/55/5
Does NOT chew on things3/52/5
Tendency NOT to Wander3/52/5
Tolerates Cold Weather4/54/5
Tolerates Hot Weather4/54/5
Kid-Friendly4/54/5
General Health4/53/5
Low Prey Drive2/51/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor2/51/5
Weight40 to 80 pounds75 to 110 pounds
Easygoing1/53/5
Affectionate With Family5/55/5
Easy To Groom5/52/5
Easy To Train5/52/5
Intelligence5/53/5
NOT Rambunctious1/51/5
Minimal Exercise Needs1/51/5
Potential For Playfulness5/55/5
Average Lifespan13.0 years9.5 years
Average Price$1380No Data
Price Range$850 – $1800No Data
Temperament Score94.1 percent85.3 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • FACTOR VII Deficiency DNA test
  • Serum Bile Acid Test
    • Intelligence Rank (out of 130 Dog Breeds)2247

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the Belgian Malinois in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Scottish Deerhound. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for the Belgian Malinois is 83 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Scottish Deerhound is 67 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Belgian Malinois is a better pet than the Scottish Deerhound. So, you should get the Belgian Malinois!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound

    Below is a list of where the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are most different:

    • Belgian Malinoiss do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies. However, Scottish Deerhounds shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.
    • Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to groom. However, Scottish Deerhounds require a lot of grooming and are not very easy to groom.
    • Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to train. However, Scottish Deerhounds are not easy to train.

    The Similarities Between the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound

    The Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are most similar:

    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound do not adapt well to apartment living.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound do not have the tendency to drool.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound do not get along well with other dogs.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are not very vocal. They have very low tendency to bark and howl.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound can tolerate cold weather.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound can tolerate hot weather.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound require a lot of exercise. They are good for owners who like to exercise.
    • Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are very playful.

    Size Comparison of Belgian Malinois versus Scottish Deerhound

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound.

    Belgian Malinoiss weigh 40 to 80 pounds when fully grown. Belgian Malinoiss are 22 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Scottish Deerhounds weigh 75 to 110 pounds when fully grown. Scottish Deerhounds are 28 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of Belgian Malinois versus Scottish Deerhound

    The lifespan of Belgian Malinoiss is between 12 to 14 years. The average lifespan of Belgian Malinoiss is 13.0 years.

    The lifespan of Scottish Deerhounds is between 8 to 11 years. The average lifespan of Scottish Deerhounds is 9.5 years.

    Belgian Malinoiss live longer than Scottish Deerhounds.

    Temperament of the Belgian Malinois Versus the Scottish Deerhound

    The Belgian Malinois has a better temperament than the Scottish Deerhound.

    This is because the temperament score for the Belgian Malinois is 94.1 percent while the temperament score for the Scottish Deerhound is 85.3 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 94.1 percent, the Belgian Malinois has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 85.3 percent, the Scottish Deerhound has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound by measuring the temperaments of 440 Belgian Malinoiss and 34 Scottish Deerhounds.

    The Intelligence of the Belgian Malinois versus the Intelligence of the Scottish Deerhound

    `
    Belgian Malinois Scottish Deerhound
    Intelligence Rank 22 out of 130 dog breeds 47 out of 130 dog breeds
    Trainability Tend To Learn New Commands After 5 To 15 Repetitions Tend To Learn New Commands After 25 To 40 Repetitions

    Professor Stanley Coren, the famous psychology/neuropsychological professor and, dog lover/trainer measured and ranked the intelligence of about 130 different dog breeds.

    According to Prof. Stanley Coren, the total intelligence that a dog demonstrates is the addition of three types of intelligence. These intelligence types are:
    • Instinctive Intelligence: This is the natural intelligence a dog has because of what the dog was bred for. This type of intelligence comes from instinct. For example, dog breeds that were bred for guarding will have high `guarding` instinctive intelligence, while dog breeds that were bred for hunting will what high `hunting` instinctive intelligence. However, you cannot compare the intelligence of dog breeds based on instinctive intelligence because such a comparison will not make sense.
    • Adaptive Intelligence (learning and problem-solving ability): This indicates what a dog can learn to do for himself or herself. It includes learning and benefiting from experience with his environment, solving new problems, and so forth. Adaptive intelligence is specific to each dog, and not breed specific. Thus, two dogs can have remarkably different levels of adaptive intelligence even if they are of the same breed.
    • Working/Obedience Intelligence: This intelligence is the closest to what we might call school-learning ability and it is based upon what the dog can learn to do when instructed by humans. Importantly, different dog breeds have different learning abilities. Also, science has shown that some dog breeds can learn faster than some other breeds. This means certain dog breeds tend to have higher working/obedience intelligence than some other breeds. Dogs with high Working/Obedience Intelligence are smart and easy to train.

    Prof. Coren showed that the Working/Obedience Intelligence of different dog breeds can be measured reliably. Thus, he was able to rank different dog breeds based on their Working/Obedience Intelligence.

    This is important because according to Prof. Coren, 51 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from its genes while 49 percent of a dog`s intelligence comes from the dog`s environmental circumstances.

    To rank the intelligence of dog breeds, Prof. Coren employed the help of 208 dog obedience judges in North America to fill out a detailed survey on dog obedience. This number represented more than half of all of these judges in North America at the time. He also employed 63 veterinarians and 14 guard dog experts to collect data on the personality of different dog breeds.

    Prof. Coren found that the Belgian Malinois has an obedience intelligence rank of 22 out of 130 dog breeds. The Belgian Malinois belongs to the `Excellent Working Dogs` category. This means that Belgian Malinoiss tend to learn new commands after 5 to 15 repetitions.

    The Scottish Deerhound has an obedience intelligence rank of 47 out of 130 dog breeds. The Scottish Deerhound belongs to the `Average Working/Obedience Intelligence Dogs` category. This means that Scottish Deerhounds tend to learn new commands after 25 to 40 repetitions.

    The Belgian Malinois is more intelligent than the Scottish Deerhound.

    However, Prof. Coren noted that a dog should not be judged based on its intelligence alone, that other factors such as sociability, adorability, and compatibility with the owner are other very important factors that new dog owners need to consider when deciding on a new dog.

    Health Problems of Belgian Malinois versus Health Problems of Scottish Deerhound

    Every dog breed has its own set of health problems that it has a tendency to develop. There is nothing like a perfect dog breed.

    Both the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound are prone to certain genetic health conditions. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) is the organization that keeps track of health problems in dogs. Based on the extensive records that the OFA keeps, the OFA knows what health problems each dog breed is naturally prone to develop. Hence, the OFA recommends which health screening that breeders should perform on a dog breed to make sure that the breeders won`t breed `defective` dog parents that can pass down defective genes to their puppy offspring.

    The more health problems a dog breed is prone to develop, the more health tests the OFA will recommend for that dog breed.

    Based on our review of OFA records, we found that the Scottish Deerhound is prone to the same number of genetic health problems as the Belgian Malinois.

    3 health tests are recommended for Belgian Malinois while 3 tests are recommended for the Scottish Deerhound.

    Below is a detailed discussion of health problems in Belgian Malinoiss and in Scottish Deerhounds.

    Belgian Malinois Health Problems

    Belgian Malinoiss are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Belgian Malinois puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Belgian Malinois puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Belgian Malinois breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Belgian Malinoiss for:

  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination
  • Hip Dysplasia

    • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Belgian Malinoiss here.

    Scottish Deerhound Health Problems

    Scottish Deerhounds are genetically prone to certain health problems. However, breeders can reduce the chances of producing Scottish Deerhound puppies with genetic defects by making sure that a puppy`s parents are free from genetic health problems before allowing the parent to make puppies.

    The OFA provides breeders recommendations on which genetic diseases that breeders should screen their dog parents and puppies for.

    If you want a Scottish Deerhound puppy that will grow up to be healthy, make sure that your Scottish Deerhound breeder screens your puppy or your puppy`s parents for the health problems that the OFA recommends for your puppy`s breed. This will increase the chances that your puppy is free from genetic defects.

    The following are the health tests that Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) recommends that breeders should screen Scottish Deerhounds for:

  • Cardiac Evaluation
  • FACTOR VII Deficiency DNA test
  • Serum Bile Acid Test

    • You can find out more about OFA`s recommended tests for Scottish Deerhounds here.

    Tolerates Being Alone: Belgian Malinois versus Scottish Deerhound

    Belgian Malinoiss can be left alone only for a short time.

    Scottish Deerhounds do not like to be left alone.

    Do Belgian Malinoiss shed more than Scottish Deerhounds?

    Belgian Malinoiss do not shed a lot. They are good for people with dog allergies.

    Scottish Deerhounds shed. They are not recommended for people with dog allergies.

    Which one drools more, the Belgian Malinois or the Scottish Deerhound

    Belgian Malinoiss do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Scottish Deerhounds do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the Belgian Malinois or the Scottish Deerhound?

    Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to groom.

    Scottish Deerhounds require a lot of grooming and they are not very easy to groom.

    Does the Belgian Malinois Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Scottish Deerhound?

    Belgian Malinoiss have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Scottish Deerhounds have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Do Belgian Malinoiss Bark and Howl? What about Scottish Deerhounds?

    Belgian Malinoiss are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Scottish Deerhounds are not very vocal. They do not tend to bark and howl.

    Can Belgian Malinoiss Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Scottish Deerhounds Tolerate Cold Weather?

    Belgian Malinoiss can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Scottish Deerhounds can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: Belgian Malinois vs. Scottish Deerhound

    Belgian Malinoiss have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Scottish Deerhounds have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can Belgian Malinoiss Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Scottish Deerhounds Tolerate Hot Weather?

    Belgian Malinoiss can tolerate hot weather.

    Scottish Deerhounds can tolerate hot weather.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the Belgian Malinois or the Scottish Deerhound?

    Belgian Malinoiss do not get along well with other dogs.

    Scottish Deerhounds do not get along well with other dogs.

    Are Belgian Malinoiss good family dogs? What about Scottish Deerhounds?

    Belgian Malinoiss are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Scottish Deerhounds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are Belgian Malinoiss and Scottish Deerhounds?

    Belgian Malinoiss get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Scottish Deerhounds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Is the Belgian Malinois Easier to Train than the Scottish Deerhound?

    Belgian Malinoiss are very easy to train.

    Scottish Deerhounds are not easy to train.

    Is the Belgian Malinois Better for Apartment Owners than the Scottish Deerhound?

    Belgian Malinoiss do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Scottish Deerhounds do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the Belgian Malinois or the Scottish Deerhound?

    Belgian Malinoiss are OK for new dog owners.

    Scottish Deerhounds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Conclusion: Belgian Malinois versus Scottish Deerhound. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the Belgian Malinois and the Scottish Deerhound better suits you and your family.