Why Belgian Malinois dog breed is a favourite of special forces around the world

Dogs have long been used by armed forces and police around the world for various tasks, including nabbing bad guys. While several canine breeds are deployed for security purposes, the Belgian Malinois has become increasingly popular among special forces globally.

After being the top choice of militaries in the United States, Europe and Israel, now India is reportedly planning to replace Labrador with the Belgian Malinois for future operations of the National Security Guard (NSG), the country’s elite counter-terrorism unit.

Why is the Belgian Malinois preferred by police and militaries? How is India making way for the canine to replace Labrador? Let’s take a closer look.

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The allure of Belgian Malinois for security forces

The Belgian Malinois is a versatile, loyal and hardworking breed, according to the American Kennel Club. Developed in the Belgian city of Malines in the 1800s, the canine was initially trained for herding sheep.

Over the last century, these super agile dogs have diversified their career paths, ranging from guarding farms and families to being used in important operations of the armed forces.

Owing to their versatility, these canines were first introduced for military purposes during the Second World War, deployed mostly as border patrol, cart haulers and message runners, according to an article in Highland Canine Training.

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The Belgian Malinois is one of the top breeds chosen by police departments in the United States. Their keen sense of smell, courage and intelligence make them the perfect choice for military operations.

“As a herding breed, they have the strength and smarts to help restrain a potentially dangerous individual,” says the American Kennel Club.

As it has a smaller size than German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois is ideal for parachuting and fast-roping out of aircraft, noted ThePrint.

In India, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was among the first forces to induct the breed. A CRPF officer told Times of India (TOI) last year that 90 per cent of dogs in the force were Belgian Malinois and the breed was deployed for finding explosives and carrying out searches and patrols.

The dogs were reportedly first used by the Indian Army in 1999. However, due to their “aggressive nature they were phased out. . . but they were re-introduced in the Indian Army in the year 2019,” an Army spokesperson told TOI in a statement.

“Belgian Malinois has various inherent capabilities like strength, stamina, high trainability and ability to work in a wide range of environmental temperatures that make them a suitable choice for becoming a MWD (Military Working Dog),” the statement added.

Israel has trained the Belgian Malinois to sniff out Hamas militants from their underground tunnels in Gaza, along with tracking and attacking them.

Belgian Malinois’ high-profile missions

Perhaps the breed’s highest-profile involvement came during Operation Neptune Spear in 2011 when the US Navy SEAL Team Six raided and successfully killed Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden at his Abbottabad compound in Pakistan.

A military dog named Cairo, a Belgian Malinois, accompanied 23 SEALs and an interpreter on the raid, helping the armed forces take down the dreaded terrorist.

In 2019, a Belgian Malinois chased down ISIS leader Abū Bakr al-Baghdadi through a dark tunnel in northwest Syria during a raid by US special forces.

These attack dogs have also proved their mettle in detecting explosives and drugs in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Mali, an eight-year-old Belgian Malinois, was awarded the Dickin Medal, Britain’s highest bravery award for animals, for saving lives during an operation to secure a building where armed insurgents were hiding in Afghanistan’s Kabul.

In 2022, a two-year-old Belgian Malinois named Axel was killed in a counter-terrorist operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla. The dog was gunned down by a terrorist while on a mission to sniff out the hiding terrorists. The Army dog was posthumously awarded a ‘Mention in Dispatches’ for displaying exemplary courage in several counter-terrorism operations.

Why Belgian Malinois will soon replace NSG’s Labradors

As per an Indian Express report, NSG’s Labrador squad will eventually make way for Belgian Malinois. The elite force has started training these dogs to sniff, track and attack to help the Black Cat commandos with anti-terror operations, including hostage situations.

“The operational squads will become leaner (due to the Belgian Malinois). Else, we would have to take two sets of dogs along with their trainers and other logistics. It impacts mobility and stealth,” NSG Director General MA Ganapathy told Indian Express.

Besides cocker spaniels, NSG’s K9 canine unit consists of 20 Labradors and 14 Belgian Malinois, the newspaper reported.

“Labradors get tired very easily and can get playful during operations. These are not issues we face with the Malinois. Labradors are constantly looking for affection and are eager to please their masters. They also want treats constantly. Malinois are more professional that way,” Lieutenant Colonel RB Sharma, the in-charge of NSG’s K9 canine unit, told Indian Express.

Lt Col Sharma said that they have stopped acuiring more Labradors as they plan to retire them gradually.

As per the newspaper report, the Belgian Malinois has been trained to sniff out explosives and attack terrorists based on orders remotely issued via Canine Reward Delivery Systems (CRDS) – a technology designed for dog squads.

With inputs from agencies