Both are herding breeds with generally high drive. Both will drive you insane if you don't have enough work and activities for them.

IF you want to do protection training, schutzhund, French Ring training then the Malinois will probably be your best option.

IF you want to do herding trials the Border Collie will probably be your best choice.

But, everyone is correct. Until you decide what your main interests are, it's difficult (if not impossible) to tell you which would be the better option. Once you make up your mind where your emphasis will be, the breed choice will probably become obvious to you.

And, you can always do pretty much everything you want with either breed (as long as it's suitable for the individual dog's temperament)even if the breed you finally choose is not one that's normally associated with a particular activity.

So what information do you want Spenser?

Both (and all dogs, even mixed) breeds have their admirers who are going to sing hosannas about their favorite.

You've determined you want to look to the herding group for your dog. Great! I for one don't think you could do any better.
Mind if I ask what it is about the herding group you find so alluring?

As for comparing the BC and the Malinois; myself and others have consistently maintained that while yes the Mals and BC's have shared attributes they are pretty close to polar opposites in what they actually are and have been bred for.

If I may be allowed, I'm going to subdivide the herding group, maybe it'll help.
The BC: herder
The Malinois: herder/guardian

Herding is the specialty of the BC, they excel at it. I dare say more so than any other breed. That we have found it's specialty can be turned to other fun stuff is really beside the point. The herding kingdom belongs to the BC, no others need apply.
That is what they have been bred for.....for a century and more.

In the herder/guardian group I think you'll find the GSD is the enviable king. (LOL, I can hear the howls already) So to mitigate the howls, let me say, the Mals are arguably more popular for the speciality we've chosen for them.
The herding styles of the herder/guardians is very different from the BC. I forget the exact terms, but generally I think it's the H/G's (herder/guardians) business is about the boundaries of the flock and the BC's is about movement of the flock. When you think about it the distinction is not subtle or at all small.
Within the H/G's we've found that some could be turned to almost strictly guardian type work. Indeed, again I dare say, the breeders of the last few decades have centered their attention almost totally on the guardian aspects.
It is something to keep in mind when you start thinking about lumping together all the herders in to one big barrel.

The BC and the Mals are worlds apart Spenser.

Randy is totally right.

Its kind of like saying "I want a truck. Should I get a Ford F150 or a Hummer?"

There are some similarities, but the differences are huge.

I don't want you to think I'm putting you down, Spencer. i like you and I have enjoyed this thread. But If I were you I would do a little more research by checking out events and talking to people IRL.

Then I would get a nice German Shepherd puppy.

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

Then I would get a nice German Shepherd puppy.

ha!

 Quote: aimee pochron

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

Then I would get a nice German Shepherd puppy.

ha!

Double ha!!

I've enjoyed some of this thread, and parts have really irritated me.

In my mind you look at the dog you have, figure out what he or she enjoys doing, and work from there. I understand that we're discussing breed types, but you have to consider the individual first. There are outliers in every breed.

 Quote: Lauren Jeffery

.... If I were you I would do a little more research by checking out events and talking to people IRL.

Then I would get a nice German Shepherd puppy.

AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Excellent.

Yep, the GSD can do it all. At least a well bred, working line one can. In fact they can do just about anything you want them to do..... agility, herding, flyball, frisbee, Personal protection, any dog sports( SchH, Ring sports, PSA etc), Search & Rescue, tracking, detection work, Rally or any other obedience trials, skijourning, service dog work, etc,etc,etc. You will be hard pressed to find a breed that loves to work & has more loyalty & heart then you will find in a GSD.

Not dishing other breeds....I have owned a collie, a poodle & mutts thru the years as well as other shepherds. I just don't think that other breeds have the same endless versitility that a good working line GSD does. JMO

Good GSDs can indeed do it all.

There have been a few discussions among mushers/skijorers on a sled dog web board about 'unusual' sled dog breeds. GSDs and GSD mixes were right up there (ha- and malinois and border collies were mentioned too, come to think of it), but the most positive comments were about GSDs, and not just their lead dog ability, but also what great and loyal pets they made and their intelligence.

There have been many many occasions when people have come over and asked to pat my shepherd, saying they missed their last one so much and she/he was such a great dog. In fact, one of my neighbors who grew up with shepherds stops her car and oohs and ahhs whenever we see her while out running (OK, kind of annoying, but somewhat flattering).

A bunch of skijorers discussed these exact three breeds, border collies, malinois and shepherds when we were hanging out at a skijor race. The mix of breeds we ran included GSDs, malinois, pointer crosses, bouvier, Alaskan husky, flat coated retreiver, and border collie mixes. The consensus was (from people with a lot of experience in many dog sports, including police-level dog work): Border collies are 'snippy' and neurotic. It's hard to find a good one. They tend to be 'alligators' at races and around other dogs. Malinois are unpredictable, skittish and 'moody' (from a malinois owner who had trained her dogs in agility, cadaver tracking and skijor). When it came to GSDs (including GSD mixes) everyone agreed that they are just awesome all around dogs. Find a good one and they'll do anything you ask.

There are many great dogs off ALL breeds. I just thought it was curious that these three breeds came up during a couple separate musher/skijorer discussions.

We could beat around the bush forever on this one. When I chose a 'breed' (AK huskies are not a breed) I decided on the most important dog activities for me (skijoring, trail running off leash, mountain biking), personality traits,(dog, kid, and people non-aggressive- (generally), intelligent, willing to please but not overly dependent, a lead dog), and physical traits (good coat for winter, well built for running, over 65 lbs), and chose a mid-distance sled dog from champion lines.

It's been fun discussing this, but I agree you need to know what you want to do with the dog and then chose the most likely candidate. Except for my sled dog, I've rescued all three the other dogs I've owned throughout my life, and I've never regretted a one of them.

 Quote: Kiersten Lippman

When I chose a 'breed' (AK huskies are not a breed) I decided on the most important dog activities for me (skijoring, trail running off leash, mountain biking), personality traits,(dog, kid, and people non-aggressive- (generally), intelligent, willing to please but not overly dependent, a lead dog), and physical traits (good coat for winter, well built for running, over 65 lbs), and chose a mid-distance sled dog from champion lines.

 Quote: randy allen

The BC: herder
The Malinois: herder/guardian

Herding is the specialty of the BC, they excel at it. I dare say more so than any other breed. That we have found it's specialty can be turned to other fun stuff is really beside the point. The herding kingdom belongs to the BC, no others need apply.
That is what they have been bred for.....for a century and more.

In the herder/guardian group I think you'll find the GSD is the enviable king. (LOL, I can hear the howls already) So to mitigate the howls, let me say, the Mals are arguably more popular for the speciality we've chosen for them.
The herding styles of the herder/guardians is very different from the BC. I forget the exact terms, but generally I think it's the H/G's (herder/guardians) business is about the boundaries of the flock and the BC's is about movement of the flock. When you think about it the distinction is not subtle or at all small. Within the H/G's we've found that some could be turned to almost strictly guardian type work. Indeed, again I dare say, the breeders of the last few decades have centered their attention almost totally on the guardian aspects.

Those are some excellent descriptions about the function of dogs to meet the purpose and needs of the handler.

As usual, you guys rock!

(and I do agree that the well-bred GSD can do it all!)

Another note on GSDs/Mals doing herding. It all depends on what you hope to accomplish. An occasional sport, sure, they'll do OK, but other than that it doesn't make much sense to get into it without a well bred herding dog (read working BC, Aussie, Kelpie)

You can move sheep/stock around a course with many breeds. You can only do real stock handling/moving work with a few. JMO.

 Quote:

You will be hard pressed to find a breed that loves to work & has more loyalty & heart then you will find in a GSD.

LOL! That's always been my stance on a BC. They are much more sensitive than other breeds and they take a certain type of handler, but if you're that type, a BC rocks. Different breeds click with different people and I think a person needs to expose themselves to different breeds/sports to find out what one they will click with. Because even though there are some very versatile breeds out there, if you want to become successful in a training venture/sport, you're going to have to pick one or two to focus on, especially as a new trainer.

 Quote:

but I agree you need to know what you want to do with the dog and then chose the most likely candidate.

Absolutely agree with this.